Real Freedom in the Simple Church

The Cross

Freedom begins with the cross. Dying to self is the beginning of all Christian discipleship. Many believers are in bondages of all kinds because they do not begin here. Paul told the Roman church:

"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (Rom 8:13 KJV)

It begins with the choice, day by day, moment by moment. to deny self for Christ to live instead. There are Christians who have asked for Christ's forgiveness, receive the new birth with the experience of the Holy Ghost, yet for decades continue in their bondage because they indulge their flesh without realizing that they are living in the flesh. Paul told the Galatians:

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." (Gal 5:16 KJV)

These same believers have no idea what it means to walk in the Spirit, yet they are children of God because at a subconscious level they are led by the Spirit.

Simple Church

The house church movement is called "Simple Church" by its adherents. In Simple Church believers meet in homes dispensing with paid clergy and the formal structure of the government churches, hence a "simple"church.

But simple church goes even smaller. Every believer is the church simple. Church, of course, does not mean the building that believers gather in. Nor does it mean what believers do when they gather together.

The English word, "church," has its history in its meaning from the Old English, cirice, which came from the West German, kirika, which came from the Greek kyriake. That Greek word is the compound of kyrios (lord) and oikas (house), or, the Lord's house. Because of 1,500 years of institutional thinking, we automatically assume that means the building believers gather in. But the Lord has never dwelt in a building. Christ dwells in our hearts. Each believer is the church, or the Lord's house. We are also called in the Greek, the ekklesia, the called out ones.

Discipleship

The simplest church is the individual believer. Church is not something we do, but who we are. Bondage comes when a host of things to do become one's understanding of church. That is legality. Christ did not die to dwell in our hearts to do anything. Instead Christ came to live His life through ours, as we deny self and let Him live instead. Individually, every believer is an expression of Christ's life through their individual personalities. Real freedom comes when one drops their agendas and do what Christ wants to do through them. Paul said to the Galatians:

"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." (Gal 2:20 KJV)

The desire of God is for Christ to be expressed corporately through His body. This brings us to the next level of Simple Church: marriage.

Marriage and Family is the Church

When one abandons the government churches which are business institutions whose format and goals bind up the body of Christ in the congregation, the temptation to go it alone will become another form of bondage. Believers are meant by God to be joined to other believers. If one is married to another believer, then the corporate expression of Christ begins in the marriage. This is the foundation of body life. Paul said:

"My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, "(Gal 4:19 KJV)

Our natural inclinations are to remain individuals while married. That course of behavior results in a weak marriage, with the potential of divorce. Dying to self for Christ to live instead should be first applied for the benefit of one's spouse. If both spouses embrace the cross, denying self and preferring the other to self, then the corporate expression of Christ in them will form. Marriage is not a contract, but a life and death covenant of commitment, with Christ the head of the marriage (in a Christian marriage). The formation of the new creature called the married couple takes time. If both seek Christ as the head of the marriage, then He will form the new creature, which is a unique expression of Christ Himself through both partners. This is Simple Church. When children are born, then the family becomes the next level of Christ expressing His life through the parents and children. The family is the building block of the community church, which may be several families who gather in house churches, or the network of believers in the community.

Forces of Bondage

There are forces seeking to put believers into bondage and to keep them in bondage. The flesh is obviously the first force, which God has given us individual victory over by the cross. The devil is less obvious, but a real force seeking to entrap believers. His assaults come against us individually through temptations, and provocations from other people. Irritations, judgments, criticisms, gossip, and so many other things are used by Satan through people to divide believers from believers and believers from non believers. In these circumstances self denial allows Christ to respond in wisdom and love, to bring the victory.

But there is a third force trying to put everyone into bondage, believers and non believers alike. This force is the world system. This system was established by Satan, but is operated by men. All of us have to participate to some extent in this system, for it is the basis of governments, religions, and society. Behind this system are men who for generations have run the show behind the scenes, causing laws and economics to put us all into bondage. Paul said:

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Gal 6:14 KJV)

Freedom and Victory

Victory over the world is in the cross, dying to self individually and corporately, so that Christ may live through us individually and corporately. This website is dedicated to leading the readers into freedom from all these bondages, and for believers to walk fully as citizens of the Kingdom of God, in Christ's authority, as Christ Himself lives through us. Jesus said:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 KJV)

"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36 KJV)

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32KJV)