| "THE CHURCH" (& HOW IT CHANGED DURING THE ACTS) |
|---|
|
Is the nature and destiny of "THE CHURCH"
Static throughout the Acts?
Did "THE CHURCH" start as an expression of Why Israel's State of unbelief directly affected the nature
of Christ's early "CHURCH"
Is there more than one "Christian Church" in
the New Testament?
Why we should examine the dispensational
context
PLEASE DON'T GET "STUCK" ON THE WORD
"CHURCH"
in several ages and dispensations
The word "Church" by itself has Does the word "Church" always refer to the "Body of Christ"?
Why all who have believed in Christ are part of His “Gathering” (ekklesia), whether that “Gathering” is earthly or heavenly in nature
were members of the “Body of Christ”
The truth of Christ's atonement is the
foundation which does not change which have changed. R.L.B. |
The Lord Jesus Christ declared to His apostle Peter that He (Christ) would build His "church":
"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church. . . ." (Mat. 16:18)
A large number of Bible teachers think of Christ's church (ekklesia) as if God had but one plan in mind for the particular ekklesia (i.e., gathering, assembly, congregation, or church) that Christ would "build" during the historical period beginning shortly after His death, burial, and resurrection. Many believe that God's purpose for the "gathering" that took place at Pentecost is the same purpose He has revealed for the "gathering which is His body" which exists today. In fact God had a number of differing purposes and plans that He worked out during the historical period from Pentecost onward. One might reverently say that God is a multitasking Deity.
Absolutely chief among His purposes was the sending of "the Word" to become "flesh" (John 1:1-14), and to be the substitution for the sins of those He chose to be part of His eternal plans. Without the sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ absolutely no one could take part in His glorious plans in any of God's economies (or dispensations).
Another of God's purposes was to gather His covenant people Israel from all the nations where He scattered them because of their unbelief and sinful conduct. God's plan to gather His people Israel is one of the primary subjects of prophecy, (see Isa. 11:12; 27:12-13; 40:11; 43:5; 54:7, etc.) but many Christians are unaware that this plan was in full force during the entire book of Acts. In fact it was God's PRIMARY plan being carried out during the historical period covered by Luke's record in the Acts.
Jehovah had promised to gather Israel and to make them into a believing nation (Jer. 31:34). He has promised to pour out His Holy Spirit on them (Isa. 44:3; Ezek. 39:29; Joel 2:28-29) and to put His Holy Spirit within them (Ezek. 36:27; 37:14). Does this not sound exactly like what began to happen on the day of Pentecost when God's Holy Spirit was placed upon and within a remnant called out from His covenant people Israel? In the future, when these Hebrew prophecies are completely accomplished, a selected remnant of Israel will become a missionary nation, a "kingdom of priests" (Ex. 19:6; 1 Pet. 2:4; Rev. 5:10) fulfilling the 'Great Commission' by bringing Gentiles into a twofold blessing. That blessing will include a spiritual relationship with God on earth (Zech. 8:23) and, at the same time, these Gentiles will be blessed by becoming Israel's bonded servants (Isa. 14:1-2). This subservient relationship between Jew and Gentile that will exist in the millennial kingdom, is not the same relationship that exists in the present dispensation. Today, there is no difference in standing, status, or covenant advantage between Jew and Gentile. (But that truth was not revealed, nor did it exist, until it was declared through the apostle Paul).
Therefore, in addition to God's plans for His covenant people which are described in detail by the Hebrew prophets, God also had a secret plan, one that is not mentioned by the prophets. Unlike his plan to bless His earthly people, this secret plan would take a people with absolutely no earthly standing, and with no covenant relationships, into a magnificent sphere of relationship with God known as "in the heavenlies in Christ" (Eph. 1:4). This plan, of course, had not been revealed when the gospel of the kingdom was first preached at Pentecost or for several years thereafter. During that early Acts period the good news of the kingdom was announced exclusively to the Jew. Not until Peter was authorized to open the door of 'acceptance' to Gentiles (Acts 10) were Gentiles allowed to participate with Israel in Ireael's Jewish kingdom blessings.
We have stressed that every purpose of God for His people is based upon the shedding of the precious blood of Christ. This is true for His earthly purposes during the millennium. It is true of his purposes for the City of God following the millennium, and it is absolutely basic for His purposes for those who will be blessed in a totally non-prophesied realm, known as "in the heavenlies."
As God's plans progressed following the ascension of our Lord, it is important to see that the church practices described in the book of Acts completely agree with those teachings found in the epistles of Paul written during the same parallel Acts period. Yet it is very important to contrast these practices with the teachings expounded in the so-called 'prison epistles' written after the close of Acts. (Thus, Paul's epistles written during the historical period covered by the second half of the Acts complement the kingdom practices found in the second phase of the ekklesia. These epistles are 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Galatians, 1 & 2 Corinthians, and Romans. Paul's epistles written after the close of Acts, and which complement the third phase of Christ's non-prophesied ekklesia are Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, & Philemon). The three phases of Christ's ekklesia (church) will be explained in more detail later.
When the glad tidings of Christ and His resurrection were preached to Israel during the Acts many of the sons of Israel responded positively to God's call to repentance, but most of the leaders (clergy) of National Israel rejected the good news. The gifts and practices that God dispensed to the "church" (ekklesia) which existed throughout the Acts period were entirely consistent with His prophesied plans for the chosen Nation. But as National Israel began to reject God's plans, God changed the make-up of His "church" (ekklesia), and some of the practices carried out by that "gathering." And as Israel's rejection of God's program reached its final climax at Acts 28:28 yet more changes were made to the marching orders for His "gathering of believers."
These changes made to 'church practice' directly reflected the changes God made in response to Israel's negative reaction to the divine message. We must not disregard the progression of God's message for believers during the Acts, and we must recognize that God's changing program with Israel resulted in important changes to His "gathered people" (ekklesia). If we fail to comprehend this progression of God's message we will misunderstand the actual theme of God's Acts program. This is why we believe it is so important to understand that the nature of "The Church" (ekklesia) is not static throughout the Book of Acts, but that significant progressive changes may be observed in the ekklesia as God progressively dealt with the unbelief of His earthly people during that period of time.
What is "The" Church?
What is a good definition of "The Church?" Some commonly held characteristics of "The Church" are:
A careful reading of the Acts, and of the Pauline epistles written after the close of Acts, makes it plain that not all of the above statements concerning 'the Church' are true. Some of the above statements are true regarding the 'Church' that exists in the present dispensation. But some are not true for the 'Church' that existed on the day of Pentecost. Some are true for the 'Church' that existed when Israel entered into its rejection of the Christ. And some are true for the 'Church' which existed after Israel's rejection became final, but are not true for the 'Church' that existed prior to that time. Thus, not all of these statements are true for all three phases of the historical 'Church.' It is all too easy to read into the Book of Acts certain personal beliefs, or doctrines that are revealed in later scriptures and misapply these subsequent revelations to a time before they were actually made known or were placed in force. Consider the following comparisons between what is often perceived to be a description of 'the Church' as it exists today, and 'the Church' as we find it described in the Acts:
| What some read into the Acts: |
What the Acts and other Scriptures actually say: |
| The sphere of blessing for believers in the Acts
period is "in
heavenly places" per Ephesians 1:3.
|
Those Jews who believed were promised the restoration of a kingdom ON EARTH, as a fulfillment of prophesy (Acts 3:19-21). Following the millennium the believing remnant of Israel will be blessed in the City of God, the New Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven onto a new earth (Rev 21:2). But a third sphere of blessing, Eternal blessing IN HEAVENLY PLACES, was introduced after the judicial blinding of National Israel took place at Acts 28:28. |
| Jews and Gentiles in the
Acts period had equal "acceptability" to receive
God's
word.
|
Gentiles were totally excluded from hearing the
gospel until Peter
was authorized to preach to Cornelius some 9 years after Pentecost. (See Acts 10 - 11,
and especially Acts 10:34-35) Even after Gentiles were brought into blessing Paul clearly stated that the gospel message was not offered to Gentile and Jew on an equal basis. On the contrary, Rom. 1:16 says the gospel was for "the Jew FIRST". See also Acts 13:46 where Paul stated that is was "NECESSARY" for the word of God to FIRST be preached to the Jews of the Diaspora. See also Acts 3:25-26 where the same exclusionary truth had been proclaimed by Peter. |
| Gentiles were excluded because of
the prejudice of the Jewish apostles against non-Jews, similar to Jonah's reluctance
to preach to the Gentile people of Nineveh.
|
On the contrary, note the joy of the believing Jews when they heard that Gentiles also had been granted repentance unto life" (Acts 11:18). This initial exclusion of Gentiles was God's longsuffering to permit National Israel to repent and become a missionary light to the Gentiles. |
| Speaking in tongues, physical healing, and other
miraculous signs and wonders took place because the word of God had not yet been
committed to writing.
|
Miraculous signs and wonders were connected with
God's prophetic program for Israel, not with how many of the 27 books of the
New Testament scriptures had been committed to writing. Hebrews 6:4-5
calls these wonders
and signs "works of power of the age to come" (The "age to
come" is the
millennial kingdom ON EARTH). As long as
God's offer of Israel's restoration in the millennial kingdom was on the
table those signs were actively practiced. Once the Jewish nation was
blinded and laid aside at Acts 28:28 there was no further need for these
signs, and there is no further mention of them in any later scriptures. Thus, the signs ceased at least 30 years before the Gospel of
John and the Apocalypse were committed to writing. In 1 Cor 14:21-22 we learn that Gentiles speaking in tongues were part of God's plan to provoke unbelieving Israel to jealousy. (In this passage Israel is referred to as the 'unbeliever'. See Isa. 28:11-12). |
| These signs are absent today
because we are not spiritual enough.
|
The Corinthian believers had many spiritual shortcomings, (including misuse of the gift of tongues, the Lord's supper, failure to discipline, sectarianism, etc.), yet they abounded with spiritual gifts. The signs were definitely not related to the spirituality of those who possessed these gifts. |
| The above miracles and signs took place only at the initial
preaching of the gospel to unbelievers in a particular location.
|
1 Cor. 12:10, 28, 30; 14:5, 6, 22, 23, 39 make it abundantly clear that speaking in tongues & physical healings were frequent, and continuing, occurrences in the Corinthian church. They were not a 'one-shot' manifestation. |
| The book of Acts is "The Pattern
Church," a pattern we should be following today.
|
Did the Acts-period church
describe the specific 'pattern' local assemblies
should follow today?
The above gifts and practices fit in perfectly with the "gospel of the kingdom" but do they fit in with God's order for today, now that Israel is in a fully blinded state? Are the above practices a proper 'Pattern' for God's present day 'gathering'? |
What does the word "Church" (ekklesia) really mean?
One system of scripture interpretation sometimes called the "Darby-Scofield" theory, is expounded in various editions of the Scofield Reference Bible. This system has much to commend it, and it serves as a beginning basis for a profitable understanding of God's word. The "Darby-Scofield" system does not pretend to have the last word in Bible interpretation and should not close the door on prayerful Biblical research. It is an excellent starting point that opens the door to research which, if followed through to solid Biblical conclusions, should bring us to even greater appreciation of God's word and of the wisdom and longsuffering of our wonderful God Himself.
Some preachers make the mistake of assigning a specific meaning to the word 'church,' and attach to this word a list of specific (sectarian) doctrines, practices and characteristics. But, in fact, the word 'church' simply means a 'gathering of people,' with no dogma, doctrinal statement, catechism, or creed implied in its meaning. In fact, a 'church' could be a 'gathering' of unbelievers for a political or social purpose (as is absolutely true of many denominational 'churches' today). The Scofield Bible defines the word 'church' as follows:
"The word 'church' (Gk. ekklesia, from a verb meaning to call out) is used of any assembly and in itself implies no more than a gathering of people who have been called forth, e.g. the town meeting at Ephesus (Acts 19:41), and Israel, called out of Egypt and assembled in the wilderness (Acts 7:38). Israel was a 'church,' but not in any sense the N. T. church-the primary point of similarity being that both were 'called out' and by the same God." (The New Scofield Reference Bible (of 1967), p. 1021 - footnote on Matthew 16:18-19).
For example, let us assume that at some historical point in God's timetable He begins to fulfill prophecy. He causes a remnant (Isa. 10:20-22; 28:5, etc.) of the twelve tribes of Israel who are scattered throughout the world to be gathered together for an earthly blessing in the literal land of Israel (Jeremiah 24:6; Ezekiel 36:24). And, as prophecy repeats over and over, this remnant acknowledge that Yahweh is their God, and God acknowledges them as His people (Jer. 24:7). God then puts His Spirit upon them (Ezek 39:29), and He puts His Spirit within them (Ezek. 36:27). Because His Spirit is upon them certain prophesied wonders and signs are displayed among them (Joel 2:28). God sprinkles clean water upon them and they become clean (Ezek. 36:25). God gives them a new heart (Jer. 24:7; Ezek. 39:26) and therefore they have become "born again" (see John 3:7). This remnant of believing Israelites knows God and therefore believes all the prophesied Word of God (Jer. 31:34) including belief in the Messiah who Moses prophesied would come (Acts 3:22). Are these true believers not a "gathering" of Yahweh? Are they not an ekklesia (assembly, or church)? And is not this exactly what was beginning to happen in Acts 1, 2, and 3?
Some believe "the New Testament church" described in Scofield's notes had a totally fixed calling and blessing from its inception [at Pentecost] to the present day. We take issue with that conclusion. The so-called 'N. T. church' at Pentecost differed greatly from the church on earth that exists today. We propose to show that Christ's "gathering" passed through three distinct stages, beginning at Pentecost, and continuing through the present day. These three discrete stages of Christ's ekklesia directly correspond to three stages during which God dealt with national Israel's unbelief throughout the Acts period.
What was the true nature of "the Church" built on the Rock Christ Jesus? (Note that the following translation indicates emphasis in the Greek by *I* and *thou*).
"And *I* also, I say unto thee that *thou* art Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and hades' gates shall not prevail against it.
"And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens; and whatsoever thou mayest bind upon the earth shall be bound in the heavens; and whatsoever thou mayest loose on the earth shall be loosed in the heavens." (Mat. 16:18-19 - 'New Translation' by J. N. Darby)
The above scripture describes in the Lord's own words the nature of the particular "gathering" (church, or assembly) that He promised to build as the result of Peter's bold confession, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mat. 16:16). In the above quotation verses 18 and 19 are tightly joined together and we must not separate the "assembly" of verse 18 and the "keys of the kingdom of the heavens" of verse 19. These are not two completely unrelated concepts. To say that building Christ's 'gathering' has little or nothing to do with the 'keys of the kingdom of the heavens' given to Peter is disproved by the fact that Peter used these 'kingdom keys' several times to initiate major changes to church practice during the Acts. The 'binding' and 'loosing' undertaken by Peter in connection with the ekklesia and with the kingdom during the Acts period confirms that the two verses must be taken together. It is not consistent hermeneutics to separate the two verses by saying verse 18 refers to "the church" and verse 19 to an entirely different subject unrelated to "the church" (i.e., to the millennial "kingdom"). Thus I use the term "Christ's kingdom church" to describe that "gathering" (ekklesia). This kingdom related church that the Lord declared to Peter had the following characteristics:
What was the Lord's message to His disciples after His resurrection?
Because the Lord consistently taught the apostles about the kingdom foretold by the Hebrew prophets it was completely logical that the eleven apostles should ask the following question about that kingdom:
"Therefore, (i.e., because of what the Lord had been teaching them), when they had come together, they asked Him saying, 'Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?'" (Acts 1:6)
Some teachers have wrongly criticized the apostles for questioning the Lord about Israel's kingdom, in spite of the fact that Israel's prophesied kingdom is precisely what the Lord had spoken to them about during the 40 days. Here is one such criticism:
"Even after Pentecost it was difficult for the disciples to give up the Kingdom idea" - (M. R. DeHaan, M.D., Pentecost and After, Zondervan, p. 20)
But the word "therefore" in the above scripture makes it crystal clear that this was a legitimate question. It was because of the Lord's teaching during the 40 days that the disciples asked that kingdom question. Nor did the Lord correct His disciples by telling them they should have been asking about "the church," rather than about Israel's kingdom.
Why was someone chosen to replace Judas Iscariot? And was the choice of Matthias 'God's will'?
Listen to the words of Peter:
"It is necessary THEREFORE, that of the men who have assembled with us all the time in which the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day in which he was taken up from us, one of these should be a witness with us of his resurrection." (Acts 1:21-22)
Was this choice of Matthias valid, or should Paul have been selected as Judas' replacement?
Some teachers have criticized Peter for using the lot to select one of only two qualified candidates, calling it "gambling", and that Paul, (not Matthias), was actually God's choice to fill Judas' place. Note the following criticism:
"They spent their time in prayer and supplication. But then, sometime during those ten days, impetuous, impatient Peter had another of his wild ideas. He was still thinking of the setting up of the Kingdom and the place of the apostles in that Kingdom.... While they therefore were waiting for the promise of the Spirit which Peter evidently still associated with the setting up of the Kingdom, he suggests they give the Lord a little assistance by appointing a twelfth apostle in the place of Judas. He forgot that the apostles are chosen directly by Christ, and are not elected by men....
Peter was completely out of order, for they had been commanded to wait for the Holy Spirit to direct them. But Peter wanted to get ready for the setting up of the Kingdom which, of course, necessitated twelve apostles. Since they had no revelation from God who was to be the twelfth apostle, they were forced to use carnal means for the appointment. Instead of waiting for the divine appointment of God's ordained apostle (Paul) they set up a slate of candidates and cast lots to see who would win.
The eleven, however would not admit their mistake, and so continued to count Matthias among the twelve....
Now this great mistake of Peter in engineering the appointment of Matthias was because he did not understand the difference between the Kingdom and the Church. - (op. cit., pp. 21-24)
As Christian teachers of the word we need to believe the Scriptures and accept that the Lord did indeed confer upon Peter special authority in connection with the kingdom of the heavens (Mat. 16:18-19). Let us not presume we know more than the apostles knew. While some branches of Christendom wrongly claim this apostolic authority continues to exist in their religion today, it truly did exist in God's program for Israel while the earthly kingdom was being proclaimed. So let us see what the Holy Spirit Himself has to say as to whether this gap left by Judas was rightly filled by Matthias, or should Paul have been appointed. Was this choice of Matthias "bound in heaven" as promised to Peter by our Lord in Mat. 16:19, or was the Lord's kingdom promise to Peter invalid?
"And they gave lots on them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles." (Acts 1:26)
"But Peter, standing up with the eleven." (Acts 2:14)
In both of the above passages eleven plus one equals twelve, as is made clear in the following two citations:
"And the twelve, having called the multitude of the disciples to them...." (Acts 6:2)
"and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve." (1 Cor. 15:5)
Here, the Holy Spirit, the author of the sacred writings, confirms that the appointment on earth of Matthias was totally authorized by God and accepted by Him in heaven, and that the twelfth apostle was surely Matthias. Paul excluded himself from being the twelfth apostle in 1 Corinthians 15:5. Paul believed it was necessary to distinguish his apostleship from that of the twelve apostles who would occupy thrones in the millennial kingdom. God had chosen Paul to be an apostle to the uncircumcision. Paul knew he was never to be numbered with the eleven kingdom apostles nor would he sit on one of the twelve kingdom thrones. And he made that fact crystal clear:
"and last of all, as to an abortion, he appeared to *me* also." (1 Cor. 15:8)
One must realize that without twelve apostles who would sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, God's bona fide offer of the restoration of the kingdom to Israel could not take place. But if it was not God's plan to offer the earthly kingdom to Israel, why was it "necessary" (Acts 1:21-22) to fill the gap left by Judas?
Thus, in appointing Matthias God was making good on His Son's declaration to Peter that he would be authorized to act on earth, and to have his actions on earth ratified in heaven as part of the kingdom gathering (ekklesia).
(Note: Protestants are sometimes uncomfortable with the fact that Peter was given Divine authority on earth by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 16:18-19 because this seems to play into the systems of Catholicism and Orthodoxy. But the answer to their dilemma becomes clear once the kingdom purpose of God in the Acts of the Apostles is correctly understood. Because, once that kingdom program was put on hold at Acts 28:28 Peter's authority to act with the keys of the kingdom necessarily disappeared, making it impossible for there to be 'POPERY' today. The fictitious notion of 'apostolic succession' also forbids any present day 'vicar on earth.').
In restoring the twelfth apostle, God was in fact preparing to imminently restore all twelve tribes of Israel and Judah to a united theocratic kingdom under the Anointed Son of David (Ezek. 37:15-25). He was carefully preparing the twelve apostles to make a bona fide offer of that kingdom to the leaders of Israel. That was the kingdom nature and mission of the 'church' (ekklesia) at Pentecost.
What was "Pentecost" and why was it important?
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place" (Acts 2:1)
The word "fully come" (sumpleroo) means "to complete entirely, be fulfilled" (Joseph Henry Thayer, D.D.,Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Zondervan, p. 597).
"And in the fulfilling of the Day of Pentecost, they were all with one mind in the same place" (Acts 2:1 - Literal Bible #5 with Strong's numbered definitions)
Pentecost is the Jewish Feast of [Seven] Weeks (fifty days inclusive) from the waving of the sheaf of first-fruits (Lev. 23: 15-16). The law required on that day a "new meal offering unto Jehovah" consisting of two wave loaves "baked with leaven, the first-fruits unto Jehovah." In addition, an animal sacrifice was offered, and the day was "a holy convocation unto you [Israel]."
"Three times in the year shall all your males appear before Jehovah your God in the place which he will choose, at the feast of unleavened bread, and at the feast of weeks, and at the feast of tabernacles; and they shall not appear before Jehovah empty." (Deut. 16:16)
As the Mosaic law required, Jews from every nation appeared before Jehovah on the fulfilled Feast of Weeks (Pentecost):
"Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, pious men, from every nation of those under heaven." (Acts 2:5)
Passover had been fulfilled by the shedding of the precious blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The first-fruits after Passover corresponds to the resurrection of the Lord. "But now Christ is raised from among the dead, first-fruits of those fallen asleep" (1 Cor. 15:20).
Next we have Pentecost, (the Feast of Weeks), the ingathering of the first-fruits of the harvest, i.e., the redeemed Jewish sinners (represented by the two wave loaves baked with leaven). 5,000 Jewish men (plus women and children) soon comprised this redeemed "gathering" (ekklesia). This was an ingathering of souls for Jehovah's plan for the millennial kingdom on earth. It had nothing to do with believers being blessed "in heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:3). Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks, speaks of the first fruits of God's kingdom gathering. Thus, Joel's prophecy actually began to be fulfilled on that occasion. Notice Peter's explanation of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost: "But this IS that which was spoken by the prophet Joel" (Acts 2:16). Pentecost was the actual beginning of the last days of prophecy (cut short, of course, by the rejection of the Just One by a stiff-necked Israel, uncircumcised in heart and ears (Acts 7:50).
When did God consign Israel to unbelief?
One book on prophecy makes the following statement about the setting aside of Israel and the formation of "the church:"
In [Daniel's] period of 490 years, when the Jews rejected Messiah, Christ turned to the Gentiles and formed a bride composed of believers called the church.... Do you see the plan? He came to the Jews. The Jews rejected the Messiah, so He went to the Gentiles, and the church was formed." (Rob Lindsted, Ph.D., Can you really know your FUTURE?, Bible Truth, Inc., pp.121-122)
It is certainly true that "the Jews rejected Messiah" but the real question is 'When did God consider He was finished with Israel (for the time being)?' When did God's longsuffering reach its limits? And was the church formed when God "went to the Gentiles?" I don't think so!
"And whosoever shall have spoken a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the coming one" (Mat. 12:32)
The Acts of the Apostles has rightly been referred to as "The Acts of the Holy Spirit" because of the Spirit's overwhelming role throughout that portion of scripture. Keeping this in mind, did God cast aside Israel at the cross? No, for Christ said "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34) Did He give them up at the stoning of Stephen? No, for Stephen being filled with the Holy Spirit prayed, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:59). National Israel stubbornly rejected the ministry of the Holy Spirit throughout the entire book of Acts, not just at the beginning. But because of the longsuffering of God, Israel's rejection of God's Son did not become final until Acts 28:28 when the Holy Spirit Himself pronounced the Divine sentence of blindness upon all Israel, thus fulfilling the warning of the Son of God.
"And being disagreed among themselves they left; Paul having spoken one word, Well spoke the Holy Spirit through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,
"saying, Go to this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear and not understand, and seeing ye shall see and not perceive.
"For the heart of this people has become fat, and they hear heavily with their ears, and they have closed their eyes; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
"Be it known to you therefore, that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they also will hear it.
"And he having said this, the Jews went away...." (Acts 28:25-29)It is when the enmity [of man] has arrived at its height, that He says, "Make the heart of this people fat" (Isaiah 6:10): but it is not until nearly eight hundred years after (Acts 28:27), that we find the accomplishment of this judgment pronounced so long before by the prophet. It was when the people had rejected everything, that God hardened them, to make them a monument of His ways. What patience on the part of God! (J. N. Darby, The Hopes of the Church of God, In Connection With the Destiny of the Jews and the Nations as Revealed in Prophecy, Lecture 9, The Collected Writings of J. N. Darby, Vol. 2, p. 362 [1840] )
What else took place during the Acts of the Holy Spirit?
In Acts 3 Peter healed the lame man who was a figure of a spiritually lame National Israel. Thus, if the leaders of Israel had truly appeared before Jehovah on the day of Pentecost, not "empty" (Deut. 16:16), but with an offering of true repentance, a lame Israel could have been spiritually healed and so enter into the true temple of God, just as the lame man did in a figure:
"And leaping up he stood and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God." (Acts 3:8) [See Isa. 35:5-6]
Then would have been fulfilled the promise made by Peter and the prophets regarding the wonderful millennial kingdom of Jehovah:
"Repent therefore and be converted, for the blotting out of your sins, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
"and he may send Jesus Christ, who was foreordained for you,
"whom heaven indeed must receive till the times of the restoring of all things, of which God has spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets since time began." (Acts 3:19-21)
Finally, to whom did Peter (the holder of the keys of the kingdom) address these words of refreshing and restoration? Was it to Gentiles?
"Ye are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God appointed to our fathers, saying to Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
"To you first God, having raised up his servant, has sent him, blessing you in turning each one of you from your wickedness." (Acts 3:25-26)
What did this offer of the earthly kingdom consist of, and what was not included in the offer?
"Repent therefore and be converted, for the blotting out of your sins, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and he may send Jesus Christ, who was foreordained for you, whom heaven indeed must receive till the times of the restoring of all things, of which God has spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets since time began." (Acts 3:19-21)
Timeline of "The Church"
Some of the historical dates of events recorded in the Acts are uncertain, but various lists have been compiled. For the following list we are indebted to Donald L. Norbie, Acts. The Pattern Church, Walterick Publishers, p. 11. Norbie consulted chronologies by Ramsay, Bruce, Stott and others. Dates not listed by Norbie are marked with an asterisk and are taken from Appendix 180 of The Companion Bible, The Lamp Press, Ltd.
AD 30 Christ makes a first mention of His future "gathering" (ekklesia) (Mat. 16:18-19)
AD 30 The apostles ask whether the Lord Jesus would restore the kingdom to Israel "at this time."
AD 30 Matthias is appointed to take the place of Judas, thus restoring the missing twelfth apostle
Christ's kingdom gathering of believers begins
AD 30 The Jewish Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) is fulfilled (Acts 2:1). The Holy Spirit's power is poured out upon the apostles. God gathers 3,000 souls into His kingdom ekklesia.
AD 30 The lame man is healed, thus pointing to the fulfillment of Isaiah 35:5-6 which foreshadowed the soon coming of the millennial kingdom. This miracle is immediately followed by a bona fide offer made by Peter on behalf of God, to bring to pass the prophesied kingdom "times of refreshing," conditional on Israel's repentance (Acts 3:19). This refreshing included the sending of Jesus Christ to Israel, at which time He would "restore all things" that the prophets had promised to Israel (Acts 3:21). The hearers of this kingdom gospel message were the Jewish people. "Ye are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant...." (Acts 3:25). [Thus far the kingdom gospel was exclusively directed to Israel. Gentiles were not invited, so at this time there was no "one body in Christ" (Rom. 12:5)]. The believing remnant of "gathered" Israel grows to about 5,000.
AD 33 Stephen is stoned, thus marking the formal rejection of Christ by Jewish leaders at Jerusalem. God's longsuffering would continue 27 more years throughout the Acts until the Jews of the Dispersion would solidly reject their Messiah (who was declared by the signs and wonders of the Holy Spirit), thus finalizing what the Jewish leaders had already done at Jerusalem.
AD 33 Saul, the future apostle of the uncircumcision, is converted
AD 35* Phillip explains Isaiah 53 to a convert to Judaism (Acts 8:37-40)
At this time period in the historical Acts record God begins to provoke Israel to jealousy by including for the first time non-Jews in His calling. Also God inflicts blindness on part of Israel (Rom. 11:28). This blessing of Gentiles through the fall of Israel is a "mystery" not found in prophecy. (Prophecy predicts the blessing of Gentiles through the rise of a saved Israel, not through their fall).
AD 35* Peter uses a kingdom key to allow Samaritans to receive the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14).
AD 38* Peter uses a kingdom key to open access to the gospel and to the power of the Holy Spirit to Gentiles (Acts 10-11).
AD 44 James, one of the twelve, is killed, thus postponing the possibility of an immediate fulfillment of prophecy regarding Israel's earthly kingdom blessing. However, it is clear Israel is still "First" in God's program (Acts 13:46; Rom. 1:16; 2:9-10; 3:1-3; 11:23, 26) until the rejection of Christ by the Jewish Diaspora at Rome and the sentence of blindness inflicted on all Israel by the Holy Spirit at Acts 28:28. What a tribute to the longsuffering of God!
AD 47* Paul's ministry begins to the uncircumcision, but always with the Jew first and uppermost in importance. (Acts 13 - 28).
AD 49 Paul finds it necessary to obtain agreement from the Jerusalem (ekklesia) regarding the non-circumcision of Gentiles. (Acts 15)
AD 60 The Holy Spirit through Paul pronounces the apostolic sentence of judicial blindness upon the entire nation (Jerusalem and the Jews of the Diaspora). (Acts 28:28)
God temporarily sets aside His offer to Israel of the earthly millennial kingdom, and introduces the great "mystery"
AD 60-62 Paul circulates the "Prison Epistles" which unfold the mystery which is not found in the Hebrew Scriptures. Now that the Jewish nation is set aside, God's offer of the restoration of their earthly kingdom is no longer active, and the Jew is no longer "first." Consequently, all nations (Gentile or Jewish) are equally invited to participate in God's blessings without regard to covenants or any other priorities or privileges that Jews might have previously claimed. (It is incorrect to say "The Church" is the mystery. The mystery is that individual Gentiles and Jews who were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world can now equally participate in a blessing in heavenly places, entirely apart from God's earthly corporate nation. Thus the "mystery" of Ephesians and Colossians is not the same "mystery" found in Romans, the latter having to do with provoking Israel to jealousy with the hope they would repent and enter into the kingdom blessing on earth offered to them at that time).
The Early Church, What Was It?
The Lord announced in Matthew 16:18-19 that He would "build" His ekklesia (gathering). Was this "gathering" ("Church") a gathering with a heavenly calling and blessing, a "one body" consisting of believers called by God without regard to national or covenant advantages? Or was it a "kingdom church" with an earthly, millennial expectation? Consider the following:
The "times of refreshing" and "the restoring of all things, of which God has spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets" is an unmistakable reference to the many Old Testament prophecies concerning the spiritual restoration of Yahweh's precious Nation during the millennial kingdom by God's Anointed King, and the conversion of Israel and Judah in that kingdom under the terms of the new covenant (Jer. 31:31). The Lord Jesus had called this "the regeneration" (Mat. 19:28).
The sending of Jesus Christ refers to His coming to earth with power and great glory to restore Israel when He establishes His millennial kingdom.
Finally, Peter explicitly states that this regeneration, this offer of Israel's refreshing, regeneration and restoration was the subject of prophecy, not of the two mysteries later revealed to Paul the apostle.
"And indeed all the prophets from Samuel and those in succession after him, as many as have spoken, have announced also these days" (Acts 3:24).
"Ye are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God appointed to our fathers, saying to Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. To you first God, having raised up his servant, has sent him, blessing you in turning each one of you from your wickedness." (Acts 3:25-26)
Summary of the timeline:
1. (Acts 2 – 7) – God makes a bona fide offer of the millennial kingdom to Israel. God's "gathering" (ekklesia) consists of an elect remnant of believing Jews and proselytes. No Samaritans or uncircumcised Gentiles are part of that gathering. Their promised sphere of blessing is in the millennial kingdom on earth foretold by all the prophets.
2. (Acts 8 – 28) – God introduces 'the mystery of Israel's blindness' (Rom. 11:28), through which unbelieving Jews are "provoked to jealousy" by the inclusion of non-Jews in God's gathering. These Gentile believers occupied the parts of the Olive Tree left vacant by unbelieving Jews who by covenant relationship had rightfully owned the Olive Tree blessing (Rom. 10:19; 11:11, 14). Something new: God's "gathering" (ekklesia) for the first time consists of believing Jews and Gentiles, united in Christ in one body (Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 10:17; 12:13). Their promised sphere of blessing is still the millennial kingdom on earth, and after the millennium they would enjoy the blessings of the City of God, the New Jerusalem, which will come down out of heaven to the new earth. Believing Gentiles are grafted into that earthly olive tree blessing belonging to Israel, whereas some of the natural (Jewish) branches have been broken off. The Jew continues to be "first" because the kingdom offer to them is still on the table.
3. (Acts 28:28 to the present day) – The Holy Spirit Himself pronounces God's sentence of blindness on all national Israel (at Jerusalem and upon the scattered Diaspora). The Jew is no longer "first" because God's offer of earthly blessings for them has been withdrawn. Gentiles no longer participate in Israel's earthly, prophesied, covenants and blessings. God's "gathering" (ekklesia) continues to consist of believing Jews and Gentiles, united in Christ in one body (Eph. 2:16; 3:6; 4:4, 16; 5:30; Col. 1:18, 24; 2:19; 3:15). However, a new non-prophesied calling and sphere of blessing ("in the heavenlies", Eph. 1:4) replaces God's prophesied kingdom blessings for His earthly nation. This heavenly blessing is revealed as part of the Great Mystery which includes God's invitation to all, without regard to nationality, former covenant status, or any other preconditions.
Conclusions
"Wherefore remember that *ye*, once nations in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that called circumcision in the flesh done with the hand;
"that ye were at that time without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
"but now in Christ Jesus *ye* who once were afar off are become nigh by the blood of the Christ.
"For *he* is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of enclosure,
"having annulled the enmity in his flesh, the law of commandments in ordinances, that he might form the two in himself into one new man, making peace;
"and might reconcile both in one body to God by the cross, having by it slain the enmity;
"and, coming, he has preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off, and the glad tidings of peace to those who were nigh.
"For through him we have both access by one Spirit to the Father.
"So then ye are no longer strangers and foreigners, but ye are fellow-citizens of the saints, and of the household of God,
"being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the corner-stone,
"in whom all the building fitted together increases to a holy temple in the Lord;
"in whom *ye* also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit." (Eph. 2:11-22)
APPENDIX
How many "Churches" existed during the historical period covered by the Acts?
Some dispensational teachers believe two churches existed simultaneously during the Acts period, a kingdom church (which began at Pentecost) and a grace church which began subsequent to Pentecost. They hold that as the gospel of the uncircumcision committed to Paul took hold, the kingdom gospel, (the gospel of the circumcision), committed to the twelve gradually faded away during the Acts.
There are four basic positions taken by those who see two separate churches coexisting during part of the Acts period.
- The present day church began not at Pentecost but at the conversion of Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9. He was the first member of the 'grace' church.
- The present day church began at Acts 13:2 when the Holy Spirit selected Barnabas and Saul, and they were commended by the disciples of Antioch to preach the gospel of 'grace.'
- The present day church began after Paul pronounced blindness on the Nation Israel at Acts 28:28, and the offer of the millennial kingdom to Israel was withdrawn.
- The present day church began at an undisclosed time following Acts 28:28, perhaps near Paul's second imprisonment, or perhaps after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
All four of the above positions concede that "A church" began at Pentecost, but that a new church had a historical beginning after Pentecost, at either Acts 9, Acts 13, Acts 28:28, or at an undisclosed time following Acts 28:28 (depending on which of the four positions are held). According to the dual-church concept, as God unfolded His purposes Israel rejected the gospel of the kingdom preached to them and a new 'church' began as God moved on to include Gentiles. This new church existed along side the original church that had begun at Pentecost.
I have studied the reasoning and scriptural references put forth in support of 'two church' theories, but fail to see a convincing argument that any new church (ekklesia) had a definite historical starting point other than the ekklesia (gathering) that Christ promised to "build" in Matthew 16:18-19, which assembly had its historical beginning on the Jewish Feast of Weeks (Pentecost). Or, to put it more scripturally, it was on the day of Pentecost that the Lord Jesus began to "gather" those who believed He was the Christ, the Son of the living God, and to "build" them on Himself according to that profession of Peter. (See Mat. 16:16)
As we have stated in the main article above, the nature of that kingdom assembly which began at Pentecost changed dramatically as God's longsuffering attempted to provoke Israel to jealousy by placing Gentiles in the Olive Tree blessing which Israel should have enjoyed. And it changed again at Acts 28:28 when Jerusalem and the Diaspora at Rome had in effect told God "we will not have this man to reign over us," when the Holy Spirit through Paul quoted Isaiah 6:9-10 for the final time and cast God's judicial sentence of blindness upon that covenant Nation. However, there seems to be no clear evidence that God began a new ekklesia at any of these significant eschatological events pointed to by those holding a dual-church position. On the contrary, there are strong, easy to understand, arguments indicating that as God 'dispensed' new features of truth to His 'gathering,' the saints gladly accepted these new truths as soon as they were revealed. Thus they were faithful to the new light afforded them and received the reward of that faithfulness.
For example, when God changed His 'Israel only' program by commanding Peter to preach to the household of Cornelius (Acts 10), the Jewish believers (i.e., God's gathering) gladly accepted God's new plan:
"And when they heard these things they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then indeed God has to the Gentiles also granted repentance to life." (Acts 11:18)
No new ekklesia was necessarily created at this point. However, the nature of the ekklesia changed dramatically, but it was still the same "church" (gathering) seen at Matthew 16:18-19 and at Acts 2.
And after God blinded and deafened National Israel at Acts 28:28, and withdrew the offer of the earthly kingdom from them, did the believing Jews and Greeks, bond and free, who had been 'baptized' into one body "in the power of one Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:13, J.N.D. translation), lose their church? They were still "gathered" to God in the Name of Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact, soon after the blinding of Israel and the withdrawal of the offer of the earthly kingdom, Paul penned the Epistle to the Ephesians outlining an entirely new sphere of blessing for the believers, "in the heavenlies in Christ." These believers "gathered" to the blessed name of the Lord Jesus no longer had an earthly kingdom blessing. But there is no indication that a "new ekklesia" came into a historical beginning at that juncture.
Paul also stated that the same basis of their salvation had not changed (Eph. 2:8-9), nor did the historical foundation of the assembly:
"So then ye are no longer strangers and foreigners, but ye are fellow-citizens of the saints, and of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the corner-stone." (Eph. 2:19-20)
One final consideration: three times Paul regretfully confessed that before his conversion he had persecuted "the Church," certainly referring to God's "gathering" that began at Pentecost (1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13; Phil. 3:6).
"For *I* am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called apostle, because I have persecuted THE assembly of God." (1 Cor. 15:9)
"For ye have heard what was my conversation formerly in Judaism, that I excessively persecuted THE assembly of God, and ravaged it." (Gal. 1:13)
"as to zeal, persecuting THE assembly; as to righteousness which is in the law, found blameless." (Phil. 3:6)
Note, Paul did not say he persecuted "A" church (gathering or assembly), he persecuted "THE" assembly (church). Note the definite article in the Greek in each of these three passages. Although the mission, the nature, and the eschatological position of "THE" church had changed dramatically since Pentecost, Paul considers that there was only one ekklesia, one church, one assembly, one gathering, built on the corner-stone Jesus Christ. The confusion has partially arisen because teachers have wrongly attached doctrinal and dispensational labels to the word "church." The "church" that existed at the time Paul wrote Philippians 3:6 was a "church" that had a calling and blessing in heavenly places. It partook of that wonderful body of truth known as "the mystery." Yet Paul recognizes that the "church" that once had a kingdom calling was also "THE church," because "the church" in every dispensation since the Lord proclaimed it is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the corner-stone." It was one and the same ekklesia "gathering" which existed when Paul wrote Philippians 3:6.
Thus, although God dispensed differing gifts and differing 'marching orders' to the ekklesia at various times during and following the Acts period, and though the calling and sphere of blessing changed as God dispensed new truth to His assembly, this does not imply a new ekklesia began whenever such changes were made. In my opinion there is no clear basis for the 'multiple church' theory.
For more information you might enjoy the following:
The Birthday of the Church vs. the Beginning of the Present Dispensation
(A survey of dispensational truth as its understanding developed under the ministries of J. N. Darby, C. I. Scofield, E. W. Bullinger, C. H. Welch, J. C. O'Hair, and others)
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