Our Purpose

[Martin Schmaltz]

Representative: One that serves as a delegate or agent for another.
– American Heritage Dictionary

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion…

This scripture gives us wonderful insight into God’s purpose for mankind. Adam was created in the image and likeness of God. Vines tells us that image means; "image or copy" of something in the sense of a replica. According to Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Likeness refers to the representational aspect of the image.

Adam was God’s image chosen to reveal or manifest Himself to creation. Through Adam, an invisible God made himself visible. But more than a visible image, Adam’s purpose was to be representational of God. As God’s likeness, he was to ACT as God’s representative thereby revealing the nature and characteristics of God by those actions.

Adam’s representational purpose was not manifest when God gave him dominion. It was manifest when Adam obeyed God’s command and named the animals. God’s image and likeness was revealed, not by Adam’s position, but by his obedient actions to the commands of God.

Jesus Christ, as the last Adam, came as the visible image of an invisible God. However, he was more than an image, he was representational of the invisible God. In John 17:6 Jesus states; “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world:” According to Vines, manifested is a verb that means; "to make visible, clear, manifest," Thayer's says it is making visible or known “what has been hidden or unknown, whether by words, or deeds” (emphasis added). A verb is an action word. Jesus came making an invisible God more than visible; he came to make him knowable by demonstration.

Just as the scripture shows us that the first and last Adams were each to be a representational image of an invisible God, so we who are born again are to be representational. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:10 that we “have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” (emphasis added). We have been born again to a new nature, one that includes His representational image.

As His body, the church is to manifest Jesus Christ to this dark and confused world. However, we are not to just present an image of a good moral life, we have been authorized to conduct business as representatives of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. We are to walk in His delegated authority as we demonstrate to this world what His kingdom will be like. By manifestation and representation, we reveal to this world there is something better. We reveal to them that there is a King and He is coming with His kingdom and His name is Jesus!

What a privilege, what an honor, what a responsibility. We are chosen to ACT as the representative of the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings! Praise God!

Until next time-
Martin

[Donnie Gillum]

Twill do!

[Martin Schmaltz]

Those you meet who are hungry, searching and willing. Send my way. Looking to make strategic connections.

[Donnie Gillum]

This is true as well. I know many such well-intentioned leaders. But, I also know some who are “troubled in spirit” about present leadership methods as well. (I’ve even had them ask me, of all people, for informational help. LOL!) I don’t have it all together, and I sure need the spirit of wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of Him. But, to me, it doesn’t take much “spiritual” discernment to see the present condition desperately needs help. I have been among the “troubled in spirit” for a long time now. Though I have not yet “arrived”, it has caused me to wade through much discouragement, and “dryness” in my searching…and has certainly worked to change my thinking…

It seems that many innately know that there is something amiss in present methods, but don’t know what else to do. There is security in the present state of affairs, but not much progress. It appears to involve more groping than actual direction. But on the positive side, many are hungry, desperate and troubled in spirit, as you have stated. Sadly, there may be some that will not depart from the traditional “norm” - even with illumination. However, I feel there are MANY who are willing if only that spirit of wisdom and revelation in Him can reach them – in time, as each member desperately needs to discover his purpose!

[Martin Schmaltz]

What is interesting is how sincere, hungry, well intentioned leaders will defend a paradigm of structure w/o applying biblical scrutiny. This really troubles my spirit. I pray the Lord would send a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him to these faithful laborers. Also, that He would fill them with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual understanding and discernment.

It took this for me to change my thinking.

[Donnie Gillum]

Too true, Brother...too true! I can feel the limb bowing under the weight of the both of us! :-)

[Martin Schmaltz]

Donnie, Agreed. We must move from doing church to being the church. It begins with an illumination of this principle from the word of God that breaks through man's traditional paradigm of church.

Possibly stepping out on a limb here: the leadership of the church will never see the full manifestation of the kingdom of God they have been praying for - until: they are willing to examine their man made paradigms and re-image the church based on scriptural structure.

[Donnie Gillum]

Martin, and Nathan, to me, both of your comments further underscores the need to move from what seems to be the mindset of the majority - that is, we are not “in church” until we are in “service”…and when “dismissed” we are on our own once again. We are just in “service” and “serving” God two – three times a week. Daily life does not really matter much to God and is not really that influential or important…because, after all, it’s only what happens during a “service” that really counts.

[Martin Schmaltz]

Nathan, thanks for the well thought out comment.

[Nathan Miller]

"...we have been authorized to conduct business as representatives of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ."

I like the way you put this here, Martin. I am often reminded of how important it is as a Christian to live our life in daily action and deed according to God's divine pattern of authority and submission to Him. People really need to understand that when they are going about their daily lives, doing God's will in even the little things (being the fathers, mothers, teachers, servants, etc. that we need to be), that God is glorified and magnified in us. Once again, it's realizing the totality of belonging to God and not the false dichotomy of spiritual life vs. secular life.

We may be ready for a revival (i.e. spiritual high in a church building, a move of God with healing and deliverance.) but are we ready for the revival of daily repentance and devotion? The latter may not seem as exciting as the first--indeed how many times have we heard people praying for revival when they mean only the outward display. I know I am guilty of that, but God is showing me that revival will come from within the hearts and minds of the believers as they commit themselves to purity, prayer and practicing the faith that they profess. I think that it always has come that way, in fact...

Keep writing brother