The Church in Action
Part 2
By Iverna Tompkins
As transcribed by Jane Vaughn

This message was delivered to a Conference of Pastors and Church Leaders - 2007 - but is a vital revelation for the Body of Christ at large. jv

In Part 1 of this message, Iverna described how the “Church” is actually made up of all believers from all ages and centuries past – and present – and until Jesus returns to claim us for His Bride.  She had just made a startling statement – that He will be coming for a perfect Bride, comprised of perfected believers brought together into one Body – like pieces of a puzzle come together to form a single picture.  We closed with this revelation: “And when His puzzle is complete, it is the face of Jesus Christ!  The only face the Father can behold!”  What an awesome disclosure!  Now, we continue with the message as Iverna delivered it:

So now – will you stop the rigidity already?  That self-propelled “I’m gonna be perfect.”  You just aren’t going to make it!  Not like you think, because we think of “perfect” as flawless.  But the actual truth is, we’re perfected in Christ – we’re made righteous in Him, through Him, by Him (2Cor.5:21).  Put a period on that truth.  Hold your head up high!  Stop feeling sorry for yourself!  Stop beating yourself up because you haven’t done what you thought you should do.  He’s done all that is necessary.  Everything we need is provided by Him and through Him – for us!

Come back to the Word of God – “no condemnation” (Rom.8:1) – that’s no guilt.  Yes, there are some guidelines we are to follow, but He tells us why the guidelines.  The right behavior does not make you more ready for Him!  (I can hear you: “Heresy! Absolute heresy.”)  Hear it though: your righteous behavior makes you ready to be a witness to others – and also to the evil spirits and to the good angels!  Because of the principalities and powers in operation, there has to be a witness. 

Jesus didn’t come and waste His coming!  He didn’t go to the cross and waste His Blood!  It was sufficient!  He didn’t send the Holy Spirit and waste that portion of the Godhead – on little people like us who keep slipping up.  It’s not a failure!

He says to all the angels, “Look at the whole thing.  Don’t just look at that one alone.  Don’t just look at Iverna!  Look at the whole picture!  From this present generation back to the beginning of creation, the purpose of God is now being fulfilled!  And it is nearer even now….”  Two thousand years ago, that’s what the Book said!  “Our salvation is nearer now” (Rom.13:11).  They said that 2000 years ago!  So, what about today?  It’s still nearer!  It’s nearer by 2000 years than it was when they spake it. :-)

I just want to encourage us, today, to realize we’re a part of a huge thing!  It’s sort of like being an inner-office mail-person in a large corporation.  You may feel like a “nothing” or the insignificant piece, lost in the busyness of corporate life.  Mostly, you’re nameless and faceless to the people on your little route.  You’re down there in the basement where they sort the mail and your task is to get everything distributed to the right places – from down here up to this guy and that guy and the other guy.  But you never get to see the big picture of the corporation functioning.  It’s just your routine: you drive to work, go down to your space, do your thing for eight hours, go home, eat, sleep, rise in the morning, and begin all over again.  Then you get your paycheck… and… and…  And do it all again the next week.

I meet people that haven’t a clue what they’re doing – or what part they play in the whole function.  If they could be lifted above that corporate building and look down to see what it’s doing – what it’s manufacturing or producing – and the many, many people that are being affected – they would see a valuable truth: “WOW!  If I didn’t get this letter to him and I didn’t get this notice to her… whew!  This thing could fall apart!” 

I hope you’re beginning to see it.  There aren’t “littles” and “bigs” in God’s Kingdom.  He isn’t more impressed with this one than that one.  Honestly, He is not!  Because – what do you have that you weren’t given anyway?  That’s what Paul asked the church at Corinth.  “You’re so proud of your gifts.  May I ask you a question?  What do you have that has not been given to you?  It is by the Holy Spirit that you have been given gifts – and those to function within the Body of Christ.” (see Rom.12:3ff)  Oh, I want to say: “DUH!”

So if you’re trying to impress the Lord with your gift – give it up!  He had it first! :-)   And He recognized there was a need for the operation of His holiness – His Holy Spirit – in the Church (universal) that we might become more like Him (Rom.8:29) – as a testimony.  Yes, to the world – but also as a testimony to other believers, brothers and sisters: “Yes, I know how you feel, my brother.  I’ve been there.”

And yes, you’re comforted that ye might comfort another – in the same area that you’ve been comforted (2Cor.1:4).  You know some things that someone else needs to know because you’ve been there.  Why do you think you have all these experiences?  You know how to grow a church – or, more accurately perhaps – you know how not to… :-)  We learn by our errors.  Success (or failure) doesn’t make you anymore beautiful to the Lord.

I want you to see that the Church He’s coming back for has a scriptural description of her actions – because we like actions.  And you’re going to be surprised where I take you in the Bible when I say – “Let’s look at Proverbs 31.”  (I told you you’d be surprised :-)) 

Proverbs 31 starts out as an exhortation to a son – Lemuel.  “The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy that this mother taught him.  ‘What my son?  And what, the son of my womb?  And what, the son of my vows?’”  This mother is saying, “What do you need to know?  Let’s talk about it.”

“Give not thy strength unto women, not thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.  It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes strong drink, Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.  Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.  Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.  Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction” (or, “shepherd the flock that is destined to destruction” is another translation).  “Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” (Pr.31:1-9).

This is a message to a son who is obviously a leader.  The message is: “Don’t let distraction of your own physical urges lead you down a wrong path.  Don’t try to deaden the trials and problems of life by getting drunk!  Or popping a pill.  You need to go through some things, and you need to stay alert lest you become dull to what you do know and to what your responsibilities are.”  Does that make more sense to you?

Now, for those who have used or heard these Scriptures used in counseling as absolutes – that’s the way the Scripture is.  It’s wonderful!  The Word of God applies this way in these circumstances and that way for those other times and this way for these specifics.  It simply is endless truth!  And it is always endless truth.  But this particular application is so necessary for us to see because before we are the Bride of Christ, we are sons. 

/huios/ is one of the Scriptural words that is translated “sons.”  This “son” is the offspring of these parents; a legitimate descendant (without reference to gender, by the way).  It describes the child as someone that can be identified as a son because he displays the character and characteristics of his parents.  This word stresses the dignity and character of the parent-child relationship. 

/teknon/ is another Greek word used in the Bible and translated “sons” or “children.”  This word gives prominence to the fact of birth.  This is the word John uses in his Gospel: “As many as received Him, He gave them power to become the sons of God” (Jn.1:12).  So we can see there are figurative applications as well as in the natural.

These two words can be used as synonyms in the Greek and I could go on to show you that there are other words that refer to different age levels of sons spoken of or to in the Scripture.  I challenge you, if you have any doubts, to go ahead and look up “son” in the Bible and see for yourselves.  In your study, you will discover that John wrote that way.  He said, “I write unto you little children – this way; and I write unto you fathers – this way; – and I write unto to you…” (1Jn.2:12ff paraphrased).  And the reason he did that is because that is where your faith levels are – on different levels. (Okay – that’s a free sermon for you. :-))

Yes, there are daughters and I won’t get into that at this time, but I think you know by now that the sin, and aggravation to people, about women serving in the church, is often because women try to be female men.  When God calls you, my dear sister, and puts His Holy Spirit within you and gives you a holy boldness, it does not change the fact or the gender that you were created to be.  You are a woman.  You ought to act like a woman – think like a woman – feel like a woman – be a woman – and – fulfill the call of God on your life!  The point is – we all are sons of God. 

Now men, I hear you wanting to reject that . . .  and on this specific subject, I don’t care what you want because the original Greek language leaves it wide open for either word used not to be constrained to the male child.  Besides in a minute, men, you’re going to become a Bride! :-)   Otherwise you’ll be left out when He shows up because He’s coming for His Bride! :-)

What about in the Old Testament?  God married the Jews (Hos.2).  And in the New Testament?  Jesus claimed the Bride to be believing Jews and Gentiles all coming together as one.  So, concerning life here on earth – there is male and female.  But in Christ – there is neither ( Gal.3:26-28).  So, keep your place on earth.  Recognize that as “sons of God” – ladies – we need to be strong enough to take whatever comes our way – by the grace of God.  You see – as a Christian, dealing directly with the Lord, you can’t just say, “I’ll just go ask my husband.” 

Did you catch that?  Do you understand what Paul was saying in the context – about women keeping “silence in the church?”  In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul is giving instructions to the newly forming-Body of Christ as to how they were to conduct themselves in the assembly.  It was customary in those days, for men and women to sit on different sides of the Jewish Synagogue.  Remember, the new Christians were emerging from a very legalistic and ritualistic Jewish religion.  When a woman didn’t understand something said by the priest or rabbi during their services, she was given to shouting out to her husband (seated across the room) for an explanation.  Paul was saying it was inappropriate for that to happen in the “Church” meetings as it was distracting.  Instead, women were being admonished to hold their questions until they were home and could inquire of their husbands at that time (1Cor.14:34,35). 

For us today, ladies, we each have equal access to the Lord.  We (all believers regardless of gender) have the Holy Spirit within Who is ready, willing, and able to satisfy our greatest needs, and Who by His grace will minister God’s Truth to us.

Now, gentlemen – as part of the Bride of Christ, you may not hide behind your maleness and refuse to speak words that are tender in love to your Beloved.  That’s one thing I liked about the soloist today.  He obviously is in love with the Lord and he didn’t care what you thought as he let that show.  He’s a great big guy – you know you’re not going to go up to him and say, “Hey, that was really ‘sissy!’”  You just are not going to do that because he’s huge! :-)   But he’s up here proclaiming through song: “There’s no one but You!  There’s no one – there’s no one.  I love You, precious Lord!” and we’re here agreeing: “Yeah.  That’s great!  Me too!”

But when it comes to praise-time – lots of men refuse to get involved – because God’s a – “he!”  Oh, we know He isn’t – not really.  But then … you know – He just is.  I mean, that’s how we speak of Him.  Our gender specific pronouns and preconceived ideas confuse us.  He’s neither male nor female – but He is – “Father.”  That’s a masculine role.  And so it’s difficult for you men to go  ::Click!::  and turn off those culturally sculpted male concepts when you sing: “I love You, Beautiful One!” and all the while, deep inside you’re thinking: “I love Him?  Beautiful One?  This is too weird!”  No, dear brother.  It’s not weird – it’s just a role switch.  Not from male to female – but from son to Bride. 

If we can understand it correctly, the sonship of the Church is neither male nor female.  We all must be strong in Him.  The Bride (is there a word “brideship?” :-))  The Bride, the Church, is neither male nor female.  We are all His Bride – married to Him.  He chose us!  He loves us!  He’s been getting us ready!  And there shall come a day in the Book of Revelation where it says, “Alright!  The Bride hath made herself ready!” (Rev.21:2).  That day will come!  Yes, it surely will!  There is coming a day when I’m going to be part of the group to whom He says: “I want you now because you are ready!”

Life is a school!  And as I mentioned, we do take the course over if we fail it the first time around – or the second!  Don’t ask me how I know! :-)

So, why would I take you to Proverbs 31 to talk about the Church?  Men love to teach Proverbs 31 with the perfect wife in mind.  But, that isn’t quite fair.  Women love to teach this too – as the perfection, the ideal to strive for – as a human bride – as a woman.  Yet in my whole life, I have never met such a woman! :-)  And I’ve gotten close to some mighty women of God throughout my lifetime – but   ::pffft!::  they don’t make it either! :-)   This isn’t a human thing, guys.  So, if you’re looking for all of this in a bride, a wife, no wonder you’re still single! :-)    That isn’t what this scripture is talking about. 

This description draws us a picture from heaven – of His Bride.  It really is that!  The writer of this portion starts out by saying, “Who can find a virtuous woman?” (vs.10). 

There is an answer to that – in the Scriptures.  He said, “I saw thee, when thou wast naked in the field and nobody bothered to swaddle thee and thou wast dying in thy blood.  And I said to thee, when thou wast in that condition…” (are you impressed with the thees and thous and wasts? :-)   I’m paraphrasing.)  “…I said to thee, ‘Live!’  Yea, I said to thee ‘Live!’” (Ezk.16 paraphrased).  That’s – well, that’s a baby, so to speak.  Then the prophet goes on in that same context: “Then when I passed by thee, your hair had grown and it was long.”  That is speaking of maturity.  God is saying, “I start you out just as you are – when I found you.”  That’s why most of us that grew up in the church grew up singing, “Just as I am without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me…”  That’s how He accepts us – that’s how we start!  Like babies – though the blood (of Jesus).

I’ve watched people try to present themselves as mature when they first come into salvation!  That is such a dumb thing to do :-) (well, not smart!) – because He will prove that you are not.  Better to just “Waa-waa” as you get to, as He nurtures you.  You know, when you’re a little baby, you can just ask Him for anything – and we do.  “Oh, dear Jesus, I need a parking place.”  And somebody pulls out of the first spot at just the right moment, and you pull into the slot.  But when you get a little older and you pray the same way, “Dear Jesus, I need a parking place,” He says, “Walk.” :-)

You see, things change as we grow up.  It has to do with maturity.  It has to do with preparedness.  It has to do with Him making us ready.

Go to Part 3