The End of Formlessness

Have you ever been told that sin is a non-issue and there is no need for a saviour because? It's a common challenge in the secular world, and it highlights a fundamental misunderstanding of what the Bible teaches about sin and salvation. To truly grasp the Gospel message, we may need to delve into the most profound declaration ever made by the greatest prophet that ever lived, John the Baptist (Luke 7:28). And perhaps it's time to accept that our part is all about receiving (lambano), that comes with the afforded righteousness and gloriousness of the absolute Grace extended onto us, shed abroad from before the foundation of the earth.

So, imagine the scene on the dusty banks of the Jordan River, a crowd gathered around John the Baptist, a wild-looking prophet whose life's mission was to prepare the way for the Messiah. People from all walks of life came to him, confessing their sins and seeking a cleansing baptism. John's ministry was powerful, yet he consistently pointed beyond himself to the One who was to come.

The Lover's Intimate Whisper to the Ekklēsia

Don't you just love the Message translation when it comes to conveying feelings,  emotions and truth, the very heart of Jesus? There is something about love-language that instantly focuses your attention. It draws you in, inviting you into an intimate embrace with the Divine. This deep, personal connection is the very wellspring from which God desires to reveal all truth, including profound insights into His people, His beloved ekklēsia.

The Lover's Intimate Whisper: Songs of Solomon 1:1-4

Hear Jesus' voice when it comes to His beloved, the Church (actually ekklēsia - that's us!), in Songs of Solomon 1:1-4 (MSG). While we often read this as a beautiful earthly love song, the book itself is profoundly prophetic, unveiling the intense and personal love of Christ for His bride, made His by His own precious blood (Ephesians 5:25-27, KJV: "Christ also loved the church (ekklēsia), and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church (ekklēsia), not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."):

"The Song—best of all songs—Solomon’s song!

Kiss me—full on the mouth! Yes! For your love is better than wine, headier than your aromatic oils. The syllables of your name murmur like a meadow brook. No wonder everyone loves to say your name!

Take me away with you! Let’s run off together! An elopement with my King-Lover! We’ll celebrate, we’ll sing, we’ll make great music. Yes! For your love is better than vintage wine. Everyone loves you—of course! And why not?"

What an outpouring of divine affection! This isn't a distant, abstract love; it's passionate, personal, and utterly consuming.

A Kiss from the King of Righteousness: Unpacking the Hebrew

The direct translation of the opening line talks about Him "kissing me with kisses." Let's dive into the richness of the original Hebrew, because here, God reveals layers of intimate truth that unveil His very heart for us:

The Hebrew verb for the first word "kiss" (as in, "Kiss me...") is נשׁק (nâshaq). The beautiful word-picture carried by this verb conveys the idea "to continually consume the mind." It comes from a primitive root word which means "to kindle or burn," or "to catch on fire." Wow! This speaks of an active, ongoing, fervent affection from Jesus, a love that constantly consumes His thoughts and sets His very being ablaze with desire for you!

The second word, "kisses" (the noun), is נשׁיקה (neshı̂yqâh). This word comes from the exact same root as nâshaq but with a profoundly significant insertion of two additional Hebrew letters: the י (Yod) – which symbolizes the Hand of God, often pointing to Jesus Himself – and the ה (Heh) – which symbolizes Grace or divine revelation.

Putting this together, neshı̂yqâh paints an even more intimate and powerful ancient Hebrew word picture: "continually consumed by the Hand of Grace on the mind."

Ha! So, the Lover (Jesus) kisses (continually kindles my mind and consumes His thoughts with me) with physical kisses (a continued consumption of His Hand of Grace upon my mind and being)! This isn't just a poetic flourish; it speaks of the very hand of Jesus, stretched out on the cross, pouring out the fullness of His unmerited favor upon us. His accomplished work is the foundation of this unending intimacy. Through His sacrifice, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8, NKJV). This divine embrace is a gift, not an achievement!

Consuming Love, Consuming Grace

Just as He is constantly overwhelmed by the thought of us, His beloved (Zephaniah 3:17, KJV: "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing."), we are continuously overwhelmed by His Grace for us in our minds, our hearts, our entire being. This profound connection is not based on our performance but on His finished work!

• His Consuming Thought of Us: Why is He constantly overwhelmed by the thought of us? Because in Christ, we are perfected forever (Hebrews 10:14, KJV: "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."). We are His masterpiece, reconciled to Him not by our deeds, but by His sacrifice (Ephesians 2:10, KJV: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works..."). He looks at us and sees His own righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21, KJV: "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."). This is the essence of His undying, relentless love!

• Our Continuous Consumption of His Grace: We are overwhelmed by His grace because He first loved us (1 John 4:19, KJV: "We love him, because he first loved us."). His love is indeed "better than wine" (Songs of Solomon 1:2), and far "headier than your aromatic oils," speaking of the intoxicating, delightful presence of His Spirit and the richness of His favor. This grace floods our hearts and minds, reminding us of His boundless kindness (Ephesians 2:4-7, KJV: "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.").

This isn't a grace we strive for; it's a grace that flows effortlessly from the cross, poured into us by the Holy Spirit who testifies of Christ's perfect love (John 15:26, KJV: "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:"). It's a love that empowers us, sustains us, and draws us into deeper intimacy, transforming us from the inside out (Galatians 5:22-23, KJV: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance...").

Isn't the Word – our Lover, Jesus, our source of all Grace – just so full of wondrous images of His undying, relentless love towards us? A love that consumed Him on the cross so that His Hand of Grace could continually consume our minds with His perfect affection! HalleluYAH!

When "Church" Is Not What We Think it is

So, I had a strange, beautiful awareness that happened to me a while back (see this post). As I was having a quiet time with the Holy Spirit, pondering the meaning of "church" – a meaning illuminated by the very love we've just explored – I received a question about the names of the churches in the book of Revelation. This quiet time turned into more of a revelation than I expected, challenging common perceptions of "church" and connecting it to our true identity as the beloved of God.

Let's start with the word "church."

The Corruption of a Word: From Ekklēsia to "Church"

What is translated as "church" in our Bibles is actually a corruption of the original Greek word ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia), which simply means "called out from among" or "summoned." The object can be one person or a group of people. Sometimes the ekklēsia assembles and fellowships.

Ekklēsia is to be summoned or called out from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light (Colossians 1:13, KJV: "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son."), to be called out from the kingdom of death into the Kingdom of Life (John 5:24, KJV: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."). We are called out because of Christ's finished work on the cross, which secured our freedom and new identity!

So, where does "church" come from?

The word "church" in our Bibles is a modern English word borrowed from the Germanic word kirche (Dutch - kerk), pronounced "kirk." The word originated from the medieval Greek word κυριακόν (kurikon) or κυριακός (kuriakos) (dōma) meaning "the house of kurios" - the house of the Lord (Master). At some point in history and for some obscure reason, someone decided that ekklēsia should be replaced with kurikon.

The word kurikon has no resemblance to the original word ekklēsia that was used in the original text of the Bible.

How did it happen that a total "foreign" word was used to translate the word ekklēsia?

Foul Play in Translation

Well, the translators used poetic license and broke the rules of translating big-time. The word ekklēsia was entirely substituted with the word kurikon, and subsequently, the word "church" was later used in the English versions. The word "church" would have been an acceptable translation for the Greek word kuriakos or kurikon. However, the word kuriakos or kurikon does not occur in the original scripture in reference to those summoned by God. The word ekklēsia does... 118 times.

The Greek word kuriakos appears in the New Testament only twice. Once in 1 Corinthians 11:20 where it refers to the Lord's supper, and once in Revelation 1:10 where it refers to the Lord's day. In both instances, it is translated "the Lord's..." and not "church." Nonetheless, this is the unlikely, peculiar, and strange history of the word "church" and how it found its way into the English translation of the Bible.

The Modern Perversion of "Church"

So, what then is "church" today? Today, the word "church" has been perverted even further, distancing it even more from the original word ekklēsia. According to the Oxford dictionary, "church" is:

1. A building used for public Christian worship;

2. A particular Christian organization with its own clergy, buildings, and distinctive doctrines; or

3. The hierarchy of clergy within a particular Christian Church or institutionalized religion as a political or social force.

As you can see, it has absolutely nothing to do with the called of God. I do not recall Jesus instructing us to build a building, form an organization, develop a doctrine, elect some clergy, and institutionalize ourselves so that we can meet on some day(s) of the week to perform some rituals! My post on "being built to specifications" dealt with this.

The true "church" is not a building or an institution; it is the living, breathing ekklēsia – us, the ones called out of this world by God's amazing grace through the finished work of Christ!

Messages to the Seven Ekklēsia in Revelation

Now to my beautiful, strange awareness, which prompted this deep dive into the very meaning of ekklēsia: The Question: What do the names of the seven churches in Revelation 1-3 mean when translated from the Greek, and what could the significance be?

Firstly, the seven ekklēsia of Revelation 1-3 are seven physical groups of ekklēsia in close proximity at the time in Asia Minor (today Turkey). John's message to them was a direct address in an effort to meet their needs and shepherd them at the time.

Secondly, there is also a spiritual message and significance for ekklēsia and believers of today. The purpose is to reveal seven different types of individuals/ ekklēsia and to shepherd them towards God's Truth and God's Grace.

In both instances, these are/were all ekklēsia living within the Roman pagan empire (worldly kingdom of darkness), and they are/were all called out of the kingdom of death into the Kingdom of Life (1 Peter 2:9, KJV: "But 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." - see previous posts, "Called" and "A Marvellous Work" for more details on this).

These are seven messages from Jesus to seven ekklēsia, the one not excluding the other. Let's look at their names within the context of scripture (Rev 2-3), always remembering that God's instruction and promises flow from His grace, available through Christ's finished work.

When we look carefully in Revelation, each ekklēsia is commended, criticized, instructed, and given a promise – all invitations to walk more fully in the freedom secured by Christ:

• Ephesus (Greek - Permitted or acceptable) or the loveless ekklēsia. They are commended for rejecting evil, for persevering and patience. They have rejected those who see themselves as superior to others and allow idolatry. They are criticized that their passion for Christ became dull. They have left their First-Love (Revelation 2:4, KJV: "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love."). They are instructed to remember from whence they have fallen and to repent (metanoia - turn to God's way of thinking, aligning with His love and grace). They are given the promise that they will eat from the Tree of Life.

• Smyrna (Greek - Myrrh ointment) or the persecuted ekklēsia. They are commended for endurance through hardship (Revelation 2:9, KJV: "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)..."). They are not criticized. They are instructed to stay faithful and to overcome. They are promised the Crown of Life.

• Pergamos (Greek - fortified) or the compromising ekklēsia. They are commended for keeping the faith in Christ. They are criticized for idolatry, immorality and heresies (Revelation 2:14-15, KJV: "But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam... so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate."). They are instructed to turn their thinking to align with how God thinks (repent metanoia). They are promised the Hidden Manna and White Stone with a New Name written thereon.

• Thyatira (Greek - Odour of affliction) or the corrupt ekklēsia. They are commended for growth in love, faith, perseverance and patience. They are criticized for idolatry and immorality (Revelation 2:20, KJV: "Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel..."). They are instructed to keep their faith in Christ. They are promised that they will rule over nations and receive the Morning Star.

• Sardis (Greek - Red ones) or the dead ekklēsia. They are commended that some have kept the Faith. They are criticized for being dead (Revelation 3:1, KJV: "Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead."). They are instructed to wake up, return to what they had first received, to hold fast and turn to God (repent metanoia). They are promised to be honoured and clothed in White (Righteousness).

• Philadelphia (Greek - Brotherly love) or the faithful ekklēsia. They are commended for perseverance in the faith, keeping the word of Christ and honouring His name (Revelation 3:8, KJV: "I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name."). They are not criticized. They are instructed to keep on keeping the Faith. They are promised to be a pillar in God's presence in His Kingdom and that they will be written as God's New Name in the New Jerusalem.

• Laodicea (Greek - Justice of the people) or the lukewarm ekklēsia. They are not commended for anything. They are criticized for being indifferent and unresponsive to God's love (Revelation 3:16, KJV: "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."). They are instructed to become enthusiastic and eager, to open the door for God's Love and to return to Him (repent metanoia). They are promised to share in Christ’s throne.

Two ekklēsia are found without criticism (Smyrna, Philadelphia). One ekklēsia is found without commendation (Laodicea).

The Unfailing Grace

What is the point here?

The message to the seven ekklēsia is all encouraging, because God's grace, established by the finished work of Christ, is unfailing!

Get this! The underlying message says: It does not matter whether you regard yourself as acceptable even though you are loveless; lovely perfumed even though you are persecuted; strongly fortified even though you compromise; smell nice even though you stink of corruption; colored distinctively even though you are dead; filled with brotherly love even as you are faithful; or see yourself as being just to the people around you even though you are neither there nor here - God's Grace is available to you!

When you receive and repent to align your thinking with the loving way God thinks about you – understanding that He has already made you righteous through Jesus – you will:

• Eat from the Tree of Life (Revelation 2:7)

• Wear the Crown of Life (Revelation 2:10)

• Be satisfied with the Hidden Manna and have the Name of Jesus written on a pure white slate, being declared righteous (Revelation 2:17)

• Rule over nations and shine like the Morning Star Himself (Revelation 2:26-28)

• Be clothed in pure white garments of Righteousness (Revelation 3:5)

• Stand in God's presence as strong pillars in His Kingdom, in the New Jerusalem with a pure new Label attached to and defining you (Revelation 3:12); and

• Share the throne of Christ! (Revelation 3:21)

The central message to all seven ekklēsia is to wake up, repent (align their thinking to what God is thinking - remember our post on repentance here?), and be sincere - believe the Good News that God made you pure and holy and sanctified you and justified you by the blood of Jesus! The Gospel is the true Grace message of life, hope, and a future with Jesus.

The True Temple

This understanding of ekklēsia leads us to another profound truth: the temple built not by the hands of man was designed to receive and house the Gospel of Truth that resonates with the One Spirit Who comes to indwell and testify about Himself, Jesus!

Stephen said it: "Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands" (Acts 7:48-51, KJV). Paul said it: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16, KJV). And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? "For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (2 Corinthians 6:16, KJV). Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building (Hebrews 9:11, KJV).

Jesus Himself confirmed the continuous indwelling of the Spirit, made possible by His finished work: "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come" (John 16:13, KJV).

Utterly Blessed in His Consuming Love & True Assembly!

From the intimate language of the Song of Solomon unveiling His consuming love, to the precise meaning of ekklēsia revealing our true identity, all point to one glorious truth: It's all about Jesus and His finished work! We are the true "church" – the called out ones – living in His grace, empowered by His Spirit, and enveloped in His passionate, unyielding affection.

We are utterly blessed! HalleluYAH!

Two Minds, One King

Two Minds, One King: Overcoming Double-Mindedness in the Fullness of Grace

Have you ever found yourself in a state of internal tug-of-war? One moment, you're confidently declaring God's promises and appropriating your inherited dominion in Christ, the next, a whisper of doubt or fear creeps in. One day, you're walking in victory, the next, old habits or worries resurface. This isn't just common; it’s what the Bible calls double-mindedness. In the world of Psychology, this inner turmoil is known as cognitive dissonance.

Cognitive dissonance is the mental distress or psychological angst someone feels when battling contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values.

When Jesus marvelled

The Bible records two distinct occasions when Jesus marvelled (θαυμάζω, thaumazō, meaning to wonder, to be amazed, to be astonished). These two instances stand in stark contrast, revealing what truly caught the attention of the Son of God.

To understand our own positions, it may be a good idea to take note of this.

Say and send away

The Royal Mandate: Exercising Inherited Dominion Through Christ's Finished Work

Kingdom dominion!

What?!

Do we even have dominion?

Yesterday, I was reading Matthew 28 (the very last verses of the last chapter of Matthew) where Jesus commissions us to go out and do the unthinkable. I re-read a note there that I scribbled way back: "Jesus has all the power (authority) and He gave us delegated authority and jurisdiction to overcome our obstacles in this world."

But that is not true!

Beyond and above - ask

The Echo of His Voice: A New Covenant Prayer – From Begging to Demanding in Our Inheritance in Christ

In one of my last posts I touched upon a profound shift in New Testament prayer—a radically different approach compared to the old covenant prayers some of us, perhaps unknowingly, still offer. There’s a crucial distinction, and honestly, if this seems revolutionary, don’t blame me!

Blame Paul! Or rather, credit the transformative revelation given to Paul concerning the finished work of Christ.

The truth is, there’s a monumental difference between the Old Covenant (which, unless you were an Israelite, you were never truly part of) and the New Testament. And this difference reveals a total and fundamentally new way to pray.

You are an heir in the Kingdom of God. Now, pray like you are!

What do we then understand as Prayer?

Superlatives and antithesis

This morning I made a self-discovery.

In my efforts to better understand certain phenomena, facts, theories, notions and suppositions in life, I rely heavily on applying superlatives and antithesis.

Yip!

I tend to reason in extremes.

You may say that something is not as it should be … and you may be right … or you may be wrong.

Paranoia ... or metanoia

So much deception and make-believe (brainwashing) going around today!

And so much perspective is lost!

It is scary.

But, what we believe boils down to simple agreement (being fully persuaded) or disagreement (or being doubtful).

Yip, I am ranting on again. But allow me to explain before I say anything further about our subject of paranoia versus metanoia.

And, dare I ask you to walk with me for a while …

Whosoever shall call

Whilst running my afternoon run, The Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart Romans 10:13.

I usually do not quote single verses out of context, but during my run I developed this deep desire to look at what the original words communicate.

This is the verse: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Simple! 

But loaded.

Yet, easily corruptible by the law-preacher.

Share in the sufferings of Christ?

In our last post we pondered the question: Do we have to suffer as Christ suffered?

Remember we ended with Paul's famous Philippians quote ...

But whatever former things were gains to me [as I thought then],

these things [once regarded as advancements in merit] I have come to consider as loss [absolutely worthless] for the sake of Christ [and the purpose which He has given my life].

But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ,

and may be found in Him [believing and relying on Him], not having any righteousness of my own derived from [my obedience to] the Law and its rituals,

but [possessing] that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.

And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did]; Phil 3:7 - 10

... and coming from that post, we agreed that this is exactly how we should react as heirs in the kingdom ...

... but (gulp) what was Paul saying here to the Philippians? Fellowship in Christ sufferings? Dying His death?

Fruit from receiving in prepared ground, hearing the word and understanding

I was accused the other day of saying that healing, as part of the atonement, was for everyone right now, in this life ...

Well, did I?

... I admit wholeheartedly to have done so. I said it exactly as I stand accused ...

I created a poll that stated "Healing is part of the atonement and finished work of Christ! We have freedom to receive healing. It is our inheritance."

... and I posted it for voting purposes on a couple of social media grace groups.

Did people like it?

One response explicitly reprimanded me

The way of a fool!

Recently a grace teacher of note wrote in his newly released book that it is quite possible to hear the words of Jesus and not hear what the Holy Spirit is saying ...

Gulp ...

What?

Well, it is true because so did Judas and the Pharisees and a host of many others.

How do we hear then?

Teacher - YAH-rah and bridling

Unbridled horses are just strong, elegant and beautiful animals that serve no purpose, except to satisfy their own needs.

Yet, once bridled, they can fulfill a multitude of useful purposes with all the power and might that they have.

... its the same with man ...

If we are not taught (by the Holy Spirit) we are without understanding, like a horse or a mule running wild and without purpose.

The question is: How to bridle oneself?

Understanding - to put it all togegher!

Being brainwashed reduces man to a helpless, limited and restricted being ... pitiful and powerless in this world. 

Jesus said it so many times. The problem is our unbelief.

Our unbelief is the direct result of our so-called doctrinal heritage - the stuff we hang onto. 

Men of uncertainty are without identity.

Is it possible to be without identity?

Paul shows how someone can be truely without identity ... 

That is ... without understanding (click here), knowing nothing ... lonely ... lost ...

Clueless!

Confess ... or agree?

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 1 Jn 4:15

In this, the last blog post in our series titled With Understanding, we'll be looking at the word confess or confession and how that this word was perverted to mean almost the exact opposite of what it was translated as. We look at how the children of God are totally mislead by this.

Where do we come from?

Much like the word metanoia (to be with the same understanding) translated as repentance, the Greek word homologeō has been corrupted in translation.

Beware of Folly!

But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. 2Ti 3:9

What is Paul going on about writing to his spiritual son, Timothy? He writes about folly and things that manifest and this happening in the end times ...

What is this all about?

Shouldn't we be listening to everyone who brings a Bible message?

Listen and hearken

As a child I was told on many an occasion that if I don't have ears I'll have to feel, implying that should I not listen to the guidance given by my parents, I'll have to bear the consequences of my action (whether commission, omission or just my own plain mission).

Let's get a Revelation