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The Church Church(es). (Exodus), Pentecost, Gentile; Acts 2, 13 &15, 28 (Ephesian)1 Stuart Allen2 |
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We offer no apology for making the word “church” a subject for study. Our experience has proved that it is a partial understanding, or a wrong usage, of this word that is keeping many believers back from grasping what is the great secret of Ephesians 3.3 The phrase, “the one church” is often on the lips of Christians, but it is never found in the Word of God: “one body” is used, but this is not the same thing. The word “church” means “assembly”, or a gathering of “called-out ones” (Greek: ekklesia). Owing to our small space let us tabulate the various ways in which this word ekklesia is used by the Holy Spirit: (1) It is used of Israel as a nation, called out and separated from all other nations — “… the church in the wilderness …” (Acts 7:38). (2) The Jewish synagogue: “And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church …” (Matthew 18:17). (Note the word “assembly” in James 2:2 is not ekklesia, but sunagoge, and the phrase should be translated, “For if there come unto your synagogue …”). (3) The guild of Ephesian craftsmen in Acts 19:32, 39-41 (“The lawful assembly”).4 (4) Separate assemblies in different localities: “… the church of God which is at Corinth, …” (1 Corinthians 1:2). “The churches of Christ …” (Romans 16:16). “… the churches of God …” (1 Corinthians 11:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:14) (5) “… the church of the firstborn, …” (Hebrews 12:23). This assembly is connected with the New Jerusalem (verse 22), and the New Jerusalem with the Bride (Revelation 21:9-10) Paul wished to present believers at Corinth – “… a chaste virgin to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:2), and likened the Lord to a “husband”. (6) “… the church, which is His Body …” (Ephesians 1:22, 23). This church is connected with a great secret hid from all past generations (Ephesians 3:9; 5:32; Colossians 1:26). It is called a “… new man …” (Ephesians 2:15), and its goal is “… a perfect man, …”5, or full grown male (Ephesians 4:13), the same word as is translated “Husbands …” in Ephesians 5:25). This church is part of the Husband, Christ – and cannot be the Bride at the same time. When it can be proved that there is no difference between a man and a woman, then it will be time to state that the church of which Christ is the Head and the church which is the Bride are identical – but not until then! Let us give the Holy Spirit credit for using figures of speech in a sensible way. The sphere of blessing connected with this church is at the right hand of God, to where the Lord Jesus ascended. Now we are never told in the Scriptures that the right hand of God is in the New Jerusalem, or that the Lord Jesus ascended to the New Jerusalem, and we have no Scriptural reason to treat these two spheres as though they are identical: rather are we given to understand that the right hand of God is the highest place that can be conceived – “… far above all heavens …” (Ephesians 1:20-21 ; 4:10); whereas the New Jerusalem is in heaven, and eventually comes down out of heaven (Revelation 21:10). We table hereunder some of the differences between the church formed during the period covered by the Acts of the Apostles, and after; [covering: title, time, place, figure, constitution, practice, hope]
These are some, at least, of the manifest differences between the Bride, the Lamb’s wife, and the church of the Mystery; and they relate to time, place, symbols used, constitution, practice, and hope, although both have in common, and find their foundation in, the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ upon Calvary’s Cross. In addition, we should note that the church of the Mystery is not just a development of the Pentecostal church, for the following reasons: (1) The nation of Israel in covenant relationship with God is likened to an olive tree (Jeremiah 11:16). Gentile believers during the Acts were grafted into the tree in the place of the unbelieving branches that had been cut off, in order to provoke the nation to jealousy (Romans 11:11). That these are individual believers and not Gentile nations is clear from the fact that they stand “… by faith.” (Romans 11:20), and are addressed as “… brethren …” (Romans 11:25). The epistle to the Romans was the last that Paul wrote during the period covered by the Acts of the Apostles, and in it he stated that “… some of the branches had been broken off, …” (Romans 11:17). There had been several excisions of the branches (Matthew 13; Acts 13:46; 18:6), but the olive tree still stood when Romans was written. It does not stand today, for the nation of Israel has been “plucked up” and scattered all over the earth. The tree is cut down, and Israel is lo ammi – not My people. They await the Deliverer, Who shall tum away ungodliness from Jacob, and graft the natural branches back again into the olive tree, or in other words, restore Israel nationally. Then will the olive tree flourish once more (Hosea 14:4-7). When was this tree cut down? We believe Acts 28 supplies the answer. It was there that Isaiah 6:9-10 was quoted for the last time concerning Israel, giving them blinded eyes, dulled ears, and a non-understanding heart, the very negation of the New Covenant (Note Jeremiah 31:33, and the reference there to the “heart”). After this time the olive tree is never mentioned again in Paul’s epistles. The cutting down of the olive tree must mean that God is now dealing with His people in a new way; in other words, a new dispensation or administration must now be operating. Hence the “Dispensation of the secret” (Ephesians 3:9 RV)6 which follows Acts 28, containing what God now wills to make known to His saints, consequent upon the failure of the olive tree Israel. This is not the olive tree patched up or improved from the Acts period, but a new revelation and a fresh commencement in God’s purposes. (2) The church of the Mystery is a new creation (the word “make” in Ephesians 2:15 is the word “create”, and is so translated in the RV). Now creation, whether in the material universe or the spiritual realm, means a new beginning (see 2 Corinthians 5:17; Revelation 21:1, 4-5), old things pass away, all things become new. Hence in the same verse that speaks of this church being a “creation”, it is designated a new man (Ephesians 2:15). Thus, the church of the Mystery is not an evolution doctrinally from the church formed during the Acts of the Apostles, but a new creation – a fresh beginning. We do not believe that evolution can be found here any more than in the material universe of Genesis 1. (3) Ephesians 4:12 uses the phrase, “… the perfecting of the saints, …”, in connection with the practical outworking of the Mystery. The word translated “perfect” is not the usual word which means “to bring to completion or maturity”. It has behind it the thought of a rupture or breakage, compare “… mending their nets; …” (Matthew 4:21); “… perfectly joined together …” (1 Corinthians 1:10); note the reference in the context to “division”); “i” (Galatians 6:1; because of the separation caused by sin). It is a word therefore that aptly describes this new ministry. The breakage had come at Acts 28 and the saints needed to be “mended” or “adjusted” to the new dispensation of the Mystery. For these three reasons we feel that we cannot teach faithfully that the Mystery is but a dispensational development of things that pertained during the Acts of the Apostles. Moreover, the usage of the words “adoption” and “firstborn” in the Scriptures shows that God has at least three companies of His redeemed children which are blessed in differing spheres. We must not read our Western ideas of adoption into the New Testament. An adopted child today can never be in such a close position as a child by birth. The reverse was possible in New Testament times. “Adoption was a kind of embryo will; the adopted son became the owner of the property and the property could pass to a person that was naturally outside the family only through his being adopted … this ancient form of will was irrevocable and public. The terms ‘son’ and ‘heir’ are interchangeable. It is remarkable that the adopted son should have a stronger position than the son by birth; yet it is so” (A historical Commentary on St. Paul’s epistle to the Galatians. (Sir William Ramsay). (DCL)). Such was the custom of adoption when the apostle Paul wrote to the churches of Galatia and it forms the basis of his arguments in chapter 3 (see verse 15). Those who by grace receive the blessing of adoption in the Scriptural sense are put in the position of the firstborn with the firstborn’s inheritance. First of all is Israel according to the flesh – “… to whom pertaineth the adoption, …” (Romans 9:3-4). “… Israel is My son … My firstborn:” (Exodus 4:22). Consequently in the earthly sphere where their blessings are centred, they are destined to be first and above the Gentile nations (Deuteronomy 28:13; Isaiah 61:5-6). Secondly, as Israel are passing off the scene in unbelief, there is formed a company of believers who are called the “… church of the firstborn, …” (Hebrews 12:23). They too have received the position of adoption (Galatians 4:5-7). Their sphere of blessing is the Heavenly Jerusalem whose goal is to descend from heaven and form part of the new earth (Revelation 3:12; 21:2, 10, 24). Thus finally introducing to us another earthly sphere. They are likened to a Bride (Revelation 21:2) and have the first place for they are above the innumerable company of angels who are linked with this city (Hebrews 12:22) and will finally take part in their judgment (1 Corinthians 6:3). Thirdly we have the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15, 18) and He is above all not only in earth but in heaven, including principality, power, might and dominion and every name that is named, being now seated at the Father’s right hand (Ephesians 1:19-23). There is a company of believers so intimately linked with Him that He is designated as the Head and they His Body (Ephesians 1:23) so that where He is, they must be also. The epistle to the Ephesians reveals that they have been marked off likewise in the Father’s will for “adoption” (Ephesians 1:5) and it is expressly revealed that the sphere where they are blessed is not this present earth or the future one, but highest heaven itself, for they are not only raised with Christ, but seated together with Him in the heavenlies (Ephesians 2:6) and share His glorious exaltation “far above all” (Ephesians 1:21). There are then three differing companies of the redeemed, all rejoicing in “adoption” and holding the firstborn’s premier position which most obviously cannot be in the same sphere at one and the same time. Let us learn to be obedient to the will of God, and “try the things that differ” (Philippians 1:10, margin7). We do not further the truth by blending what He has kept apart. This can only cause confusion, and inability to receive the highest and best that God has to give. “… things that are excellent; …” (Philippians 1:10) can only be appreciated when the command to test and try the things that differ has been complied with faithfully. We would remind the reader that salvation is only a beginning, and that those who have been saved by faith in the Lord Jesus must learn to live by faith. This means going on to believe and act upon all that God has revealed in His Word. Alas, there is the possibility of an evil heart of unbelief in a believer (Hebrews 3:12). Looking back on Israel’s history we can see that all were redeemed by the blood of the Passover lamb, and yet, of the many thousands who came out of Egypt, only two (Caleb and Joshua), believed all the revelation of God, and thereby entered into the fullness of blessing and enjoyment of Canaan. The rest “… could not enter in because of unbelief;” (Hebrews 3:19). Thus, although saved, they missed the best that God had revealed at that particular time. We realize that the truths set forth in this pamphlet are challenging, and earnestly desire that the reader may carefully and prayerfully weigh over the evidence given in the light of a Word rightly-divided, so as fully to apprehend that for which we have been “… apprehended by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12), and thus be approved unto Him (2 Timothy 2:15). May the principle embodied in the rebuke of the Lord to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus never be merited by either writer or reader: “… O fools. and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:” (Luke 24:25) |
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Notes Related To BPT: Berean Publishing Trust, The Chapel of the Opened Book, 52a Wilson Street, LONDON, EC2A 2ER Printed copies of this and many other leaflets, pamphlets, booklets and books are available for purchase from The Berean Publishing Trust. NB: BPT use italicised text within KJV quotations for the BPT author’s own emphasis. Elsewhere, BPT use all-capitals and italics for emphasis. However, ASL seeks to restore the correct KJV italicised text, where feasible, and instead provides underlining only for the BPT author’s emphasis. ASL seeks to implement its emphasis using two levels: “bold” and “bold+underline”. |
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Relevant ASL General Information: 1 Item Themes & Categories: 2 Bible References: 3 Bible-Structures, Charts, & Biblical Languages: 4 Primary Views: 5 Related BPT Items: |
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ASL Endnotes: 1 “Church(es). (Exodus), Pentecost, Gentile; Acts 2, 13 & 15, 28 (Ephesians)”. |
