A Manifesto for the Restoration of the New Testament Church

THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,
'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,
MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'

Shake yourself from the dust, rise up, O captive Jerusalem;
Loose yourself from the chains around your neck,O captive daughter of Zion.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a marriage proposal, and the New Covenant is a marriage covenant. Salvation and forgiveness of sin comes only through uniting with Christ in this New Covenant. We are saved by the grace of God through faith, but this faith is not merely believing in God or the facts of who Jesus is and what He did. Faith is primarily a personal commitment (marriage) to Christ.

The New Covenant which Christ purchased for His Bride (the Church) promises forgiveness of sin, a new heart and a new spirit, God's Holy Spirit living in us, personally knowing God, and eternal life. Repentance and Baptism is God's ordained way of entering the New Covenant.

There is only one Church, though it gathers in many places. It is manifest "where two or three [disciples of Jesus, saints, brethren] have gathered together in My name." The Church is the community of the saints. The assembly of the Church is the gathering together of the disciples of Jesus in His name. All who are in Christ are members of the Church and all who are not in Christ are not members. Any church that gathers on some other basis is not the Church of Jesus Christ.

The disciples of Jesus Christ are made evident to the world by our love one for another. Those who do not love the brethren have not been born again and are not part of the Church. The Church today is to demonstrate the same love for one another as the Church did after Pentecost.

The teachings of Jesus and the Apostles are the doctrine of the Church. We are not to add to nor take away from what the New Testament teaches. Neither Council, nor Pope, nor denomination, nor local church, nor any so-called apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher, can establish any doctrine, article of faith, or standard of fellowship other than that established by Jesus and His Apostles.

The example of the Church of Acts and the practices the Apostles established in the Church are still God's pattern for today. It was the practice of the Church to meet together on the first day of the week. The celebration of the Lord' Supper, often as part of a meal was apparently the centerpiece of their gathering. The saints met for the purpose of strengthening (edifying) one another and for fellowship. All were free to bring a teaching or a song, or to spiritually minister in love as the Spirit led, under the oversight of the elders.

We are to be careful to maintain the purity of the Church. Those who demonstrate through habitual action that they have not been born again are to be put out of the Church for three reasons:

1. For their own sake, that they may not continue in the delusion that they are saved, in hope that they may repent and truly turn to Christ.

2. For the sake of the purity of the Church and the welfare and unity of the brethren.

3. For the sake of the world, that the lost may not be deceived as to the nature of salvation and the grace of God in Christ.

Christ is the true head of the Church, not just the titular head; and the un-mediated head of every man. The Church is to be overseen (not lorded over) by faithful elders (plural), of good repute, leading by example, able to teach, full of the Spirit. And there are to be faithful deacons full of the Spirit and of good reputation to ensure the poor brethren are provided for. A professional clergy defrauds God's people of their rightful position as priests and ministers of God. All the members of the Body are ministers of Christ. The ministers of Christ ought to walk as Jesus walked. Those who show that they love the world and the things of the world are not ministers of Christ. Those that exalt themselves rather than exalting Christ are not ministers of Christ. Those that seek the approval of men rather than the approval of God are not ministers of Christ.

The gifts (manifestations) of the Holy Spirit continue until that which is perfect comes; that is until Christ returns. The gifts of the Spirit are to be used to edify and not divide the Body. They are not a replacement for the Scriptures, nor a replacement for obedience and holiness. The teaching that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is separate from salvation or that it is always accompanied by "tongues" was not taught by the Apostles. The Spirit may fill us many times and we may walk in different degrees of His fullness, but all who are in Christ have the Holy Spirit.

All spiritual manifestations are to be carefully judged. Prophesy is not to be despised, but carefully tested; tongues are not to be forbidden, but their use carefully regulated. Tongues are supposed to be true languages, not babbling. Tongues are not to be spoken in the Church without interpretation (translation). Any spiritual manifestation that contradicts sound doctrine; brings disorder, confusion, or division among the brethren; leads into sensuality or worldliness rather than promoting holiness and pure devotion to Jesus; leads into self made religion, subjection to angels, or sever treatment of the body; or promotes perfection through law rather than through faith in Christ: is not a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. True spiritual gifts are good, but love is better.

The Holy Spirit exalts Christ Jesus and His Word. The Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment to the world. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and leads us into all truth. And the Holy Spirit can only be received by those who receive Christ.

Denominationalism is sin. It is listed in Gal 5:20 as one of the works of the flesh. Paul says those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Any dogmatic promotion of a doctrine beyond the clear teaching of Jesus and His Apostles, or promotion of a partisan spirit is a work of the flesh. We are to abide in Christ and His words are to abide in us. We are not to go beyond what is written and thereby sow division among the brethren. We are to be careful to maintain the unity of the Spirit, the unity of the faith, and the unity of the Church. "There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." We are "to contend for the gospel delivered once for all unto the saints," and not for anything else.

Offerings are taken for the support of the poor brethren. There is no evidence that the New Testament Church engaged in systematic works of benevolence beyond the community of Christ nor built church buildings. Jesus Himself set forth the principle that "it is wrong to take bread from the children and give it to the puppies." The proper ministry of the Church to the world is the proclamation of salvation and eternal life in Jesus Christ. Those who take the offering of God' people and use it to build and maintain church buildings and programs rather than using it for the poor in the Church are robbing God. The building of buildings and the acquiring of property by the Church is sinful because:

1. It steals what belongs to the poor brethren.

2. It consumes the time, energy, and resources of the Church in doing and maintaining what Christ has not commanded at the expense of what He has commanded.

3. It distorts the Church by enabling a few "to do the work of the ministry" rather than the whole Body of Christ.

4. It promotes a false understanding of what the Church is, both among the brethren and among unbelievers.

5. It brings the brethren into bondage to the world through the need for money and into a dangerous and adulterous relationship with the government (incorporation and tax exempt status).

6. The need for money promotes the sin of showing favoritism to the wealthy and dishonoring the poor.

7. Buildings, property, and money have been the cause of much division among the brethren.

8. Because of property, membership in the church becomes a question of who is entitled to vote rather than who is in Christ.

That which depends on money is of the world. That which depends on the Spirit is of God.

If you are a pastor or priest and are reading this, you know (or should know) these things are true. Do you have the courage to take up your cross and follow Christ?

If you are a Christian, check these things out with the Word of God. If any man is willing to do the will of God, he will know whether or not this is of God. Shake off your chains and follow the Lord! You will not be alone.

If you have not committed your life to Jesus Christ and would like to do so or talk to me about following Christ, contact me or another follower of Jesus. Be careful, most of what is called 'Christian' has little to do with Jesus Christ. You can find the truth in the words of our Lord and His Apostles, written in the New Testament.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ: What holds us back from truly following Jesus but our own unwillingness? Has God grown old? Has the New Covenant been repealed? Has God forgotten His promises? Or have we like Israel of old turned aside to walk in the futility of our own ways? The promised land of the New Covenant lies before us. We can return the Church to her blood bought purity, if we are willing to obey the Word and the Spirit. God will go before us and light the way. Let us not be as Israel at Kadesh Barnea and turn back in fear of what might lay ahead. Israel shrank back and therefore God was not pleased with them and all that generation save two perished in the wilderness.

"I have given them Thy word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.   They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.  As Thou didst send Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.  I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one;  I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me." (John 17:14-23)

The unity that Jesus asked of the Father for us is not withheld from the Church because of the Father's unwillingness, but because of ours.  If we will wholeheartedly commit ourselves unto Christ;  if we are willing to lay down our man-made traditions and doctrines, committees, theologies, buildings, ministries, creeds, bulls, canons, statements of faith, denominations, titles, imaginations, seminaries, hobby-horses and pride;   if we will humble ourselves and will be satisfied with the bread of Christ alone, His Word, His Spirit, His provision;  then the Temple and true worship will be restored.  Then the Church will be one.  Then the prayer of our Lord will be answered.  The thing is, all this is possible and it requires nothing but obedience and courage.  This humbling of ourselves before the Lord for His sake would be the greatest act of worship we could perform!  It is possible!  It happened before!   It is merely a return to the Church of Jerusalem after Pentecost.

Jesus said, "whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple." Therefore, let us forsake all that hinders us: our denominations, our man-made theologies, our traditions, our possessions, and our fears and pride, --and taking up our cross; then we will find the life, truth, and unity that are in Christ Jesus. It is time for the Bride to make herself ready!