Basic HTML Version
that the Church would be
kept
in
the Father's name (John 17:1 1).
It has been.
A Worldwide Function
But when Jesus Christ said,
"I
will
build my Church," it was for a PUR·
POSE that is more than merely pre–
serving members in
THE
WAY that
produces happiness and successful
living for themselves.
T he Church has a serious and
worldwide function to perform.
1t
is
a mission of LOVE- of outgoing con–
cero for humanity worldwide. lts
commission is to proclaim to the
world the good news of the King–
dom (govemment) of God- not to
convert the world, but merely as "a
witness." That government has been
taken from the earth. It is to be
restored (Acts 3: 19-2 1). God gov–
ems- as do all governments (or
kingdoms)-by LAws. God's law is a
· spiritual law- the WAY OF LIFE that
CAUSES-PRODUCES- every good re–
sult.
For carryiog out that commission,
the Church is called, in the New
Testament, the "body of Christ."
Few understand why. Jesus had
come in human ftesh , among other
purposes, to start the Work of God.
He said that
of Himse!JHe
could do
nothing. lt was the power of the
Holy Spirit of God
in
Him that em–
powered the Work.
He cailed and chose His disciples,
who became the original apostles.
He taught and trained them to be–
come, with Him and the prophets,
the foundat ion of the Church. He
gave His Iife for the Church- to pay
the penalty for the sins of the whole
world-for all who wiii repent and
accept His shed blood which is full
payment for their sins. God raised
Him from the dead, that by
His
life
we might receive eterna! life as
God's free gift by grace.
But, after His resurrection, and
just before He was taken up to
God's throne of the universe in
heaven, Jesus "commanded them
that they should not depart from
Jerusalem, but wait for the promise
of the Father" (Acts 1:4)- that is,
wait to receive within them the
same Holy Spirit that had empow–
ered Him. " But ye shall receive
44
power, after that the Holy Spirit is
come upon you," He said (verse 8).
The Spirit which had s tarted
God's Wor k in Jesus' single human
body would now carry it on in the
COLLECTIVE body ofthe Church.
That Work- that commission–
was: "Go yé into aii the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature"
(Mark
16:
15). And, for this present
time in which we now live: " ... this
gospel of the kingdom shall be
preached [and published-Mark
13: lO] in all the world for a witness
unto all nations; and then shall the
end [of this age] come" (Matt.
24: 14).
The first great commission be–
comes a far more complex and siz–
able operation today than it was in
the first century. The world's popu–
lation has multiplied many times
over. We 1ive in a different , far more
mechanical and complex world
today.
Powerful Work Today
The Church of God was not, in the
first century, a world power either
religiously or politically. lt is not
today. At times it has undergone
vio1ent persecution. I t is not, today,
a multimillion-member Church.
Yet today it carries on a great
wor1dwide Work. As a pub1ic -ser–
vice, it is reaching, by radio, te1evi–
sion, and large-space advertising in
many mass-circulation magazines
and newspapers, 150,000,000 people
with the inspired message of the
WAY OF
LIFE
that is the CAUSE ofall
Gooo- of peace, happiness, prosper–
ity, abundant well-being- the truly
successful life.
Same Original Falth–
Modern Procedures
The faith and way of life of the
Church is precisely the same today
as it was in the first century. It is the
true faith "once delivered to the
saints." That never changes. But
today the Church Jives and func–
tions in a vastly different and highly
complex and mechanized world. Ac–
cordingly, modem conditions neces–
sitate different procedures, and
modern methods of organization
and operation.
o
(To Be Continued)
PROSPERITY?
(Continuedfrom page
27)
man's bloated we1fare system costs
today, because it will be primarily
self-administered and wiii not re–
quire armies ofbureaucrats.
In terms of direct redistribution of
wealth to the poor, God's plan will
take 1ess than four percent of the
nationa1 income, though this figure
goes up sorne when we consider
sorne of the indirect "welfare pro–
grams" of the Bib1e: the year of re–
lease from debts (Deut. 15: l-2); the
land reverting back to the original
owner every 50 years (Lev. 25: 10);
the no-interest consumer loans (Lev.
25:35-36); and the ungleaned fields
left for the poor (Lev. 19:10). But
eveo with all these measures, the
percen tage of "redistri bu ted"
wealth will be far less than it is in
today's "capitalist" welfare state.
More importantly, it will go to help
those who are truly needy and not
to pay hordes of middle-class "wel–
fare bureaucrats."
In the world tomorrow, each family
will own its own private property. But
individuals who want to build, to
construct, and to create will be
ailowed to do so. While it will be
impossible to accumulate large tracts
of land to the exclusion of the small
farmers, it wiii stiU be possible to serve
one's fellowman by industriously cre–
ating new goods and services.
As Herbert Armstrong has said,
"In the world tomorrow employers
will üve God's way. T hey will be
concerned for the welfare of their
employees. And workers will put
their hearts into tbeir work. Produc–
tion will mount, prosperity will in–
crease for aii, and the masses wiii
have the money to supply a ready
market for a greatly expanded mass
production."
o
RECOMMENDED READING
lf you would like to read more about this
soon-to-arrive era of peaceand prosper–
ity, ask for our free booklet
Coming- A
NewAge.
Send your request toour office
nearest you-addressesareon the inside
front cover.
The
PLAIN TRUTH December 1978