To all (may be freely forwarded):

Many are questioning the role of church, movements, and renewal.   The questions are often of the in-church versus out-of-church, or this church vs. that movement, roman catholicism vs. protestantism etc... These questions originate from an incorrect construct and wrong premise that will inevitably lead to wrong conclusions.

The scriptures do detail the answers, I will let you formulate the correct question.  In the great council held in Jerusalem in Acts 15, the apostles dealt with much more than fleshly circumcision for the introduction of gentile believers into the Israel of God.  Paul  believed that the entrance of the gentiles into the Israel of God (into the true people of God) was through Jesus, the Christ under a New Covenant in his blood.  Paul preached the circumcision of the heart by means of a covenant sealed in baptism in water and in the Holy Spirit to enter into the body of the Lord Jesus Christ through repentance and faith.  The baptism means our identification in the death and in the resurrection of Christ, being willing to die to ourselves so that the victorious life of Jesus can flow through us by means of the Holy Spirit.  Paul preached that there was a new and higher law than the law of Moses, 'for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death' (Romans 8:2).  The rites and procedures of the law of Moses were being opposed.

The controversy continued, even after Peter's testimony of his vision and the inclusion by the Holy Spirit of the household of Cornelius.  James powerfully resolved the debate in favor of Paul and Peter by citing a seemingly obscure Scripture from the Prophet Amos, "...and will build again the tabernacle of David..."  What was the tabernacle of David? and Why were these dogmatic Jews (some were Pharisees) convinced by such a strange argument?

It was a simple tent without an intermediary priesthood, without furniture, without a holy place, without a bronze altar and without continual blood sacrifices.  But it contained the ark of the glory of God.  The raising up of the tabernacle of David is a perfect picture of the intimate and personal communion that all who have died to their own ways can enter into the Way of the greater son of David and enjoy uninterrupted fullness with God the Father without clergy, rites, structures, organizations or denominations. The simple tent speaks of us in union with Him and the ark of God speaks of our access to the glory, unction, and presence of God the Father.

God did not see fit to give the floor plan, dimensions, or materials of this simple tent. But James resolved the issue regarding what the model for receiving gentiles into the Israel of God would be, leaving no doubt or question in the minds of all who were present that day.  The model for the church age is the Tabernacle of David.

God has corporate expressions that are ordained of Him and He will set the proper governments in place to ensure that His work is accomplished.  Corporate expression of new testament stature in the majority of North American gatherings is deficient. That said....

In our day and time, man has precipated horizontal union outside of the timing and ways of God. Leaven has been incorporated into the lump to maintain order and control.  The true sheep are then mistreated and hurt but the Lord promises "all things will work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28).

God has permitted all the human attempts and endeavors to build kingdoms in His name because He is an expert in using adversity and injustice to dress and purify the true living stones that He is planning to use in the construction of His true Temple when the time comes.  Man continues with his plans and programs while Jesus the Christ is preparing and purifying each individual stone one by one until the time comes to build the true temple built without hands and without the sound of a hammer.

So let us draw near with a true heart and with complete faith having our hearts purified from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water, holding fast to the profession of our hope.

For a correct foundation,
Cal

The above includes excerpts and summarizations from "The Tabernacle of David" by Russell Stendal.