This is an unincorporated and non-governmental fellowship of believers who are “crucified with Christ” in that “Christ lives” in us, so that in agreement with the Apostle Paul, each of us can say: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
In answer to such love, members of this fellowship seek to increase our submission to Christ by submitting ourselves to His word, for He is the Word incarnate. He did not come as a prophet and no more. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, [Jesus] and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory [Jesus’], the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) [Jesus] full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him [Jesus], and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He [Jesus] that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he [Jesus] was before me.” 1 John 12-15 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” John 8:58 “I AM” was the name that the Lord God called Himself from the burning bush while speaking with Moses. “And God said unto Moses, ‘I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.'” Exodus 3:14
The commands of Jesus must rule our lives for He is the Word incarnate and Christian Patriarchy is the family structure that the Lord has given us. A wife must have one master other than God and that is her husband. This fellowship rebukes those pastors who usurp the authority of husbands over their wives.
“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.“ Ephesians 5:23-24
This fellowship begins with the first commands and follows all commands that are not associated with the Levite sacrificial laws:
“Wherefore He [Christ] is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needs not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people’s: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself.” Hebrews 7:25-27
The first command that the Lord gave to mankind was to multiply. “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply.” Genesis 1:28
This fellowship seeks to obey His command.
The second command that the Lord gave mankind was to take stewardship over the environment “subdue it.” (the earth.
The third command was to take dominion over the animal kingdom “and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:28
The fourth command was not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:17
But we no longer have the opportunity to obey this command for once Adam “hearkened unto the voice” of his wife, all of future humanity suffered from Adam’s fall as King David tells us in his Psalms.
“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:5
Yet some men are foolish enough to believe that they would not also have “hearkened unto the voice” of their wife. And some women are foolish enough to believe that they would not also have taken of the fruit thereof, and eaten, and given also unto their husband with them; so that he would eat. This is the ultimate in pride. And pride comes before what? “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
The fifth command was for the man to rule his wife. “…and he shall rule over thee.”
This is not an easy command to follow, either for the husband who must rule, nor or the wife who must follow, but members of this fellowship must strive to obey the Lord’s command in this. Implicit in God’s command that the man “shall rule over” the wife is that the Lord will provide a way for the man to do that. In today’s society with peer pressure and false teachings it’s difficult. But it can be accomplished.
It is important for Christians to set godly examples by living lives in accordance with these commands and sharing our joy that the Lord died for us. A big part of the way this church carries out the Lord’s will in this is through reading the Bible.
Finally, we must remember, we are not the ones who set in motion the power of God. God is sovereign over all! He is even sovereign over your ability to follow Him and His commands. Don’t worry if following God’s commands seems too big of a task. God can make it so that it’s simply part of your daily routine, a wonderful routine that is anything but monotonous. Enjoy God’s fellowship. Enjoy God’s challenges. Challenges are not easy but they are exhilarating to the max. So don’t take it so seriously like some arduous task. Nonetheless, you pray, and that power to produce fantastic results for the Lord WILL happen! Just pray a simply prayer that can be something as simple as this: “Lord, I’m not sure I want to do what it takes to please you, yes, I know you have saved me, but showing my thanks by letting you guide my steps can sometimes seem difficult as I mediate on your will for me. Please be gentle with me, and help me to want to follow you with a right heart, and guide me once I proceed on that path. Help me to make it happen. I’d like my service to you to be an example to all within my capacity to handle it. Help me grow in the ways you see best for me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.”
Reading Time: 5 minutes