In the English translations of the Bible, we often come across the word ‘Church’. It is the English ‘translation’ of the Greek word “εκκλησια”. Εκκλησια is an ancient Greek word.
Ekklisia. Although it is translated as church – the word has lost its original ‘meaning’. The roots – the etymology- of the word “ekklisia” lend us quite a bit of insight.
The word “Church” (εκκλησια) in the Bible, does not refer to the building in town where people ‘worship’. The word εκκλησια refers to the people, the collective of Christ’s flock that comprises the Body of Christ – His followers – God’s children- and we are the Body. Christ is the Head. Figuratively and Literally.
Eκκλησια comes from the prefix εκ-, which means from, and a derivative of καλεω ➡️ κλητος, κληση which means the gathered ones that received the calling – invited – called – summoned. The ancient Greeks used this word to define a ‘gathering’ in which those that were ‘called upon’ congregated for a specific purpose.
From a Christian perspective, εκκλησια does not mean ‘church’ as in the building/structure housing ‘organized religion’ but those responding to ‘the calling’. There is a big difference between a place for ‘religion’ (which literally roots from re-leges (‘about the laws’) or religare (to bind together) or relegere (to read over and over) and εκκλησια (a congregation of those who are called out – answering the call.)
Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,… -2Timothy, 1-9
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. -John 15:16
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call.— Ephesians 4:1-4
There is only ONE body…one group of followers and they live their faith – they don’t show it or claim membership to prove it. Faith should have nothing to do with parishes, attendance, traditions, organizations, priests, hierarchies, and rituals.
Faith is about
- walking your talk and living what you believe.
- living your life as God’s ‘called’ child –
- passing through this world and learning to discern while here.
- making yourself worthy of the Holy Spirit to abide within you, when you abide in Christ.
- the Light you carry -not the prayer and good acts and deeds you do in public. (Christ said to pray in private, not to make a public display – and to do all good deeds in cognito, not even letting your one hand know what they other hand gave.)
No one said living a life in Faith would be easy.
We are ‘shunned’ and ‘ridiculed’ for our views.
We are criticized and punished for the choices we make in this world.
But what else would you expect
- from those that can’t see what we see?
- from those that willingly serve the dark?…OR… More tragically,
- from those who believe themselves to be ‘Christians’ but are actually sidelined. Lured into the devices of one of the worldly systems of ‘religion’ that are literally spiritual traps with a Christian label.
“Churches”, Christian ‘religions littered with hypocrisy, pageantry, shows, theatrics, false doctrine and dark agendas (pedophilia, satanism, occult traditions) – deceiving its members/audience/customers/ deceiving their ‘brethren’ that they are followers of Christ but their true focus is not on their personal life in Christ but actually in the membership/rituals/traditions of the organization.
The members of these ‘religious’ groups allow themselves to be ‘taught’ by someone, as if that ‘teacher’ or ‘pastor’ is an authority on Christ. (see Matthew 23 below) We even have schools and degrees to confer titles of experts on God, Christ, and the Bible.
Do children need someone to teach them about engaging with their biological parents? So, all who seek Christ and answer that calling of God have the same legacy given to us that connects us with Him. God doesn’t want us to be taught – He wants us to find Him for ourselves. That is building the spirit.
Bicycle theory will never teach you to ride a bike – you need to get on the bike and teach yourself.
If someone wants to translate the bible, they can learn ecclesiatical Greek or Hebrew. If someone wants to read the Bible in their language, they read the bible (or listen to it being read.) They do not need to be ‘taught’ – someone who searches with their heart will understand The Word – regardless of their education, cultural background and life experience.
Hymns, services, prayers, icons, rituals? Fine. But this is not faith – if they give you joy that is fine. If they help you to reach communication with God, that is fine. But limiting your spiritual experience to interacting with these things, is actually worshipping these things instead of God, and that is a sin.
We are born with the ability to do what we must, and what we must means that which God intends for us to do. – God sheds the Light, gives the Wisdom as well as blessings and gifts such as prophecy on each individual as He sees fit . Prophecy is a gift that will be more prevalent in the end times.
Only God makes prophets – self proclaimed prophets are False Prophets.
False Prophets assume or seek to publicize that they are prophets although they do not have this God given gift. They only create spectacles of deceit – These displays fuel unsuspecting listeners with lies, creating even more misled and deceived people.
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. – 1Corinthians 1:26-29
A follower of Christ isn’t perfect. We are a group of flawed humans – but those are are true to their ‘call to follow Christ’? They are living and experiencing ‘the mending’, ‘the honing’, the ‘reforming’, the ‘awakening’, the ‘rebirth’, & the ‘grafting’. – These are one on one experiences with God our Father, Jesus our Savior, and the Holy Spirit our Comforter and Guide.
These are not experiences that can be taught or achieved through another human being, whatever their title/ritual/intention.
Preaching? Sure, we can learn something from listening to other people’s interpretations of the Scripture. We can open our minds to a few things that perhaps we did not pick up when reading the Bible.
But reading the Bible can not be ‘taught’.
The Old Testament is not just a historical account of events that transpired before Christ was born.
The New Testament is not just a work of prose recording the life and times of Christ, through the eyes of His disciples – a work that needs translation and footnotes to be understood.
The bible is Alive.
It unfolds and reveals itself according to our heart, intention and readiness.
If you read the bible with your eyes and mind as you would a history book, that is what you will receive – cold facts.
If you read the bible with your eyes and heart searching for God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, in earnest – that is what you will receive – insight, perception, comfort, wisdom, understanding, a direct connection with God, as well as fuel and strength.
But what each of us perceives and what each of us understands when reading the Bible is a personal experience.
We can listen to what others have to say about the verses of the Bible, but it is our personal understanding of what we read that is crucial for our spiritual development.
This understanding comes from studying the Bible and talking to God, reaching out to Christ, and receiving the blessing of the Holy Spirit living inside us.
We all have our own crosses to bear and our own spiritual path to take to bring what God has planned for us to fruition. God has foreseen all of our steps and experiences, even the experiences/mistakes we make – the good, the bad and the ugly. What He wants is our one one-on-one relationship with Him – He is our guide. He is our Guide. He is our Teacher.
Fellowship? Necessary. (“When two or three are gathered in My name…”)
But fellowship is for connectedness (as a body is connected) reinforcing the concept of brotherhood, brotherly love, and the power of prayer in our lives. That is not a show of FAITH. It is a way of life.
Listening to a ‘preacher’ or attending a service/ritual is not a sign of faith nor does it make one a Christian. It is how we live, not where we go, that differentiates us as Followers of Christ – part of His flock.
There is only one Teacher. Christ. And the lessons we are taught, the prayers, and what we confess, discuss, ask or confide to Our Father? One on One.
Notes:
I am writing to point out the traps out there…The passage below states this truth. Everyone should read it for their own understanding. Some vocabulary help for those who haven’t read Bible passages before : Scribes & Pharisees? Those who put on a show and considered themselves more righteous, more ‘learned’ – the ‘experts’ on God. They considered themselves the ‘elect’ and made a spectacle of their faith and devotion. Christ came down hard on them, calling them out for their ‘spectacle’ and hypocrisy. The word ‘rabbi’ in Hebrew means teacher.
Matthew 23 : 1 – 36 (BSB)
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: 2 “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5 All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.
8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
16 Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred? 18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred? 20 So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the One who sits on it.
23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.
27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers. 33 You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?
34 Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.
The Narrow Way 
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