Are we willing to face today, some of the realities about what is happening, in the Body of Christ? I’m asking the Holy Ghost to help me just now; I don’t know exactly how to say what I believe needs to be said on this matter. It likely does not set well with a lot of people, that some of us have been around for a good long while now. We’ve seen a lot of things over the years. We know well, that there was a time, when the Saints of God, had a much stronger place, in the Church.

It seems to me, that when we attempt to follow the Apostles, more than we follow Jesus Christ, we are following men. Somehow, the teachings of our Lord, became secondary to other things we believed; and more stress was placed on OUR doctrine and on trying to be more like the apostles. We will never be like those men, unless we first learn and prescribe to the things the Master taught. It’s like, we forgot, who taught them what they knew. He said that many things were to be done a certain way; and He didn’t alter it.

I heard a well known apostle/ evangelist remind us once, that the Bible says, that “the saints shall judge the world.” Over the years, the role of the saints, in the church of the living God, has been downgraded and has been intentionally, suppressed. We need to ask ourselves, just why, what we call the five-fold ministry, was placed in the church to begin with. The very first thing mentioned, was for the perfecting of the saints. The will of God, was for all five of those ministries, to lead the people of God to a much higher level in the Spirit; to help them grow in God and develop their full potential.

The Word, said that God gave gifts to men. Jesus said, these signs shall follow “them” that believe; and that meant all believers. One definition of saints is: The collective Body of those who are righteous in God’s sight. It is a full reality, that the Spirit did indeed, place gifts of the Spirit, in those who sat in the pews. We saw them operate before. No one, has the right to try and control, what the Spirit wants to do. What is decent and in order, is not determined by one person; it’s first determined by the Word, and also by the Saints who sit on the pews and work in the church. Unless they have been hindered from doing so, the saints can also discern very well.

There was a plan set in the Body by Jesus Christ, for dealing with “oughts” and confusion. After the first and second steps had been tried and had failed, then, “it was to be brought before the church;” no behind the door decisions. We know that many have allowed themselves to become dull of hearing, and have purposely gathered to themselves teachers, that have itching ears.

I also know that many in buildings today, do not know what to do about what has happened in the churches. If revival is truly coming, the saints will have to arise, and take their God ordained place. There is no true church, without the voice of the saints. They are also, God’s anointed.

~ Robert Blackburn

Robert Blackburn