Today's Church vs Biblical Ekklesia

by Neil Jennings Braithwaite

What most people today recognize and define as "church,"including their various doctrines, creeds and traditions, in most aspects, have no resemblance to the biblical model of the "ekklesia" (Called-out Assembly) Yahshua (Jesus) Christ said he would build; which is the model he and his Apostles lived and taught.

Yahshua said: "...upon this rock I will build My ekklesia; and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18 

Traditional Churches in America today embrace a man-made"corporate/institutional" model rather than the Biblical model of the "ekklesia" Yahshua Christ personally established.

After the Apostolic age, the ekklesia established by Yahshua gradually evolved into man-made corporate institutions. Today's churches operate under a hierarchy of authority and power that negates the intended equality and unity of individual disciples taught by Christ. These corporate institutions also promote division and competition within the body of Christ. Within each corporate church people are intentionally divided into two distinct "classes" of Christians known as clergy and laity - better defined today as "pastor" and "congregation."

"The term ‘laity’ is one of the worst in the vocabulary of religion and ought to be banished from the Christian conversation." ~ Karl Barth

"The clergy-laity tradition has done more to undermine New Testament authority than most heresies." ~ James D.G. Dunn

"The clergy-laity dichotomy is a direct carry-over from pre-Reformation Roman Catholicism and a throwback to the Old Testament priesthood. It is one of the principal obstacles to the church effectively being God’s agent of the kingdom today because it creates a false idea that only ‘holy men,’ namely, ordained ministers, are really qualified and responsible for leadership and significant ministry. In the New Testament, there are functional distinctions between various kinds of ministries but no hierarchical division between clergy and laity." ~ Howard Snyder

The majority of man-made churches in America take institutionalization a step further through their collusion with the State/government. Once a body of believers incorporates as a "legal entity" under the 501(c)(3) IRS code, the State literally replaces Yahshua Christ as the head of the "church," and the freedoms once held in Christ become shackled by the chains of unholy State regulations. Shockingly, the bondage of these State regulations not only supersede the word of Yahweh (The God of the Bible), but churches willingly and openly agree to the legal bondage of compliance and submission to the supreme authority of the State through the written contractual agreement of a 501(c)(3).

He [Yahshua] is also head of the body, the ekklesia; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. Colossians 1:18

"But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Yahshua Messiah, in order to bring us into bondage." Galatians 2:4

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14

Besides establishing a man-made hierarchy, the unity Yahshua taught as the foundation to his ekklesia is virtually non-existent today. The ekklesia has been divided into literally thousands of competing brands of both denominational and independent churches; with each "church" being separated by different doctrines, creeds and traditions. Consequently, rather than the unity Yahshua commanded of his followers in scripture, today's corporate churches have created division among believers.

Yahshua called his disciples and told them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers among the unbelievers lord it over them, and their superiors act like tyrants over them. That’s not the way it should be among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." Mark:10:42  

"The gospel of Yahshua records that He built one ekklesia and that all saved people were in that ekklesia. He prayed for unity and rebuked division. Denominations as we know them did not exist till centuries later. Yet today hundreds of denominations exist in the name of Christianity, claiming to be Christian. They are divided and contradict one another." ~ David E.Pratte 

Besides being run like a worldly hierarchical corporation unequally yoked with the State and being divided by different man-made denominations, the majority of churches today also embrace many man-made unbiblical doctrines and traditions. 

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Corruption of Yahshua's and the Apostle's teachings through man-made doctrines, creeds and traditions are clearly evident in the New Testament. While these corruptions began during the Apostolic era, they escalated greatly in the post-Apostolic era; culminating with "church" leaders colluding with Roman rulers in the early fourth century to create the original State sponsored "Christian" church - aptly called the Roman Catholic Church.

Unfortunately, even after the so-called "reformation" movement took place in the sixteenth century, where many Christians broke away from the Catholic Church, the majority of newly formed "protestant" Christian churches continued to keep and adhere to most Roman Catholic Church doctrines, creeds and traditions - and do so even to this day. 

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves" Matthew 7:15

"Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many." 
Matthew 24:11 

The tragic consequences of these divisions in the ekklesia and deviations from Yahshua's teachings compromise and imperil the spirituality and welfare of Christians and are highly detrimental to the message and ministry of the gospel. These negative effects resemble closely today what the Apostle Paul warned about in some of his his letters as being a "hindrance" to the gospel and a financial "burden" on the ekklesia. 

Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of Yahshua Messiah, that you all agree and THAT THERE BE NO DIVISIONS AMONG YOU, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. 1 Corinthians 1:10  

Remember Yahshua and his Apostles WARNED over and over in scripture (See the exhaustive list in the column at the side of this blog) that the complete Gospel had been fully delivered to the saints "once for all," and no one should ever be deceived by any additional worldly doctrines, traditions and teachings of men, which are a corruption of both the gospel message and the ekklesia.*  

I AM AMAZED that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Yahshua Messiah, for a DIFFERENT GOSPEL; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Yahshua Messiah. BUT EVEN IF WE, OR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN, SHOULD PREACH TO YOU A GOSPEL CONTRARY TO WHAT WE HAVE PREACHED TO YOU, HE IS TO BE ACCURSED! As we have said before, so I SAY AGAIN NOW, if any man is preaching to you a gospel CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU ALREADY RECEIVED, he is to be ACCURSED! Galatians 1:6-9

Now I make known to you, brethren, THE GOSPEL WHICH I PREACHED TO YOU, WHICH ALSO YOU RECEIVED, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you HOLD FAST TO THE WORD WHICH I PREACHED TO YOU, unless you believed in vain. I Corinthians 15:1-2

I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was ONCE FOR ALL HANDED DOWN TO THE SAINTS. Jude 1:30

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves" Matthew 7:15

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be corrupted from the simplicity and purity that is in the Yahshua Messiah. 2 Corinthians 11:3

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Yahshua Messiah. Colossians 2:8

...in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. James 1:21b

*Please remember to always search the scriptures in the Holy Spirit for discernment and confirmation of the truth in all things - including the teachings found on this blog or any links provided. 

These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. 1 John 2:26-27