Changes

170:5.13 [[Jesus]] foresaw that a [[social]] [[organization]], or [[church]], would follow the [[progress]] of the true [[spiritual]] kingdom, and that is why he never [[opposed]] [[the apostles]]' [[practicing]] the [[rite]] of [[John the Baptist|John]]'s [[baptism]]. He taught that the [[truth]]-loving [[soul]], the one who [[hungers]] and [[thirsts]] for [[righteousness]], for [[God]], is admitted by [[faith]] to the spiritual kingdom; at the same time the [[apostles]] taught that such a [[believer]] is admitted to the [[social]] [[organization]] of [[disciples]] by the outward rite of [[baptism]].

170:5.13 [[Jesus]] foresaw that a [[social]] [[organization]], or [[church]], would follow the [[progress]] of the true [[spiritual]] kingdom, and that is why he never [[opposed]] [[the apostles]]' [[practicing]] the [[rite]] of [[John the Baptist|John]]'s [[baptism]]. He taught that the [[truth]]-loving [[soul]], the one who [[hungers]] and [[thirsts]] for [[righteousness]], for [[God]], is admitted by [[faith]] to the spiritual kingdom; at the same time the [[apostles]] taught that such a [[believer]] is admitted to the [[social]] [[organization]] of [[disciples]] by the outward rite of [[baptism]].

170:5.14 When [[Jesus]]' [[immediate]] followers recognized their partial [[failure]] to [[realize]] his [[ideal]] of the [[establishment]] of the kingdom in the [[hearts]] of men by the [[spirit]]'s [[domination]] and [[guidance]] of the [[individual]] [[believer]], they set about to save his teaching from being wholly lost by substituting for [[the Master]]'s [[ideal]] of the kingdom the [[gradual]] [[creation]] of a visible [[social]] [[organization]], the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_church Christian church]. And when they had accomplished this program of substitution, in order to maintain [[consistency]] and to provide for the [[recognition]] of [[the Master]]'s teaching regarding the [[fact]] of the kingdom, they [[proceeded]] to set the kingdom off into the [[future]]. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociological_classifications_of_religious_movements#Church_and_ecclesia church], just as soon as it was well [[established]], began to teach that the kingdom was in [[reality]] to appear at the culmination of the Christian age, at the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_coming second coming of Christ].

170:5.14 When [[Jesus]]' [[immediate]] followers recognized their partial [[failure]] to [[realize]] his [[ideal]] of the [[establishment]] of the kingdom in the [[hearts]] of men by the [[spirit]]'s [[domination]] and [[guidance]] of the [[individual]] [[believer]], they set about to save his teaching from being wholly lost by substituting for [[the Master]]'s [[ideal]] of the kingdom the [[gradual]] [[creation]] of a visible [[social]] [[organization]], the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_church Christian church]. And when they had accomplished this program of substitution, in order to maintain [[consistency]] and to provide for the [[recognition]] of [[the Master]]'s teaching regarding the [[fact]] of the kingdom, they [[proceeded]] to set the kingdom off into the [[future]]. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociological_classifications_of_religious_movements#Church_and_ecclesia church], just as soon as it was well [[established]], began to teach that the kingdom was in [[reality]] to appear at the culmination of the Christian age, at the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_coming second coming of Christ].

170:5.15 In this manner the kingdom became the concept of an age, the idea of a future visitation, and the ideal of the final redemption of the saints of the Most High. The early Christians (and all too many of the later ones) generally lost sight of the Father-and-son idea embodied in Jesus' teaching of the kingdom, while they substituted therefor the well-organized social fellowship of the church. The church thus became in the main a social brotherhood which effectively displaced Jesus' concept and ideal of a spiritual brotherhood.

170:5.15 In this manner the kingdom became the concept of an age, the idea of a future visitation, and the ideal of the final redemption of the saints of the Most High. The early Christians (and all too many of the later ones) generally lost sight of the Father-and-son idea embodied in Jesus' teaching of the kingdom, while they substituted therefor the well-organized social fellowship of the church. The church thus became in the main a social brotherhood which effectively displaced Jesus' concept and ideal of a spiritual brotherhood.