One of the most difficult things to explain to people about the fulfilled perspective, especially people who have been brought up on religious tradition, is what to do when they come to see and believe that everything in the Bible (well, 98.2% of it) has been fulfilled.
If you are not aware of what the fulfilled position means, it states, in summary, that the living God created the world which fell into sin, and He then carved out a Nation called (by the name Israel) through whom He accomplished everything as a means to reconcile the fallen world population to Himself.
Of course, God got this ball rolling by giving that Nation the Law and the Prophets, who foretold of a Promised Messiah, who arrived (as God with us) and lived like no other human could, fulfilling the Law and the Prophets in righteousness, surrendering up His life, dying for the sins of the whole world, laying in the grave for three days (as prophesied) and then rising up again, which was witnessed by hundreds of souls including His chosen Apostles. After ascending, Yeshua of Nazareth ascended into the heavens with the promised to return and rescue His faithful Bride from a prophesied “great and dreadful day” that was coming upon them.
Once the Holy Spirit fell upon them, His apostles went out into as many of the cities of Israel to preach repentance and to get that pure and holy Bride to prepare for His coming return out from the heavenly Holy of Holies above. This return would signal the end of all shakable material religion and launch the ongoing spiritually-based Kingdom God which would be established in the hearts and minds of individuals forevermore.
By and through His death, resurrection, ascension and return, Satan, death and hell were overcome, God became all in all, and His kingdom is promised to increase forevermore.
So, again, the question that remains on the lips of people who come to understand these biblically based principles and even accept them, typically wonder, “Now what?” Or “What are believers ever since supposed to be doing? If brick and mortar church is over, are believers left to just live and linger around until they take their last breath?”
Most of our answers come from principles in the scripture which, when understood by the Spirit, are seen to still have application to every believers life even in the face of material religion having ended. These principles include, but certainly are not limited to,
- The importance of abiding in faith.
- The import of increasing in faith, and
- the importance of learning to love as God commands.
The Importance of abiding in faith.
The scripture makes clear that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” I personally take this as an ongoing principle whether God has fulfilled all things through His Son. The scripture also makes clear that” faith comes by the hearing of the word of God.” We maintain that this hearing of the word of God can be from either hearing directly from the Spirit of Christ, the word made flesh, and/or by hearing the written scripture taught contextually. If the latter, we maintain that it is important that believers have a time, place and/or opportunity to study the scripture, which includes hearing it taught in a contextual reasonable way. This does NOT mean in or through established brick and mortar houses of religion but merely through religious education which we believe ought to be the primary, even the sole focus of any religious gathering or institution.
This is a shift in approach that we feel is consistent with fulfillment while continuing to fortify individuals with solid scriptural understanding of everything that was.
The import of increasing in faith.
We also maintain the scriptural fact that faith is not a single event, but something that must increase as a means to enrich and strengthen every believer in their respective walk. The writer of Hebrews clearly maintains that there is a place for the milk of doctrine and then leaving that foundation behind, a place for maturity and meat. The parables of Yeshua plainly describe some problematic results when believers remain “babes” and are never fortified by an increase of faith. The sad result of such is often such souls starting off well in their walk, excited and loving their new life, but ultimately allowing attacks or cares and riches to sideline their purpose in producing fruit.
The aim of helping individual believers (who should be allowed to believe and practice their respective faith as they so please) grow and mature in faith also can be the results of sound religious information produced, offered and discussed openly and without denominational demands.
The importance of learning to love as God commands.
Small faith is directly correlated to small love. Likewise, big faith enables people to love big. The end of the line purpose that God seems to want from his children of faith is for them to produce the fruit of love. If a person fails to believe, they will fail to love as Christ taught. The more faith, the more they are able to love as He commands.
Few people, when they start out in their walk with Christ are equipped to immediately forgive, immediately turn the other cheek or to immediately die daily with Christ. Accepting being persecuted is rare in the lives of those who aren’t entirely sure what they believe. For this reason believers, even in the age of fulfillment, need to grow in faith so as to actually let God accomplish works of selfless love through them.
In the end, the sole purpose of any system of organized gathering of believers ought to be focused on religious education, and not playing church. When this becomes the case, the body on earth will grow in immeasurable strength while it allows all of its parts to walk independently and subjectively according to Spirit within them, and not according to the fulfilled edicts once present in the Bride some 2000 years ago.
