Let me ask you a few questions.
- Is sickness in heaven? No!
- Is unforgiveness in heaven? No!
- Is hatred in heaven? No!
- Is there violence in heaven? No!
- Is there Racism in heaven? No!
- Is there sexual immorality in heaven? No!
Jesus has told us that the atmosphere of heaven, the environment created there due to the victory he has wrought on behalf of man is where we are to bring to earth.
Matthew 16:15-20
“He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.”
Let’s look at the Passion Translation.
“I give you the name Peter, a stone. And this truth of who I am will be the bedrock foundation on which I will build my church—my legislative assembly, and the power of death will not be able to overpower it!” I will give you the keys of heaven’s kingdom realm to forbid on earth that which is forbidden in heaven, and to release on earth that which is released in heaven.
Notice that Jesus says He will build a “church” that will bring the atmosphere of heaven to earth. What is the word “church” in the original language and is it a congregation oriented word or is it a governmental word?
First note that the word church translated is Ecclesia, or Ekklesia in the original language, and the word meant “called out ones”.
THE WORD CHURCH – from the Passion Translation notes.
The Greek word for “church” is ekklesia and means “legislative assembly” or “selected ones.”
This is not first a religious term at all, but a political and governmental term that is used many times in classical Greek for a group of people who have been summoned and gathered together to govern the affairs of a city.
For Jesus to use this term means he is giving the keys of governmental authority in his kingdom to the church.
See R. Scott and H. G. Liddell, A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 206; J. H. Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 196; and Oskar Seyffert, A Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, pp. 202–203.
“Church” as defined in the Britannica encyclopedia.
Ecclesia, Greek Ekklēsia, (“gathering of those summoned”), in ancient Greece, assembly of citizens in a city-state. Its roots lay in the agora, the central meeting place in each populous.
The Athenian Ecclesia, for which exists the most detailed record, was functioning in (c. 600 BC).
The Ecclesia was a body of male citizens 18 years of age or over who had final control over policy, including the right to hear appeals in the hēliaia (public court), take part in the election of archons (chief magistrates), and confer special privileges on individuals.
Assemblies of this sort existed in most Greek city-states, continuing to function throughout the Hellenistic and Roman periods.