Paul’s Grace Message

What difference does it really make whether I, as a Christian, understand the scriptural teaching about the Church God is building today? I find myself surrounded by churches of every description. I had nothing to do with the divisions that started these various denominations. I can do nothing to bridge the gap between them.

So what difference does it make whether I understand the Biblical doctrine of the Church. Should I not just find a denomination that I can work in, join this church of my choice, and do the best I can?

These questions are asked in all sincerity by many of God’s children who are perplexed in regard to the many divisions in Christendom today. Perhaps we can begin to answer these questions by using Paul’s metaphor or illustration of the Church as a building (Ephesians 2:19-22).

Viewing the Church as a building, we become aware of the fact that as believers we are members of the building, but in another sense we are also the builders.

In every building program God has undertaken, whether it be the Tabernacle in the wilderness, the Temple in Jerusalem, or the Church, the Body of Christ, which God is building today—He has stressed the importance of building according to plan.

Therefore, if we are to please God in His building program today, we must know the building plans.

THE BUILDER’S AIM Understanding What The Will Of The Lord Is

Let us consider our aim as builders, first. We are warned in Ephesians 5:17: “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” Only as we know the will of the Lord concerning the Church can we be builders who can be used.

UNDERSTANDING THE WILL OF THE LORD
Ephesians 5:17 What God Has Determined

As we study the Word, we learn that the will of God sometimes has to do with what He has determined. God has a definite plan that is being worked out and will continue to be worked out, until His ultimate intended goal is reached. Satan and his demons, evil men and wicked organizations, cannot hinder the will of God in this sense.

A sketch of God’s determinate will for the Church today is found in Ephesians 4:11-13. He has given the Church evangelists and teaching pastors. The evangelists and teaching pastors are given to adjust and to fit the saints for the work of the ministry and for the work of building up the Body of Christ. These functions are to be performed “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. . .” As each of us accomplish our part of the work of the ministry, the Church will grow into the “perfect man” God has determined it to be. Understanding what God’s will for the Church is, will make a difference in the strength of the Church.

What God Has Desired

The term “will of the Lord” is also used of what He has desired. The will of God as thought of in this way is God’s wish. For example, God “… is not willing (does not will or wish) that any should perish . . .” (II Peter 3:9). Yet people are perishing daily.

A clear statement of God’s desire for today is I Timothy 2:3,4. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come u-nto the knowledge of the truth.”

Each of us must spread the gospel so men can believe and be saved. “He that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30), for he understands what the will of the Lord is.Understanding God’s desire will make a difference in the growth of the Church.

UNDERTAKING THE WILL OF THE LORD Separation

Once we understand the will of God and our role as builders, we must undertake His will in our spiritual life. One is just as important as the other! If we know Bible doctrine—even dispensational truth—to the extent that we understand clearly the will of God, it profits us nothing unless we undertake to do His will. In the same way, if we undertake to do His will without a Biblical and dispensational foundation, we will be completely^ frustrated. There can be no acceptable work apart from an acceptance of the Word.

The context of Ephesians, chapter 5, stresses the importance of a life of separation from things that would hinder us, verses 1-12, and a life of separation unto the God who has called us, verses 18-21. “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11).

Spirit Control

This life can be lived only in the energy of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). It is the Holy Spirit who baptized us into the Church, the Body of Christ when we believed (I Corinthians 12:13). It is the Holy Spirit who sealed us in the Body of Christ until the day of our redemption (Ephesians 1:13). It is the Holy Spirit who also lives within us (Ephesians 2:22), and desired to fill or control us, making it possible for us to understand and to undertake the will of God in His building program for His Church today.

THE BUILDER’S APTITUDES

In the Old Testament, Jehovah gave the craftsmen building the Tabernacle a special aptitude for their task (Exodus 31:2-6). The Messiah told the builders of the Millennial Church to wait in Jerusalem until they received needed power from on high (Luke 24:49).

Each of us must know our human limitations, “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,” and to appraise our talents and abilities properly, “to think soberly, according to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). Nevertheless, we should proceed with the knowledge that “I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). This is a worthy Christian attitude of our aptitudes.

THE BUILDER’S WALK Walking Worthy Of The Vocation

This divine ability referred to in Philippians 4:13, provides for our walk, as members of God’s construction crew. It is that power which gives us, who were once without strength, an aptitude for service.

A Walk That Is Worthy

This aptitude makes it possible for us to walk worthy of the high calling that is ours in Christ (Ephesians 4:1).

A Walk That Is Different

It is to be demonstrated in a life that is different from our lives before we became Christian builders. “This I say therefore and testify in in the Lord, that ye walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind” (Ephesians 4:17).

A Walk That Is In Love

It is to be a walk in love toward our brethren (I John 4:11-21) and toward all men (Romans 13:8-10).

A Walk That Is In Light

It is to be a walk in paths of righteousness as the children of God bearing a family resemblance to Him (Ephesians 5:8,9).

A Walk That Is Diligent

Finally, it is to be a walk in diligence and caution, exercising great wisdom and avoiding the foolish (Ephesians 5:15,16).

THE BUILDER’S WORK Let Every Man Take Heed How He Buildeth

The divine capacity to please God in building His Church includes not only our walk as Christians, but our work. Just as He strengthens us and controls us

by His Spirit in our walk, so He enables us to be accurate in our work as builders for Him.

Paul, His apostle to the Gentiles, has given us the blueprint. He describes himself as the wise “masterbuilder” or architect, and tells us to take heed how we build from that plan (I Corinthians 3:10).

The Materials

The materials involved in this building are sinners saved by the grace of God. Our work as builders not only involves getting them into the building (evangelism); it involves using every provision available for their adjustment to service, (pastoring and teaching).

The Methods

The methods we use must be scriptural. The Bible warns, “And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully” (II Timothy 2:5).Schemes and gimmicks may attract more people; organizations and committees may be able to control more; recreation and entertainment may allure more, but our apostle warned young Timothy that even when men would not endure sound doctrine, his responsibility was still to PREACH THE WORD.

We cannot depend on carnal means to do spiritual work. Though hard work and good planning are always important, methods must not take the place of the preaching of the Word.

The Motives

Our motives, too, must be pure. The love of Christ is our compelling force (II Corinthians 5:14). We labor to be accepted of Him (II Corinthians 5:9).

THE BUILDER’S ASPIRATION Pleasing The Lord In All Things

Our aim as workmen is the third great reason for understanding the Church, God’s program for today. Paul, our masterbuilder, shows us what our single desire should be, “proving what is acceptable [well pleasing] unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10).

THE REASONS

Our ambition is to edify or build up the Church. Greatest care should be taken to be sure that our aspiration is always in keeping with sound doctrine. “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and lov& which is in Christ (II Timothy 1:13). False teaching and doctrines of devils will steer many to destruction (I Timothy 4:1-3; II Timothy 2:16-26).

Sound Doctrine

Think again of the instruction to “prove what is acceptable unto the Lord.” The word “prove” means to “put to the test and then approve.” We can test spiritual things only through the searchlight of God’s Word—trying the things that differ (Philippians 1:9-10), and then holding to that which is sound doctrine.

Sane Deportment

When we know what is well pleasing to the Lord, we can “approve” those things by “practicing them” through the controlling power of the Holy Spirit. The result will be sane deportment!

THE RESULTS Finding The Peace Of God

The result of our labors as workmen aspiring to please the Lord in sound doctrine, will be the peace of God keeping our hearts.

Fruitfulness In Service To God

Another outcome will be fruitfulness in the service of the Lord. This fruitful-ness will be found both in our lives (Colossians 1:10); Galatians 5:22-23), and in our service to the Church (Romans 1:13; 16:5).

Furtherance In The Knowledge Of God

Still another effect of aspiring to sound doctrine will be continued growth, a progression, in the knowledge of God and His will.

Bible knowledge of God’s plan, put to practice in Christian service as builders with Him, is somewhat self-perpetuating. The more we study the Word, the
greater our desire to serve the Lord. The more we reap the joys of service, the greater our appetite for studying the Word.

THE BUILDER’S APPRAISAL We Must All Appear Before The Judgment Seat Of Christ

The purpose of the judgment seat is not to determine our salvation. That, praise God, was settled at Calvary and became ours when we believed. The aim of the judgment seat is to examine our works as believers. Work that meets the building code (standards laid down by Christ through the Apostle Paul) will be rewarded. Work that is not in compliance with the architect’s plan will be condemned.

THE PROCEEDINGS AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT

The proceedings at the judgment seat are given in detail in I Corinthians 3:9-15.

THE PREPARATION FOR THE JUDGMENT SEAT

The time to prepare for this in spection is NOW. Let every man TAKE HEED how he buildeth.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE

What difference does it make whether or not we understand the Church as revealed by the risen Christ through Paul? What difference can it make as far as our Christian life is concerned?

What difference does it make whether or not the carpenter who is to build your new home understands the blueprint? The difference in both cases is the same.

Recently in a large city, a new multistory motel was under construction. When it was about half finished, something went wrong, and five stories came tumbling down one upon another. Someone did not understand the architect’s plan. It did make a difference.

Today, the majority of builders in Christendom are following the blueprints of Judaism that were given to Peter and the Eleven to offer God’s earthly kingdom to Israel. Others go all the way back to the blueprints of legalism given to Moses for the Dispensation of Law, which was also given to Israel.

Israel failed miserably in the Law Dispensation; she rejected the gospel of the circumcision preached by Peter and his associates (Galatians 2:7-9). The ascended Christ has now given us the plans for His building in the Dispensation of Grace. Let us follow the master-builder and TAKE HEED how we build on the foundation (I Corinthians 3:10-15). It does make a difference!

Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey

 

 

 

A woman in California cuts off her right hand according to Matthew 5:30 because it was cause for an offense (she felt it had led to a sin). A group of people in Tennessee meet to handle poisonous snakes as a sign of their faith according to Mark 16:18. Another congregation in Texas watches as a man is baptized for the remission of sins according to Acts 2:38. On and on it goes as we consider the various practices and beliefs of professing Christians.

To the woman who literally obeyed Matthew 5, people shake their heads in unbelief. The authorities of Tennessee seek to arrest those who handle poisonous snakes as part of their religion. Many voices are raised against the doctrine of baptismal regeneration.

What is the cause for such confusion and difference of interpretation of the Word of God? How can it be avoided?

The answer is simply to understand the difference between what God wants for the Body of Christ, His Church today, and what God wants for the nation of Israel, His future millennial Church.

If the confusion exemplified above can be avoided with no more effort than that, why isn’t it?
The principle reason is a lack of care for knowing just what God has said. We have all heard it said at one time or another, of some issue, “I couldn’t care less.” It is this care-less attitude of Christians that results in the failure to realize fundamental distinctions to be made in Scripture.

Many Christians are concerned about the broad issues of Scripture but never get down to the equally important details of God’s Word.

It may be possible to get by with generalities, but if a person is to advance in his understanding of the Word and discover the grand beauty of God’s purpose and work, he must deal with the specific distinctions of Scripture as well.

The cry for world evangelism is often used as an excuse to avoid dealing with specific teachings of the Bible. There are those who take pride in the fact that theydon’t get involved in doctrinal questions. Their calling is evangelism! However, a successful world-wide evangelism program for all people of the earth without national and ethnic privileges depends on recognizing dispensational principles of the Word of God. Didn’t Christ once issue the restrictive order, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles”? (Matthew 10:50?

What authorization then do we have to go to the nations with the gospel of justification by faith? It is only because of the very basic difference between God’s plan for the Church, the Body of Christ, and God’s plan for the Israelitish Church of the Millennial Kingdom.

Another reason for failure to distinguish between the Church and Israel is the desire to reconcile the promises of prophecy with what God is doing today. There is often a desire to borrow and apply for today promises and blessing given to the nation of Israel in prophetic Scriptures. These promises can be more easily appropriated for today by blurring the
distinction between the Body of Christ and Israel.

Three Common Approaches

Three prominent views prevail regarding the relationship between Israel and the Church. Though there are many ramifications of each, these seem to be the basic positions most often held.

The Liberal position (the position taking the loosest view of divine revelation) suggests that the promises and plans of God for Israel have been set aside as illustrated below. This view teaches that the prophecies to Israel are only of historical importance and do not pertain to us today or to any future purpose of God and that the Church has replaced Israel and has a completely different structure. This view does not say that the Church is to be held in contrast to Israel, but that the Church is God’s replacement for Israel.

(1) Liberal Position (Israel) (Church)

The Traditional point of view (the view held by many major denominations) suggests that the Church today is the spiritual fulfillment of Israel. The Church is thought of as “spiritual Israel.” This point of view holds the promises of the prophets to be fulfilled in a spiritual way in the Church, and suggests that God is working in two stages. First, that He worked through the physical nation of Israel and second, that now since the Cross, He is working through “spiritual Israel” in the form of the Church, the Body of Christ.

(2) Traditional Position (Israel )( Church)

The Dispensational view recognizes that God has made definite and specific promises to the literal nation Israel and believes that these promises will all be fulfilled in a literal sense through this same nation. This point of view notes that the Church is neither the replacement for Israel nor the continuation of Israel in a spiritual sense. Instead, the Church, the Body of Christ, is understood to be completely distinct from God’s purpose and plan through Israel. The Dispensational view understands that God’s dealings with Israel were suspended when He took up dealings with the Church, the Body of Christ. See the illustration below. This view also recognizes that the dispensation of the Church will come to a conclusion, at which time God will resume His dealings with national Israel. This third point of view has the abundance of scriptural evidence to support it.

(3) Dispensational Position (Israel) (Church) Israel)

An Evident Distinction

Shortly after the Day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter invited the people of Israel to repent and be converted. He declared that if they would repent as a nation, the “times of refreshing” and the “times of restitution” would come (Acts 3:19-21). These “times of restitution of all things” had been spoken of “by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21).

In Romans 16:25 the Apostle Paul talks about “the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.”

There is certainly a distinction to be noted between these two portions of Scripture! One speaks of that which had been spoken since the world began and the other speaks of that which had been kept secret since the world began!

This distinction between prophecy and mystery lies at the heart of the difference between Israel and the Church which is the Body of Christ. God’s intention to bring blessing through Israel as a nation was the theme of His prophetic design. On the other hand God’s plan to offer blessing to both Jew and Gentile alike is exclusive to His secret plan, the mystery

A Significant Chapter

God’s once secret plan now revealed is described in Ephesians, chapter three. In verse 2, it is spoken of as “the dispensation of the grace of God.” In verse 9 it is referred to as the “fellowship [or dispensation] of the mystery.”

The Bible calls several specific truths to our attention concerning this dispensation of the mystery. Ephesians 3:2-3 reveals that Paul was chosen by God to be the messenger of this mystery. On numerous occasions the Apostle Paul speaks of “my gospel.” In Romans 11:13, he speaks of himself as “the apostle of the Gentiles” and magnifies his office.

Ephesians 3:5 teaches that the revelation of the mystery was not made known to mankind in other ages. This statement could not be made of God’s prophetic purpose through the nation Israel. In Ephesians 3:8 Paul says it was given unto him to preach the “unsearchable riches of Christ.” The term “unsearchable” could be translated literally “untraceable.” The truth concerning the Body of Christ cannot be traced out or followed in the writings of the prophets.

Another difference to be noted is found in Ephesians 3:6. The revelation of the mystery shows the Gentiles being made joint heirs of a joint body. A person would look in vain for suggestion of this in the writing of the Old Testament prophets. Prophetic writings do speak of Gentiles being saved and blessed and of them partaking of the good things of God, but only through the blessing and establishment of the nation Israel.

Nowhere do you find mention in the Old Testament of the Gentiles being blessed as equals with the nation Israel. Isaiah, chapter 2, outlines the emphasis of the Old Testament prophets.
“And many people shall go and say. Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. ” (Isaiah 2:3)

Distinctions We Need to Understand
Kingdom Vs. Body

God’s plan through Israel involved the establishing of an organization … a kingdom on earth over which Christ will reign as King.
In II Samuel 7:12-16, God promised David to establish a Kingdom through his family line. The prophets of Israel expand the testimony regarding this kingdom. Israel looked for a literal kingdom and a literal king.

When Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, he said, “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed…” (Daniel 2:44).
The other kingdoms of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream were literal, historical kingdoms. The kingdom which God will establish through the descendants of David will also be a literal, historical kingdom.

The Lord will raise up unto David “a righteous Branch” and a King who shall reign and prosper (Jeremiah 23:5). The Lord Jesus Christ is the Righteous Branch and the Prosperous King. As the Messiah of Israel He will surely deliver the people and be established as King. Study Isaiah 9:6-7.

God’s plan for the Church of this dispensation is different. It involves the calling together of a spiritual organism to a heavenly citizenship.

Today, Christ is not ruling on an earthly throne as King. He is now seated 10 at the right hand of the Father in glory as Lord and is bringing together Jew and Gentile into one Body.

Christ is the Head of this- spiritual Body.

“And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head of the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. ” (Eph. 1:22-23) As Head, He directs all believers as members of His Body. “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. ” (Colossians 1:18)

We are bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh according to Ephesians 5:30!

There is, therefore, a great difference between the visible organization of the Kingdom and the invisible organism of the Church. Christ’s role as King differs from His role as Head of the Body. The Kingdom on earth is different from the Body of Christ which is blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies (Ephesians 1:3).

Prophecy Vs. Mystery

We have already mentioned the difference between Acts 3:21 and Romans 16:25. One passage speaks of something spoken by the prophets since the world began and the other speaks of something which was hidden since the world began.

Searching the prophets of Israel will uncover no mention of the Body of Christ. As we have already stated, there was reference to Gentiles being saved, but only through Israel’s blessing. Israel was to mediate salvation to the nations of the world. Today the Gentiles are saved apart from the priesthood of Israel.

Blessed Israel Vs. Fallen Israel

According to prophecy, the Gentiles were to receive salvation through the rise and blessing of Israel. Zechariah 8:22-23 speaks of the people of the nations (Gentiles) seeking the Lord in Jerusalem, through the Jews! Note what the peopleof the nations will say during the Kingdom age.

“… We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”

This is different from the truth found in Romans 11:11:

“Through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them [Israel] to jealousy. ”

The difference is that under God’s prophetic plan, the nations are to be blessed through Israel’s rise, and under the plan of God in the Church, Gentiles are blessed aside from Israel and as a result of their fall.

Supreme Vs. Same

A promise that a great nation would proceed from his descendants was given to Abraham (Genesis 22:17-18). This “great nation” is the nation of Israel. This place of supremacy is further stated in prophecies, such as Isaiah 2:2:

“And it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. ”

The mountain of the Lord which will be again exalted refers to the nation of Israel during the Millennial Age.

There is a sharp contrast in Colos-sians 3:11. This passage describes the Body of Christ as a spiritual creation.

“Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free . . . .”

The conclusion is that God’s prophetic plan calls for Israel to be supreme as a “great nation.” God’s secret plan in the Body of Christ places Jew and Gentile on equal ground.

Return Vs. Rapture

“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives” (Zechariah 14:4).
This Scripture speaks of the second coming of Christ to the earth. The Lord Himself describes His coming to earth in Matthew 24:27.

“As the lightning cometh out of the east and shine th even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. ”

His coming will be a literal return to the earth. It will be evident to all the world.
A difference develops when we read in I Corinthians 15:51-52.

“Behold, I show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last’trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

Here we have a resurrection which will take place in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye. This could hardly be the coming seen by all the world.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18 states that Christ will meet the Church in the air as contrasted with His return to the earth. This is an important difference between the prophetic return of Christ to set foot on the earth and the meeting in the air described by the Apostle Paul as “a mystery” in I Corinthians 15:51.

Twelve Vs. One

Another important distinction is the choice of twelve apostles to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom as opposed to the choice of one apostle to make known the message of the mystery.

In Matthew 10:5-7, the twelve are sent to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” to preach that the “Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Later, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter and the eleven continued to witness of the promise to Israel as recorded in Joel’s prophecy (Acts 2:14-16).

The twelve apostles received the promise of reigning with Christ over the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). We cannot separate them from the purpose of God in and through the nation of Israel on earth.

In I Corinthians 15:5-10, the Apostle Paul distinguishes himself from the twelve by saying that after the Lord appeared in resurrection to them and others, that “last of all he was seen of me also, as one born out of due time” (I Corinthians 15:8).

Paul does not speak of being commissioned to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. Instead, he speaks of having been given the dispensation of God concerning the Gentiles being blessed in Christ (Colossians 1:25-29). In Ephes-ians 3:1-5, we see that to Paul was given the “dispensation of the grace of God.” This was something not made known unto any of the sons of men until that time. In Galatians 1:10-17, Paul speaks of the unique ministry given to him.

“I neither received it of men, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Paul’s special apostleship was not a matter of sharing in the ministry of the twelve apostles on behalf of the Millennial Kingdom.

God called him to be the apostle to the Gentiles and to make known the revelation of the secret concerning the Body of Christ.

How important it is to distinguish between the ministry of the twelve apostles of the Kingdom and the ministry of the one apostle of the Body of Christ.

Sign Gifts Vs. Ministry Gifts

The various gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in such portions as I Corinthians 12 and Romans 12, can be divided into at least two types. Sign gifts are those, as the name implies, which serve as signs or demonstrations of God’s working. Ministry gifts are those which relate to the effective ministering of the Word of God and the encouraging of the people of God.

The sign gifts include such gifts as prophecy, supernatural knowledge, tongues, and the gift of healing. In I Corinthians 13:8 we are told that such gifts were only temporary and would one day pass away. In I Corinthians 13:8,9, we see that knowledge and prophecy were “in part.” When the perfect or complete had come, then the partial would be done away or cease. Colossians 1:25 indicates that the fullness of knowledge and prophecy came with the full revelation of the Dispensation of the Grace of God; even as it says, it “fulfilled the Word of God.” The sign gifts ceased when the Word of God was completed with the revelation of the mystery. There was no longer any need for the partial now that the completed had come.

The sign gifts relate to the nation Israel. It is the Jews who required a sign (I Corinthians 1:22). From the very beginning of the ministry of signs and wonders (God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt), such signs pertained to the nation Israel. More than this, in I Corinthians 14:21,22 we are told that the sign gift of tongues pertains not to the believing but to the unbelieving of the nation Israel. Tongues were for a sign to unbelieving Israel.

Though sign gifts were temporary. and pertained to Israel, the ministry gifts are never said to be temporary and are associated with the Body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-16 makes this clear.

Many sincere Christians are confused by undue stress upon the sign gifts given to Israel, while paying little attention to the ministry gifts for the Body of Christ. This failure is another classic example of how people continue to confuse Israel and the Church.

John the Baptist said, “… but that he should be manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.” (John 1:31)

John’s baptism Was of repentence for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4), and pertained to making Christ manifest to Israel. It is this very baptism which Peter preached on the day of Pentecost to that congregation of Jews:

“Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ, FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).

Today if one were to preach the necessity of water baptism for the remission of sins and to receive the Holy Spirit, he would be frustrating the Grace of God. He would be teaching contrary to the message of God for this present day. Paul’s letter to Titus in chapter 3, verse 5, makes it very clear that we are saved NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE, but BY HIS MERCY. Again, to the Ephesians Paul writes that only by God’s grace through faith and by reason of the shed blood of Christ are we granted salvation and the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7; 2:8,9).

Who then was right—Peter or Paul? The answer is both, for each was speaking by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Peter was’ right in telling Israel that they must receive the baptism of repentence for the remission of sins. They were to do this not for national redemption but for nation restoration. Paul was also right in preaching to the Body of Christ that through faith in Christ and because of the forgiveness of sins through Christ’s blood, Jew and Gentile alike are baptized by the Spirit into the Body of Christ.

“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether Jew or Gentile, whether we be bond or free; all have been made to drink into one Spirit” (I Corinthians 12:13).

There is a great difference between a ceremonial water baptism offer to Israel for the remission of sins, and the spiritual baptism of the individual into the Body of Christ because of the remission of sins.

These are but a few of the basic differences between Israel and the Church. Making such distinctions is fundamental to “rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).

Knowing Who We Are

Where do you fit in God’s picture? Failure to distinguish between God’s prophetic program and the mystery, between Israel and the Church, causes many Christians to not know their true spiritual identity. They are not aware of their own particular place in God’s eternal purpose and thus, fall short of their calling in Christ (Ephesians 4:1).

Do not be robbed of the blessings and privileges which Christ has purchased for you as a member of the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:3; Colossians 2:8). Know them, understand them, claim them by faith!

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent [”distinguish between the things which differ” - alternate rendering] , in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10)!

 

Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey

 

 

 

So you are a Christian, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, a member of the Church which is His Body, but do you know what that means to you? Have you grasped both its present and future implications? You have a date with destiny, an appointment with Jesus Christ scheduled in the mind and plan of God from before the foundation of the world. No member of His Body, whether living or dead, will be so much as one second late for it. The purpose of this little booklet is to introduce you to that date and its ensuing results. Let us begin with a look at .
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I. A Fantastic Truth

Close your eyes for a moment and try to visualize what Heaven will be like! Are you aware that you are already on the grounds of eternity? Ephesians 1:3 tells us that He has already blessed us with “spiritual blessings in the heavenlies”; 2:6 that we have already been raised and seated with Him; and Colossians 2:10 that we are “complete in Him.” Let it sink into your mind that in the sight of God we are already position-ally on the grounds of Heaven. The very moment we receive Christ as our Saviour heaven begins for us. In the great missionary passage of II Corinthians 5, Paul tells us that “we are ambassadors.” An ambassador is a citizen official of one country who is conveying his government’s communications to the government of the land in which he is serving. He is a stranger who has been granted diplomatic immunity in the land of his service. For this reason we read that we are not to be subject to worldly ordinances (Colossians 2:20)—that is to the spiritual rules of this present world system. The analogy is further related in Philippians 3:20-21 where the word “conversation” could better be translated commonwealth, homeland, or citizenship. An ambassador is subject to recall at any time by the homeland’s administration. In this age of ambassadorship, we call the “Dispensation of the Grace of God” (Ephesians 3:2), we live in the constant expectation of recall. This recall is called the “Rapture” (I Thessa-

lonians 4:13-18). The first step in studying the destiny of the Church is for the individual member to realize that his destiny has already begun! He is already a teacher of angels (Ephesians 3:10) while ambassadoring on earth.

II. Where the Action Is

Has anyone ever asked you to name the place of your origin? How did you respond? Some will say, “I’m from Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, etc.” We may be physically correct in doing so, but spiritually we have a greater place to cite—Heaven. Vacations are wonderful things, but even after the most enjoyable of them, home sure looks good. The destiny of the Church is a great and glorious homecoming. Israel, the nation, had an earthly homeland promised to it, “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8,17). When they are scattered among other nations far from their own special God-given piece of real estate, they are called the “diaspora” (dispersed ones cf. I Peter 1:1 ). They look forward to the day when they shall be regathered to their land (Ezekiel 38:11,12). The hope that kindled in the breast of the Israelite was to be at home in their land with a Son of David upon the throne (II Samuel 7) and the curse of sin removed from the land (Isaiah 35:1-10). Stand this in contrast to the fact that in the Church Epistles (Romans through Philemon) there are no earthly real estate promises. The destiny of the Church is not bound up with the earth, but with Heaven. Notice a few points of contrast between the hopes of Israel and the Church.

1. Israel awaits the Lord’s return to earth (Acts 1:8; Matthew 24-25) while the Church awaits a call to ascend into Heaven (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).

2. Israel is to be manifested before the nations (Ezekiel 39:21-24) while the Church is to be manifested “in glory” with her Lord at the manifestation of His glory (Colossians 3:1-4).

3. Contrast the inheritance of the “meek” under the Kingdom program (Psalms 37:11; Matthew 5:5) with the inheritance of the saint under the administration of grace (Ephesians 1:11 Colossians 1:5).(Here we ought to take note that I Peter 1 stipulates that Israel’s hope is reserved in Heaven, as indeed it is. It is intimately tied to the King, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is presently seated in the heavenlies (Ephesians 1:20-23) awaiting His unveiling or revelation. However, the fulfillment of the national hope relates to the earth according to the prophets.)

When God began creating in Genesis 1:1, He created both “heaven and earth.” The Bible opens and closes with a creative act involving these spheres (Revelation 21-22). Why, if all of God’s purposes were centered in either locale would the other be of such scope in both creation and revelation? He has prepared redeemed men to fill and function in these areas. Saved nations for the earth, saved Israel for the land and city and a saved Body for the heavenlies.

III. A Great New Style

To achieve that destiny some changes must occur in the bodies of the “Body” members. A facet of our hope is this change. It is described in I Corinthians 15:20-57 and Philippians 3:20-21. Our new, celestial body will be incorruptible (no aging process), potent (not subject to limitations of space and matter, i.e., the post-resurrection appearances of the Lord Jesus Christ), glorious (like unto the body of His glory), spirit-centered (not soul or ego-centered as is our present one), and it will exceed this one as the plant exceeds the seed from which it grows. If you were to take a canoe trip through the boundary waters area of northern Minnesota, you would have to stop at an outfitters first. There you would be supplied with all you would need for your trip. It would be a light pack, small enough to be easily carried. Even so, the Church will be outfitted for its destiny in glory.

IV. Sitting on a Fluffy Pink Cloud

A fellow once said to me, “I don want to go to Heaven because it would be very dull to sit on a fluffy pink cloud playing a harp forever.” This comic strip view of Heaven is very inadequate. Let us consider a moment the intimations of eternity found in Scripture. Turn in your Bible and read I Corinthians 2:9,10). There it says that we cannot decide what Heaven will be like based upon our experiences (sight and sound) or our imaginations (heart cf. Romans 1:21). The other morning one of the men at our men’s prayer breakfast said, “Won’t it be wonderful when we get to glory and have this kind of fellowship all the time?” His sentiments were marvelous, but according to this passage, we have not yet come to such a blessed experience as that which shall be ours when the Church is summoned home. Those of us who tend to daydream have taken some wonderful imaginary trips. Think of the power of the statement that it exceeds those excursions by far. While we cannot know it either by experience or imagination, Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit unveils it for us. The Spirit moved men to write the Word of God (II Peter 1:20-21) even when they did not fully grasp what they were writing (I Peter 1:10) and then becomes our interpreter (I Corinthians 2:
13). While these eternal things are undiscoverable to humanity at large, they are sampled in revelation for the believer. There are many such intimations of what we shall do in glory. Let’s look at a few of them:

1. The Church and the Angels: We are already knowingly or unknowingly involved in the teaching of angels. We are instructing those who from a godly vantage point are curiously seeking to understand the redemptive workings of God (Ephesians 3:10-11; I Peter 1:12) and opposing those who are actively seeking to hinder the redemptive workings of God (Ephesians 6:12). Notice the singular usage of “the evil day” in Ephesians 6:13 and contrast it with the “evil days” of Ephesians 5:16. The additional “s” is not a slip of the pen. After the Church is caught home and judged (I Corinthians 3), there is a battlein the heavenlies (Revelation 12:7-12) following which Satan and his host have no more access to the heavens. There will be no more room for him. The heavens will be filled with the Church. It is my conviction that the present struggle, the Rapture, and the ensuing Judgment outfit the Church for its role in that final struggle which results in the cleansing of the heavenlies. The words “rulers . . . of this world” (Ephesians 6:12), are the translation of a single word, “cosmocrats” or the ruling party. Now if you will note I Corinthians 6:2-3, you will discover that the Church has a role in judging the “world” and “angels” or these beings and their system. Israel will function in a judgmental capacity over the earth and its nations, the Church over the heavens and their system.

2. The Church and Knowledge: In I Corinthians 13:12 we read,”For now we see through a glass darkly; but then, face to face: now when they did not fully grasp what they were writing (I Peter 1:10) and then becomes our interpreter (I Corinthians 2:
13). While these eternal things are undiscoverable to humanity at large, they are sampled in revelation for the believer. There are many such intimations of what we shall do in glory. Let’s look at a few of them:

1. The Church and the Angels: We are already knowingly or unknowingly involved in the teaching of angels. We are instructing those who from a godly vantage point are curiously seeking to understand the redemptive workings of God (Ephesians 3:10-11; I Peter 1:12) and opposing those who are actively seeking to hinder the redemptive workings of God (Ephesians 6:12). Notice the singular usage of “the evil day” in Ephesians 6:13 and contrast it with the “evil days” of Ephesians 5:16. The additional “s” is not a slip of the pen. After the Churchis caught home and judged (I Corinthians 3), there is a battle in the heavenlies (Revelation 12:7-12) following which Satan and his host have no more access to the heavens. There will be no more room for him. The heavens will be filled with the Church. It is my conviction that the present struggle, the Rapture, and the ensuing Judgment outfit the Church for its role in that final struggle which results in the cleansing of the heavenlies. The words “rulers . . . of this world” (Ephesians 6:12), are the translation of a single word, “cosmocrats” or the ruling party. Now if you will note I Corinthians 6:2-3, you will discover that the Church has a role in judging the “world” and “angels” or these beings and their system. Israel will function in a judgmental capacity over the earth and its nations, the Church over the heavens and their system.

2. The Church and Knowledge: In I Corinthians 13:12 we read, “For now we see through a glass darkly; but then, face to face: now I know in part; but then I shall know even as also I am known.”

We have made available to us all the “treasures of wisdom and knowledge” which are hidden in Jesus Christ our Lord (Colossians 2:3). It is estimated that even one as intelligent as Albert Einstein used only a very small fraction of his fleshly mental capacities. Think of what will be discoverable to the mind unfettered by sin and with access to the Creator Himself! A great illustration of how much there is to be learned about this present creation can be found in God’s dealing with Job. When He wanted to open Job’s eyes to His power and glory, He asked him a series of devastating questions about creation and the workings of God (Job 38-41). Job, in his sinful state, stood speechless before God. When the shackles of sin are removed from man’s mind and God is openly communing with him for eternity, the possibilities are unlimited. If we can be struck so speechless and be so mystified by this creation, think of the wonders of the New Heavens and the New Earth which will so far outshine this one that it will. no longer come to mind (Isaiah 65:17).

We have made available to us all the “treasures of wisdom and knowledge” which are hidden in Jesus Christ our Lord (Colossians 2:3). It is estimated that even one as intelligent as Albert Einstein used only a very small fraction of his fleshly mental capacities. Think of what will be discoverable to the mind unfettered by sin and with access to the Creator Himself! A great illustration of how much there is to be learned about this present creation can be found in God’s dealing with Job. When He wanted to open Job’s eyes to His power and glory, He asked him a series of devastating questions about creation and the workings of God (Job 38-41). Job, in his sinful state, stood speechless before God. When the shackles of sin are removed from man’s mind and God is openly communing with him for eternity, the possibilities are unlimited. If we can be struck so speechless and be so mystified by this creation, think of the wonders of the New Heavens and the New Earth which will so far outshine this one that it will. no longer come to mind (Isaiah 65:17).

3. The Church and Recognition: Will we know one another in Heaven? This question gets asked very frequently. It is my conviction that there will be recognition there. Let me illustrate this with the story of Lazarus and the rich man, taken from another dispensational setting (Luke 16). A conversation takes place in vs. 23-25 which reveals some interesting things. Firstly, Dives recognizes Lazarus. This is understandable in that they were contemporaries who had seen one another frequently. However, the second thing that leaps off the page is that they both recognized Abraham, who lived 2,500 years precedent to them. Some might say this is no wonder for Lazarus was with him, but think about the other fellow, the one across the gulf. Thirdly, the location of Lazarus is paradise. Why is it called Abraham’s bosom? That is not in reality the name of the location, but an indication of the fullness of the fellowship between these two non-contemporaries of earth time. It is the same kind of terminology used to indicate the fullness of the fellowship of Christ and John shortly before the time of the crucifixion (John 13:23). Surely if such recognition were possible for the people of the Kingdom, it will be for the members of the Church which is His Body.

4. Church and Life: The Lord said to His Kingdom saints that He was come to give them abundant life (John 10:10). If this were true for them, it stands to reason that it is also true for the members of His Body. It means abundant life both now and eternally. Think of what it will be like to live without the groaning of the present limitations of sin (Romans 8:22-28). Think of the opportunities of life now. There is no real cause for the believer today to be bored with life. If this is true today, then it surely wiWbe.for eternity. God will not allow eternity to become one bit dull. With expanded knowledge, fellowship, unity, and without the fetters of sin, the vistas of life are so wide that our minds are boggled by them.

5. The Saints and the Lord: In both the Kingdom letters and the Church letters you have statements on serving and reigning with Christ (Revelation 22:3,5 cf. Ephesians 1:10; 2:7;
II Timothy 2:12). Both of these concepts convey the idea of some administrative function. Therefore, God has a stewardship for each of us which exceeds our present functions like the resurrection body will exceed the present one.

No fluffy pink clouds for the Church.

“It does not yet appear what we shall be, but when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (I John 2:2).

It will indeed be glory to be with Him while the world and its leader, the Anti-Christ, will ponder the . . .

VI. Case of the Disappearing Saints

When will this take place? This is important to every believer for it marks the historical point of his date with destiny. Before the unfolding of the Dispensation of Grace through Paul, the Church was a secret (Ephesians 3:1-6; Colossians 1:24-29; Romans 16:25-26). There is nothing about it in the prophetic writings of Israel. It is true that there is much more about Gentile salvation, but always proselyted through Israel (Zech-ariah 8:23 cf. Matthew 28:19 where “teach” should be translated “discipling” or making followers of all nations. Now read Acts 2:42 and 21:20 cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34 to see this in action); but never such equality of position as set forth in I Corinthians 12:12,13 and Ephesians 2:11-22. It stands to reason then, if the Church is not found in prophecy its destiny cannot be found there either. Some would feel this an inadequate reason, but the stress on the “secret” concept in the Pauline letters cannot be denied. The 1,900 plus years of grace that have elapsed are a void in Israel’s prophetic calendar. This is of critical importance for the destiny of the Church is consummated in an event called the “Rapture” which is missing from the prophets.
The Rapture is described in I Corinthians 15:51-52; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13 and Philippians 3:20,21. It is the upward calling of the Church to a full reunion with its Head, our Lord. The members of the Church shall come with a specified series of events (cf. I Thessalonians 4):

1. The Lord descends to meet it (16);
2. A shout (16);
3. A trumpet (called last in I Corinthians 15) (16);
4. Dead raised (16) (result of shout as in story of Lazarus?);
5. Living raised or ascending (17);
6. Bodies changed (Phil. 3:21);
7. And a judgment (I Cor. 3).

The departure of the Church is the signal for the prophetic clock to begin ticking for the 70th week of Daniel (Daniel 9:27).

The most frequent question among believers is not whether there will be such an event, but when it will occur. Many are running about seeking the “signs of the times” as did Israel of old (I Corinthians 1:22). The disciples were not atypical in this matter either as evidenced by their question in Matthew 24:3.

The most common views of what lies ahead are the four which follow:

1. One-half of Daniel’s week (the Tribulation) must elapse before the Rapture which occurs before the second half of the week (wrath of God).

2. The Rapture will occur after the total of the seven years has elapsed but before the Kingdom begins.

3. The Rapture is simply another name for the last great general Resurrection, occuring when the Lord returns for the Final Judgment.

4. It is the next event to occur and is precedent to the Tribulation, not relating to the prophetic writings of Israel.

To these views we attach the names: mid-tribulationist, post-tribulationist, amillenialist, and pre-tribulationist respectively. It is not the purpose of this booklet to attack any of them, but rather to set forth what we believe to be the correct view.

We believe our hope (the Rapture) is next on the scene of spiritual world events and that the only necessary things to transpire before it becomes a reality are recorded in II Timothy 3. These things could be summed up very simply by saying that things are going to get worse and worse as time marches on. This condition has been true ever since the beginning of this dispensation. Since prophecy concerning Israel’s tribulation (Jeremiah 30:7) and her Kingdom will begin at the Church’s departure, the scenery may be emplaced and prepared before the curtain (Church) rises, but the events themselves will await that mo­ment. Your date with destiny is im­minent.

Here are a few of the reasons that support the immediate Rapture view.

1. One of prime importance has al­ready been given. It is that the Church and its administration were a secret hidden from the view of the prophets. It is consistent to this view and to the nature of the Church that if the commencement and course of this age were a secret, so also is its consummation.

2.1 Thessalonians 4:17, “we which are alive and remain” and Titus 2:13, “looking,” both require a con­stant expectation. Paul had no more knowledge of how long this dispensation would last than do you or I. If the Rapture were a part of the long history of prophetic ut­terances, the Scriptures would have tied their expectations with the events of Matthew 24 or Daniel 9.

3. II Thessalonians as a whole is written to correct errors in circulation at that time relating to the Rapture. Some of them quit living in the present, stopped working and began to free load (II Thessalonians 3:6-15). This was wrong! If the Lord could come momentarily, He could also wait indefinitely. On the prophetic time scale His return can­not be postponed indefinitely. Seven years after the beginning of the Tribulation, He will return. The converse error was also being taught. Some were saying that they had already missed the Rapture. In responding to this Paul cites prophecy, saying if the Rapture had occurred, the following events would be taking place (II Thessa­lonians 2). Since they were not, this teaching must obviously be in error. Here is a further demonstra­tion of the exclusion of the Church from Israel’s prophetic program.

4. Philippians 3:20, “we look,” is another of those present tense, self inclusive statements which indicate an immediacy of expectation.

5.Compare Matthew 25:1-13 and Titus 2:13. The Kingdom parable of the ten virgins indicates a warning related to the Second Coming. There is a threat of being unpre­pared for Him. There is no such warning note to the Church about the Rapture. The note sounded for us is one of joyful, encouraging anticipation (I Thessalonians 4:18). The reason for this is that one is not physically born into the Church as into the nation. No one is a member of the Church unless he is saved and is therefore ready to re­ceive his hope. No member of the Church will miss the Rapture. If it is missed, it is because the person was not a child of God.

6. An interesting comparison can be seen by laying Acts 1:7 alongside of I Thessalonians 5:2. The King­dom apostles wanted to know when the signs would occur while the Body saints know perfectly. What caused the difference? The revelation of the Dispensation of Grace occurred between these two pas­sages. The Lord could not tell the apostles for the message of grace was not theirs to give. Once re­vealed, however, the time clock of signs is fixed. It will begin ticking immediately upon the removal of the Church. (Note in I Thessalon­ians 5:1-3 the change from “ye” to “they” and ask yourself why this. occurs.)

7. Revelation 14:13 marks the mid­point of the Tribulation by saying, “blessed are the dead.” Can you reconcile this with the tone of anticipation and joy for those yet alive as seen in I Thessalonians 4?

It has been argued that since Paul was expecting (according to his commis­sioning in Acts 9:15) to witness in Rome, he could not have been expecting an “any moment” Rapture. This argument only holds true because of the dispensational changes which are now fully in effect. Paul was aware of journey of Phillip (Acts 8:38,39) and the miraculous speed of the fishing boat on Galilee (John 6:21). He believed God could “do exceeding abundantly above all that we could ask or think” (Ephes-ians 3:20). He saw too many miracles to to doubt that God could fulfill such an event instantaneously.

Yes, we have a date with destiny as members of the Church which is His Body. Every day should be lived in the excitement and anticipation of His com­ing for us and of our homecoming in glory.

 

Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey

History records a long line of costly purchases. Among them is the purchase of a single Rembrandt painting for $2,300,000.00 and sale of a sculpture for $380,000.00. The greatest trans­action ever made, however, involved the Church of God purchased at the price of His own blood. No finite measure could convey the value of this purchase.

Certainly God had a reason. What return does God expect of His Church now that He has completed so priceless a purchase? Paul informs us that we are His “work of art,” “created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). To what “good works” are the redeemed of the Church, the Body of Christ, ordained? What is our call of duty?

Could the commission of the Church be summed up in the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”? Is it to live out the ideals of the Ten Commandments? Do you suppose, as some teach, that our com­mission is “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”? Have we as the Church on earth been given the responsibility of solving the physical and social ills of the world? Should we contemplate World Peace as a result of our efforts?

God did not leave us to guess. The Scriptures offer a distinct and enlighten­ing understanding of the Mission and Commission of the Church. In so doing, the Bible also provides us with a great sense of urgency concerning our life and work as members of His Church.

We will pursue this study along three avenues:
The Church—Commissioned to Be the Instrument of God’s Working
The Church—Commissioned to Be the Habitation of God
The Church—Commissioned to Be the Display of God’s Wisdom and Glory

As we search the Scriptures, may the Holy Spirit impress on our minds and hearts that what is true of the Church is true of us individually.

1. COMMISSIONED TO BE THE INSTRUMENT OF GOD’S WORKING

God is at work!! What a comforting fact in this “present evil age.” If you ask, “How is He working?” listen to this.

“For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians2:13)

“Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God….” (Galatians2:20)

Christ is made known to the world through the life and lips of the believer. We, as Christians, are to “magnify” Christ in our body. We extension of Him. Hence, we are the instruments of His work on earth.

THE PREPARATION OF THE CHURCH

The tools God chose to work with were not “ready made.” We were “… dead in trespasses and sins . . . and were by nature the children of wrath…”(Ephesians 2:1,3)

“But God. who is rich in mercy . . . made us alive together with Christ (by grace ye are saved}…” (Ephesians 2:5,6) and fitted us for the work He desired to do through us!
“Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. . . .” (Colossians 1:12)

Notice as we proceed that the Church is prepared for its commission in four ways.

Prepared by New Creation

“We are his workmanship, CREATED in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained [prepared] that we should walk in them. “(Ephesians 2:10)

This passage makes it clear that it is not our works that save us. Good works, that are pleasing to God, cannot be produced by spiritually dead sinners who are at enmity with God. Good works, acceptable to God, come as a result .of our being saved into a new kind of life. Having been made spiritually alive and endowed with a new nature, we have been made a part of God’s “new creation” in Christ. Knowing this to be true, we then learn that we were, “created in Christ Jesus UNTO GOOD WORKS.”

Paul persuades us to …” … be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:17)

The path is well prepared, all that we need to do is KNOW IT and WALK IN IT. The latter is no doubt the most difficult part. There are so many things that would hinder us from DOING the will of the Lord. Too much resistance on an electrical system produces low voltage and poor performance of equipment. Similarly, the “old nature” or the “self will” is the greatest resistance to a walk in the good works that God has prepared for us. God’s desire is that . . .
“He might . . . purify unto himself a peculiar people, ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS, (Titus 2:14) which are . “… good and profitable unto men.” (Titus 3:8)

Prepared Through the Word

“All scripture is given by inspira­tion of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for cor­rection, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly thoroughly furnished unto all good works. ” (II Timothy 3:16,17

Please observe that the Word is “profitable” for every spiritual need and “furnishes” us with the resources to be an instrument of God’s working.

“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because, when ye received the word of God winch ye heard of us, ye received it, not as the word of men but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually work-eth also in you that believe.” (I Thessalonians 2:13)

The Apostle Paul was concerned that the believer would have 20/20 spiritual vision! He reminds us in Acts 20:20 that he …”… . kept back nothing that was profitable . . . .”
Then he goes on to say,”For I have not shunned to declare unto you ALL THE COUNSEL OF GOD.”

“And now brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to BUILD YOU UP, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”
(Acts 20:27,32)
It is impossible to be ignorant of God’s Word and expect to serve Him acceptably. The child of God will be effective in his ministry to the degree that he is faithful in the study of the Word (II Timothy 2:15).

Prepared Through Spiritual Offices

“And he gave some, apostles: and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers [teaching pastors].” (Ephesians 4:11)

The Church is gifted with evangelists and pastors who are teachers. The offices of apostle and prophet were withdrawn when God’s written revelation to man was completed.

Evangelists are personally gifted of God for the work of “heralding” or “announcing” the Gospel. Their work is primarily to those outside of Christ with a view to them being “born again” and being made members of the Body of Christ.

Teaching pastors are given . . .” … for the perfecting of the saints . . . .” (Ephesians 4:12)

The Greek word translated “perfecting” is katart ismos. The English word artisan comes from that root. It is the description of a man who either SHAPES or MENDS things with his hands. Jesus found James and John ” . . . who were also in the ship mending [katartismos] their
nets.” (Mark 1:19)

As the nets were, so are Christians in need of mending and shaping. Paul urges the Corinthians to “be perfect” (katartismos), i.e., mend your ways. The pastor’s function is that of “mending,” “shaping,” and “adjusting” the saints through the Word of God. As the Word
is taught and applied by the Spirit, the believer is effectively prepared for the ministry.

Spiritually “adjusted” Christians are commissioned to do “the work of the ministry,” with a view to the “edifying of the Body of Christ.” Every believer is a minister! A careful examination of Scripture will reveal that the layman is included in the commissioning of the Church. “The work of the ministry” can be summed up in obeying, living, denom-strating, serving, preaching, and teaching the Word of God’s grace.

It is important for the Christian to remember while we are doing “the work of the ministry,” that it is God’s power which accomplishes the results through us!

“For this I also labor, striving according to his WORKING, which worketh IN ME mightily. ” (Colossians 1:29)

When Christians perform the work of the ministry, their labor climaxes in “the building up of the Body of Christ.”

“From whom [Christ] the whole body joined and knit together by every joint with which it is sup­plied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love. ” When Christians discover that they are not mere “passengers” on the way to Heaven, they will become useful to the Lord here on earth. (Ephesians4:16RSV)

Prepared Through Spiritual Gifts

Though evangelists and teaching pas­tors are particularly set apart for the study of the Word and the proclaiming of the same, other members of the Church are not excused from being di­rectly concerned and involved in those same tasks.

Each member within the Church has also received a “measure of grace” or “spiritual gift” (Ephesians 4:7). An extended list of spiritual gifts is found in Romans 12:3-8 and I Corinthians 12. It is extremely important to understand the temporary nature of the “sign” gifts which are included among the “ministry” gifts in these transitional passages of Scripture. The manifestation of the sign gifts disappeared from the pages of Scripture the moment God set aside the “sign seeking” nation of Israel at the close of the book of Acts. Only the non-miraculous endowments for service re­main. (For further study on this subject please refer to Tongues and the Sign Gifts, a booklet by Vernon A. Schutz, Grace Publications, Inc.)

THE OCCUPATION OF THE CHURCH

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. . . .”(II Corinthians 5:20)

Our occupation is that of being “ambas­sadors to an alien land”! Why?

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. ” (Philippians3:20)

Heaven is our homeland, the seat of our spiritual government.

We are emissaries of God, who in Christ is reconciling the world unto Him­self, and He has now assigned us to invite men, women, and children to be recon­ciled to Him.

Today, God is making His appeal to a lost race through the Church. He has chosen us to be vessels of the “word of reconciliation” which He has deposited in us. We have been “put in TRUST with the gospel” (I Thessalonians 2:4). When we deposit our money in a savings account or a “TRUST” fund, we expect that it will bear dividends. This is God’s expectation having deposited in our TRUST the Gospel, “the word of reconciliation.” Could there be a higher OCCUPATION? May God the Holy Spirit impress this truth on our minds and hearts.

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHURCH “Preach the Word”

Paul tells us that the ministry he re­ceived of the Lord Jesus, was . . .
” . . . to testify the gospel of the grace of God. ” (Acts 20:24)

His advice to Timothy was . . .

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.” (II Timothy 4:2)

Preach the Word “Rightly Divided”

Paul warned of the possibility of “wresting” or “distorting” Scripture to one’s own destruction. God, the Giver of the Word, has “breathed out” to us instructions for studying His Word.

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need-eth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”(II Timothy 2:15)

Miles Coverdale, who first translated the entire Bible into English over 400 years ago, saw the necessity of applying this principle when studying the Bible. He wrote:

“It shall greatly help you to understand Scripture if you mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what went before and what fol­lows after. ”

Augustine said:

“Distinguish the ages and the Scriptures harmonize. ”

For further study in this area, examine the booklets in this series of studies on the Church: The Church—Its Creation, and The Church-How Is It Different?

Preach the Word to ALL MEN

God desires . . .”… all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (I Timothy 2:4)

Paul knew the weight of the lost world upon him and testified “from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. Yea, so have I fully preached the gospel, not where Christ was named. . . .” (Romans 15:19,20)
His passion was . . .
” . . . to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages hath been hidden in God . . . .” (Ephesians 3:9)
He did not rest until he could say,
” . . . I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.” (Acts 20:26)

Let us now consider the second great aspect of our commission!

II. COMMISSIONED TO BE THE HABITATION OF GOD

The Apostle Paul used three figures of speech to teach us this truth. None of these terms are applied to God’s called out assemblies of other ages.

A HABITATION - A BODY “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.(Colossians 2:9) “… and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. “(Ephesians 1:22,23)

“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell. ” (Colossians 1:19)

There is a great temptation today to make Israel and the Body of Christ one and the same. So that we might hurdle that temptation, God has given us a relationship to’ Christ which is obviously different from that of Israel. They are the Bride of Christ, we are His Body. Their hope is earthly, ours is heavenly. They are a part of God’s prophetic program, we were His secret. In spite of these differences both will be entirely satisfied in the position they have been given. The fact that Christ is the HEAD and we are HIS BODY demonstrates our special relationship to and needful de­pendence on Him.

Not only do we need Christ, but we need each other as we serve Him collectively. Because …
“… the body is not one member, but many. ”

“But now hath God set the members every one of them inthe body, as it hath pleased him. ”
“And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to thefeet,I have no need of you. ” (I Corinthians 12:14,18,21)

This interdependence can be illustrated. When your home is built correctly and the shingles are carefully laid on the roof, you will have a dry home. The shingles “work together” to prevent the roof from leaking. As these shingles are “dependent” on each other for a common cause, so are the members of the Body of Christ.

A HABITATION - A BUILDING

The seco-nd figure that the apostle 18 uses in revealing the Church is that of a “building.”

” … ye are . . . fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God,”"In whom ye also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”(Ephesians 2:19,22)

“… ye are God’s building,” we are told
in I Corinthians 3:9.

Paul, “the wise masterbuilder” was raised up by God to reveal the wonderful message of Grace, from which we learn that.. .

“In whom [Christ] ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. ” (Ephesians 2:22)

What is happening today in the Dispensation of Grace, is that Jew and Gentile are being joined together in “one new man.” “The middle wall of partition” has been broken down so that both could be built together for God’s dwelling place.

A HABITATION - A TEMPLE

The third figure that Paul uses is “temple.”

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God. and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (I Corinthians 3:16)

“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the. Holy Spirit who is in you. whom ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (I Corinthians 6:19)

It has been said that, “We belong to God the Father for He BUILT US; we belong to God the Son for He BOUGHT US: and we belong to God the Holy Spirit for He LIVES IN US!
And now for the final aspect of our commission.

III. COMMISSIONED TO BE THE DISPLAY OF GOD’S WISDOM AND GLORY

The outline of our commission to be instruments of God’s working, sketched what the Church is to “do”! The study of our commission to be the habitation of God has shown what the Church “is” in Christ. The understanding of our commission would be incomplete without a glimpse of what the Church is to “be” in Christ through the ages of the ages!

The ultimate reason for all of God’s works is His own glorification in Christ. His work in and through the Church is the crowning glory of glories!

“Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. ” (Ephesians 3:21)

God’s desire is..”that we should be to the praise of his glory . “(Ephesians 1:12)

God’s wisdom concerning the Church, the Body of Christ, was once kept secret in God Himself.

“However, we speak wisdom a-mong them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the princes of this age, that come to nothing; But we speak the^wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages unto our glory; which none of the princes of this age knew; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory [the glory].”(I Corinthians 2:6-8)

That wisdom is NOW revealed to God’s people by the Spirit (I Corinthians 2:10).

Satan, the god of this age, brought about the crucifixion of Christ. But the act through which he
It was by (means) of the cross that the Church, the Body of Christ was also formed (Ephesians 2:16)!! attempted to destroy Christ, now results in the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and the adversary’s own destruction. It is “this Gospel of the glory” which he now works so viciously to conceal, and withhold from those that are lost (II Corinthians 4:3-6).

By means of the cross, Christ . . . “… spoiled principalities and 22

powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:15)

Note the thrust of Ephesians 3:9,10!

“And to make all men see what is the fellowship [stewardship] of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that NOW unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places [the heavenlies] might be made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God”!

Since the word “men” is not in the original text, we can conclude that the scope of our stewardship of the Mystery includes the rebellious principalities and powers in the heavenlies as well as all mankind. One day every knee shall bow to the name and glory of Christ. In the meantime God’s wisdom is being made known “by the church” whether we are aware of it or not.

Our being the display of God’s wisdom and glory will not cease with the rapture of the Church. Ephesians 2:7 reveals to us the glorious privilege we will have of being on display to the angels.

“That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. ”

We will be trophies of His grace forever!

A close scrutiny of Ephesians 6:11-17 will disclose to us that “the whole armour of God” is not only helpful now in our pursuit against the “wiles of the devil,” but will be helpful “in the evil day.” In I Corinthians 6:3 we are told that we are going to “judge angels.” After the Church has been caught home, the Tribulation Period will begin. According to Revelation 12:7-12 there will be a war in heaven after which Satan will be cast down to the earth for the rest of the Tribulation Period.

From the time of the rapture of the Church until the time when Satan is cast down to the earth, the Body of Christ will have a warfare with him. It is during that time that we will be perfectly arrayed with “the whole armour of God.” Our “old man” will have been separated from us and our “new man” will have complete control. Satan doesn’t have a chance. He is a loser because Christ has “spoiled principalities and powers” on the cross (Colossians 2:15). It is in this capacity that the Church will be a DISPLAY OF GOD’S WISDOM AND GLORY.

We echo the humble wonderment of the Apostle Paul,”Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out. ” (Romans 11:33)

Our commission! How vastly more than a golden rule or a social program! Considering that we as members of the Church, the Body of Christ, are commissioned to be the instrument of God’s working, the very habitation of God, and the triumphant display of His wisdom and glory through endless ages, what kind of people should we be?

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk [lead a life] worthy of the vocation [calling] to which ye are called” (Ephesians 4:1)

Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey

Did you know that the word “church” in the Bible never describes a building; it is never used to mean something that is composed of bricks and mortar, wood and stone? If we had taken a first century Christian into a building with stained glass windows and arches, and said to him, “What a beautiful church!” he would not have understood what we were saying. In the Bible the “church” is always people, men and women who have responded to the message God gave them to believe for their salvation.

The Greek Word Ekklesia

The word translated church in our English Bibles is derived from the Greek word, ekklesia, and simply means a called out group of people. In its Greek background the word ekklesia was not a sacred word; it was a word of politics and of local government. Greek government was characteristically democratic. In Greek cities, ideally, all its citizens were to govern their own community. Some were for various reasons disfranchised and later a property qualification entered into the matter, but theoretically all Greek citizens were members of a political ekklesia. They were summoned by a trumpeter to a regular meeting place to decide governmental matters. Those who responded were called the ekklesia. Thus in Greek terms, an ekklesia in actual fact consisted of those who responded to the invitation to be present at a meeting for the purpose of deciding political matters. They were a called out political group of people.

The Hebrew Word Kahal

The word also has a Jewish background. In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, the word ekklesia is used to translate a Hebrew word, kahal- which in English is translated as the “congregation” or the “assembly” of Israel. Israel as a congregation or assembly is often called an ekklesia in the Greek version of the Old Testament Scriptures (Deuteronomy 4:10; 9:10; 18:16; cf. I Chronicles 28:8; 29:1; II Chronicles 1:3; 6:3; 7:8;

20:5; 29:28;Nehemiahl3:l). Since our Lord and His disciples read and quoted from the Septuagint, they were used to Israel being called the ekklesia. The first historical reference to an ekklesia in the Bible is when Stephen calls Israel, after they came out of Egypt, a “church in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38).

What Does “Church” Mean?

The English word has taken on a variety of meanings. It may refer to a building dedicated to religious purposes;it may refer to a particular denomination; or it may mean a group of people belonging to a religious assembly. The English word “church” is derived from the Greek word kuriakos, which is the possessive form of the word Lord, thus meaning belonging to the Lord. Putting the meaning of the Greek word ekklesia together with kuriakos, the word church really means a called out group of people belonging to the Lord. (For a more detailed study of the term “church,” see the booklet in this series titled The Church-What Is It?)

Different Churches in the Bible

There has always been a Church of God, because, thank God, there has always been a group of people that belonged to Him. Noah and his family were in this sense a “church,” for they belonged to the Lord. Israel was a called-out nation which belonged to the Lord, and therefore, as we have seen, was called a “church” of God. It is important to see that as history progresses God has had different ekklesias which have had various religious and spiritual programs, purposes, and ministries. We must keep these churches distinct and separate, otherwise there will be confusion.

The Kingdom Church

There was an Old Covenant Church of Israel under Moses with its program of rituals and God-ordained ceremonies. This church had apostasized and Christ proceeded to call out of this church His own Church. This Church could be called the Kingdom Church, for it will be related to the Messianic Kingdom here on earth.This Kingdom Church was anticipated in the Old Testament. Let us look carefully at Psalms 22. Verses 1 thru 21 picture graphically the suffering of our Lord upon the cross. Suddenly in verse 22, there is a change of tone. We go from the suffering of Christ to our Lord’s cry of triumph in resurrection:”In the midst of the congregation (kahal) will I praise Thee “This verse is quoted in Hebrews 2:12 in this manner:”In the midst of the church [ekklesia] will I praise Thee.”The “congregation” (kahal) is called by the Holy Spirit an ekklesia, which indicates that ekklesia and kahal are equivalents. The Church spoken of in Psalms 22:22,25 cannot be the Body Church the Apostle Paul speaks of because that Church was hid from the the Old Testament writers (Ephesians 3:
1-5; Colossians 1:25,26; Romans 16:25). The Church spoken of in Psalms 22:22,25 can be called a New Testament Church because it is to exist historically after the New Testament blood is shed. Verses 22 to 31 make it clear that this Church is related to His reign on earth as King. “My praise shall be of Thee in the great congregation [church] . . . the meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek Him: your heart shall live for ever.
“All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindred of the nations shall worship before Thee.”For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and He is governor among the nations. “The New Testament Kingdom Church anticipated in Psalms 22:22-31 was being formed by Christ during the period of the four Gospels. Those Israelitish disciples composed the Kingdom Church of Matthew 18:17 and 16:18. He called them His “little Hock,” and to them it was the Father’s good pleasure to give the Kingdom (Luke 12:32). Christ taught these disciples to expect and pray for. the Kingdom (Matthew 6:10). They practised the Kingdom program in that they healed the sick, handled serpents, cast out demons (Matthew 10:6-10; Mark 16:16-20; Luke 10:17-20). In the Kingdom there will be no sickness (Isaiah 35:5,6; 33:24), nor will the creature of venomous sting hurt anyone (Isaiah 11:8), nor will evil spirits be free to bother mankind (Isaiah 24:21,22; Revelation 20:1-3).

The Kingdom Church at Pentecost

On the Day of Pentecost we find God adding members daily to an already existing ekklesia (Acts 2:47). He was adding to the Kingdom ekklesia which was called out during the period of the Gospels, Matthew 18:17. The first half of the Acts is simply a continuation of the dispensational program of the Gospels. The only difference is that the great fact of the Lord’s resurrection was added to the burden of their preaching of the coming Kingdom (Acts 1:6;2:22-36^3:19-26).

The Kingdom Church of Pentecost NOT The Mystery Church of Paul

Not until Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13), began his ministry, did God begin to create the “one new man” or Church which is His Body. “The ‘new man’ of Ephesians 2:15 is not the individual believer but the church, considered, as the body of Christ in the sense of Ephesians 1:22,23; I Corinthians 12:12,13; Colossians 3:10″ (Scofield Reference Bible, p. 1251, note 2). This new Body Church was a mystery or a secret kept hid from the ages and generations until it was first revealed to Paul for this present dispensation (Ephesians 3:1-8; Colossians 1:25,26 and II Peter 3:15-17).

A New Revelation Begins a New Dispensation

Each new distinguishable economy, administration, or dispensation begins with a revelation from God. The Dispesation of Innocence began with a revelation to Adam about not eating of a certain tree, Genesis 3:16,17. The Dispensation of Conscience or Freedom began with a revelation to Abel as to how his sins could be atoned for, Hebrews 11:4 with Romans 10:17 and Genesis 3:23 thru 4:1-4. The Dispensation of Human Government began with a revelation of this principle to Noah, Genesis 9:6; Promise, when the promise was revealed to Abram, Genesis 12:1-3. The Law was given to and revealed through Moses for Israel, Exodus 19:8. Could you begin any one of these dispensations before a revelation of it was given? Of course not!
The new revelation of the prophesied Kingdom, as finally being “at hand,” was given to John the Baptist, Matthew 3:2; 11:13, and this proclamation was continued by our Lord and His disciples, Matthew 4:17; 10:6-8; Acts 1 thru 7, and will be established with the glorious revelation of Christ at His second coming, Matthew 24:30; Revelation 19:11-20 and 20:1-9.
In the meantime the Dispensation of Grace with the creation of its new Body Church was given to and revealed through Paul for us Gentiles, members of the Body of Christ, Ephesians 3:1-8, II Peter 3:15,16;Galatians 1:11,12 and 2:1-9.

No Body Church at Pentecost

There is not the slightest intimation that a new ekklesia began at Pentecost. Instead, it is evident that believers were added to an already existing Church, the Kingdom Church (Matthew 18:17; 16:18), and not to that ekklesia called the the Body of Christ. The Church of Pentecost was the ekklesia of prophecy which will find its fulfillment in the Millennial Kingdom. Everything that happened in the days of Pentecost was in fulfillment of prophecy. Peter quotes Joel in Acts 2, and in Acts 3:24 he says:”Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.”The prophets foretold only events pertaining to the Kingdom and the Kingdom
Church; therefore, the things that happened in Acts 2 and 3 must have to do with the Kingdom Church and not the Body Church which had been hid from the ages and generations until revealed through Paul, who at this time was not even saved.

The Church at Pentecost could not have been the Body Church for you cannot begin to reconcile Jew and Gentile in the one Body until Israel is first alienated, that is, removed from their covenant or priority position among the nations. This fact is made clear in Romans 11:15,32 and Ephesians 2:14-17. Reconciliation presupposes a state of alienation. Before the crucifixion Israel was still the favored nation and in Covenant relationship with God, “Let the children [Israel] FIRST be filled” (Mark 7:27). In the first chapters of Acts Israel still is not yet cast away or alienated, because the Son prayed for their forgiveness (Luke 23:34), and Peter declares them to be the children of the prophets and of the Covenant (Acts 3:25), and then adds, “Unto you [Israel] FIRST, God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you [first], in turning every one of you from his iniquities.” As of Acts 3:25, no change had taken place.

At Pentecost there is no mention of Gentiles. Since the Body Church is a joint-body of Jews and Gentiles, the Body could not have begun there.

Here is another important distinction to note. After the resurrection, Christ made it clear that He would baptize them on the day of Pentecost, “not many days hence” (Acts 1:5). In the baptism at Pentecost, Christ was the Baptizer, baptizing with the Spirit (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16). In I Corinthians 12:13, however, the Holy Spirit is the Baptizer, baptizing into Christ. In each case the Spirit is associated with a “baptism,” yet they are two separate and distinct baptisms. In the former Christ is the Baptizer, and in the latter the Spirit is the Agent doing the baptizing. Christ was the Baptizer on the Day of Pentecost and this baptism resulted in receiving Power from on high (Luke 24:49). This baptism was eperiential, resulting in signs, wonders, and miracles. The baptism which forms the Body Church is not experiential. There is no feeling or sensation when the Spirit baptizes you into the Body of Christ. Since this baptism was not taking place on the Day of Pentecost, we have another reason why that date could not have marked the beginning of the Body of Christ
Church.

When Did the Body Church Begin?

When did God begin this wonderful Dispensation of the Grace of God? When did He begin the Mystery or Secret Body of Christ Church in which Jew and Gentile are joined together to form the “One New Man”?

The Body Began: — Theoretically

The Body Church began theoretically or theologically in the mind of God before the age times began, before the foundation of the world. “According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but accord-to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world [ages] began” (II Timothy 1:9).

How comforting to know that even as the cross was a mood in the heart of God before it became part of the history of the world, even so before the foundation of the world, or even before one speck of dust came forth from the womb of nothing, we were in the mind of God.

The Body Began: — Instrumentally

The Body Church began instrument-ally by or through the cross, but not at the cross.
“For to make in Himself of twain [Jew and Gentile] one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross” (Ephesians2:15,16).

We have already seen that at Pentecost Israel was not yet alienated, nor was the Spirit baptizing into the Body Church, nor could there be a joint-body of Jew and Gentile for there is no mention of Gentiles.

The Body Began: — Judicially

The Body Church could not begin until God’s act of judgment fell on Israel. We are reconciled “doctrinally,” for individual salvation, by the cross: “God was in Christ [at the cross], reconciling the world unto Himself.” But we are reconciled “dispensationally,” by the “casting away” of Israel: “For if the casting away of them [Israel] be the reconciling of the world.” Israel nationally was not yet alienated from God in the first half of Acts (Acts 3:24-26). Israel began to commit the “unpardonable sin” (Matthew 12:31,32) when they rejected the message of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles (Acts 2:4; 4:8,31;5:3,32; 7:51,55). This rejection reached a great crisis in Acts 7 at the stoning of Stephen. Sir Robert Anderson says:

“The death of Stephen was the secret crisis of their destiny. Never again was a public miracle
witnessed in Jerusalem. The special Pentecostal proclamation was withdrawn …. The apostles of the Gentiles forthwith received his commission, and the current of events set steadily, and with continually increasing force, toward the open rejection of the long-favoured people . . .” (Silence of God. p. 83). M. R. DeHaan wrote in a letter to a friend, dated February 19, 1953: “After Israel rejected the offer of the kingdom in Acts 7, the gospel goes to the Gentiles …”James M. Gray says:”The martyrdom of Stephen brought to a close the second offer of the kingdom of Israel . . . and we now enter the transition period in which the Church passes out of its Jewish into its Gentile stage” (Great Epochs of Sacred History Course, p. 50).God’s prophesied plan to bless the nations through Israel was temporarily interrupted (Romans 11:26). God alienated Israel nationally from Himself, and judicially cast them away, a necessary step before He could begin the dispensational reconciling of Jew and Gentile in the One Body Church.

The Body Began: — Symbolically

The next step in preparation for the creation of the Body Church was the salvation of Saul of Tarsus or Paul the Apostle (Acts 9). He was to be the vehicle through which the revelation of the new dispensation would come.

Paul was a Hebrew:”Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews” (Philippians 3:5).Paul was also a Roman citizen:”Paul said . . . They have beaten us openly . . . Roman citizens. . . and they [the magistrates] feared, when they heard that they were Romans” (Acts 16:37,38). Paul is a natural symbol of God’s purpose concerning the Joint-Body of Christ, because he was both Jew and Gentile in one person, which illustrates the Jew and Gentile in the One Body.

The Body Began: — Historically

Paul’s first recorded missionary journey to Gentiles is given to us in Acts, chapters 13 and 14. However, in Acts 9:26-30 Luke tells us that Paul was sent forth from Jerusalem to Tarsus. During these years in Tarsus, Paul must have used Tarsus as a base of operation to preach, as he says, in Syria and Cilicia, Galatians 1:21.

In Acts 15:23 we read of the communication sent by the Church of Jerusalem to “the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.” In Acts 15:41 Paul “went through Syria and Cilicia confirming the churches.” This is evidence enough to believe that these were Gentile churches which he had founded, probably before he came to Antioch (Acts 11:26) during this Tarsus period. His first apostolic journey as outlined for us in Acts 13 and 14 did not take him into Syria and Cilicia. This Gentile ministry during this Tarsus period then (he was there for perhaps five years), could be called his “secret” missionary journey to Gentiles.

The Body Church is a joint-body of Jews and Gentiles, but at Pentecost no Gentiles are mentioned. Even those scattered by “the persecution that arose about Stephen” spake to “none but Jews only” (Acts 11:19). The conversion of Gentiles during Paul’s “secret” journey into Syria and Cilicia makes the joint-body possible, for the two ingredients necessary to make up the Body Church are now present.

Allow this illustration. The chemical composition of water is H20, i.e., hydrogen and oxygen. We cannot have water if we have only one of those. Even if we have both, they must be locked together molecularly before these two gases take on a new mode of existence as water. Similarly, we must have both Jewish hydrogen and Gentile oxygen together before we can have the creation of the Body Church. At Pentecost we have only Jews (hydrogen) who are saved; but the Body cannot exist until both ingredients, that is, Jew (hydrogen) and Gentile (oxygen) are joined together. (Note that the Greek prefix “sun” is used three times in Ephesians 3:6-”joint-heir,” “joint-body,” and “joint-partakers.””)

“To make in Himself of twain [Jew and Gentile] one new man . . . that He might reconcile both [Jew and Gentile] . . . in one Body.” (Ephesians 2:15-16) In the first half of Acts we have no Gentiles; therefore, it was impossible to have the Body Church formed. Between Acts 9 and 13, through Paul’s ministry in Syria and Cilicia, Gentiles are gathered. We believe that now the two necessary ingredients were locked together and the joint-body began historically or secretly. If this be true, it is interesting to note that the Body began secretly, and it will end secretly in the Rapture of the Body Church from earth to heaven (I Thessalonians4:16-18). (The Rapture will be secret in the sense that the world will not see the Lord nor hear His shout.)

The Body Began: — Scripturally

The Body began scripturally or manifestly in Acts 13. Several significant things mark this occasion. The Holy Spirit separates Barnabas and Paul for a specific work, verse 2. Paul performs his first miracle, a sign of his entering into his Apostleship (II Corinthians 12:12), and he was the Apostle to the Gentiles for this dispensation (Romans 11:13;

The Body began scripturally or manifestly in Acts 13. Several significant things mark this occasion. The Holy Spirit separates Barnabas and Paul for a specific work, verse 2. Paul performs his first miracle, a sign of his entering into his Apostleship (II Corinthians 12:12), and he was the Apostle to the Gentiles for this dispensation (Romans 11:13;Ephesians 3:1-5).

The episode recorded in Acts 13:5-15 could be called a dispensational miracle. Note the particulars. “Bar-jesus,” the Jew, tried to turn Sergius Paulus, the Gentile, away from the faith. Because of this, “Bar-jesus,” which means “the child of Jehovah Saviour” is called, “the child of the Devil,” “full of guile.” Paul strikes this Jewish sorcerer with a season of blindness, and as a result the Gentile believes.

Let us keep in mind that according to Romans 11:25 and 26, that a blindness in part, and fora season, has happened to Israel. Israel, the child of Jehovah, has become in this dispensation blinded, but Israel will only be blind for a season until the Sun of Righteousness comes (Malachi 4:2).

Bar-jesus, full of guile, and blind, speaks of Israel during this present dispensation (Romans 11:25). As a result of Israel’s guile in attempting to keep the Apostles from preaching to Gentiles (I Thessalonians 2:15,16), and Israel’s being blinded (cf. Acts 13:11 and Rom-and 11:25), the Gentile, Sergius Paulus, believes and obtains the mercy of God by faith (cf. Acts 13:12 and Romans 11:25,30).

In summary we point out, Israel is judged and alienated in Acts 7; Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles is saved in Acts 9 and Gentiles are gathered and saved between Acts 9 and 13 in Paul’s secret missionary journey. Paul is separated by a distinct act of the Holy Spirit; he works his Apostolic and dispensational miracle, and he assumes his Gentile name, as he opens “the door of faith unto the Gentiles” in Acts 13 and 14. We conclude that the creation of the Body Church took place with the ministry of the Apostle Paul before he wrote his first epistle.

Any Christian who desires to be an unashamed workman will soon learn that he must “rightly divide the Word of Truth” (II Timothy 2:15); otherwise, he will confuse the spiritual programs and purposes of God. It is necessary to see the progression of revelation as God gives it in His Word so we can discern what God is doing and when He begins doing it.

The clearest example of this is given in Acts 18:24-28. Apollos, although “he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord,” was preaching and teaching an obsolete message and program. Aquila and Priscilla took him aside and brought him up to date. They “explained the way of God more perfectly,” that is, they pointed out the changes that had taken place. They instructed him in the historical and revelatory progress in God’s plan and program as they had received it from Paul (Acts 18:1-11). Apollos progressed with God. May each of us do the same.

It is sad and displeasing to the Lord, I’m sure, when some preach an obsolete message and practise the Kingdom program and do not progress in understanding the later revelation given by the risen Christ to Paul for this present administration of grace. Following the continuity of Scripture from the prophesied Kingdom program into the present purpose and program of God in this dispensation can affect your salvation, your life, your service and effectiveness for Him. May you desire:

“The spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of -His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power” (Ephesians 1:17-19).

Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey

 

The word “church” strikes strangely different meanings in today’s thinking. The word might bring to mind the thought of a cold, impersonal organization or the image of a fiery religious movement.

The church can be a congregation. A church can be a particular denomination or religious organization. The word “church” can refer to a building used for religious purposes, or to something that is distinct from a chapel. “The church” can be something held in contrast to “the world.” In the Bible “the Church” as the Body of Christ (the term applied to God’s people today) has special meaning reflected in none of the other foregoing usages.

We discover the frightening possibility that the object many people have in mind could be quite different from that which God intended. Tradition has imposed distracting, stereotyped meanings and misunderstanding has dulled the Biblical impact of the word “church.”

Do you understand the “church” as God has revealed it to be understood? Do you understand your relationship to it? What could be more important than to personally trace this grand subject in the Word of God?

The English word church originates from the Greek word KURIAKOS, which means “of, or belonging to, the Lord.” The English term comes to us directly through the Anglo Saxon CIRCE and the Scottish KIRK.

The New Testament Greek word for “church,” however, is EKKLESIA, and is always translated “church” except in Acts 19:32,39,41, where it is rendered “assembly.” Taken literally, EKKLESSIA means “assembly,” or a gathering of “called-out ones.”

Perhaps you will be somewhat surprised to discover that there is more than one church in the Bible! The following is a survey of the New Testament use of the Greek word EKKLESIA:

(1) A body of citizens gathered to discuss the affairs of State - Acts 19:39 (”a lawful assembly”)
(2) A multitude in a riot — Acts 19:32,41 (”the assembly”)
(3) Israel as a nation — Acts 7:38 (”the church in the wilderness”)
(4) Redeemed Israel in the future — Matthew 16:18 (”I will build my church”).
(5) Believing Jews and Gentiles bonded together apart from nationality - Ephesians 1:22,23; I Corinthians 12:13 (”the church which is His body”).

You will find the term EKKLESIA 115 times in the New Testament. By understanding the Biblical use of the word, you will be in a position to know precisely which church is being spoken of in any given passage.

There are numerous places where specific “called-out ones” are said to be gathered together. Such gatherings may be connected either with the nation Israel and the Millennial Church or the Body of Christ, God’s people of this age. For the former notice Matthew 18:17 and Acts 2:47; for the latter see I Corinthians 1:2 and I Thessalonians 1:1.

The distinctive character of “the church which is His [Christ’s] body,” is important to see. This Church is the real and genuine “church” of the time in which we are living. This assembly was not formed until the ministry of the Apostle Paul. Read carefully Romans 16:25,26; Ephesians 3:1-11; Colossians 1:24-27 ;Ephesians 1:1-14.

A Divine Organism

An organization is quite different from an organism. The first is a lifeless, mechanical structure while the second is a vital, growing creation.

The Church, the Body of Christ, is an organism.

Undoubtedly there are many people today who think of church as a kind of big business. Executives and various staff personnel order and execute an enormous variety of activity in the name of the church. In fact, some so-called churches own industry and real estate and operate them on a profit making basis.

Within the structure of popular denominations, church work operates like a well oiled machine. The congregation is divided into small committees. A region appoints numerous task forces to accomplish specific tasks. The home office, or headquarters, offers guidance, direction and command through appointed channels. And these channels in turn filter the information down through the or ganizational chain until the final link is made with the local congregation.

Certainly such practices lend ample support to the idea that the church of today is indeed an organization.

However, the human arrangement of spiritual affairs may or may not be in harmony with the revealed will of God in the Bible. Too often we are ensnared by this subtle trick of equating tradition with eternal truth. The supreme source of authority is the everlasting Word of God. We must always compare human insight with Divine revelation.

Scripture teaches that the Body of Christ is an organism; a living thing pulsating with potential growth and maturity. Remember, it is a Body (corporate individuals gathered together in Christ) with a Head (the source of rule and function); namely, the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:18; I Corinthians 12:13-27). Furthermore, consider the words of Ephesians 4:16:

“It is from Christ that the whole body, adjusted and fitted together by every ligament with which it is supplied, by the harmonious functioning of each and every part, acquires the power to grow up as a perfect organism, built up in love” (paraphrase by F. F. Bruce).

The Apostle Paul speaks of believers as “living epistles” (II Corinthians 3:1-3). In another place he refers to them as being accomplished through a process of progressive stages of spiritual growth (II Corinthians 3:18).

Finally, consider the clear teaching of Ephesians 2:20-22:

“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; In Whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord: In Whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. ”

The Church, the Body of Christ, is not an organization but a true organism in spite of external appearances. You see, this Church is spiritual in nature; invisible rather than materially obvious.

Spiritual In Nature

Contrary to much teaching today it is absolutely impossible for a person to become united with the Body of Christ by joining any organization. (See the tract in this series entitled, “The Church: How to Join It.”)

The Body of Christ is an invisible company of believers united with Christ by the grace of God through the work of the Holy Spirit.

“For’ by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (I Corinthians 12:13).

In other words, all genuine believers are members of the Body of Christ by virtue of their belief in the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in God’s Word for our time.

Salvation introduces the redeemed one into his everlasting relationship with Christ and his fellow spiritual brethren. Because no man can positively discern the spiritual welfare of other men in every instance, the Body of Christ consists of an uncertain number of believers. And because God is no respecter of persons, representatives of nations all around the world are involved in the make-up of Christ’s Body.

Therefore, due to its spiritual nature and universal breadth, this Church is really invisible to the eyes of mankind.

Individual members of the Body of Christ might well be of different racial backgrounds and belong to differing denominational persuasions. The point is, God has not sanctioned just one externally organized group today as His single avenue of approach to men. (This was not always true, however. See the tract in this series entitled, “The Church:
How Is It Different?”)

Whoever and whenever a person believes the message of God concerning his sin and the provision of Christ for that sin, his faith, by the grace of God, brings the individual into redemption and the Body of Christ.

“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10).

Unity In Spirit

Someone has most graphically described the difference between Union and unity. Imagine two tomcats tied tail to tail and hung over a clothesline! That is union but hardly unity.

All kinds of religious mergers are taking place these days. Groups which were once splintered from a parent organization are agreeing to a sufficient compromise which allows them to band together once again. Others with more severe differences and no historic ties are engaging in high level counsel, seeking to effect an eventual union.

The most infamous of all such man made unions is the “one church” ecumenical movement. It is the fancy of some influential religious leaders that all men ought to be a part of one colossal, super church. The advocates of this dangerous design suggest that “Christians” abandon all conviction or persuasion which might threaten other “Christians” who harbor more liberal ideas.

These promotions and programs, varied in method but similar in goal, pump their water from the wrong well. That is to say, religionists are constantly depending on human resources and human ingenuity to establish human intentions. The inevitable result of this activity is a product fashioned after its designer; a human organizational union.

The Bible makes it plain that the Church, the Body of Christ, is a Divine organism patterned after a Divinely revealed spiritual unity.

“/ therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:1-6).

Perhaps it is easier to grasp the thrust of this passage by looking at it in the following manner:

ONE BODY ONE SPIRIT ONE HOPE
ONE LORD ONE FAITH ONE BAPTISM ONE GOD

This demonstrates the wonderful correspondence of these precious truths. There is one Body corresponding to one God; one Spirit explaining the nature of the one baptism; one hope relating to one faith; one Lord because, “Of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Romans 11:36).

To know that God has already established His outline of unity is of immense importance. Men are not expected to arrange -or formulate a basis of unity; they are enjoined to conform to the revealed pattern. All human statements of spiritual conformity must be measured against God’s clear standard expressed in the above Scripture. Any differences on the human side must be abandoned or changed to the will of God.

The Bible also explains the true union of fellow believers. All genuine believers are already joined together, “for we are members one of another” (Ephesians 4:25). Compare I Corinthians 12:27.

Our first loyalty is to God and His Word. Whatever contradicts or compromises this pre-eminent loyalty is not worthy of allegiance. We need to examine the real, eternal foundations of spiritual union and unity. We must, at all cost, embrace the righteous teaching of God and ignore the false, foolish, fluctuating doctrine of mere men and their tradition.

Out of What Has It Been Called

In the simplest expression, a “church” is an assembly of called out ones. Obviously, such a group must have been called out of something and called into something else. For example, the riotous mob at Ephesus (Acts 19:32,41), was composed of more or less ordinary Ephesian citizens who were called out of their usual life style and called into a balking, shouting crowd until it grew into a full scale riot.

The Church, the Body of Christ, has indeed experienced a call from one form of existence to another dramatically different from the first. In that great passage of Romans 5:12-21, God reveals through Paul that believers have been taken out of Adam and placed into Christ. In the Colossians letter, chapter 2:13, Paul expresses the same truth this way: ^

“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son. “In still another verse we have these words: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

Adam is the father of humanity. In a mysterious, and yet horribly real way, Adam passed on his act of rebellion and rejection of God’s will to every human creature fathered by his seed. That ignoble inheritance which everyone shares in common is called the Adamic nature. Because of this, all men are naturally opposed to God. We prefer darkness, we want to be self-sufficient apart from God, we sincerely desire to keep away from enlightenment about our sin and the provision of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In fact, if it were not for the sovereign grace of God, not one soul would ever come to Christ for salvation (Romans 3:10-12; John 6:44). Nevertheless, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, many are saved through personal trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Through salvation and consequently becoming a member of the Body of Christ, every believer is delivered from the awful,, inevitable wrath which God will one day pour out on the world of the ungodly.

“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thessalonians 5:9).

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (I Corinthians 15:22).

All in Adam, every unbeliever, people refusing to accept the message of God concerning their need of deliverance from the power of sin, will assuredly be damned to an eternity of incomprehensible agony in their willful separation from God. There is no hope of anything less for sinners today outside the Church which is His Body (I Thessalonians 4:13).

The descriptions the Bible offers of the eternal state of the unbeliever are wretched and shocking. Hell is real. Damnation is certain. Everlasting torment is inescapable for Christ rejectors. Never ending separation from the sweet, joyous presence of a righteous God surrounded by holy angels and redeemed saints is the guaranteed goal for all stubborn sinners who refuse to be saved.

God has called the Church, the Body of Christ, out of this horrifying, hopeless judgment. He has taken us out of Adam and despair and placed us into Christ and deliverance. Praise God for His matchless grace!

Unto What Has It Been Called

Realizing that the Body of Christ has been removed from the sphere of destruction and hell, consider the positive side of its translation. Profound as it may be, members of His Body have been called to participate in the glory of God (Ephesians 1:12).

There is a rare word used only twice in the entire New Testament (II Thessalonians 1:10,12) and translated “glorified in” which sheds some light on the believer’s future in eternity. At the coming of Christ for the Church which is His Body, the Lord will be “glorified in His saints.” That phrase, “glorified in” is actually one word in the original language of the New Testament. Literally, it means to be “in-glorified.”

Whatever else is taught in these verses, we are to understand that the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ will not be confined to Himself or merely among His saints, but that glory will be distributed in and through those who believe in Him!

Through the inscrutable era of eternity His Body will share in the blaze of splendor peculiar to God alone. Of course such things are utterly impossible to describe or comprehend. Whaseems to be words of eloquence and grandeur are nothing but poor tokens of what will really be.

It is enough for us to know that presently believers have already been delivered from the pleasure, penalty and power of sin. At the Rapture we shall be delivered from the presence of sin. Only righteousness awaits the Body of Christ. That which is evil in any way will be absent from the future of Christ’s Church.

Precisely what fellowship in the glory of God entails is beyond our perception before the resurrection. In a feeble at tempt to say something regarding this, Paul wrote:
“For all things are yours;
whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours, and ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s” (I Corinthian3:21-23).

Summary

A “church” is many things. This article has been concerned about the Church mentioned in the Bible called “the body of Christ.” While there are other Biblical churches, this Church is the only called-out assembly in God’s present spiritual program.

In contrast to the mechanical organizations of today, the Church which is Christ’s Body is an organism. Its structure is invisible and spiritual, being comprised of all true believers throughout the Dispensation of Grace.

God has revealed the basis of unity for the fellow members of the Church. Man made traditions and creeds must be brought into harmony with what God has plainly declared in His Word.

The Body of Christ has been called out of an existence doomed to everlasting degradation. As a result of this call, the Church looks forward to an eternity of intimate sharing of the glory of God Himself.

Are you a part of this great company of believers, dear reader? Are you a member of the Body of Christ, the only true church of God today?

Rejoice and praise God if you are. If you are not, throw yourself in humble faith on the hope which stems from the grace provided in the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9).

Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey

“Are you a Christian?” enquired a thoughtful friend. “Why, yes, I’m a Christian,” replied the other. “I joined the church when I was a teen-ager!”

Have you heard this reply to that important question? Perhaps you have even offered a similar answer at one time or another. I did! I also recall a friend living near me joyfully exclaiming, “We’re so glad you joined the church last night!” after I, as a teen-ager, also joined a large Protestant church in our neigh­borhood.

It is indeed a good thing to unite with a local church which believes and preaches the Bible as the Word of God and exalts God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Every true believer in Christ should be involved in that kind of a local church!

“But where in the Bible do you find anything about joining the church?” someone asks. It does say that we are not to be “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).

The Bible speaks of local churches. It reveals much about the spiritual Church, the Body of Christ. However, there is no direct instruction on official church membership or the act of joining a church.

Does this mean that true believers in Christ should not “join” a church? Let us do some prayerful thinking about this important theme.

There are two central lines of truth about the church in the New Testament in the letters of the Apostle Paul. One line deals with the Church, which is Christ’s Body. The other deals with local churches or “local assemblies” of God’s people—the people which go to­gether to form His spiritual Body.

I.THE CHURCH WHICH IS CHRIST’S BODY

“And He [Christ] is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in all things He’ might have the pre-eminence”(Colossians 1:18). A similar reference to this is Ephesians 1:22-23 where the Father is said to have “put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that fill-eth all in all.” We learn two things from these passages and others in Paul’s Epistles. We learn Christ is presently the Head of a Church, and this Church is His Body.

What does the word “church” mean? It means “a called-out assembly.” (See The Church-What Is It?” by Timothy Conklin.) It is not a building, nor is it a given denomination (such as “Metho­dist,” “Baptist,” “Roman Catholic,” and the like). Rather, it is composed of people—redeemed sinners anywhere who hear the Gospel and personally receive the Lord Jesus Christ into their hearts by faith, and are thereby saved. Note that the Apostle Paul calls this Church “the body of Christ.” This means that just as in the human body there is a head and many members all joined together in a living unit, so the Lord Jesus Christ is the living Head of a living Body of individuals whom He has saved and joined to Himself. This is why Paul wrote: “For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones” (Ephesians 5:30). How does an in­dividual become a member of this won­derful Church?

A New Creation

“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature [creation]; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17). To the believers in Christ in Galatia, Paul also wrote” “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nouncircumcision, but a new creature [creation]” (Galatians 6:15). What is this “new creation”?

God the Father is the Author of this “new creation.” The Apostle goes on to tell us in II Corinthians 5:18, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ . . . .” He has two creations, according to His Word. The first is the material and immaterial creation which we are familiar with. The second is “the church, which is His [Christ’s] body.”

This “new creation” is also called “one new man” in Ephesians 2:15). The next verse equates this “one new man” with the “one body”-the Church. “And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby” (Ephesians 2:16). Thus, every person who becomes a mem­ber of this blessed Church is “a new creation”! This is why Paul could de­clare, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Think of it! Each believer in this Church is part of the Father’s per­sonal handiwork! Truly, every true be­liever in Christ is a miracle of God!

A New Operation

Not until, we come to Paul’s Epistles do we learn of a Divine baptism by which individuals become members of Christ’s Body, the Church. Paul speaks of this supernatural operation of the Holy Spirit in five places: Romans 6:3-5, I Corinthians 12:12-14, Galatians 3:26-27, Ephesians 4:3-6, and Colossians 2:9-12. The most elucidating of these is I Corinthians 12:13: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Greeks, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”

The word “baptize” means “to dip or to submerge.” It means “to introduce an object into an element which will change the character of that object.” Thus, the baptism which God the Holy Spirit performs places the believing sin­ner into vital union with Christ, thereby changing his character more and more until “the day of redemption.” This is why Paul could tell the believers in Corinth, “But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit” (I Corinthians 6:17). Here is the way one “joins the church” today! God joins him to Christ the very moment he receives Christ as his Saviour and Lord! One may “join” any number of local churches, but unless he has been truly baptized into Christ by the opera­tion of the Holy Spirit through faith,he is in no way a member of “the church which is His body”!

This is why Paul tells all believers to “endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Why? Because there is “one. body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:4-6). Based on this blessed sevenfold unity of the Spirit, one has well written:

“What could be more conducive to removing the interminable strife, the sectarian divisions, the doctrinal schisms, the petty jealousies, and the factional an­tagonisms so rife among Christian people today than for the church to catch a clear vision of the Spirit’s baptizing work organical­ly uniting all believers to Christ and to one another in one Body? This would immediately remove the widespread evil of substitut­ing ritualism for reality and church membership for a salva­tion experience.”

The Church is Christ’s own body,
The Father’s dwelling place,
The gathering of the called ones,
God blended with man’s race;
Elect before creation,
Redeemed by Calv’ry’s death,
Her character and standing
Of heaven, not of earth.
New man of new creation,
Born through her risen Lord,
Baptized by God the Spirit,
Made holy by His Word;
Christ is her life and content,
Himself her glorious Head;
She has with Him ascended
O’er all her foes to tread.”

A New Man

Simultaneous with the Holy Spirit’s baptizing the individual into Christ is the impartation of “the new man” in the heart of the believing sinner. Paul refers to this marvelous transaction when he tells us: “That ye put off concerning the former manner of life the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” He further states that this “new man” is being “renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Colos-sians 3:10). This “new man” is the new nature which God creates in every one who receives Christ as Saviour and Lord. It is the very nature of Christ (Romans 8:9,15). It becomes the basis of all of the inward workings of God in the lives of God’s true children: “… work out your own salvation with fear and trem­bling. For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13). This “new man” is the pledge of the Father of coming glory for the members of the Body of Christ. By this, all true be­lievers in Christ Jesus are “sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest of our inheritance until the re­demption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14). Thus, the believer can triumphantly exult: “For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). What a glorious salvation God has provided in Christ—”eternal salvation” (Hebrews
5:9)!

A New Destiny

What does membership in “the church which is His body” lead to? Glory! Everlasting glory! We read that, “When Christ, our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:4). We also read: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom

He justified, them He also glorified” (Romans 8:28-30). The glorious destiny of “the church which is His body” is to be manifested with the Lord Jesus Christ in His glory. Then the redeemed members of that completed Church will be on display to all the created intelligentsia of the universe as trophies of God’s mar-velous grace: “That in the ages to come He might show [put on display] the exceeding riches of His grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). What a day that will be! Yet it will surely come to pass because God has spoken it! Are you, my dear friend, a member of this wonderful Body, His Church? You can be today if you will turn from your sins and your problems, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and Lord!

II. THE CHURCH LOCAL

God has ordained in this present economy of His grace that members of the Body of Christ meet together in local assemblies. This is why we read in Paul’s Epistles of various churches in various places. For example in his epistle to the saints in Colossae, he says:

“And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans.” Then in the preceding verse, he exhorts: “Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house” (Colossians 4:15,16).

What It Is

What are these local churches (as­semblies)? According to Philippians 1:1, they are said to consist of “the saints in Christ Jesus” (in a given locality, such as Philippi), “with the bishops [over­seers] as deacons.” These local assem­blies met together at least once a week (see Acts 20:7) to fellowship together, hear the Word of God expounded and preached, pray, and take up collections for the promotion- of the Gospel (see I Corinthians 16:1-2). Unsaved people could come in to such an assembly (as in I Corinthians 14:23-25 seems to in­dicate), but these meetings were pri­marily for the spiritual adjusting and edifying of believers in Christ to the end that they might be able to more ef­fectively engage in “the work of minis­tering” (Ephesians 4:1 2, lit. trans.)

What Is Important?

In our present day situation many pressures are coming to bear on church membership! There are scores of churches, all differing on one or more points. Some churches do not require “joining” in order to fellowship with them. On the other hand, most churches do require submission to water baptism or an acceptance of other forms for be­coming one with them. It is almost nec­essary to officially “join” the average church to show allegiance to its teach­ings or methods.

Officially joining a church for the sake of fellowship may not be ex­plicitly wrong, nor is it necessarily required according to the Scriptures. The Bible is silent about that subject. It is, however, clearly the responsibility of every true child of God, who is a member of the “church which is His body,” to act according to his en­lightened understanding of the Word of God. Thus, regardless if a person chooses to “join” or chooses not to “join,” the Bible does instruct him to keep in mind and keep intact the unity of the Spirit in the one Body of Christ.

The Christian may have the freedom to live and work alone, yet he must understand and assume his duty as a member of the Body of Christ and func­tion in a living spiritual relationship with other members of that Body. Growing up together in Christ and doing the work of the ministry are often best accom­plished through the assembly of God’s people.

Then, how wonderful it would be if we could see ourselves and our local chutch as one part of that whole spiritual organism! Instead of being concerned almost totally with “my church” and “my denomination,” we will become more concerned and exercised about believers in Christ everywhere, and the Lord’s work everywhere. With that viewpoint, the believer will begin to pray more for “the saints in Christ Jesus” in his whole area, yea, throughout the whole world, not merely in his own local assembly. This would help pre­cipitate genuine spiritual revival!

This also would promote the truth which God. would have all believers in Christ to “see”-”what is the dispensa­tion [or, administration] of the mystery [secret]” (Ephesians 3:9). Once the individual child of God is gripped by this great truth, he can no longer be content to be a mere “denominationalist.” His interest rises to include the whole “household of God” (Ephesians 2:19).

What Must Be Remembered?

One final thing needs to be stressed. It is brought out quite graphically in Ephesians 4:15-16: “But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (New American Standard Bible). Note how “each individual part” in this “body of Christ” has a specific function. Just as each internal and external part of our physical bodies has a specific function, so each child of God in the “body of Christ” has a ministry and a function! Read Ephesians 4:7-16 and also Romans 12:1-8 on this subject. You will notice that while Paul stresses the unity of the Body of Christ, he also teaches the diversity in the Body of Christ. One believer has this ministry, another has that, and still another has another minis­try. All are to work together “in the Lord” in harmony unto the ultimate building up and completing of the Body of Christ. Therefore, Paul exhorted two women who were at odds in the local assembly in Philippi, and he said: “I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord” (Philippians 4:2). Our over-all goal is to serve the Lord (Colossians 3:24b);
and like David, to serve our generation “by the will of God” (Acts 13:36). To be faithful to the Lord in this manner will be well worth it all on “that day” when “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10)!

In Conclusion

There is really only one Church today! It is “the body of Christ.” No one can “join” this living organism! Only God through the work of the Holy Spirit can “join” those who believe on Christ Jesus as Saviour and Lord to this wonderful Body. Then the believer may elect to “join” a given local assembly which preaches and seeks to practice the Word of God, especially in the light of Paul’s Epistles. Such ones who are gripped with the precious truth of the unity as well as the diversity in the Body of Christ can well sing with Sabine Baring-Gould:

“Like a mighty army
Moves the Church of God;
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod;
We are not divided;
All one Body we,
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity.”

“To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations for­ever and ever. Amen.”

Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey

Yes, strange as it may seem in this day when money is virtually the god of multitudes, the most valuable thing in life can be had Without Money. It may not be possible to secure food, raiment, shelter, education and transportation without money; but that which is more important and more interesting than all these is absolutely free. Undoubtedly it will be agreed that the salvation of God is the most valuable thing in life. And, though at an infinite cost to God, that salvation has been provided as a free gift to man. This is evident from the words of the Apostle Peter to Simon: “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money” (Acts 8:20). God regardeth not the rich more than the poor (Job 34:19). And not only is this salvation to be had Without Money, it is also Without Price! There may be those who will readily admit that it is impossible to purchase God’s salvation with money, but who at the same time insist that there is some sort of price to pay for it. To all such, the following Scripture should make it plain that salvation is without price: “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). “Freely” here means “gratuitously,” “without a cause,” “for naught.” And “grace means “everything for nothing to one who deserves nothing but judgment.” The Lord Jesus Christ paid the price of salvation. He “gave Himself for our sins” (Gal. 1:4). The Son of God “loved me and gave Himself for me” Gal. 2:20). Because He paid the price-His precious blood- there remains no price for us to pay. We are justified “freely” and “by His grace.” Further more, this salvation is also to be had Without Works! Most persons have difficulty in believing that salvation is without works. They seem to be satisfied that they cannot purchase salvation in any way, but they entertain the thought that they can work for it. Let all such consider the following passages: “Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:9). “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:4-5). “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Timothy 1:9). “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit”(Titus 3:5). “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28). Upon believing the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your salvation, you will receive the Holy Spirit. Possessing Him, you will be able to “be zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). But do not imagine that this is working For salvation. Salvation is “without works”; but every person already saved, should be zealous of good works-not to be saved, but because he is saved. In addition to all this, salvation is to be had Without Waiting! It is difficult for many to believe that salvation is to be had without waiting. They are laboring under the impression that it is necessary for them to wait until they are better or to wait for certain feelings or to wait for certain sounds and sights. They imagine that they must wait for a “more convenient season.” All such should be eager to know that the Scripture says: Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2Cor. 6:2). It is not necessary to wait another moment to be saved. This voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb. 3:15). Will you have God’s salvation without money, without price, without works and Without Waiting? Posted By Cecil & Connie Spivey Cspivey1953@gmail.com E- Mail this Gospel message to all your friends.

 

THE CHURCH - HOW TO JOIN IT- Paul Hume

 

THE CHURCH - WHAT IS IT? Timothy Conklin

 

THE CHURCH - ITS CREATION - Vernon A. Schutz

 

THE CHURCH - ITS COMMISSION - James Boeck

 

A DATE WITH DESTINY! Roger G. Anderson

 

THE CHURCH-HOW IS IT DIFFERENT? Kenneth Parker

 

THE CHURCH-WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? R. B. Shiflet

 

Posted By – Cecil and Connie Spivey

 E-mail this Bible message to all your friends.

Those of us who have even a smidgen of Biblical knowledge know that any peace plan that forces Israel to give even one acre over to the Arabs (Palestinians, as they have come to be known of since 947) is not a road map to peace, but a road map to mass upheaval.

If only the unbelieving world could understand that God deeded everything from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates to Abraham; plus the Jews bought land with hard money and received deeds ) land, which were recorded in God’s Word.

The first parcel of land given documentation in the Bible is found in Genesis 23, where we find that Abraham bought (from the Canaanites) the parcel of ground that included the Cave of  Machpelah.

Approximately 100 years later, a second parcel is recorded in the Bible. Jacob buys a parcel of ground which is recorded in Genesis 33, and we know that it was duly recorded as evidenced by the fact that it was this parcel that became the inheritance of Joshua about 300 years later.

The third piece of ground finding record in scripture is found about 400 years after that. This parcel of land is bought by David from the Canaanite, King Araunah, as found in II Samuel 24. This land . the land that becomes the building site for Solomon’s Temple, on which today stands the Muslim Shrine, the Dome of the Rock.

So, the most hotly contested pieces of real estate in the Middle East really shouldn’t be contested at all - Hebron, bought by Abraham; Nablus, bought by Jacob; and the Temple mount, bought by King David.

But, since our God is sovereign and will one day set everything straight, we know that what mortal men will never do, our great God and Savior will do when He returns. Surely, as we see the wickedness of the world increasing exponentially, we can confidently look for our upward trumpet call and then the world will plunge into the horrors of the Tribulation. ‘

As the East coast recently fell into black-out, did you stop to think that this is just a peek through the keyhole as to what is coming? Maranatha (The Lord cometh)!

Arthur Unknown

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