{"id":493,"date":"2015-08-09T22:17:12","date_gmt":"2015-08-09T14:17:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/malaccagospelhall.com\/meetings\/?p=493"},"modified":"2015-09-07T23:15:37","modified_gmt":"2015-09-07T15:15:37","slug":"foundation-of-the-assembly-3-by-dr-aj-higgins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/malaccagospelhall.com\/meetings\/foundation-of-the-assembly-3-by-dr-aj-higgins\/","title":{"rendered":"Foundation of the Assembly by Dr AJ Higgins"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>FOUNDATION OF THE ASSEMBLY<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.me\/pNcee-7U\">Focus of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.me\/pNcee-7X\">Foundation of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.me\/pNcee-80\">Figures of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.me\/pNcee-83\">Fragrance of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.me\/pNcee-85\">Fruitfulness of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.me\/pNcee-8n\">Function of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/wp.me\/pNcee-8b\">Fellowship of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<blockquote><p>1Ti 3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:<br \/>\n1Ti 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.<br \/>\n1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Acts 28 ends with Paul in Rome. Subsequent to that he was released and he visited Ephesus and Macedonia.<br \/>\nHe left Timothy in Ephesus for certain reasons and as a result he wrote to letter to Timothy this letter that we have before us.<br \/>\nThese letters may be divided into 3 major groups:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Preaching Epistles during the book of Acts<\/li>\n<li>Prison Epistles \u2013 Acts 28 and includes Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians<\/li>\n<li>Personal or Pastoral Epistles \u2013 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Interestingly, Ephesians is one of the assemblies we know the most about.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In Acts 19 we read of its planting.<\/li>\n<li>In Acts 20 we read Paul meets with the elders and is concerned of their preservation and their progress as believers<\/li>\n<li>In 1 Timothy Paul writes to the Pastors and Shepherds of the Ephesians\u2019 Church<\/li>\n<li>In 2 Timothy again Paul writes to them of their prevailing danger \u2026 Recall Revelation chapter \u2013 They had lost their first love.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So we have a long history of this assembly with many details.<\/p>\n<p>However, the occasion for writing this epistle is made clear as we go through the epistle.<br \/>\nThe theme of the epistle is what is known as the <strong>\u2018House of God\u2019<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Recall, on two occasions the Lord Jesus visited the Temple and cleansed the Temple.<br \/>\nIn John chapter 2, the Lord cleanses the Temple at the beginning of His earthly ministry.<br \/>\nIn Matthew (chapter 21) and Mark (shapter 11) the Lord cleanses the Temple for the second time.<br \/>\nThis time it is at the end of His earthly ministry.<br \/>\n\u2018MAKE NOT MY FATHER\u2019S HOUSE A HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE\u2019 the Lord Jesus warned.<\/p>\n<p>1 Timothy 6 deals with making &#8211; merchandise in the <em>House of God<\/em>, among other matters.<br \/>\nMark writes the Lord as saying that His House will be called a \u2018House of Prayer\u2019.<br \/>\nIt reminds us in chapter 2, there is prayer linked with the House of God.<br \/>\nAnd Mark adds it would be a \u2018House for all Nations\u2019.<br \/>\nAnd so Paul writes in Chapter 2, to pray for ALL men\u2026<br \/>\nRecall John chapter 2 \u2026 the zeal of my House has consumed me \u2026<br \/>\nChapter 4 Stresses for teaching in the House of God.<\/p>\n<p>What was the reason and objective for Paul to write this epistle?<br \/>\nThere are three main reasons:<br \/>\nIn chapter 1 \u2013 False teachers and law keepers were making inroads, and so Paul was going to confirm Timothy\u2019s authority to deal with them.<br \/>\nAlso Paul was writing to Timothy to tell him:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How an assembly should function<\/li>\n<li>How prayer meetings are to be conducted<\/li>\n<li>How sisters should be adorned<\/li>\n<li>How leaders and servants should conduct themselves<\/li>\n<li>How to deal and care for widows<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In Chapter 2 &#8211; Paul writes on intercessory prayer in the House of God<br \/>\nIn chapter 3 &#8211; on individuals who will function in the House of God<br \/>\nIn Chapter 4 &#8211; the imperative to be fruitful in the House of God<br \/>\nIn Chapter 5 &#8211; the importance of being fruitful<br \/>\nIn Chapter 6 &#8211; the incentive &#8211; to be faithful in the House of God.<\/p>\n<p>In each of the chapters the Lord Jesus is brought before us.<br \/>\nAs mentioned in the first teaching, the Lord Jesus is the focus of the assembly. So remember:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In chapter 1 He is the <em>Means<\/em> of salvation and how He came to save sinners.<\/li>\n<li>In chapter 2 He is the <em>Mediator<\/em>between God and man.<\/li>\n<li>In chapter 3 He is the <em>Manifestation<\/em> of God \u2013 God was manifest in the flesh.<\/li>\n<li>In chapter 4 He is the <em>Master<\/em> of the House and we serve Him.<\/li>\n<li>In chapter 5 He is the <em>Motivation<\/em> for everything we do in His sight.<\/li>\n<li>In chapter 6 He is the <em>Monarch<\/em>. He is the King who is coming to reign on earth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Turn back to Genesis 28:16 keeping in mind Timothy chapter 3.<br \/>\nIn Timothy chapter 3, the assembly is called the House of God.<br \/>\nHere in Genesis 28:16 we find the FIRST mention of \u2018House of God\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Gen 28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew [it] not.<br \/>\nGen 28:17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful [is] this place! this [is] none other but the house of God, and this [is] the gate of heaven.<br \/>\nGen 28:18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put [for] his pillows, and set it up [for] a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.<br \/>\nGen 28:19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city [was called] Luz at the first.<br \/>\nGen 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,<br \/>\nGen 28:21 So that I come again to my father&#8217;s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:<br \/>\nGen 28:22 And this stone, which I have set [for] a pillar, shall be God&#8217;s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Turn now to Genesis 35.<br \/>\nA lot has happened to Jacob between Genesis 16 and Genesis 35.<br \/>\nHe had spent 20 years in the house of Laban, and now God was telling him to return to the land.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Gen 35:1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.<br \/>\nGen 35:2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that [were] with him, Put away the strange gods that [are] among you, and be clean, and change your garments:<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>There is what is known as the \u2018law of first mention\u2019.<br \/>\nWhenever God introduces an important subject, the first time that it is mentioned has great importance attached to it.<br \/>\nGod will establish principles in the <strong>FIRST MENTION<\/strong> that will be true in the rest of the Bible.<\/p>\n<p>There are 5 things stressed in this FIRST MENTION of the \u2018House of God\u2019:<\/p>\n<p><strong>1 Residence and Reverence that is due to God:<\/strong><br \/>\nJacob said God is in this place. This is an awesome place.<br \/>\nSo there is the Residence and there is the Reverence<\/p>\n<p><strong>2 Authority and Administration:<\/strong><br \/>\nHe said the House of God was the \u2018Gate of Heaven\u2019.<br \/>\nDoes it mean the entrance to heaven? NO.<br \/>\nSo what does it mean?<br \/>\n<em>Remember Lot?<\/em><br \/>\nIt was said that he sat at the gate of Sodom and the people said he was a judge.<br \/>\n<em>Remember Boaz?<\/em><br \/>\nHe went to the \u2018gate\u2019 to buy Ruth.<br \/>\nThere he met with the elders of the city to make his intentions clear that he wanted to marry Ruth.<br \/>\nIn Psalms 22:16 David writes \u2026For dogs have compassed me; the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me; they pierced my hands and my feet.<br \/>\nIn Israel the \u2018gate\u2019 was the place of administration. The city was ruled from this place.<\/p>\n<p>In Matthew 16:18: Jesus says the gates of hell will not prevail against His church.<br \/>\nSo the gate is linked with the \u2018assembly\u2019<br \/>\nThe assembly is God\u2019s Authority and God\u2019s Administration in the earth.<br \/>\nThere is NO higher Authority than the WORD OF GOD ministered by those in responsibility in the local assembly.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Presence and Purity:<\/strong><br \/>\nAfter the Lord told Jacob to go back the first thing he tells his household to do is to put away their strange gods before going back to Bethel \u2026 change your garments \u2026 be clean.<br \/>\nSo the Presence of God demands purity among His people.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Commitment and Consecration:<\/strong><br \/>\nJacob would say: He would make a commitment and consecration to God.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. Revelation and Representation:<\/strong><br \/>\nFirst \u2013 God revealed Himself to Jacob.<br \/>\nThen Jacob said God would be my God, and I will represent Him before the world.<br \/>\nAnd so when Laban spoke to Jacob, he could say \u201c I have learnt by experience that God has blessed me since you set foot in my house.&#8221;<br \/>\nBefore the ungodly Jacob represented God!<\/p>\n<p>These 5 groups are introduced in Genesis 28.<br \/>\nAnd so when we find God\u2019s House in the rest of the Bible, these 5 things will be true.<br \/>\nGod will add to the Revelation of the House of God.<br \/>\nHe will add but never take away from these 5 principles.<br \/>\nExample:<br \/>\nAt the Tabernacle He added Sacrifice<br \/>\nAt the Temple we find Solomon praying \u2026 we find wealth and treasure associated with the House of God.<br \/>\nIn the House of God in Haggai we find God taking Pleasure in the House.<\/p>\n<p>But when we come to the New Testament we get the fullest revelation \u2013 the full display of the beauty of His House.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Display and Beauty of the House:<\/strong><br \/>\nWe all have observed while we drive along the road and see houses on either side that some houses are well maintained with beautiful gardens while others are neglected and unkempt.<br \/>\nHouses reveal something about their owners<br \/>\nSome owners are careful while others are not.<\/p>\n<p>Drive past Bill Gates house and you see a beautiful mansion.<br \/>\nIt tells you something about the owner of the house.<br \/>\nYou know the man living there is wealthy.<\/p>\n<p>So a house tells you something of the people who live inside.<br \/>\nSo when you think about a house you think of the occupant \u2013 of who lives there.<br \/>\nYou think about the owner \u2013 who owns it.<br \/>\nYou think about the order of that house and then we will see that there is an obligation linked with that house.<\/p>\n<p>These 4 things will be stressed tonight:<br \/>\nThe <strong>Owner<\/strong>, the <strong>Occupant<\/strong>, the<strong> Order<\/strong> that should mark the House and the <strong>Obligation<\/strong> of the House.<br \/>\nWe will also talk of the Resident of the House and the Reverence that He deserves.<\/p>\n<p>Recall what Jacob said \u201cThis is an awesome place. This is none other than the House of God\u201d!<br \/>\nAnd then suddenly Jacob who was careless becomes very reverent<br \/>\nWhat is your attitude as you meet together in the House pf God?<br \/>\nAm I marked by reverence toward God?<br \/>\nDo I recognize the awesome Presence of the One who is in our midst?<br \/>\nEvery assembly has House of God character.<br \/>\nIt means that God had taken up residence in the local assembly.<\/p>\n<p>How often we have said \u201cIf I knew that Preacher would be speaking I would have been there.<br \/>\nHow much more then when God Himself is present in His House and the Reverence that He deserves!<br \/>\nIn chapter 2 Paul speaks of the Reverence that is becoming to the House of God \u2013 \u201cthat men should lift up holy hands and sisters \u2026\u201d<br \/>\nSo we are told of what is fitting in attitude and attire before God.<br \/>\nHe tells of our relationship with one another and how that should reflect on the Occupant in our midst.<br \/>\nSo when we meet we are acknowledging the fact that there is an Occupant.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Owner of the House:<\/strong><br \/>\nIt is not your assembly or my assembly. It is the House of God.<br \/>\nIt has been purchased by the blood of His Son.<br \/>\nHave you considered how valuable an Assembly is to God?<br \/>\nPaul writes of the value that God places on the Assembly:<br \/>\nAct 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.<br \/>\nAct 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.<br \/>\nAct 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.<\/p>\n<p>The value God places on the assembly is not based on its size, but that the assembly represents the Lord Jesus.<br \/>\nWhen the assembly gathers in His name, we have to represent the interests of the Lord Jesus.<br \/>\nIt is God\u2019s House. And He has a say as to what happens in His House.<br \/>\nSo in this sense, it is the Gate of Heaven because His Authority is recognized and exercised in His House.<\/p>\n<p>How is God\u2019s Authority expressed in the Assembly?<br \/>\nThere is the idea that the overseers are in charge. But it is not so.<br \/>\nIt is the Word of God in the hands of the overseers that is The Authority in the assembly.<br \/>\nThe Word of God is the ultimate authority -Always.<br \/>\nA good man may say a bad thing but that does not make it right.<br \/>\nAnd a bad man may say a good thing but that does not make it wrong.<br \/>\nTruth always stands on its own &#8211; the authority in God\u2019s assembly is the Word of God.<br \/>\nIt is in the assembly that the authority of God is administered and expressed.<\/p>\n<p>This epistle is about administrating for God.<br \/>\n1Ti 1:3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,<br \/>\n1Ti 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.<br \/>\nPaul was writing to Timothy to place importance to \u2018godly edifying\u2019 \u2026 it means administrating for God.<br \/>\nWe are administrating God\u2019s authority in God\u2019s house.<br \/>\nAnd so as far as heaven is concerned, there is no higher court of Authority than the local assembly.<br \/>\nOne assembly is not over another assembly. Every assembly administrates for God and in reality it is a little picture of what is going to fill the whole world.<br \/>\nPaul reminds us in 1 Corinthians that believers are enriched in all knowledge.<br \/>\nThis is what the assembly should be right now \u2013 be enriched in all knowledge.<\/p>\n<p>What will the earth be like in the millennium?<br \/>\nThe earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.<br \/>\nSo right NOW the assembly should be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.<br \/>\nIn chapter 6 Paul writes that the saints will judge the angels in the coming day.<br \/>\nYou should be judging in the assembly right now.<br \/>\nChapter 11 discusses Headship and the head covering of the sisters.<br \/>\nWe are reminded that this is what is going to mark the whole world in the coming day.<br \/>\nThe Headship of the Lord Jesus will be recognized.<\/p>\n<p>In Chapter 13 Paul writes on the fullness of love in the assembly.<br \/>\nThis too is going to mark the world in the coming day.<\/p>\n<p>In Chapter 6, is the assembly\u2019s willing surrender in consecration to the Lord Jesus.<\/p>\n<p>Psalms too remind us that in the coming day, man will willingly sacrificing to the Lord and there will be a continual reminder of the death of Christ.<br \/>\nThis we do now weekly in remembering the Lord in the symbols of bread and wine every Lord\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n<p>So what will fill the whole earth in the coming day we do NOW in the assembly.<br \/>\nDo we realize what a privilege it is to be linked to the House of God?<br \/>\nYou are God\u2019s beta program before He rolls it out to the whole world and we have the privilege now to be linked with a rejected Savior, upholding Him and giving Him pleasure.<\/p>\n<p>How is this Authority and Consecration carried out in the Assembly?<br \/>\nIn the Assembly there needs to be fairness<br \/>\nThe need to deal with widows.<br \/>\nTo know how to deal with those who bring accusations.<\/p>\n<p>What does Paul write to Timothy in 5:21?<br \/>\n1Ti 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.<br \/>\nThe strongest charges are in being fair!<\/p>\n<p>God expects an assembly to be marked by fairness and honesty \u2013<br \/>\nIn Proverbs God spoke of hating a false balance \u2013 why?<br \/>\nBecause when men make judgments they represent God. So when an overseer makes a decision, it is a decision that heaven has already made and we are carrying it out!<br \/>\nSo Paul says it is very serious to make a judgment and then WILLINGLY make it wrong!<\/p>\n<p><strong>God\u2019s Presence and Purity:<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen Jesus went into the Temple HE said \u201cTake these things out of my house\u201d<br \/>\nThese were things that did not belong in the House of God.<br \/>\nSo this epistle written to Timothy reminds us that the House of God demands purity of life.<br \/>\nPaul also reminds Timothy to be an example of purity among other things.<br \/>\nHe reminds him of maintaining the purity in relationships between men and women.<br \/>\nHe writes of pious and holy widows.<br \/>\nSo we see that there is a STANDARD that God has established for His house, and He has only ONE STANDARD for all.\u00a0God places no difference between a leader or a follower, between young believers or old believers, if a person in sitting in the assembly or at the back seat of the assembly.\u00a0God has ONE STANDARD for all believers and that STANDARD is to be HOLY.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Recall what Peter writes:<br \/>\n<em>1Pe 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:<\/em><br \/>\n<em> 1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;<\/em><br \/>\n<em> 1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> 1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man&#8217;s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>So if we call him \u2018Father\u2019\u2026 then follows the incentive \u201cBe you holy for I am holy!\u201d<br \/>\nSo the STANDARD for Christian living that is linked with the House of God is Holiness.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Commitment and Consecration:<\/strong><br \/>\nIf the assembly is to prosper, then it must have committed believers.<br \/>\nWhat it means is that I cannot just come and go. I cannot expect others to bear the burden of testimony. If my heart has been won for the Lord Jesus Christ, then I will want to please Him.<br \/>\nIf I value my life knowing that it has been purchased by the blood of Christ, I will seek to serve Him.<br \/>\nSo then there has to be commitment if my gift is to be developed.<br \/>\nDoes the way I serve God reflect how much God is worth to me?<br \/>\nDoes what you pour into the assembly express what you think of God\u2019s House?<br \/>\nRemember, what a house looks reflects the owner of the house and the occupant.<br \/>\nSo if we allow the House of God to fall apart, then we don\u2019t think much of the owner.<br \/>\nPaul urged Timothy to pour out his life and stir up his gift and develop it for God.<br \/>\n2Ti 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.<\/p>\n<p>In the assembly here we have young men with wonderful minds and sisters with intelligent minds.<br \/>\nWill you give your mind consecrating it to God to know Him and know His Word so you can serve His people better?<br \/>\nAnd then giving your mind to God for also the growth in your personal life?<br \/>\nChristian progress does not come by, by accident.<br \/>\nIt is not like growing old \u2026 no matter how hard you try for it not to happen &#8211; it just happens.<br \/>\nSo our Christian growth is not something that occurs naturally.<br \/>\nIt requires commitment and consecration.<br \/>\nYou have to make it priority in your life to get to know God better.<br \/>\nSo commitment and consecration is needed for my gift to develop.<br \/>\nCommitment and Consecration is needed for growth in my Christian life.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>To those given the Responsibility to guard the flock:<br \/>\nShepherding God\u2019s Assembly requires absolute commitment and consecration.<br \/>\nIt involves tremendous sacrifice.<br \/>\n<em>1Pe 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:<\/em><br \/>\n<em> 1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;<\/em><br \/>\n<em> 1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God&#8217;s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.<\/em><br \/>\n<em> 1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.<\/em><br \/>\nThe writer of Hebrews writes of those who are watching as though to give up sleep to pray for the believers.<br \/>\nDoes the way I shepherd God\u2019s assembly reflect what I think of the SHEPHARD?<br \/>\nEvery shepherd must love the SHEPHARD. And as he loves the SHEPHERD, he will love the sheep.<br \/>\nThe shepherd is not a man who is power crazy. He is a man in love with Christ.<br \/>\nSo to guard the flock, the shepherd must love the SHEPHARD.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Back in Genesis 28, this love was linked to giving. And so Jacob made his commitment and consecration when he said, if God is my God then He will bring me again to this place in safety and I will give Him a tenth.<br \/>\nIn Chapter 6 we discover what kind of God we have.<br \/>\nGod is a God who gives richly and liberally and so He expects believers to give likewise.<br \/>\nThere is no such thing as a stingy godly person. Everything we own belongs to God.<br \/>\nWe need to be marked by the same character of God in giving liberally.<br \/>\nPractically speaking \u2013 Why do we have an offering every Sunday when we come to remember the Lord?<br \/>\nWhy does the Bible frequently link worship with giving?<br \/>\nKeep in mind whenever you give, what you give reflects what I think of the Lord Jesus Christ.<br \/>\nMy giving should be out of commitment and consecration to Him.<br \/>\nIt is an expression of worship of what I think of Him.<br \/>\nMy giving expresses my worship of what I think of Him.<br \/>\nSo that poor widow with her two mites was worshipping God, expressing that He was worth all she had!<br \/>\nAnd so we must be marked in the House of God by giving liberally.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Revelation and Responsibility:<\/strong><br \/>\nWe represent God and Christ here on earth. We do this individually \u2026 but notice:<br \/>\n1Ti 3:15 \u2026 that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.<br \/>\n1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.<br \/>\nPutting this in another way:<br \/>\nThe Lord Jesus when He was on earth manifested what God was like.<br \/>\nToday as House of God, we are to manifest what God is like here on earth.<\/p>\n<p>If someone were to come into our meeting and observe \u2026 they should begin to understand what God is like just by the way we act and treat each other. It should be a revelation to them of what God is like.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do we treat each other with love?<\/li>\n<li>Is there kindness in our relationships with each other?<\/li>\n<li>Are we marked by mercy or are we hard and cruel?<\/li>\n<li>Are we gracious and gentle with each other?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Above all are we willing to forgive each other when problems occur?<br \/>\nThis is what God is like.<br \/>\nWe should represent God not just in our words but also in the way we treat each other.<br \/>\nWe represent and reveal God to those who do not know Him and know what He is like.<br \/>\nWe should be revealing His holiness and love, His forgiveness, mercy and faithfulness.<br \/>\nAll that God is should be stamped on the local assembly.<br \/>\nWe are not just \u2018going to church\u2019.<br \/>\nGathering as a House of God is more than just \u2018going to church\u2019<br \/>\nWe actually represent God in the world.<br \/>\nAnd by how the House is ordered we are telling people what God is like.<\/p>\n<p>We are telling people about the Owner of the House. We are telling about the Occupant of the House.<br \/>\nWe are revealing about the order of the House and we seek to honor the Lord Jesus Christ.<br \/>\nAnd so as we think of this tremendous truth, we realize we ARE the House of God.<br \/>\nAnd linked with being the House of God, we ARE the pillar and ground of TRUTH.<br \/>\nAs ground of TRUTH, we protect the TRUTH.<br \/>\nAs pillar we PROCLAIM the TRUTH.<br \/>\nAnd the way we protect the TRUTH is to PROCLAIM the TRUTH.<br \/>\nAnd we protect the TRUTH not just by what we say, but by what we do \u2013 not just preaching but also our actions one with the other.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>May God stir us and inspire us for the great privilege of being part of the local House of God here on earth.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FOUNDATION OF THE ASSEMBLY Focus of the Assembly Foundation of the Assembly Figures of the Assembly Fragrance of the Assembly Fruitfulness of the Assembly Function of the Assembly Fellowship of the Assembly 1Ti 3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 1Ti 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"http:\/\/malaccagospelhall.com\/meetings\/foundation-of-the-assembly-3-by-dr-aj-higgins\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Foundation of the Assembly by Dr AJ Higgins&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[21,22],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.3 - 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