Iconoclast
Puritan Board Junior
I picked up a book at a second hand store called the Greening of the Church.It was written in 1970 by a SBC theologian named Findley Edge who wrote often on the subject of local churches.
What he lays out in this book is;
Israel was called out by God in the first Exodus to be;
Quote:
4Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
5Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
He then shows that more or less when Jesus comes He tells them ...you failed to bring forth fruit! The two parables in MT 21 are used to establish this. [the two sons, the vineyard]
Quote:
28But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
29He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
Quote:
43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
He then shows that In Jesus {the New Exodus} we are described in exactly the same language 1 Pet2:9
Quote:
9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
12Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
So..... then he says the church has been looking to the wrong people{clergy} in the wrong place{church} to accomplish His Mission in the world.
God's mission in the world is redemptive in nature...so he makes the point that we are not {only} called to salvation as wonderful as that is.
But we are called to Mission as believer priests to intercede for the world and bring saving truth to them.
I am currently going through Deuteronomy ,and the other parables to look for clear words from God on what it means to count the cost,in this way of bearing fruit, with a view to better use my time to do what God has called for.
Old copies of this book were available on the used book site called Alibris if it interests anyone
Alibris: Search Books
....I might not agree with all of Mr.Edges theology or ideas, but there was substantial agreement on most of what I have read in there so far.
Mr Edge approaches Eph.4 from the point of view that The People are called to do these works of ministry, being equipped by the pastor teachers. Not that the elders alone are called and equpped as seperate from the "The People". It deals with How are we Priests unto God?
What do you think?
What he lays out in this book is;
Israel was called out by God in the first Exodus to be;
Quote:
4Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
5Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
He then shows that more or less when Jesus comes He tells them ...you failed to bring forth fruit! The two parables in MT 21 are used to establish this. [the two sons, the vineyard]
Quote:
28But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
29He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
Quote:
43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
He then shows that In Jesus {the New Exodus} we are described in exactly the same language 1 Pet2:9
Quote:
9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
12Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
So..... then he says the church has been looking to the wrong people{clergy} in the wrong place{church} to accomplish His Mission in the world.
God's mission in the world is redemptive in nature...so he makes the point that we are not {only} called to salvation as wonderful as that is.
But we are called to Mission as believer priests to intercede for the world and bring saving truth to them.
I am currently going through Deuteronomy ,and the other parables to look for clear words from God on what it means to count the cost,in this way of bearing fruit, with a view to better use my time to do what God has called for.
Old copies of this book were available on the used book site called Alibris if it interests anyone
Alibris: Search Books
....I might not agree with all of Mr.Edges theology or ideas, but there was substantial agreement on most of what I have read in there so far.
Mr Edge approaches Eph.4 from the point of view that The People are called to do these works of ministry, being equipped by the pastor teachers. Not that the elders alone are called and equpped as seperate from the "The People". It deals with How are we Priests unto God?
What do you think?