The Tabernacle of God Is With Men...

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. I have written and spoken much about the Church, and then the nations of saved people. It appears to be impossible for Christian people to believe that there will be two classes of saved people on the new earth. Yet apart from understanding that the Church is a called-out elect who are being prepared to govern the people of the nations whom God saves, it is impossible to understand the Bible or the Kingdom of God.

(8/14/2001). And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. (Revelation 21:3)

Think for a moment about the verse above. It tells the whole story. God's dwelling place, which is the Church, the Body of Christ, the new Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb, comes down from Heaven through the new sky, to be located for eternity upon the new earth.

Is this a simple concept? I think so.

The Church is God's Israel. It is made up of called Jews and called Gentiles, the one Olive Tree, the one new Man of which the Lord Jesus Christ is the exalted Head.

I don't know why people have a problem with this idea, of the Church consisting of people whom God has chosen out from the ranks of mankind to be the rulers and priests of a Kingdom of people.

This design is found clearly in the Book of Isaiah:

Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations—their kings led in triumphal procession. Isaiah 60:11)

"Your" refers to the Church. "People" is speaking of those of the nations whom God has chosen to save.

Perhaps part of the problem has to do with the prevailing concept that Israel is somehow different from the Church. It is so easy to prove from the New Testament that there is only one Body of Christ, only one Olive Tree, that I don't want to go into this now. The expression "one new Man," in the second chapter of the Book of Ephesians, ought to do away with any lingering thought that Israel and the Church are two different groups.

Galatians is clear that there is but one Seed of Abraham. That Seed is the Lord Jesus Christ. Every Jew who is one of God's elect, God's called-out people, God's Church, is part of that one Seed. Every Gentile who is one of God's elect, God's called-out people, God's Church, is part of that one Seed. The Book of Galatians is absolutely clear on this point.

The one Seed of Abraham is true Israel. The elect Jew is true Israel. The elect Gentile is true Israel. True Israel is one fold governed by one Shepherd. Please keep in mind also that the first Christian Church consisted only of Jews—and Orthodox Jews at that!

I think the prevailing pressure to keep the Jews and Gentiles separate is coming from Satan. Satan understands only too well that salvation and the Kingdom is of the Jews. The only manner in which a Gentile can become part of that one Kingdom, that one Seed, that one Bride of the Lamb, that one Body of Christ, is by becoming a part of Jesus Christ.

The believing Jew becomes part of Christ by eating His flesh and drinking His blood. The believing Gentile becomes part of Christ by eating His flesh and drinking His blood. If this is true, how then can there be a Jewish Church or a Gentile Church? There is no scriptural support whatever for this terribly destructive notion.

We all, believing Jews and believing Gentiles, have come to Mount Zion, the Church of the Firstborn. There is only one spiritual Zion, and it is Israel.

Notice what Jesus said to His Jewish disciples:

"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word." (John 17:6)

The words above were said to Jews. Are you, dear reader, a Gentile? Are you a Christian? Are you or are you not included in those words?

If you are part of Christ, part of the one Seed of Abraham, then you are included in these words. The Jewish disciples certainly were included. May we deduce from this that you are one with the Jewish disciples?

I am belabouring the obvious because the idea of their being two kingdoms, two brides of the Lamb, two different churches, is so widespread in our country. Perhaps Dispensational theology is based on this idea, I am not certain. Whenever you hear someone speak of a Gentile kingdom in Heaven and a Jewish kingdom on the earth, you know they are mistaken. They do not understand the Scriptures.

If in fact there were a Gentile Kingdom in Heaven, and a Jewish kingdom on the earth, which kingdom would the Apostles be in?

Is this or is this not nonsense?

If the Jews do not enjoy the thought of being in the same body as Gentiles, and the Gentiles do not enjoy the thought of being in the same body as Jewish believers in Christ, it is because of the influence of religion. The true member of the Jewish elect, and the true member of the Gentile elect, lives by the Life of Jesus Christ. He may be involved in a religion, but he is one with God through Christ and one with all who are one with God through Christ. How could it be otherwise?

I gain the impression that Christian scholars are not sure about the new Jerusalem. Are Christian Gentiles in their eternal mansions in Heaven while the new Jerusalem, the house of God, the Wife of the Lamb, is established upon the new earth? This makes sense? I guess it does to many scholars.

The new Jerusalem, the holy city, is the glorified Church. It is glorified Israel, in that the names of the twelve tribes are on the twelve gates. The names of the Jewish Apostles are in the foundations of the wall.

There is no temple in the new Jerusalem. This means, there is no religion in the holy city. God and the Lamb are the Temple of it. Do you know, this should be true of us today. We should observe the practices of our religion so as not to offend anyone. But our heart should be with God and the Lamb, not with our religious identification.

The most important part of the holy city is the fact that the Throne of God and of the Lamb is in it and are its light. Now tell me, Gentile Christian, do you want to be reclining in your mansion in the spirit world, with the angels for company, or would you prefer being a part of the royal priesthood that will govern the saved people of the nations?

Keep in mind, this is a Jewish city. The names of the tribes on the gates and the names of Jewish Apostles in the foundation of the wall. Are you certain you want to be a pillar in a Jewish temple?

I understand that you may be uncomfortable with this thought, having been taught for so long that Christianity is a Jewish religion.

My secretary, Rebekah Wilson, once wrote to a prominent Gentile evangelist. She asked about the question of the Jews and Gentiles in the Christian Church.

His reply was, "In the beginning, Gentiles were added to the Jewish Church. Today Jews are added to the Gentile Church."

You know, there is no basis, scriptural or otherwise, for such an outlandish statement. Yes this man is one of the most prominent ministers in our country. So great is the error that clouds our thinking and affects our actions. The Lord Jesus promised us that one day those who belonged to Him would be one in the Father through the Son. He spoke this to His Jewish disciples. He said that when this oneness came into being, the world would believe that it is God who has sent Jesus Christ to us.

That day shall come. Be prepared for it. In that day your religious affiliation and your racial background will mean nothing. Every member of that chosen group will live by one Life, the Life of the Lord Jesus. Each will have forsaken his or her individuality (not his or her unique identity) in favour of being one with Christ. Henceforth he or she will be known by the name of Christ (Messiah) which will be engraved for eternity in him or her. I don't know about you, but this is my crowd.

And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. (Isaiah 61:6)

That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:21-23)

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