Jesus er hodet til kroppen hans; Kirken (forsamling av troende). I Bibelen i Matteus 16, Jesus gave the promise and the blueprint of His church to His disciples. Jesus made it clear, on what foundation His church would be built and what kind of authority His church would have on earth. Så, on what foundation is the church built? I dette blogginnlegget, we will look at what the Bible says about the foundation of the church, and in the next blog posts, 'the gates of hell’, 'the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven’, og 'binder og taper’ will be discussed.
The foundation of the church
sier Jesus til dem, Men hvem sier dere at jeg er? Og Simon Peter svarte og sa, Du er Kristus, Den levende Guds Sønn. Og Jesus svarte og sa til ham, Velsignet er du, Simon Barjona: for kjøtt og blod har ikke åpenbart det for deg, men min Far som er i himmelen. Og jeg sier også til deg, At du er Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; og helvetes porter skal ikke overvinne det. Og jeg vil gi deg nøklene til himlenes rike: og alt du binder på jorden, skal være bundet i himmelen: og alt du løser på jorden, skal være løst i himmelen (Matthew 16:15-19)
Da Jesus spurte disiplene sine, whom they thought He was? Simon Peter answered Him and said: "Du er Kristus, Den levende Guds Sønn!”
Jesus sa til Peter (son of Jona), that he was blessed because flesh and blood had not revealed it to him, men hans Far, Hvem er i himmelen. Because Jesus said in Matthew 11:25: Jeg takker deg, Å far, Herre over himmel og jord, fordi du har skjult disse ting for de vise og kloke, og har åpenbart dem for spedbarn.
“On this rock, I will build My church”
Just like Peter testified about who Jesus was, Jesus testified who Peter was and that He would build His church on this rock. This means that Jesus would build His church on the testimony of Peter: at Jesus er Kristus; Den levende Guds Sønn.
Jesus wouldn’t build His church upon the wisdom and knowledge of learned man; Fariseere og saddukeere. He didn’t build His church upon the priests and high priest. But Jesus would build His church on the testimony of a fisherman.
Jesus lovet Peter; the fisherman, that He would build His church on his testimony.
This promise, which Jesus gave to Peter, was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost the loyal 120 disciples and followers of Jesus Christ, were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Og plutselig kom det en lyd fra himmelen som av en brusende mektig vind, og det fylte hele huset hvor de satt. Og det viste seg for dem kløvede tunger som av ild, og den satt på hver av dem. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues, som Ånden ga dem å si (Handlinger 2:2-4)
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit came at the right time. Because at that time many Jewish men from all countries were assembled in Jerusalem to celebrate Shavuot. These devout men heard the disciples speaking in their own languages, about the wonderful works of God. They were amazed, but also in doubt, because they didn’t know what to think about it. Some even mocked the behavior of the disciples, by saying that they had drunk too much wine.
The testimony of Peter to the Jews
But then it happened, that the promise of Jesus was being fulfilled. Peter, who was ashamed of Jesus before, og fornektet ham 3 times when he was the old creation, had become a Ny kreasjon through the baptism with the Holy Spirit and that became immediately visible.
Peter stood up with the eleven, løftet opp stemmen, and testified openly, in boldness and authority about Jesus the Christ; Den levende Guds Sønn.
Peter testified about the fulfillment of the promise, that God gave to the prophet Joel. Peter vitnet om Jesus Kristus, Den levende Guds Sønn. He testified about Jesus’ gå, korsfestelse, Oppstandelse fra de døde, and how Jesus had been exalted by the right hand of God, having received of the Father, the promise of the Holy Spirit, He had shed forth, as they saw and heard.
Peter spoke to the Jewish men, about how God had made the same Jesus, Whom they had crucified, både Herren og Kristus.
On the testimony of Peter and by the power of the Holy Spirit, they were pricked in their hearts. They asked Peter and the rest of the disciples, hva de måtte gjøre. Peter svarte dem: "Angre og være døpt hver og en av dere i Jesu Kristi navn til syndenes forlatelse, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Handlinger 2: 37-38)
The testimony of Peter to the Gentiles
Peter was also the first apostle, who received a revelation of God, that salvation was also meant for the Gentiles; those who didn’t belong in the flesh to the Jewish people. Through this revelation of God and in obedience to the Holy Spirit, Peter was instructed to go, to the house of Cornelius. Nå, Cornelius was a gentile and not a jew.
While Peter testified about Jesus the Christ, Den levende Guds Sønn, the Holy Spirit fell on them. They began to speak in tongues and glorified God. While Peter saw that the Holy Spirit fell upon the Gentiles, he didn’t see a reason to not baptize them in water. Therefore he baptized them in the Name of Jesus Christ (Handlinger 11). På den dagen, God also granted repentance unto life to the Gentiles.
Peter was the first apostle, who testified of the new covenant in Jesus Christ and opened the door for the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was the first one, who testified to the Jews and then to the Gentiles.
This was the testimony, and this is still the testimony on which Jesus Christ builds His church. Jesus Christ is the Cornerstone of His church, and as long as we stay His witness and stay loyal to Him and His words, He shall remain the Cornerstone of His church.
Derfor er dere ikke lenger fremmede og fremmede, men medborgere med de hellige, og av Guds husstand; Og er bygget på grunnlaget til apostlene og profetene, Jesus Kristus selv er hovedhjørnesteinen; I ham vokser hele bygningen innrammet sammen til et hellig tempel i Herren: I ham er dere også bygget sammen til en bolig for Gud ved Ånden (Efeserne 2:19-22)
The testimony of Jesus the Christ
The church is built upon the foundation of the testimony, at Jesus er Kristus, Den levende Guds Sønn. Only on this testimony, shall Jesus build His church. Jesus still builds His church on this testimony, which means that He doesn’t build His church on theology and the wisdom and knowledge of man (vitenskap). En kirke; Forsamlingen av troende, can possess a lot of head knowledge of the Bible, but be spiritually ignorant and death.
The Kingdom of God is a spiritual Kingdom and cannot be seen with the natural eye. Let alone that the gammel kjødelig mann, who is being led by his senses, følelser, følelser, tanker, forstand, etc. can preach the Kingdom of God and bring the Kingdom of God on this earth. Theologians and leaders of a church can have a great (vitenskapelig) knowledge of the Bible and may speak wonderful enticing words, but on this foundation, you will not be able to build a church, who is spiritually alive and victorious.
Only Jesus Christ is the Builder of His church and He uses people, som tror på ham, and are prepared to legge ned sitt eget liv and daily pick up their cross and Følg Jesus. Han bruker mennesker, who are filled with the Holy Spirit and who represent Jesus; the Word in their lives and be His witnesses till the end.
«Vær jordens salt’
