A Vision of the Body of Christ
A Different Purpose
God called Brother William Sowders and our fellowship of churches for a different purpose than other groups. We preach old-time salvation; repentance from sins and the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. We preach the good news of the gospel, pray for healings and miracles; but that is not our sole, or even our primary, purpose.
God called us to stand outside of Babylon for many reasons; but there are two primary, or overriding purposes: (A) to give this world one final witness, and (B) to produce members of the Bride of Christ
- As a Witness
God's judgment is going to rain down on this world. The beast, the false prophet, and the global population of sinners will see plagues poured out as a just God gives this rebellious world the wrath it so merits. This will culminate in the Battle of Armageddon. But prior to that judgment, there will be a glorious church, which will give the people one final witness.
Jesus said in Acts 1:8, Ye shall be witnesses of me. That was spoken to the church. Ephesians 5:27 prophesies of a glorious church. Revelation 11:1-2 is a type of a measured temple; and unmeasured courts. (Ephesians 4:13: "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.") The true body of Christ is a measured people. They cannot live any way they want to live; they cannot act any way they want to act; they don't even dress like everyone else. Their lives are measured by the standard: Jesus Christ. Revelation 11:3-4 tells of two witnesses at the end of the age. That is a church fellowship - that will be produced by a measured temple.
We have called this the latter rain, we've looked for a cloud like a man's hand rise up out of the sea; (representing a five-fold ministry - Ephesians 4:11;) we've grown weary in waiting - but it is still going to happen!
- To Produce Bride Members
Other movements and groups may get multitudes saved and filled with the Holy Ghost, and perhaps they will even put many people in the new earth, the eternal kingdom of God. But this body of people has been called to produce the rulers of the world to come. The Bible teaches that saints (from the true church) will judge the world. See I Corinthians 6:2. The Bible, in Revelation 2:26-27, boldly proclaims that overcomers will rule the nations. Isaiah 32:1 says a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. We know the King; but where are the princes coming from? Clearly, someone is going to reign with Him. Revelation 20:6. Babylon cannot produce princes. The true church will produce those who are to rule.
You cannot qualify to be a ruler just anywhere. There are qualifications required of those who are in the Bride of Christ. Those saints pressed for the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ, and they made it. Philippians 3:14. Nobody is pressing for that mark in Babylon. Even those who think they are striving for that prize will not be crowned, because they did not strive lawfully. "And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully." II Timothy 2:4. In this fellowship, we must be careful lest we produce churches full of Christians who no longer "press" for the high calling of being in the Bride of Christ.
Revelation 14:1, 3 shows that the Bride of Christ is composed of a limited number, only 144,000. They learned a song others couldn't sing. What song is that? Revelation 15:3 tells us that it is the Song of Moses and the Lamb - an understanding of the truth from the Old and New Testaments. You cannot sing that song in Babylon. Psalms 137:1, 4.