Restoring Non-Coercive Church

In a number of conversational exchanges on the subject of "Restoring Non-Coercive Church Discipline " numerous ideas have been postulated based on presumption that may have little basis in fact concerning what the "Church" is or should be. After 2000 years the confusion and misrepresentation of truth is as rampant as it was in the time of the Pharisees and Sadducees and Rome. There should be no doubt that preconceived and false notions accepted on blind faith is nothing more than a continuation of the blind leading the blind.

From Cain and his first city State to Nimrod and his world ruling tower of Babel, Or from the statutory or corvee bondage in Egypt to the commercial and military control of Judea by Rome the Bible is about man and his relationship with governments. Israel was a government not a religion. Yes it was a system of faith or faith in a system where homage and allegiance was to God alone. In early Israel as in the early Church your tithings and free will offerings were given by a free will choice of by each individual of the congregations of the people. It was given according to the service of its ministers and the charity in the hearts and minds of the people.

God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

The word worship is often translated from proskuneo which was a word used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank. It is clear throughout the text of the Bible that neither God nor Jesus sought to have men ruling over other men with exercising authority except within the family structure instituted by God the Father where love should be the chief and ruling motive.

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:23

There are a number of things this politically controversial King Jesus said that are regularly overlooked by those who claim to believe in him.

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32

And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; Luke 22:29

His disciples (students) became Apostles from the word Apostolos which was a political term meaning a delegate, an ambassador. Even the word Church came from a specific political term Ekklesia, called out.

The Ministers of His Kingdom in turn appointed men chosen by the people to do the work of daily ministration in that government. Israel was always a government, doing the business of government, not just a religion within a government.

Acts 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

The ministers of his kingdom were always called bondservants but served the people under the perfect law of liberty.

Their appointment was comparable to becoming kings or princes of Christ's kingdom minus at least one important element commonly seen in other forms of governments.

That kingdom was not to be like other kingdoms who exercise dominion and authority over the people.

Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

Mark 10:42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:

They were not to become benefactors of the people where by they could demand the contributions of the people to guarantee the entitlements of social services.

Luke 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

They were to be servants of the people, of the congregations, of the nation and Kingdom.

This was the "non coercive Church". It could not exercise authority. If they could do that they would be like the rulers of the gentiles, the other nations and other governments, who appoint other gods over men.

If Jesus was preaching a religion he would have said that you were not to be like the other religions. He would not have said I appoint unto you a kingdom which is at hand.

A minister of the Church is a servant of the congregation of the people just like the administers of gentile governments are supposed to be servants of the people. The Church works to bring people together, inform them, help them, serve them, but not rule over them.

So that they may be whole as a body, as a nation, as a kingdom, through a system used by the early Levites before the time of Kings, when each man was king and prince of his own family. This was all before the corruption and distortions of Hasmonians, Pharisees and Sadducees.

Luke 9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

Heal is from iaomai means "to heal or to make whole".
Sick is from astheneo meaning "to be weak, feeble, to be without strength, powerless or to be weak in means".

No one "dictates" to the members of the congregation including the congregation. Each man must come into agreement in the matter of disfellowship or disassociation or shunning or forgiveness and reconciliation.

Each man is responsible under the perfect law of liberty to do the right thing. He must be as concerned about his neighbors rights as his own. Each man must judge for himself who he will shun and who he will associate with.

Man does not have the inherent right to exercise authority over other men as to who they can associate with. Each man may and should judge, discern and distinguish what he believes is right but none of us may exercise judgment over others unless they enter into or infringe upon our own personal dominion or rights.

Many people complain about the exercising authority of the modern governments they have chosen for themselves but they cannot resist exercising authority over their neighbor and brothers. Until they do they will not be free.

One of the jobs of the minister of the kingdom is to maintain an entrance to that kingdom. An entrance is a way to come together in the nation or kingdom as a strong and viable body of men and women.

For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:11

The modern ministers of the so called Church deliver men into bondage and their Churches into bondage saying that God's kingdom is not at hand but is only spiritual.

Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumor shall be upon rumor; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients. The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way, and according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD. Ezekiel 7:26

Today, the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God on earth is a scattered flock, a disjointed body of dry bones.
Like the Israelites of Egypt they are physically and mentally in bondage. They need to come out, but before they do that they should learn to come together according to the patterns laid down by the prophets from the beginning.

This also means they must come out of the spiritual bondage created by our desire to exercise judgment upon one another, our obsession with ruling over our neighbors and the coveting our neighbors rights and goods in systems of a compelled socialistic state.

It is time to live according to "the perfect law of liberty" by faith, hope and charity in God's kingdom in spirit and in truth.

Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour's.

As system based on forcing your neighbor to pay for or doing what you want is a system that is covetous, dictatorial and anti Christ. Whether a dictator is a single man or the majority of the people it is still tyranny. Until the people are as concerned about their neighbors rights and property as they are about their own they will not be safe from tyrants or mobs, dictators or democracies.

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 2 Peter 2:3

There are many governments in the world today but few like the government of God's Kingdom. The Church. abiding in the precepts of Romans 13, Lets every soul be subject unto the higher powers that they choose to make in their own lives by application, participation and acquiescence.

For the Church and the congregations of the people the precept of God's law and kingdom must be etched in their hearts and mind.

For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Romans 13:9

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