“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus1 answered and said unto him, … upon this rock I will build my church [?]; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:16-18)2
Either Yahweh3 is a liar or something’s amiss with the church today, as evidenced in that the gates of hell are prevailing against the church rather than the other way around.
Today’s churches do not resemble anything we find in the New Testament or anything historically found at the birth of Christendom in the First Century AD. The reason for this is because Christians4 are not called to church but to ecclesia. Whereas the gates of hell have easily prevailed against our four-walled, stain-glassed churches and the inhabitants enslaved therein, the gates of hell cannot prevail against what should instead be ecclesias.
The Problem with the Word “Church”
How is it that the word “church” contributes to the gates of hell prevailing over today’s Christians—that is, to contemporary Christianity being subjugated under secular dominion and ruled by secular humanists?
When you hear the word “church,” what comes to mind? For most people, the word “church” means one of two things, depending upon the context:
1) A building they frequent once, twice, or three times a week in which to pray, sing praises, and listen to preaching.
2) The people who allegedly make up the church, aka the body of Christ,4 who frequent a building known as a church to do the things depicted in Option #1.
What doesn’t come to mind is a community of believers in the fullest sense of the word—a biblical community that has been established, not only on the Word of God, but also on the moral laws of God.5 When obedient to our ecclesia commission, these biblical communities will be established not on the Ten Commandments alone, but upon the Ten Commandments and their respective statutes that explain the Ten Commandments and their respective civil judgments that enforce the Ten Commandments and their statutes, adjudicated by biblically qualified men of God who are a continual blessing to the righteous and a perpetual terror to the wicked, per Exodus 18:21, Deuteronomy 4:5-8, Psalm 19:7-11, Romans 13:1-7,6 etc.
There is not a living person today who hears the word “church” and thinks of what’s depicted in the paragraph above. And yet this description represents the true meaning of the Greek word ecclesia, which has been tragically translated “church.”
With that, it should be obvious how the word “church” has contributed to the defeat of Christendom—that is, Christians dominionizing society on behalf of their King. Just think what America would look like today if instead we were ecclesias (fully developed Christian communities) rather than merely street-corner churches.
1600s Christendom
To see the difference, one only needs to compare early 1600s Christendom with today’s four-walled, stain-glassed Christianity—just another religion among many vying for the attention and resources of the masses rather than transforming society on behalf of King and kingdom. Consider carefully the following two examples:
The Portsmouth, Rhode Island, Compact, 1638
We whose names are underwritten do hereby solemnly in the presence of Jehovah incorporate ourselves into a Bodie Politick and as He shall help, will submit our persons, lives and estates unto our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and to all those perfect and most absolute laws of His given in His Holy Word of truth, to be guided and judged thereby….
Fundamental Agreement of the Colony of New Haven, Connecticut, 1639
Agreement; We all agree that the scriptures hold forth a perfect rule for the direction and government of all men in duties which they are to perform to God and to man, as well in families and commonwealth as in matters of the church; so likewise in all public officers which concern civil order, as choice of magistrates and officers, making and repealing laws, dividing allotments of inheritance, and all things of like nature, we will, all of us, be ordered by the rules which the scripture holds forth; and we agree that such persons may be entrusted with such matters of government as are described in Exodus 18:21 and Deuteronomy 1:13 with Deuteronomy 17:15 and 1 Corinthians 6:1, 6 & 7….
Consider also the following testimonies concerning these same governments of, by, and for God expressly established upon the triune moral law of God:
“Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1835: They [the Puritans] exercised the rights of sovereignty; they named their magistrates, concluded peace or declared war, made police regulations, and enacted laws as if their allegiance was due only to God. Nothing can be more curious and, at the same time more instructive, than the legislation of that period; it is there that the solution of the great social problem which the United States now presents to the world is to be found [in perfect fulfillment of Deuteronomy 4:5-8, demonstrating the continuing veracity of Yahweh’s law and its accompanying blessings, per Deuteronomy 28:1-14].
“Amongst these documents we shall notice, as especially characteristic, the code of laws promulgated by the little State of Connecticut in 1650. The legislators of Connecticut begin with the penal laws, and … they borrow their provisions from the text of Holy Writ. “Whosoever shall worship any other God than the Lord,” says the preamble of the Code, “shall surely be put to death.” This is followed by ten or twelve enactments of the same kind, copied verbatim from the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. Blasphemy, sorcery, adultery, and rape were punished with death….”7
McGuffey’s Eclectic Reader (America’s most popular school book in the 1800s) also testified to America’s early form of theocratic government:
“Their form of government was as strictly theocratical insomuch that it would be difficult to say where there was any civil authority among them distinct from ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Wherever a few of them settled a town, they immediately gathered themselves into a church [building]; and their elders were magistrates, and their code of laws was the Pentateuch [the first five books of the Bible]…. God was their King; and they regarded him as truly and literally so….”8
William McGuffey was undoubtedly influenced by the writings of early American preachers such as John Cotton. The renowned John Cotton—the first minister of Boston—earnestly pleaded that the “government might be considered a theocracy, wherein the Lord was Judge, Lawgiver and King that the laws which he gave Israel might be adopted.”9
What Was King James So Fearful of?
No wonder King James gave special instructions to the King James Bible translators to render the Greek word ecclesia as church,10 something other than what would depict its full intent and which would in all likelihood be as much a threat to King James’ regime as it was to Caesar’s:
“[C]ertain lewd fellows of the baser sort … gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar … crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also … and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.” (Acts 17:5-7)
Is de Tocqueville’s, McGuffey’s, and Cotton’s depictions, what comes to mind when you hear the word “church” today?
Not only are the early 1600s American ecclesias not representative of today’s churches, today’s antinomian,11 anti-kingdom now, and anti-dominion churches adamantly denounce any promotion of such ecclesias today. Is there any question that the word “church” is one of the most injurious renditions of the Bible’s original languages? Christendom has been all but sacrificed on its altar.
Christendom’s early 1600s Christians were dominionizers on behalf of their King. They established ecclesias, including civil governments of, by, and for God based upon His moral law. The Christians of today’s churchianity are dominated, subjugated, and imprisoned within their own four-walled buildings—most of which are 501(c)(3) corporations with the State as their legal head.12 This, in part, is the consequence of ecclesia being translated “church,” along with a number of other suicidal doctrines, three of which are alluded to in the previous paragraph.
Translation
If not “church,” how then should ecclesia have been translated?
Does a building where Christians meet weekly do justice to the word? Not hardly!
How about a called-out assembly of Christians—meaning the Christians themselves meeting in those church buildings? Better.
But this still falls far short of ecclesia’s full intent. It’s for this reason I choose to use ecclesia rather than church or even assembly when discussing God’s intentions on this matter. Christians assembling together to do only what they do today (when biblical) represents only a fraction of this word’s intent.
A Political Term
Ecclesia is first and foremost a political term. This is easily proven from its etymology and its historical and biblical use. Of course, the naysayers will be quick to parry, “Separation of Religion and State!” But there is no such thing as separation of religion and state. It’s a myth, a figment of man’s fertile imagination or, in reality, the evil machinations of those with wicked designs for only their religion to influence the laws of the state.
There are no vacuums when it comes to legislated morality or, more often than not, immorality. Thus, the foundational law of any government determines the God of that government. Consequently, there are likewise no vacuums when it comes to religious-influenced government, be it even Secular Humanism in its multifarious forms (and it usually is). Case in point: the biblically adverse Constitutional Republic born of the biblically seditious Constitution.13
Politics cannot be severed from religion anymore than morality can be severed from legislation. One’s political persuasion is a reflection of his morality (or, more often than not, his immorality) and one’s morals determines his religion. Therefore, applied politics is applied religion and applied religion is applied politics.
Consequently, that ecclesia is a political term should not be an issue with anyone. As Christians—subjects of the King of kings and thus His kingdom and societal laws14—we’re called to the King’s polity and thus to ecclesia, as intended by the meaning of the word and such passages as Romans 13:1-715:
Consider the Encyclopedia Britannica’s definition of ecclesia:
“[An] ancient Greek assembly (“gathering of those summoned”), in ancient Greece, assembly of citizens in a city-state. … the Ecclesia … the body of male citizens 18 years of age or over and [who] had final control over policy, including the right to hear appeals in the heliaia (public court), take part in the election of archons (chief magistrates), and confer special privileges on individuals. … Assemblies of this sort existed in most Greek city-states, continuing to function throughout the Hellenistic and Romans periods, though under the Roman Empire their powers gradually atrophied.”16 (emphasis added)
That the Greeks’ ecclesias were eventually eliminated under the Roman Empire should not come as surprise to anyone. Much like King George dictating to his translators to render ecclesia as church, the Roman dictators made sure they also had the monopoly on such political assemblies over the Greeks. The Romans further designed to do the same with anyone like those depicted in Acts 17:6-7 who were in the process of turning the Roman Empire upside down by declaring Christ as their King, His laws as supreme, and thereby doing “contrary to the decrees of Caesar.”
The Free Dictionary sums up ecclesia as “The political assembly of citizens of an ancient Greek state.”17 Does the New Testament bear out this definition? Indeed it does:
“And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. For a certain man named Demetrius … which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; whom he called together … and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear, that … this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands…. And the whole city was filled with confusion: and … they rushed with one accord into the theatre…. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused … [knowing] not wherefore they were come together…. And … the townclerk … said, Ye men of Ephesus, … ye have brought hither these men [Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions], which are neither robbers of churches [robbers of temples, Greek hierosulous], nor yet blasphemers of your goddess. Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another. But if ye inquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse. And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.” (Acts 19:21-41)
The Greek word ecclesia is found three times in this passage, and it has absolutely nothing to do with either church buildings or Christians. Instead, it’s translated “assembly,” referring to a political gathering, conducted by the town clerk, for the purpose of litigating a legal issue against Paul’s companions.
A Generic Political Term
Ecclesia is a generic political term that does not represent or resemble at all what we call church today. Instead, ecclesia has everything to do with our Romans 13 commission for biblical dominion over government and society.18
Yes, ecclesia can be used to talk about Christian worship assemblies. But, it cannot be limited to worship assemblies, as is the case with the bulk of today’s Christians.
Ecclesia is much more comprehensive than that—a term that implies community in the fullest sense of the word. A Christian community under one God and King and, therefore, established upon the King’s law. A community governed by biblically qualified elders, some of whom serve as judges, adjudicating the King’s laws, and thereby proving themselves a blessing to the righteous and a terror to the wicked as depicted by the Apostle Paul in Romans 13 and the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 2.18
The implications of this should be exhilarating—at least for those of us who are subjects of the King of kings with a vision for our posterity. Not so much for the likes of Caesar, King George, and America’s Constitutional Republic’s civil rogues who would like nothing more than for Christians to remain oblivious to the dominion implications of ecclesia and, in turn, to just keep playing church.
See Part 3.
Related posts:
Ecclesia vs. Church (Two-part audio series)
Law and Kingdom: Their Relevance Under the New Covenant
A Biblical Constitution: A Scriptural Replacement for Secular Government
End Notes
1. Yeshua is the English transliteration of our Savior’s given Hebrew name, with which He introduced Himself to the Apostle Paul in Acts 26:14-15. (Jesus is a twice-removed transliteration: the English transliteration of the Greek Iesous, which is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew Yeshua.) Because many people are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with Yeshua, I have chosen to use the more familiar name Jesus in this article in order to remove what might otherwise be a stumbling block.
2. All scripture is quoted from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.
3. YHWH, the English transliteration of the Tetragrammaton, is most often pronounced Yahweh. It is the principal Hebrew name of the God of the Bible and was inspired to appear nearly 7,000 times in the Old Testament. It was unlawfully deleted by the English translators. In obedience to the Third Commandment and the scriptures that charge us to proclaim, swear by, praise, extol, call upon, bless, glorify, and hold fast to His name, I have chosen to memorialize His name, per Exodus 3:15, in this article.
For a more thorough explanation concerning important reasons for using the sacred name of God, see Thou shalt not take the name of YHWH thy God in vain, the third in a series of ten free online books on each of the Ten Commandments and their respective statutes and judgments.
4. Not everyone claiming to be a Christian has been properly instructed in the biblical plan of salvation. Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:36-41, 22:1-16; Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26-27; Colossians 2:11-13; and 1 Peter 3:21 should be studied to understand what is required to be covered by the blood of Jesus and forgiven of your sins.
For a more thorough explanation concerning water immersion and its relationship to salvation, the book Baptism: All You Wanted to Know and More may be requested from Bible Law vs. The United States Constitution Ministries, PO Box 248, Scottsbluff, Nebraska 69363, for free.
Additionally, listen to audio series “I Had a Dream: Judgment’s Coming. Are You Under the Blood?” Part 1 can be found here. Or a MP3 CD, containing all ten messages, can be requested from Bible Law vs. The United States Constitution Ministries, PO Box 248, Scottsbluff, Nebraska 69363, for free.
5. For more regarding how the Bible’s immutable/unchanging moral law applies today and should be implemented as the law of the land, see free online book Law and Kingdom: Their Relevance Under the New Covenant.
See also free online book A Biblical Constitution: A Scriptural Replacement for Secular Government.
6. See free online book The Romans 13 Template for Biblical Dominion: Ten Reasons Why Romans 13 is Not About Secular Government.
7. Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 2 vols. (New York: NY: The Colonial Press, 1899) vol. 1, pp. 36-37
8. William Holmes McGuffey, McGuffey’s Sixth Eclectic Reader (New York, NY: American Book Company, 1879) p. 225
9. Jeremy Belknap, John Farmer, The History of New-Hampshire (Dover, NH: George Wadleigh, 1862) pp. 42-43
10. “3. The old ecclesiastical words to be kept; as the word church, not to be translated congregation, &c [etc].” Instructions to the Translators
11. Antinomianism: The teaching that Yahweh’s triune moral law (His Ten Commandments and their respective statutes and judgments) has been replaced by Yahweh’s grace and is no longer applicable under the New Covenant. This, despite such passages as Romans 3:31 and Jude 1:3-4.
Salvation, justification, forgiveness, and all things comparable are provided us exclusively by God’s grace via the blood-atoning sacrifice and resurrection of Christ. Praise Yahweh! This fact, however, does not mean that Christ abolished His Father’s morality as reflected in His Ten Commandments and their respective statutes and judgments as society’s standard. God forbid! These are two different issues entirely. The first has to do with the remnant’s individual salvation, the second with whose ethics God intends for us to govern our lives.
12. For more regarding the idolatrous 501(c)(3) corporation status of most of today’s churches, see Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, the second in a series of ten free books on each of the Ten Commandments and their respective statutes and judgments.
13. For evidence that the Constitution is biblically seditious, see free online book Bible Law vs. the United States Constitution: The Christian Perspective,” in which every Article and Amendment is examined by the Bible.
14. See free online book A Biblical Constitution: A Scriptural Replacement for Secular Government.
15. See free online book The Romans 13 Template for Biblical Dominion: Ten Reasons Why Romans 13 is Not About Secular Government.
16. Ecclesia: Ancient Greek Assembly, Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/topic/Ecclesia-ancient-Greek-assembly
17. Ecclesia, The Free Dictionary, https://www.thefreedictionary.com/ecclesia
18. For more, see free online book The Romans 13 Template for Biblical Dominion: Ten Reasons Why Romans 13 is Not About Secular Government.