Christian Congregation

Christian Congregatin is heavenly entity

Hi all

Contrary to someone's expectation, the Christian congregation can not be found on the earth, because, it is a heavenly arrangement, not earthly one.

The head of the congregation is not a human.
He is in the heavens as mighty spirit being.

All members of the Christian congregation are born from spirit. They are new creations, their citizenship is in heaven, they have no earthly inheritance, and their mind are focused on things above. Eventually they will be taken from the earth into heaven.

The Christian congregation of the Sons of the Kingdom has existed since 33 C.E., beyond time and space.
It is the brotherhood of the sons of the kingdom under heavenly oversight.

When it was established in 33 C.E., local groups of the believers were quite visible.
It was easy to identify the sons of the kingdom at that time.

But the works of Satan were also operating among the believers, so that the wheat became invisible among weeds in time.

The weeds were fleshly minded materialistic people.
As being warned, the local groups of the wheat were hijacked by Satan's weeds in the early centuries. The forewarned apostasy was operating from the first stage of the Christian congregation.

The weeds Christian became prevailed, and they became state-authorized visible religious organizations. The weeds have the characteristic of the world under Satan's control. The fake Christian congregations that is the weeds were the part of the world, whereas the true one is no part of the world.

The Christian world, including WTS, is the counterfeit Christianity consisting mostly of weeds and a little wheat. Almost all the organized religions on earth are registered to the state. The WTS is no exception. They too are the state-authorized organized religion like others.

The WTS is one of the fake Christian congregation of the weeds. It is not God's temple, nor the congregation of the sons of the kingdom.

The congregation of the sons of the kingdom has been registered in heaven. As shown in Heb 12:23, the name of the sons of the kingdom are written in heaven, not in the records of any religious organization on earth.

Heb 12:23
23 in general assembly, and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones who have been made perfect,

All the sons of the kingdom can recognize this heavenly Christian congregation with the eyes of faith.

But it is impossible for fleshly minded person to see this heavenly arrangement. Fleshly minded people set their minds on the things upon the earth. They can't comprehend things in the heavens.

Ro 8:5
5 For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those in accord with the spirit on the things of the spirit.

The sons of the kingdom can comprehend the heavenly arrangement to which they belong. They can recognize the voice of Christ and follow their heavenly Lord eventually even to the heavens.

And fleshly people can't identify who the true sons of the kingdom is, so that they can't recognize the Christian congregation of the sons of the kingdom.

Such a fleshly minded people tend to look for the Christian congregation in a religious organization on earth.

But the Christian congregation is not religious organization on earth. It is the brotherhood of the sons of the kingdom registered in heaven.

So, in order to identify the congregation of the sons of the kingdom, the sons of the kingdom which are the member of the congregation must be identified first.

But it is not so easy. Because the wheat are to disappear among the weeds. And Christ's brothers in the parable of sheep and goats are said to be unidentifiable.

All the sons of the kingdom are born from the spirit. They are imperfect fleshly beings like others, but they are new creations who are expected to live in heaven.

If you are looking for a congregation of sons of the kingdom, you first need to know the truth of the Bible. Then examine the scriptures to see if any religious group or individual is a new creation.

Are Jehovah's Witnesses a Christian congregation?

Can we consider WTS to be a Christian congregation because they claim the name of God?

Although the early Christians were the people for God's name, they came to be called and be identified "Christians" by God's providence, not "Jehovah's Witnesses."

Ac 15:13-21
13 After they quit speaking, James answered, saying: "Men, brothers, hear me. 14 Sym′e·on has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 'After these things I shall return and rebuild the booth of David that is fallen down; and I shall rebuild its ruins and erect it again, 17 in order that those who remain of the men may earnestly seek YHWH, together with people of all the nations, people who are called by my name, says YHWH, who is doing these things, 18 known from of old.' 19 Hence my decision is not to trouble those from the nations who are turning to God, 20 but to write them to abstain from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. 21 For from ancient times Moses has had in city after city those who preach him, because he is read aloud in the synagogues on every sabbath."

In the first century, gentile nations accepted the Christ and became God's people. At that time God's people were nation of Israel which were called by God's name. Gentiles who accepted Christ became a people for God's name like the nation of Israel which used to be as such. And the restoration prophecy of the fallen booth of David was fulfilled in the Christian congregation just established on the Pentecost in 33 C.E. as explained by James.

So, at that time, God's people changed from the earthly nation of Israel to Jesus' disciples, the new creation which is made up of Jews and gentiles.

The congregation of the sons of the kingdom is a heavenly entity, unlike the earthly nation of Israel which was abandoned because of being easily hijacked by Satan.

To the contrary the congregation of the sons of the kingdom will never be hijacked by Satan, because it is a heavenly entity.

Christ Jesus, the head of the congregation is in heaven, so that he can protect and guide his congregation from the advantageous position. And the sons of the kingdom belong to heavenly arrangement. Each sons of the kingdom will become well aware of this heavenly arrangement to which they belong. They don't have any permanent possession on earth like their master Christ didn't.

The sons of the kingdom belong to the heavenly arrangement. Their mind and hart are rightly set on the things in the heavens, not on the earth. They don't view any human as their leader or teacher, because Christ in heaven is their leader and teacher.

So, Satan doesn't have power to mislead the congregation of the sons of the kingdom, nor to corrupt it.

In the end all the sons of the kingdom will triumph over Satan. Satan can only manipulate weeds, counterfeit Christians with his fake Christian congregation on earth and his cunning devices.

Recall the following facts.
The wheat and the weeds are to grow together. The separation of them will occur on Jesus' return, not before the event. So the wheat have not yet been gathered into any earthly religious organization. Actually they will be gathered into heaven by angels when Christ return. They are not gathered into any earthly religious organization by men's effort.

So those who look for the congregation of the wheat in earthly religious organization like the WTS lack faith in God's heavenly arrangement.

The wheat belong to the heavenly arrangement, whereas the weeds belong to the earthly religious organization.

So those who are still possessed of the idea that the WTS is the temple of God or the congregation of wheat lack the spiritual comprehension, the view of such people is still fleshly and materialistic.

Any religious organization on earth is nothing in God's purpose. These are the merely the vessels of Satan for the weeds.

The Christian congregation is the product of the New covenant.

True Christian congregation is heavenly entity for the sons of the kingdom that has existed from 33 C.E.

So, it is a heavenly arrangement in contrast with the earthly congregation of fleshly Israel under the Law covenant which was abolished.

God abandoned the earthly shadow when the heavenly reality came. Christ came down from heaven to put the new covenant into effect for the sons of the kingdom and will take them from earth to heaven. The congregation of the sons of the kingdom is heavenly entity.

The earthly shadow is the law covenant represented by earthly Jerusalem, and the earthly congregations of Judaism were products of the law covenant.

The heavenly reality is the new covenant represented by the Jerusalem above, and the heavenly Christian congregation is the product of the new covenant.

Ga 4:22-26
22 For example, it is written that Abraham acquired two sons, one by the servant girl and one by the free woman; 23 but the one by the servant girl was actually born in the manner of flesh, the other by the free woman through a promise. 24 These things stand as a symbolic drama; for these [women] mean two covenants, the one from Mount Si′nai, which brings forth children for slavery, and which is Ha′gar. 25 Now this Ha′gar means Si′nai, a mountain in Arabia, and she corresponds with the Jerusalem today, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

Since the heavenly reality came into existent, God no longer uses earthly arrangements.


2Co 5:16-17
16 Consequently from now on we know no man according to the flesh. Even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, certainly we now know him so no more. 17 Consequently if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away, look! new things have come into existence.

The new things which came into existence are Christ, the New Covenant, the congregation of the sons of the kingdom, heavenly citizenship, and the like.

Christians don't belong to the things on the earth.

They are the ones who worship God with spirit and truth.
They are God's people, the people for God's name or fame.
They came to be called "Christians," which means "Messianists."

Ac 11:25-26
25 So he went off to Tarsus to make a thorough search for Saul 26 and, after he found him, he brought him to Antioch. It thus came about that for a whole year they gathered together with them in the congregation and taught quite a crowd, and it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.

"Christians." Gr., Khri·sti·a·nous′; Lat., Chri·sti·a′ni; J17,18,22(Heb.), Meshi·chi·yim′, "Messianists."

Insight Volume 1

CHRISTIAN

The Latinized Greek term Khri·sti·a·nos′, found only three times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, designates followers of Christ Jesus, the exponents of Christianity.-Ac 11:26; 26:28; 1Pe 4:16.

"It was first in Antioch [Syria] that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians." (Ac 11:26) It is possible, then, that this name was used as early as the year 44 C.E. when the events surrounding this text occurred, although the grammatical structure of this phrase does not necessarily make it so; some think it was a little later. At any rate, by about 58 C.E., in the city of Caesarea, the term was well known and used even by public officials, for at that time King Herod Agrippa II said to Paul: "In a short time you would persuade me to become a Christian."-Ac 26:28.

Bible writers in addressing fellow believers or describing followers of Christ used expressions such as "believers in the Lord," "brothers" and "disciples" (Ac 5:14; 6:3; 15:10), "chosen ones" and "faithful ones" (Col 3:12; 1Ti 4:12), "slaves to God" and "slaves of Christ Jesus" (Ro 6:22; Php 1:1), "holy ones," "congregation of God," and "those who call upon the Lord." (Ac 9:13; 20:28; 1Co 1:2; 2Ti 2:22) These terms with doctrinal meaning were used primarily as internal congregational designations. To outsiders Christianity was referred to as "The Way" (Ac 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4), and opponents called it "the sect of the Nazarenes" or just "this sect."-Ac 24:5; 28:22.

It was first in Syrian Antioch that Christ's followers became known as Christians. It is most unlikely that the Jews first styled Jesus' followers "Christians" (Greek) or "Messianists" (Hebrew), for they would not reject Jesus as being the Messiah, or Christ, and then tacitly recognize him as the Anointed One, or Christ, by stamping his followers "Christians." Some think the heathen population may have nicknamed them Christians out of jest or scorn, but the Bible shows that it was a God-given name; they "were by divine providence called Christians."-Ac 11:26.

The Greek verb khre·ma·ti′zo in this text is generally rendered simply "were called." A check of some 50 translations in several modern languages reveals that only the New World Translation and Young's indicate that God had anything to do with selecting the name "Christian"; Young's reads: "The disciples also were divinely called first in Antioch Christians."

The Greek word khre·ma·ti′zo as used in the Christian Greek Scriptures is always associated with something supernatural, oracular, or divine. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, in its Greek dictionary (1890, p. 78), defines it as "to utter an oracle . . . i.e. divinely intimate." Edward Robinson's Greek and English Lexicon (1885, p. 786) gives the meaning: "Spoken in respect to a divine response, oracle, declaration, to give response, to speak as an oracle, to warn from God." Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (1889, p. 671): "to give a divine command or admonition, to teach from heaven . . . to be divinely commanded, admonished, instructed . . . to be the mouthpiece of divine revelations, to promulge the commands of God." Thomas Scott in his Explanatory Notes on this text (1832, Vol. III, p. 419) says: "The word implies that this was done by divine revelation: for it has generally this signification in the New Testament, and is rendered 'warned from God' or 'warned of God,' even when there is no word for GOD in the Greek." Concerning Acts 11:26, Clarke's Commentary says: "The word [khre·ma·ti′sai] in our common text, which we translate were called, signifies in the New Testament, to appoint, warn, or nominate, by Divine direction. In this sense, the word is used, Matt. ii. 12 . . . If, therefore, the name was given by Divine appointment, it is most likely that Saul and Barnabas were directed to give it; and that, therefore, the name Christian is from God."-See Mt 2:12, 22; Lu 2:26; Ac 10:22; Ro 7:3, Int; Heb 8:5; 11:7; 12:25, where this Greek verb occurs.

The Scriptures speak of Jesus Christ as the Bridegroom, the Head and Husband of his anointed followers. (2Co 11:2; Eph 5:23) Appropriately, then, as a wife is happy to take her husband's name, so this "bride" class of Christ was pleased to receive a name identifying its members as belonging to him. In this way observers of these first-century Christians readily recognized them not only by their activity but also by their name as altogether different from the practitioners of Judaism; here was a growing association where there was neither Jew nor Greek but all were one under their Head and Leader, Jesus Christ.-Ga 3:26-28; Col 3:11.

What It Means to Be a Christian.

Jesus extended the invitation to be his follower, saying: "If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his torture stake and continually follow me." (Mt 16:24) Those who are true Christians have full faith that Jesus Christ is God's specially Anointed One and only-begotten Son, the Promised Seed who sacrificed his human life as a ransom, was resurrected and exalted to the right hand of YHWH, and received authority to subdue his enemies and vindicate YHWH's name. (Mt 20:28; Lu 24:46; Joh 3:16; Ga 3:16; Php 2:9-11; Heb 10:12, 13) Christians view the Bible as the inspired Word of God, absolute truth, beneficial for teaching and disciplining mankind.-Joh 17:17; 2Ti 3:16; 2Pe 1:21.

More is required of true Christians than a mere confession of faith. It is necessary that belief be demonstrated by works. (Ro 10:10; Jas 2:17, 26) Born as sinners, those who become Christians repent, turn around, dedicate their lives to YHWH, to worship and serve him, and then submit to ➡ water baptism. (Mt 28:19; Ac 2:38; 3:19) They must keep themselves clean from fornication, from idolatry, and from eating blood. (Ac 15:20, 29) They strip off old personalities with their fits of anger, obscene talk, lying, stealing, drunkenness, and "things like these," and they bring their lives into accord with Bible principles. (Ga 5:19-21; 1Co 6:9-11; Eph 4:17-24; Col 3:5-10) "Let none of you," wrote Peter to Christians, "suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a busybody in other people's matters." (1Pe 4:15) Christians are to be kind and considerate, mild-tempered and long-suffering, lovingly exercising self-control. (Ga 5:22, 23; Col 3:12-14) They provide and care for their own and love their neighbors as themselves. (1Ti 5:8; Ga 6:10; Mt 22:36-40; Ro 13:8-10) The main identifying quality by which true Christians are recognized is the outstanding love they have toward one another. "By this," Jesus said, "all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves."-Joh 13:34, 35; 15:12, 13.

True Christians imitate Jesus' example as the Great Teacher and Faithful Witness of YHWH. (Joh 18:37; Re 1:5; 3:14) "Go . . . make disciples of people of all the nations" is their Leader's command. (Mt 28:19, 20) In carrying it out, Christians 'witness publicly and from house to house,' urging people everywhere to flee out of Babylon the Great and put their hope and confidence in God's Kingdom. (Ac 5:42; 20:20, 21; Re 18:2-4)

As to the "house to house" witnessing, refer to
In Search Of Christian Freedom by Ray Franz Chap 7
➡ The Kingdom Witnessing Work

This is really good news, but proclaiming such a message brings upon Christians great persecution and suffering, even as was experienced by Jesus Christ. His followers are not above him; it is enough if they are like him. (Mt 10:24, 25; 16:21; 24:9; Joh 15:20; 2Ti 3:12; 1Pe 2:21) If one "suffers as a Christian, let him not feel shame, but let him keep on glorifying God in this name," counseled Peter. (1Pe 4:16) Christians render to "Caesar" what belongs to the superior authorities of this world-honor, respect, tax-but at the same time they remain separate from this world's affairs (Mt 22:21; Joh 17:16; Ro 13:1-7), and for this the world hates them.-Joh 15:19; 18:36; 1Pe 4:3, 4; Jas 4:4; 1Jo 2:15-17.

It is understandable why people with such high principles of morality and integrity, accompanied by an electrifying message delivered with fiery zeal and outspokenness, quickly gained attention in the first century. Paul's missionary travels, for example, were like a spreading prairie fire that set city after city ablaze-Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, and Perga on one trip; Philippi, Thessalonica, Beroea, Athens, and Corinth on another-causing people to stop, think, and take their stand, either accepting or rejecting the good news of God's Kingdom. (Ac 13:14-14:26; 16:11-18:17) Many thousands abandoned their false religious organizations, wholeheartedly embraced Christianity, and zealously took up the preaching activity in imitation of Christ Jesus and the apostles. This, in turn, made them objects of hatred and persecution, which was instigated chiefly by the false religious leaders and misinformed political rulers. Their leader Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, had been put to death on the charge of sedition; now peace-loving Christians were accused of "disturbing our city," 'overturning the inhabited earth,' and being a people 'that everywhere is spoken against.' (Ac 16:20; 17:6; 28:22) By the time Peter wrote his first letter (c. 62-64 C.E.) it seems that the activity of Christians was well known in places such as "Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia."-1Pe 1:1.

Non-Christian Testimony.

Secular writers of the first two centuries also acknowledged the presence and influence of early Christians in their pagan world. For example, Tacitus, a Roman historian born about 55 C.E., tells of the rumor charging that Nero was the one responsible for burning Rome (64 C.E.), and then says: "Therefore, to scotch the rumour, Nero substituted as culprits, and punished with the utmost refinements of cruelty, a class of men, loathed for their vices [as the Romans viewed matters], whom the crowd styled Christians. . . . First, then, the confessed members of the sect were arrested; next, on their disclosures, vast numbers were convicted, not so much on the count of arson as for hatred of the human race. And derision accompanied their end: they were covered with wild beasts' skins and torn to death by dogs; or they were fastened on crosses, and, when daylight failed were burned to serve as lamps by night." (The Annals, XV, XLIV) Suetonius, another Roman historian, born toward the end of the first century C.E., relates events that occurred during Nero's reign, saying: "Punishment was inflicted on the Christians, a class of men given to a new and mischievous superstition."-The Lives of the Caesars (Nero, XVI, 2).

Flavius Josephus, in his Jewish Antiquities (XVIII, 64 [iii, 3]), mentions certain events in the life of Jesus, adding: "And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day [about 93 C.E.] not disappeared." Pliny the Younger, governor of Bithynia in 111 or 112 C.E., faced with the 'Christian problem,' wrote to Emperor Trajan, outlining the methods he was using and asking for advice. "I have asked them in person if they are Christians," wrote Pliny. If they admitted it, they were punished. However, others "denied that they were or ever had been Christians." Put to the test, not only did these offer up pagan sacrifices but they even "reviled the name of Christ: none of which things, I understand, any genuine Christian can be induced to do." In answering this letter, Trajan commended Pliny on the way he had handled the matter: "You have followed the right course of procedure . . . in your examination of the cases of persons charged with being Christians."-The Letters of Pliny, X, XCVI, 3, 5; XCVII, 1.

First-century Christianity had no temples, built no altars, used no crucifixes, and sponsored no garbed and betitled ecclesiastics. Early Christians celebrated no state holidays and refused all military service. "A careful review of all the information available goes to show that, until the time of Marcus Aurelius [who ruled 161-180 C.E.], no Christian became a soldier; and no soldier, after becoming a Christian, remained in military service."-The Rise of Christianity, by E. Barnes, 1947, p. 333.

Nevertheless, as indicated in Pliny's letter, not all who bore the name Christian were uncompromisingly such when put to the test. Just as had been foretold, the spirit of apostasy was already at work before the apostles fell asleep. (Ac 20:29, 30; 2Pe 2:1-3; 1Jo 2:18, 19, 22) Within a period of less than 300 years, the wheat field of Christianity had been overrun with the weeds of apostate antichrists to the point where wicked Constantine the Great (himself incriminated in the murder of no less than seven close friends and relatives) figured in events that led to the development of a state religion disguised as "Christianity."

To understand the congregation of the sons of the kingdom correctly, people need to turn their mind to the things in the heavens.

The congregation of the sons of the kingdom is also called the body of Christ, and the bride of Christ. Since Christ is now heavenly being, so his congregation is to be heavenly entity.

Those who belong to the congregation can congregate together on earth. A local group of the sons of the kingdom can also be called the congregation, but it is not a state-authorized religious organization, rather it is the local Christian brotherhood of the sons of the kingdom, they are no part of the world, they belong to Christ's heavenly congregation, they are a part of Christ's body, and the bride class.

So far it seems that the sons of the kingdom are scattered around the world forming a small local group in respective locations. They have same mind and faith and hope, so that they can be identifiable by themselves. They don't view any state-authorized religious organization like the WTS as the congregation of the sons of the kingdom.

So if you still hold such a view that the Christian congregation can be found in a religious institution on earth, you can't justify it by scriptures.

1Co 3:16
16 Do YOU not know that YOU people are God's temple, and that the spirit of God dwells in YOU?

Php 3:20
20 As for us, our citizenship exists in the heavens, from which place also we are eagerly waiting for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Joh 3:5-6
5 Jesus answered: "Most truly I say to you, Unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 What has been born from the flesh is flesh, and what has been born from the spirit is spirit.

Col 3:1-2
1 If, however, YOU were raised up with the Christ, go on seeking the things above, where the Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Keep YOUR minds fixed on the things above, not on the things upon the earth.

Ro 8:5
5 For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those in accord with the spirit on the things of the spirit.

Heb 12:18-24
18 For YOU have not approached that which can be felt and which has been set aflame with fire, and a dark cloud and thick darkness and a tempest, 19 and the blare of a trumpet and the voice of words; on hearing which voice the people implored that no word should be added to them. 20 For the command was not bearable to them: "And if a beast touches the mountain, it must be stoned." 21 Also, the display was so fearsome that Moses said: "I am fearful and trembling." 22 But YOU have approached a Mount Zion and a city of [the] living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, 23 in general assembly, and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones who have been made perfect, 24 and Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and the blood of sprinkling, which speaks in a better way than Abel's [blood].

Joh 3:5-6
5 Jesus answered: "Most truly I say to you, Unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 What has been born from the flesh is flesh, and what has been born from the spirit is spirit.

These are heavenly realities.

• the resurrected Christ who has sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty
• the blameless blood of Christ which has incomparable value for forgiveness of sin
• the congregation of the sons of the kingdom who are born from spirit
• the Jerusalem above, the kingdom of heaven, the congregation of the sons of the kingdom

The Christian congregation is a heavenly entity.

All the religious organizations on earth are the congregation of weeds to deceive many.

After all, the sons of the kingdom will realize the heavenly entity to which they belong, then they will leave the Babylon the Great, that is to say earthly religious organizations manipulated by Satan.

Re 18:2-4
2 And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: "She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a lurking place of every unclean exhalation and a lurking place of every unclean and hated bird! 3 For because of the wine of the anger of her fornication all the nations have fallen [victim], and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the traveling merchants of the earth became rich due to the power of her shameless luxury." 4 And I heard another voice out of heaven say: "Get out of her, my people, if YOU do not want to share with her in her sins, and if YOU do not want to receive part of her plagues.

Christianity is to become a big tree on the earth as a dwelling place of demons and hated bird. Its teachings are to be fermented because of the fleshly mind. The WTS is also a branch of that tree.

Mt 13:31-33
31 Another illustration he set before them, saying: "The kingdom of the heavens is like a mustard grain, which a man took and planted in his field; 32 which is, in fact, the tiniest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the largest of the vegetables and becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and find lodging among its branches." 33 Another illustration he spoke to them: "The kingdom of the heavens is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three large measures of flour, until the whole mass was fermented."



see ya