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edifying of the body of Christ ..."
God's Church today is organized on THAT DIVINE PATTERN.
The word "prophet" has two meanings. One is to receive
direct from God instruction or foreknowledge of a happening. In
the early first century, before the Bible was completely written,
God did send a message through a prophet, who conveyed that
message to an apostle. There has been no occasion for that
function today. A "prophet" also can mean one who PREACHES.
We do have that function in the Church today. The Bible does
not in detail specify "preaching elder " and "local elder," but
it appears that some local elders were preachers and others were
not, but were leaders in meetings. We designate these accordingly.
And now, finally, let me repeat -- and answer -- the
questions at the beginning of this important letter.
I said some in the Church DO NOT UNDERSTAND just what
the Church of God really IS. I have shown that to understand,
we must also know just what the KINGDOM OF GOD really IS, because,
at Christ's coming and the resurrection, the CHURCH of God will
become the KINGDOM OF GOD. The Kingdom of God is the divine
FAMILY OF GOD, into which we may be born -- the CREATING Family
which RULES and thus MAINTAINS what it has created. Therefore
the Kingdom of God is BOTH the divine FAMILY of God, and the
GOVERNMENT of God, ruling the entire UNIVERSE.
Therefore the CHURCH is both the spiritual organism
composed of the begotten (not yet born) children of God, and the
organization or organized government of God on earth carrying on
the WORK OF GOD -- the Great Commission: "Go ye into all the
world, and preach the Gospel," -- "Go ye, therefore, and teach all
nations;" -- "And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in
all the world, for a witness unto all nations," just before THE
END of this age.
Next I said, some have become confused as to whether
there is ORGANIZATION or government in it. I have abundantly
shown text after text in the New Testament showing GOVERNMENT
and RULE and AUTHORITY in the Church -- and I did not even quote
such passages as I Corinthians 5, where Paul ordered the Church
to "put away from yourselves that wicked person;" or, I Corinthians
4:21 where Paul said to that Church, "What will ye? shall I come
unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?"
Without organization, the Church could never fulfill its Great
Commission -- its VERY PURPOSE FOR BEING, at the present time.
Yes, there is organized government, and RULE -- but the rule is
in LOVE -- in outgoing concern for the good of those ruled.
Then I said, some wonder whether they can leave God's
Church, and still be true and real Christians -- whether they
could then enter God's Kingdom with His gift of eternal life.
God has ONLY ONE CHURCH on earth, which He directs in the
doing of His Work -- not TWO churches -- not MANY denominations
and sects, and "groups." "But now are they many members, YET BUT