Ecclesia of the Firstborn

"...As members of the church of the Firstborn all our names have been legally registered as citizens of heaven!” Hebrews 12:23, TPT

When the writer of Hebrews mentions the church of the Firstborn here, he is using the word ecclesia. We are members of the ecclesia of the Firstborn. The ecclesia was a political assembly of citizens to oversee, to advise or to direct, and to have governmental influence in Greece and in Rome. As citizens we are members of the governing body of Heaven’s Zion realm.

"Make very sure that you never refuse to listen to God when he speaks!  For the God who spoke on earth from Sinai is the same God who now speaks from heaven. Those who heard him speak His Living Word on earth found nowhere to hide, so what chance is there for us to escape if we turn our backs on God and refuse to hear His warnings as He speaks from heaven?" Hebrews 12:25, TPT

Our instruction for our life comes from Christ and from His Word.  It is important that we listen carefully and that we obey.

"The earth was rocked at the sound of His voice from the mountain, but now He has promised, 'Once and for all I will not only shake the systems of the world, but also the unseen powers in the heavenly realm!'" Hebrews 12:26, TPT

What are the systems of this world? Government, economy, media, family, education, arts and entertainment, and religion. They are called mountains, streams, spheres of culture, and other things.

What is important for us as the ecclesia is that we recognize them, that we know they are there, that we know their impact on our world and that we represent and present the face, the plan and the will of our God to them as direction for them. We are told to pursue placing the face, the will, and the plan of God in culture in each of these arenas. All of these “kingdoms” are to become the Kingdoms of our God.