The Rock of ages

.

We believe . . . we are convinced . . . we are sure . . . that our worship is relying (or founded) upon the teaching that The Holy

Spirit (and not any man) is the divine (or the heavenly - not earthly) administrator - and that this divine one is the (manager or the

superintendent) that is acting on behalf of Jesus Christ in His churches.

What this means is that The NTC is not an organization that has been built upon the talents – upon the commitment or upon the

strength of mankind . . . but rather the NTC has been built upon the strength of only ONE man . . . the MAN Jesus Christ.

The question that will naturally arise next is the meaning of Matt 16:18 regarding the words of Jesus about the foundation of The NTC which He says here - that He built upon “this rock” . . .

Mt 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

At this point in our lesson, I will forego any attempt to argue that “this rock” upon which the church was built - refers to “the rock of

ages” or to Jesus Himself as opposed to the rock of the disciples or the small stone that the name Peter represents . . . once again such

an interpretation (that the church was not built upon Peter as the first pope) but instead that the NTC was built upon Jesus Himself as THE

ROCK of ages upon whom the gates of hell "could not" PREVAIL against or overcome is (in the absence of proof) . . . a belief that must result TOTALLY from an act of faith.
Consider the fact that a few weeks or months after Matt 16:18 Peter even denied that he knew Jesus . . . I know that Peter was a good man . . . but he was "only" a man . . . and the gates of hell did prevail over his fleshly strength as he denied Jesus.
So this gives a bit of strength to the interpretation that "the rock" referred to "the rock of ages" (Jesus) and NOT to Peter or any other man who possessed a sinful nature such that he was not able to escape the practice of sin in his life . . .
Romans 7:  22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

If we are looking for some sort of proof to lead us to the understanding that The church was built upon Jesus rather than being built upon Peter . . . consider Eph 3:21

Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

The only proof that we will be able to uncover . . . that this is the proper interpretation - is found as we look at the basic purpose of

what the church is . . . and what the church was designed to do.  Now our lesson is about “the role” that The Holy Spirit of God is supposed to play in the church . . .

To be the superintendent (or to be the manager in Christ’s stead) “in His churches” refers to how The Holy Spirit (in the absence of Jesus) acts on behalf of Jesus IN regard to the church.

As we read Eph 3:21 . . . we understand that “Unto him” refers directly to Jesus Christ not to the apostle Peter.

Unto Jesus Christ be GLORY . . . the word glory refers to the following terms: honour – praise – or worship . . . Do you think that it is ever

appropriate to bring such honour – praise or worship to ANY man . . . even if that man was an apostle of Jesus?

To bring honour unto Jesus “in the church” which was either established upon Peter as a man - or upon Jesus as the son of man (God in flesh) . . .

we need look no further than the foundation or the root of the church that Jesus established . . . if the church rests upon the shoulders of

Peter . . . then how are we able to give honour unto Jesus through the church?

Not unto Peter (not unto the Pope) . . . but unto Jesus be glory in the church . . . The word praise refers to paying tribute or the giving of credit . . . once again if Jesus built the church upon Peter . . . explain how being part of 

the church gives credit to Jesus instead of giving glory or credit to the man Peter upon whom it is assumed by many that it was built.

To worship Jesus in the church would simply not be possible if the church in which we offer such worship . . . was built upon a man instead of being built upon the son of man – Jesus Christ.  
Not to argue the point at all . . . but to simply express the notion that I accept by faith the interpretation that Matt 16:18 teaches us that Jesus built the New Testament Church NOT upon Peter . . . but

upon HIMSELF . . . and that the phrase “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” was given to us as all the proof we need that Jesus was talking about Himself instead of

Peter as being the foundation upon which the church has been built.

As one of God’s children . . . have you ever wondered what it would have been like “to be alive” during the personal ministry of Jesus . . .

What would it have been like to know Jesus personally – the way that Peter, James, John and the other disciples knew Him?

If I could have known Jesus personally . . . then I would have listened to . . . and I would have obeyed EVERYTHING that He told me to do.

It is true that today we cannot know Jesus in the flesh . . . but we can know Him in Spirit.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

If having known Jesus in the flesh – if He had asked you one day to leave your occupation and “follow” Him in a new way of life as a

“Christian” would you have done it . . . If Jesus had ask you to leave your present religion and to “follow” Him in a NEW religion called

New Testament Worship in a “church” rather than in the Old Testament Temple style of worship according to the tradition of the Jews . . . would you have done it?

In your defense . . . you have never met “face to face” with Jesus in this manner . . . but what I hope you will understand . . . is that you HAVE met “heart to heart” in this manner with the SPIRIT of Jesus Christ. 

The book that we call “The Bible” is commonly called God’s Word.

The basis if my belief “as a Christian” begins with the LITERAL interpretation that The Bible is genuinely “the breath of God” . . . just

as surely as if God Himself had actually spoken “every word” of The Bible to me in a “face to face” encounter.

I totally understand that this particular belief of the verbal inspiration of Gods’ Word cannot in any way be proven to be true . . . it is not

my intent to argue this point at all . . . it Is however my point - to simply say that this is where I have placed my faith . . . and this

“perception” of what (I believe) The Bible really is - has drastically altered (or changed) not only the direction of my life . . . but this one

act of faith has also brought about a change in the direction of my worship.

The point being . . . that if I choose to disregard what The Bible “teaches” that I should do with my life . . . then in reality I have actually

chosen to disregard what God Himself has “taught” me to do . . . I say this because of “the faith” that allows me to accept The Bible as literally being God’s Word.

This concept of “believing” that The Bible is actually God’s Word is essential to a proper understanding of how The Holy Spirit is supposed to function in our individual lives . . . and also in the churches where we worship.

So before we continue with the next lesson . . . I want you to evaluate your "perception" of what we call God's Word (The Bible).

To enter into any meaningful discussion of God or "religion" . . . the individuals in that discussion must BEGIN their discussion by lining up at THE SAME starting point . . . like the beginning of a race.
 If we do not believe what I have described God's Word to be . . . then the remainder of our discussion about the Holy Spirit and The NTC . . . is pointless . . .

If I line up at one starting point . . . and if you begin at a different location (or starting place) in our discussion . . . then we are not running in the same race . . . which means that we cannot be discussing the same thing.

Answer the question about your perception of The Bible - if you accept (through faith) that it is genuinely and literally God's Word . . . THEN and ONLY THEN can we can proceed from the SAME reference point to learn what The Bible (what God) is attempting to teach us.

To learn what God is attempting to teach us with The Bible . . . is the purpose that the The Holy Spirit serves in our lives . . . we will learn more about this in the next lesson . . .
   

The Rock

If you were going to build a structure that you wanted to stand as long as possible - which of the "rocks" shown above would you choose as the foundation?  The BIG rock of ages . . . or the small rocks shown below it?

II Thessalonians 1: 1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

 2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In verse #1 “The church” is referred to as being IN “God our Father” and also as being a church that was IN (fixed or resting upon) “THE Lord Jesus Christ” as the rock of ages.

Paul clarifies that “The church” (unto whom this letter is being addressed) is not simply “a temporary” social organization of man . . . but to

state that “the church” was IN “God our Father” was for Paul to indicate that the church was not a short-term institution – but that “the church”

was in a “fixed” (permanent) location (or position that would NEVER change) – and that this stationary (unmovable) position was not resting

upon men  – but “as such” the church was currently “positioned” and would remain “positioned” where-ever God was LOCATED.

Mt 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and (not upon YOU – but) upon this rock (upon Myself) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The point that Jesus is making here – is that there is a BIG DIFFERENCE between “the stability” or the character of Peter and “the stability” or the

character of Jesus . . . Peter was indeed “a rock” or a stable feature concerning the teachings of Jesus and the early church . . . but what Jesus is saying

here is that even though Peter is “a rock” or a stable force concerning “the faith” – Jesus is a much BIGGER rock or a much larger stabilizing force than Peter or any “other” man is. 

Remember that Peter was “just a man” – and that as a man – Peter is the one who openly denied Jesus not once but “three times” prior to the

crucifixion . . . so even though Peter repented and was later “converted” which means nothing more than that he reverted (returned) back to “the

faith” that he had earlier denied (as he allowed God to turn his life around through repentance).   Peter was in this respect a “little” stone or a

“small” rock concerning “the faith” while on the other hand – Jesus was a BIG stone or a MASSIVE rock . . . or what we refer to as “the rock of ages.”

So when Jesus says “thou art Peter and upon THIS rock I will build my church” – He was pointing out that even though Peter was a good man (what we

would refer to a rock concerning “the faith” – he was also a man that was subject to sin – he WAS strong in the faith – but he was not as big of a

rock as Jesus was . . . so Jesus tells us – that the church was not built upon a little rock like Peter – but that it was built upon Himself as “the rock of ages”

Matt 16: 13 ¶ When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (You are the rock of ages) 

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona (Peter) : for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Jesus tells Peter that he had been blessed of God

concerning the fact that “Jesus” was The Christ.  For “flesh and blood not to have revealed this unto thee” indicates that Peter did not use his

education to “figure out” that Jesus was The Christ – but that God had revealed this to Peter . .

What God had revealed to Peter was that there was a difference between Jesus and John the Baptist – there was a difference between Jesus and Elias –

There was a difference between Jesus and Jeremias – there was a difference between Jesus and “one of the prophets” . . . These prophets were all

good men – but these prophets were ONLY men – while Jesus was MORE than a man – He was literally God in the flesh . . . so it was with this

background regarding the difference in stature which exists between Jesus and the prophets - that Jesus explains in the next verse

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter (you are like one of these prophets that have been mentioned – you are a good man - but you are not the Christ) and

(pointing to Himself – He says not upon you but) upon THIS rock (upon Myself “not as a prophet” but as The Christ – Upon Myself as The Son of the living God) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The gates of hell had already prevailed against Peter once when he denied Jesus . . . the gates of hell had already prevailed against the life of Peter

when he failed in Galatians 2 – as he gave in to pressure and refused to teach that in the New Testament that we are no longer under the Law

Galatians 2: 11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

Now this latest account of failure in the life of Peter was at least three years after his conversation with Jesus in Matt 16 about building the church

upon THIS rock.  So if Peter was “this rock” upon which the church was built (instead of that rock being Jesus) then

what right did Paul have to accuse Peter of leading

the church into error (who if the church had been built upon Peter instead of upon Jesus) – would

mean that Peter is the one who had been given the keys of the kingdom “to bind or to loose” in both heaven and earth?

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Who has possession of “the keys” of the kingdom.

What do you think these “keys” of the kingdom of heaven are . . . and

What is it that is “bound or loosed” by the use of these keys.

Our next lesson will deal with the "living word" and we will discuss "the keys" in one of our later lessons.