The Churchby Greg Williamson © revised 2013

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Introduction"A church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints." - L. L. Nash1

"The church has many critics but no rivals." - Anonymous2

"In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life’s different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course." - Saint Boniface3

"Anyone may be excused for being a bit confused about the meaning of the word 'church'; we use the word in so many ways. It means a particular building (e.g., 'the church on fourth street'), a denomination or organized faith (e.g., the Reformed Church in America), and even a Sunday meeting (e.g., 'Did you go to church today?'). None of these uses is particularly biblical. The church is a basic NT theme"4 very much worthy of the time and effort it takes to understand it.

EkklesiaOur English word "church" is derived (via Old English) from kyrios, the Greek word for "Lord/lord,"5 and indicates "a Christian place of worship."6 Within the New Testament (NT) "church" is used to translate the Greek ekklesia (hence "ecclesiology"), which literally means "a calling out of" that was commonly "used among the Greeks of a body of citizens 'gathered' to discuss the affairs of state."7 And it was only when the citizens were gathered together that they were considered an ekklesia (unassembled citizens were not an ekklesia).8 The Septuagint (LXX) uses it "to designate the 'gathering' of Israel, summoned for any definite purpose, or a 'gathering' regarded as representative of the whole nation."9 The NT's use of the word is derived from that of the LXX,10 and "of special significance are those occurrences of ekklesia in the LXX which refer to the congregation of Israel when it assembled to hear the Word of God."11

1 Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World2 Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World3 Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World4 New International Encyclopedia of Bible Words 5 Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary6 New Bible Dictionary7 Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words8 Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology9 Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words10 Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume; Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology11 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters

Within the NT it is used both of the Church as a corporate whole or "world-wide community" (the "universal church") and any local gathering or "individual assembly" of Christians (the "local church").12

While there have been attempts to equate "church/ekklesia" with "called-out ones," it is much better "to understand the meaning of ekklesia as 'an assembly of God’s people.'"13 The NT never uses ekklesia/church to refer to a church building - a vivid reminder that the church is the people who meet and not the place where they meet.14 As someone has put it: "The church is never a place but always a people; never a fold but always a flock; never a sacred building, but always a believing assembly. The church is we who pray, not where we pray."15

It should also be noted that while ekklesia/church is the preferred NT term for believers, it is by no means the only one. In fact, the NT makes use of "[m]ore than one hundred different terms, metaphors and images ... to describe God’s people with whom he has entered into a saving relationship in Christ."16 A small sampling: army; body; branches, bride; brothers; building; children; city; disciple; elect; field; friends; houseguests; household; holy priesthood; kingdom; living stones; new humanity; saints; salt of the earth; servants; strangers; and temple.

There is both a human and a divine element to the Church, with a strong emphasis on the latter. While on one level the Church can be seen as a human institution or a social arrangement to further common interests and goals, it is first and foremost a tangible expression of the trinitarin God whose character and purposes it reflects: The Church was born out of God's desire to have a people uniquely his own (2 Corinthians 6:16); its members acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Acts 28:30-31; Romans 5:1; Philippians 3:20; Titus 1:4), and its fellowship is in, through, and by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14; Philippians 2:1).17 Both Jesus and his followers are described as the light of the world (Matthew 5:14; John 8:12; 9:15), and it is from within the Church that our light shines forth - a point well illustrated by the following story.

A Shining LightIn the Alps in Switzerland nestles an obscure village, with a castle and a church of rough, hewn stone, reached by worn steps up the mountainside. The peculiar thing about this church is that it has not a lighting system nor has ever had one.

A traveler there heard a church bell ringing and saw folks coming out of the narrow streets, each bearing a quaint little bronze lamp filled with oil and having a wick. She

12 The New International Dictionary of the Bible13 Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains14 Tyndale Bible Dictionary; New Bible Dictionary15 2,000+ Bible Illustrations16 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters17 New Dictionary of Biblical Theology

approached a worshiper and said, "Please, I am a stranger here, will you tell me why you carry a lamp to church?"

The woman replied, "Why, yes, I would be happy to. Years ago a duke lived in that castle. He built the church, endowed it, and asked that each worshiper bring his own lamp." The traveler replied, "I should think that would keep folks from attending the evening services."

"Oh, no, it works just the other way. It is called The Church of the Lighted Lamps. Everybody that goes makes it a little brighter and when anybody is tempted to stay at home or go somewhere else, he just remembers that the dear old church needs everybody's lamp, and if your lamp isn't there, there is so much less light."18

The Local Church

Local Or Universal?"Wherever the Holy Spirit unites worshiping souls to Christ and to each other there is the mystery of the church."19

The Church can be thought of as one entity comprised of two inseparable parts. There is the "universal church" (in this article referred to as the Church, with a capital "C," except possibly as used in verbatim quotations), which is comprised of all believers who have ever lived - past, present, and future - regardless of their particular geographical location. Then there is the "local church," which is an organized assembly of Christians within a specific geographical area (though not in the sense of a "state church"), whether their number be small or large, who gather for several specific purposes (here represented by the acronym WIFE):

Worship, including prayer and praise. Instruction that is biblical, which in turn provides life-giving nourishment and

sanctification. Fellowship, including the sacraments of baptism and communion. Evangelism, which involves sharing the Gospel in both word and deed.

Considering the fact that every Christian's goal should be to worship God in and through everything (Romans 12:1), some prefer to speak of the local church gathering as being simply an extension of our worship, in which we meet with Christ both corporately and individually and are edified through such things as teaching, sharing, words of encouragement and exhortation, singing, prayer, and thanksgiving.20

Some commentators assert that the NT addresses only the idea of a local church or assembly and nothing beyond that, with passages such as Ephesians 1:22 and Colossians 1:18 speaking of 18 2,000+ Bible Illustrations (quoted verbatim)19 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology20 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters

a "heavenly gathering" that coincides with believers' already being united with Christ in heaven.21 The point is well taken that just as the military and political ekklesia existed only when it was assembled (unassembled soldiers or citizens were not an ekklesia),22 the same applies to the Church; that is, while every true believer is a Christian and the Church is comprised of Christians, no one Christian is the Church or even a (local) church. Which is why Jesus could say that he would be present where at least two believers were gathered (Matthew 18:20). (From this perspective, the "universal church" would equal the assembly of all believers joined mystically to Christ, currently seen only by God.)

However, while a full-fledged doctrine of the "universal church" is a later development, it remains a very helpful designation when referring to the Church at large as it has existed since its birth. What's more, the NT clearly presents the idea of a united rather than divided Church. For example:

There are any number of references to the church/churches of/in/by God/Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; etc.), which serves to highlight the fact that the church is "not simply a human association or a religious club, but a divinely created entity."23 The point being that all Christians and Christian churches are united in God and Christ.

Every local church was a Christian church, meaning that by definition it had its being only because it was comprised of believers united to both Christ and all other true believers. As one source puts it: "The local gathering of Christians was important because this was where communal life in Christ was most personally realized; but for the early Christians, belonging to the one community established by Christ [= the (universal) Church] was the primary reality."24

Other than ekklesia, the NT contains quite a number of synonyms, metaphors, etc. for the Church, many of which speak of its universal character.25 As one source puts it: "The Pauline pattern for the church seems to be that each local group was in its own right a church of God, but none could be isolated from the rest. This characteristic is strongly borne out by the images that Paul uses," especially those of a body, a bride, and a building.26

One obvious conclusion to be drawn from all this is that while on one level it may be legitimate to speak of the autonomous local church, that autonomy should never be viewed as absolute - a much-needed reminder in light of the hyper-individualism that plagues our land.

Home ChurchesThe apostle Paul's missionary strategy included planting churches in large metropolitan areas. Like the hub of a wheel, a new local church would then serve as the center of efforts to reach 21 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters22 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters; Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology23 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters24 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments25 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments26 New Testament Theology

the surrounding area with the Gospel. Since there were no official church buildings at that time (that practice began no earlier than late in the second century A.D.),27 believers met in homes (Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2). These home gatherings or home meetings would have been comprised of no more than fifty people, since even the largest homes could accommodate no more than that number.28 A small town would have had only one such "house church," while large cities such as Jerusalem, Rome, Corinth, and Ephesus would have had several, and a standard practice was for all believers in a given city to meet together on Sunday (called "the Lord's Day"). Elders were appointed for a local church (which in many instances would have been made up of a cluster of house churches), but not for every home gathering.29 (There is, however, the possibility that "a single elder may have exercised authority in relation to one house group ... so that the individual elder would nevertheless be one of many in that citywide 'church' taken as a whole."30)

The sacraments of baptism and communion (or the Lord's Supper) are observed on the local church level. Put very simply, "[b]aptism symbolizes the sinner’s entrance into the church," and communion "symbolizes Christ’s spiritual nourishment of his church."31

Bible FellowshipThe local church is vital for a number of reasons, including the fact that it is the starting point for Christian fellowship. Along those lines, while it is not mandated by Scripture, a church's Sunday school program (or its equivalent) fosters genuine Christian fellowship by providing people with the opportunity to interact on a more personal level while being exposed to biblical truth. Regarding Sunday school, someone has provided the following tongue-in-cheek advice:

Fourteen Ways to Kill a Sunday School1. Attend only when convenient.2. When you do attend, arrive late.3. Grumble about having to attend.4. Criticize the officers and teachers in front of your family and friends.5. Refuse to accept any responsibility in the Sunday school. If you ever do accept any, do it

grudgingly and neglect it often.6. Never study your lesson.7. Always show your lack of interest in the lesson.8. Appear relieved when the class is over. Act as if you have wasted your time.9. Refuse to welcome visitors; make them feel that you belong and they don't.10. Criticize every new idea that is suggested.11. Dominate discussions; always insist that your opinion is right.12. Regard the teachers of your children as upstarts and busybodies.13. Show your distrust or disapproval of teachers when they call in your home.

27 Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology; Dictionary of Paul and His Letters28 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments29 Tyndale Bible Dictionary; Dictionary of Paul and His Letters30 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology31 Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. For more info, please see "Article 7: Baptism & the Lord's Supper" in the Baptist Faith & Message (2000).

14. Never sacrifice for the Sunday school; leave that to somebody else.32

The Church's Beginning And Spread

Old Testament RootsWhile the Christian Church by definition did not begin until the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1ff.), it has its roots in the Old Testament (OT), and in the nation of Israel in particular. God established the nation of Israel in order to have a people uniquely his own, a people who would love and serve only him and who, in turn, would experience his love and protection. This relationship takes cogent form in the context of God's delivering Israel from slavery in Egypt.

God spoke further to Moses and said to him, "I am the LORD; and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them. I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned. Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession; I am the LORD'" (Exodus 6:2-8).

But Israel was also to be "a light to the Gentiles" (Isaiah 42:9; 49:6; 60:3), and in many ways the commands and directives that governed her everyday life - including the offices of prophet, priest, and king - foreshadowed the coming of Christ, the establishment of his Church, and the expansion of God's kingdom to include the entire world. And even as God was forced to punish Israel's disobedience by sending her into exile, he also promised a day when both Israel and all the nations of the earth would experience salvation through the promised Messiah . "On the ground of [God's promise to make Israel his people] the prophets, while declaring God's wrath against His people on account of their sin, looked beyond the Divine chastisements to the final era of perfect salvation and blessedness, which would be ushered in when the nation had returned to Yahweh."33 The fulfillment of this promise began with the Christian Church, and the nucleus of the Church was a small band of Jewish men and women who accepted Jesus as the Messiah or Christ (both "Messiah" [Hebrew] and "Christ" [Greek] mean "God's Anointed").34 Specific ideas and concepts that connect OT Israel with the NT Church include: a chosen people; the elect of God; a gathered assembly; a holy priesthood; the people of God; a remnant; and the true

32 2,000+ Bible Illustrations (quoted verbatim)33 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia34 New Dictionary of Theology

circumcision.35 What's more, Jesus took many of the images formerly used of Israel and applied them to his followers, and it is a common observation that Jesus chose the twelve disciples/apostles "to be the new patriarchs" in a renewed or reconstituted Israel, their primary purpose being "to spread the gospel and teach the believers (Matthew 13:52; 16:16–19; 23:34; 28:19–20), without seeking status for themselves (Matthew 23:9–12)."36

The Church proper was born in Jerusalem, at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus came upon his disciples.37

The first Christian Pentecost had a threefold meaning: (1) It signified the outpouring of praise to God on behalf of the new messianic community (seen in the ecstatic utterances, Acts 2:4, 11). (2) It began the time of universal proclamation (seen in the "nations" that understood it, Acts 2:9–11). (3) It demonstrated the power available to the church for accomplishing its task (seen in the wind and fire, Acts 2:2, 3).38

Following Pentecost, Jesus' disciples immediately began proclaiming the Gospel and saw many converts (Acts 2:1ff.). The first Christians were accepted as a sect of Judaism, although they themselves referred to their newfound faith as "the Way" (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22).39 They "accepted the obligations of the law and the worship of the Temple."40 They accepted Jesus as Israel's Messiah, and saw his resurrection as a sign that God had vindicated him after his scandalous death on a cross (Acts 2:29-33; 1 Timothy 3:16; cf. 1 Peter 1:3). They believed they were living in the "last days" (Acts 2:17; Hebrews 1:2). They also practiced believer's baptism;

35 New Dictionary of Biblical Theology; Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology36 New Dictionary of Biblical Theology37 "Scholars have debated whether the church was founded (1) at the confession of Peter (Mt 16:18; cf. Mt 18:17, the only other place in the Gospels where Jesus used the term 'church'); (2) at the resurrection (viewed as the inaugural event of the new age); or (3) at Pentecost (the public empowering of the church by the Holy Spirit). Although arguments can be made for each view, the NT itself shows no interest in the issue. The apostles probably saw the origin of the church in a complex interplay between Jesus' ministry, the resurrection as God's vindication of that ministry, and Pentecost as a public manifestation of continuity between Jesus' ministry and the church's proclamation." - Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible38 Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (quoted verbatim)39 "Did the primitive church view itself as 'true Israel' or simply as a part of the Jewish nation? Scholars of the 19th century argued for the second option, but many scholars have begun to see a growing 'church consciousness' at the earliest stages. The early church actually saw itself as both separate from and a part of Israel itself. The church was the new Israel, hence distinct from the old, but it was also the remnant of the OT hope. As the remnant, it called the Jewish nation to the new 'congregation of Jesus,' to the fulfillment of its messianic hopes. "When Christians worshiped in the temple and took part in Jewish feasts, they did so in the belief that they were participating in the fulfillment of the OT promise and not merely as members of another Jewish sect. In fact, the temple and synagogue became the focus of the church's evangelistic outreach. The early church's message was one of promise-fulfillment; that is, it pointed to the OT promises of redemption and then showed how those promises were fulfilled in Christ. The earliest recorded creed (1 Cor 15:3–5) followed the promise-fulfillment pattern in stressing that the death and resurrection of Christ took place "according to the Scriptures." Every NT book except James echoes the same theme, but the early speeches in Acts especially abound with appeals to OT Scripture. The apostles sought to prove to the Jews that Jesus was indeed the Christ prophesied in the OT." - Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible40 New Bible Dictionary

met in homes for worship, communion, and fellowship; and listened attentively to the apostles' teaching.41

Following the martyrdom of Stephen, persecution forced the believers to scatter from Jerusalem, and with them went the Gospel message (Acts 8:1). As increasing numbers of non-Jews/Gentiles began responding to the Gospel and coming into the Church, there was inevitable tension regarding the role and function of the OT Law in the lives of the new converts. While no true Jewish Christian would have argued that the Law brought salvation, it did include a strict code of ethics that was conspicuously absent from the pagan world from which the new Gentile converts were drawn.42 Since the Jerusalem church retained primacy, its leaders responded to the situation with a compassionate and accommodating directive (Acts 15:22-29). While the Jerusalem church came to an end with the Jewish-Roman war beginning AD 66,43 the Church continued to grow rapidly thanks to the missionary efforts of those such as the apostle Paul.

Gentile BelieversFollowing a dramatic conversion experience, Saul/Paul (Saulos Paulos) the persecutor of Christians became Paul the preacher and planter of churches. His commission as "apostle to the Gentiles" led Paul and his companions to plant quite a number of local churches. Upon entering a new town, Paul's usual pattern was to visit the local synagogue (provided there was one), where he would avail himself of the Jewish custom in which qualified Jewish men were invited to speak in the service.44 There, too, he would find a ready audience for the Gospel in the form of Gentile God-fearers (Acts 13:43; 16:14; 17:4, 17; 18:7). As renowned Bible scholar F. F. Bruce explains:

Conscious as he was of his call to be the Gentiles’ apostle, Paul looked on the God-fearers who were in the habit of attending synagogue services as a providentially prepared bridgehead into the wider Gentile world. By listening to the reading and exposition of the scriptures those Gentiles learned to worship the “living and true God” and became familiar in some sense with the hope of Israel. But they were told that they could not participate in this hope, or share the privileges of the people of God, unless they were prepared to become proselytes to Judaism … Now, however, these Gentiles were assured by Paul that the hope of Israel had been fulfilled by Jesus, and that through faith in him they could receive the saving grace of God on equal terms with Jewish believers, and become members of the new messianic fellowship of the people of God in which the religious distinction between Jew and Gentile was obliterated.45

Paul's EpistlesMost of the NT is comprised of letters ("epistles") from Paul to the churches he founded. Written to address concerns specific to a particular time and place, they nonetheless contain a 41 New Bible Dictionary42 Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free43 New Bible Dictionary44 Evangelical Commentary on the Bible45 Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free (quoted verbatim)

wealth of timeless counsel that remains an indispensable part of God's inspired, authoritative Word, the Bible. Because the NT epistles "deal, not with truth in the abstract, but in the concrete," they possess "a charm, a directness, a vitality and power" unmatched by any other of the world's sacred (non-Christian) writings.46 Along with the gospel records (Matthew thru John), the NT epistles have "become the textbook of the spiritual life for the Christian church in all subsequent time."47

The Church And Israel

Israel First"The messianic expectation of the OT includes the formation of a faithful new Israel."48 There are some well-intentioned but misguided Christians who claim the OT is not essential to the Christian faith. Do away with it, they say, and we will still have Jesus and the NT writings. Such a view is seriously flawed for any number of reasons, not least because the God of the OT who created the world, set aside a people uniquely his own, and promised to send a divine deliverer is the self-same God of the NT who sent his unique Son to offer salvation to the human race. Without the OT - including the salvation promised by God to the nation of Israel - there would be no Church as we know it. When Christ came on the scene, there was a remnant of believing Israelites who received his message and who later formed the first Christian church. Hence salvation is not simply a matter of Gentiles linking with Christ but, rather, Gentiles linking with Christ via Jewish believers. This much-needed reminder will go a long way toward preventing both anti-Semitism and hyper-individualism.49

As one source puts it: "Only since and because of the advent of Christ can Gentiles be included in the people of God through the extension of Israel's covenant; Israel's privilege and priority necessitate that the gospel to the Gentiles can only come by the way of Judaism. Thus Israel occupies an inalienable place in the purposes and plans of God; if Gentiles are to participate in these, they must acknowledge God's prior commitment to Israel and all that this entails (Ephesians 2:11-22 is an important recognition of this fact)."50 What's more, because God has made a prior commitment to Israel, it can rightly be argued that at her still-future restoration (see Romans 9-11) "it is not primarily Israel that [will be] vindicated but the faithfulness and honorable name of God."51

Jesus Christ's mission involved offering salvation, first of all, to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel," a phrase found twice in Matthew's gospel (Matthew 10:6; 15:24) which harkens back to Jeremiah 50:6: "My people have become lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray. They have made them turn aside ... " Despite the fact that Matthew's gospel record has often been depicted as hostile toward the Jews, the truth is that while it does include blistering

46 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia47 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia48 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology49 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments; Dictionary of Paul and His Letters50 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters51 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters

criticism of the Jewish religious leaders, there is actually good reason to believe that Matthew saw "himself and his group as still part of Israel and that he hope[d] to attract members of the larger Jewish community to his form of Judaism, just as Jesus did."52

Restored Israel And HostilityBesides the apostle Paul, Luke (in his Acts of the Apostles) has the most to say regarding the Church. Luke goes to great lengths in demonstrating the continuity between Israel as the people of God and the Church as the renewed Israel/people of God. Luke "depicts those Jews who recognize Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah and are empowered by the Holy Spirit as restored Israel. Gentiles who believe are included in this restored Israel, as the prophets had predicted (Acts 15:12-18). Jews who reject Christ are 'rooted out' and lose their status as the people of God (Acts 3:23). In telling his story in historical sequence, Luke allows that the realization only gradually dawned on the first believers that historic Israel as such had ceased to be the people of God."53 (For Israel's future, see below under "The Future of National Israel.") This truth is conveyed by other NT writers, as well, including the author of Hebrews, Peter (in his first epistle), and John (in Revelation) - all of whom describe the church in language and imagery previously reserved exclusively for the nation of Israel.54

Most of Israel, and virtually all of her religious leaders, rejected Jesus as the Messiah/Christ and eventually felt much hostility toward those who professed him as such and as the divine Son of God. And so while the first Christians were Jewish and for quite some time Christianity was seen as little more than a Jewish sect, as the Christian faith grew and expanded to include increasing numbers of Gentiles, there was a corresponding increase in the tension between the Church and Israel/Judaism. This goes a long way toward explaining why John, who penned his gospel amid rising anti-Christian sentiment, emphasizes Jesus - and not believing Israel - as the vine to which people must be linked in order to be saved. One unintended yet very tragic consequence of all this was the eventual "stereotyping of the Jews in toto as reprobate."55

Faith And FaithfulnessIn his epistle to the believers in Rome, the apostle Paul presents the most systematic teaching regarding God's plan of salvation and how it relates to both Jew and Gentile. In chapter four, Paul addresses the false idea that a Gentile could not be saved without first being circumcised (as a sign of submission to the Law). "The example [Paul] pitches upon is that of Abraham, whom he chooses to mention because the Jews gloried much in their relation to Abraham, put it in the first rank of their external privileges that they were Abraham's seed, and truly they had Abraham for their father."56 Paul makes a strong case that the father of the Jewish race, Abraham, was saved not because he was circumcised but, rather, because he had saving faith. Hence "Abraham was justified in the very way in which [Paul] maintained the pagan might be; that Abraham was justified by faith without being circumcised. If the father of the faithful, the ancestor on whom the Jews so much prided themselves, was thus justified, then Paul was 52 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments53 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments54 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments55 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments56 Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible

advancing no new doctrine in maintaining that the same thing might occur now. He was keeping strictly within the spirit of their religion in maintaining that the Gentile world might also be justified by faith."57 It is both interesting and informative to note how Paul makes a distinction between "three kinds of descendants of Abraham: those who are descendants both according to flesh and according to faith; those who are descendants according to faith alone; and those who are descendants according to flesh alone."58

In chapters nine through eleven of Romans, Paul deals specifically with the apparent tension between God's promises to Israel and God's setting aside of Israel. The Jews made a terrible mistake in rejecting Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah and instead "trying to establish their own righteousness before God in terms of meritorious obedience to law."59 God's rejection of historical Israel is not complete, however, for there remains a believing remnant now and one day "a mass conversion of Israel will occur."60 And so God has not traded in Israel for the Church; rather, it is as if Israel is an olive tree into which the Church has been grafted. At the very least, this truth means that to cut down Israel is to destroy the Church.

It is well worth remembering that the Jewish misunderstanding/misapplying of the Law should serve as a reminder for Christians living today. The Jews of Jesus' day had forgotten the true purpose of the Law:

Observance of both the ceremonial regulations and the moral law was required for the fulfillment of [Israel's call to be holy]. Keeping the law in itself did not make the people holy but prepared them to be made holy by Yahweh's presence ... God's sanctifying presence built the character of his people, but this does not mean that the people were to be passive before God's presence. Rather, they were to sanctify themselves daily by faithfully observing the rules of ritual purity and adhering to the moral laws.61

This same principle remains true for Christians today. While we are made holy by the permanent indwelling presence of God's Holy Spirit, we nonetheless have a profound responsibility to keep ourselves pure and undefiled by knowing and obeying God's moral laws (Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 4:8; 2 Peter 1:2-8). To the extent that we are doing so, we will enjoy harmonious relations with both God and other people. Conversely, to the extent that we are not living up to our responsibility to be God's holy people, we will experience disharmony with both God and the people around us.

The Future of National IsraelWhen interpreted literally, the Bible speaks of two different peoples of God: the nation of Israel, and the Church. There is overlap, of course. For example, in the OT Gentiles could join Israel through conversion to Judaism, and the promises to both Abraham and the nation of

57 Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible58 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments59 Expositor's Bible Commentary60 Expositor's Bible Commentary61 Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch (quoted verbatim)

Israel included God's future reign over the entire (mostly Gentile) world. The Church represents a partial fulfillment of God's promises, as his kingdom operates in and through the Church today (overwhelmingly comprised of Gentiles). In terms of salvation, today Jew and Gentile alike stand before God on equal footing (Romans 3:27-30; 10:11-13; Ephesians 2:11-22). And so it should come as no surprise that the apostle Paul refers to the Church - "that is, the mixed Jewish and Gentile congregations to whom he writes"62 - in terms once applicable only to Israel. For example:

the elect (1 Thessalonians. 1:4-5) the people called to holiness (1 Corinthians 1:2) the justified who are objects of God's saving righteousness (1 Corinthians 6:11; Romans

3:22-24) the redeemed (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 1:7) [those] who inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:10; Colossians 1:12) the children of God (Romans 8:14; cf. Exodus 4:22) [those] on whom the glory of God rests (Romans 5:2; 8:30) [those] who offer pleasing worship (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 5:1-2) [those] who can rightly appeal to the covenant faithfulness of God, now revealed in

Christ (Romans 8:31-39)63

Note also the apostle Peter's description: "But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY" (1 Peter 2: 9, 10; cf. Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:20; 7:6; 10:15; 14:2; Isaiah 43:20f; 61:6; 66:21; Hosea 1:10). "God, who chose the people of Israel to be his own people, through Christ has now chosen Christian believers to be his own people as an extension of his salvation to the race."64

Does all this mean the Church has replaced Israel in the purposes of God?

As far as the NT is concerned, the only candidate for "replacing"' Israel is Jesus himself. But he replaces Jacob, rather than Israel, by finally effacing the twistedness and idolatry which had ruined Israel's side of the covenant relationship. And he replaces, or rather displaces, all (whether Jews or Gentiles) who reject him and refuse to enter the ‘friendship of the Lord' through him (cf. John 15:14-15). But when people enter that friendship through faith in him, and through the gift of the Spirit (cf. Romans 5:5), then Israel's destiny and hope has been realized, not set aside. On this basis, Israel's Scriptures become the Scriptures of the church, and the unity of the biblical covenant is secured.65

62 New Dictionary of Biblical Theology63 New Dictionary of Biblical Theology (quoted verbatim)64 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments65 New Dictionary of Biblical Theology (quoted verbatim)

Rather than an attempt to "spiritualize" God's promises made to Israel in the OT, the above perspective is included here as a reminder that with the coming of Christ a monumental shift occurred in the way in which God deals with humanity. Simply put, "Jesus required faith and response to God's message preached by him" - first to Israel and then, via his disciples, to the entire world.66 Did Jesus expect a restoration of national Israel? While "a systematic statement such as we find [in Romans 9-11] does not exist in the Gospels ... the idea of a future for Israel which includes their salvation is not incongruous with the message of Jesus and may be implied in certain texts of the Gospels. Such a restoration would clearly involve the future (or possibly gradual) acceptance of the message of the kingdom by Israel based on Jesus' work on their behalf (cf. Mark 10:45)."67

Following Jesus' departure, the establishment of the Church, and the spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles, the apostle Paul "confesses openly that he himself is an Israelite, that he loves his kinfolk and desires their salvation. Despite their present rejection of the gospel, he refuses to regard them as irretrievably rejected by God. He sees them as bearers of a spiritual heritage which has now been opened up to Gentiles also. He never suggests that Gentiles have displaced Israel or that Israel has no role to play in God's future. Rather he sees God's gift to Israel as irrevocable and Israel as occupying an inalienable place in the divine economy of salvation."68

While in some respects the Church can indeed be understood as the "new Israel," it is imperative to keep in mind that "the nucleus of this new Israel is Jewish (Romans 11:18). And while the greater proportion of 'Israel according to the flesh' is at present prevented, by a partial and temporary blindness, from recognizing their ancestral hope in Jesus, the time is coming when the veil will be removed from their eyes (2 Corinthians 3:16) and they will be re-established by faith as members of the beloved community: their present estrangement will last only 'until the full number of the Gentiles come in, and so all Israel will be saved' (Romans 11:25ff.)."69 And so "this present age is primarily a time when God is visiting the Gentiles and building His church. When this present age has run its course, and the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, then God will once more deal with the nation of Israel."70

Covenant Theology, Dispensationalism, and the Millennium There are any number of theories regarding, and intense debate over, precisely what the future holds for the nation of Israel. OT prophecies such as Isaiah 11:1-12, Jeremiah 3:15-17, Ezekiel 39:25-29, and Zechariah 14:9-11 tell of a time when God will once again greatly bless Israel. Exactly how such passages are understood, however, depends a great deal on one's hermeneutic (= "a method or principle of interpretation"71).

66 Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels67 Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels68 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters69 New Bible Dictionary70 The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament71 Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary

For example, those who operate from a covenant mindset (= Covenant Theology72) see Israel as having completely violated her covenant with God and thus having forfeited any hope of a future nationally-based revival. God's promise of land for Israel was granted via the reigns of David and Solomon. The OT prophecies centered on the idea of a faithful remnant, not the entire nation. In general, the OT prophecies regarding the future of Israel are to be interpreted symbolically. Christ "spoke of God's all-encompassing kingdom" rather than "Israel's continuation as a politically separate religiously oriented nation."73 The new covenant founded on Christ and centered on the Church has replaced the old covenant centered on Israel (and the Mosaic Law). Like most of the book of Revelation, the promised future thousand-year reign of Christ (see Revelation 20:1-10) is open to interpretation, and in any event should be understood symbolically and spiritually rather than literally.74

On the other hand, those operating from a dispensational framework (= Dispensational Theology75) employ a very literal hermeneutic, believing "the promises of an earthly kingdom given to Israel as a nation must be fulfilled literally in a future, millennial kingdom (on the analogy of the literal fulfillment of the messianic promises relating to Jesus). Dispensationalists accept that believing Jews - as individuals - find their place in the church during the dispensation of grace, but the promises made to the natural seed of Abraham await the premillennial return of Christ with his church for their fulfilment. Then will be initiated the dispensation during which the material blessings promised to Israel will be bestowed - and will be characteristic, though not to the exclusion of the spiritual dimension."76 Since some of God's key promises to Israel have not been fulfilled, there must be a future time in which they will (= the millennium). The Church is but one of the several phases or "dispensations" that has characterized God's dealings with humanity. What's more, "Gentiles have too easily presumed on their access to the heritage of Israel to which they have no inherent right. The theological factor involves our conception of God's faithfulness. If God is a faithful, covenant-keeping God, how then can Israel be fully and finally rejected?"77

Following are summaries of the major views regarding the millennium:78

The Postmillennial ViewThe Millennium, a term meaning "thousand," refers to the thousand-year reign of Christ (Revelation 20:1-6). Some Christians believe the Millennium will be an age of blessedness on the earth. Some believe the Millennium is the present church age - a period of indefinite length, or that the Millennium is a way of referring to the eternal state.

72 For more info, see: "Christian Theology" at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covenant_theology73 Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology74 Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology75 For more info, see: "Changing Patterns In American Dispensationalism" (pdf) at http://ac21doj.org/contents/articles/changingPatternsInAmericanDispensationalTheology-CraigBlaising.pdf76 New Dictionary of Theology77 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters78 Nelson's Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts (quoted verbatim)

The Bible's only specific mention of the Millennium is in the book of Revelation (ch. 20). Interpreters differ greatly in their understanding of the Millennium and how it will occur. Postmillennialists expect Christ's visible return after the Millennium. They look for God to use the church's teaching and preaching to usher in a lengthy period (some interpret the thousand years literally, others symbolically) of peace and righteousness before Christ's return. Postmillennialists usually adopt either the "Historical" or "Preterist" view of Revelation as a whole.

The Premillennial ViewPremillennialists believe that Christ will return before the Millennium. Interpreting Revelation 20 literally, they hold that Christ will reign on earth for a literal thousand years. Within this basic area of agreement, there are, nevertheless, a number of variant views - the most prevalent of which are the Premillennial-pretribulational and the Premillennial-posttribulational views.

Premillennial-pretribulational scholars argue that there are two different peoples of God - Israel and the church - with two different prophetic programs. According to this view, the church will be "raptured" prior to a seven-year Great Tribulation. Following the tribulation, Christ will return to establish a thousand-year millennial kingdom centered in Jerusalem and involving the reinstitution of the Old Testament sacrificial system. The millennial kingdom will end with a futile rebellion by the forces of evil, after which will come the final judgment and beginning of the eternal reign.

The Premillennial/Posttribulational ViewPremillennial/posttribulational scholars assert that Christ will return at the end of a seven-year Great Tribulation to establish a millennial kingdom. This kingdom will end with a rebellion by the forces of evil and the final judgment. This view often interprets prophecy in a non-literal way and does not usually view Israel and the church as the objects of completely different divine historical plans. Rather, Israel and the church ultimately form one people of God. Premillennialists of both types adopt the "Futurist" approach to the book of Revelation.

The Amillennial ViewAmillennialists interpret Christ's millennial reign in an ideal or spiritual sense. While believing in the Second Coming, they reject the idea of a literal thousand-year reign on earth. Some see Christ's reign as having begun during His earthly ministry or at the time of His resurrection. They cite Peter's declaration that Christ now rules from the right hand of God (Acts 2:33-36). Israel and the church are viewed as forming one people of God, and the kingdom promises to Israel are seen as applying to the church age, or to the eternal existence in the new heavens and the new earth. The amillennial approach usually involves an "Idealist" view of Revelation as a whole.

The Church And The Kingdom Of God

God's KingdomWhile on earth, Jesus heralded the arrival of God's kingdom: "From that time Jesus began to preach and say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (Matthew 4:17). To "repent" is to experience

sorrow for past offences; a deep sense of the evil of sin as committed against God; and a full purpose to turn from transgression and to lead a holy life. A true penitent has sorrow for sin, not only because it is ruinous to his soul, but chiefly because it is an offence against God ... It is produced by seeing the great danger and misery to which it exposes us; by seeing the justice and holiness of God; and by seeing that our sins have been committed against Christ, and were the cause of his death.79

God's kingdom (synonymous with "the kingdom of Heaven" and Christ's kingdom) can be defined as God's sovereign rule over the hearts and lives of those who place their faith in Jesus Christ and are spiritually born again.80 (This is the kingdom in its abstract sense, which is dominant in the Scriptures.81) "The object of the divine rule is the redemption of people and their deliverance from the powers of evil."82 Jesus himself was the embodiment of God's kingdom, and the Bible tells of a time when he will establish his literal rule over all the earth (the kingdom in its concrete sense). That will be the ultimate fulfillment of the kingdom. In the meantime, we enter into God's kingdom by committing our lives to Jesus Christ. As Jesus taught, such a commitment means turning from our old life of sin and taking up the challenge of living a new life in obedience to God's will as expressed in his authoritative Word, the Bible. Every person who does so is instantly incorporated into the new faith-based community known as the Church.

Already And Not Yet"Jesus taught that the kingdom, which will come in glory at the end of the age, has come into history in his own person and mission. The redemptive rule of God has now invaded the realm of Satan to deliver people from the power of evil."83 Whereas God's kingdom rule was previously associated with the nation of Israel and will be again, today it is centered on the Church. While the Church and God's kingdom are not identical, the Church is comprised of Jesus' followers, and it is those followers who seek to submit to God's rule and reign in their lives,84 including declaring in both word and deed the fact that Jesus is Lord. "To acquit himself as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, to spend and be spent in his service and in the promotion of his kingdom, becomes the governing purpose of [the believer's] life."85 As one source puts it: "At His ascension, Jesus commanded His disciples to be His witnesses in the world. They are to 79 Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (quoted verbatim)80 Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels81 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology82 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology83 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology84 Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels85 Systematic Theology

witness to the reign of Jesus as King of Kings. Jesus’ current status as cosmic King is invisible. The world is either ignorant of His sovereignty or denies it. It is the task of the church to give visible witness to the invisible kingdom."86

"Already" and "not yet" is commonly used terminology for describing God's kingdom. Although God has always and will always reign supreme in the universe, God's kingdom under Christ's rule was inaugurated at Christ's first coming, and in that respect the kingdom is "already" here. But the kingdom will not be consummated until Christ's second coming, and in that respect it has "not yet" fully arrived.

To summarize the relationship between the kingdom and the Church:87

The Kingdom The ChurchThe reign of God. A realm of God.The rule of God. Human community under God's rule.Over the Church. Under the kingdom.Creates the Church. Witnesses to the kingdom.

The instrument of the kingdom.Custodian of the kingdom.

"The kingdom is God's deed. It has come into the world in Christ; it works in the world through the church. When the church has proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom in all the world as witness to all nations, Christ will return (Matthew 24:14) and bring the kingdom in glory."88

It is possible to see a parallel between the kingdom of God, the Church, and individual believers:

The kingdom has begun but will be perfected only after Christ returns. The Church will exist in a less-than-perfect state until Christ returns for her. Individual Christians are being sanctified (= made holy) now but will be perfectly

sanctified only when they see Jesus (= are glorified).89

There are also several tangible points of continuity between Jesus, his apostles, and the Church. As described in the book of Acts, the members of the early Church "were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42).

The apostles' teaching. The apostles were taught directly by Jesus, and it is the apostles' teaching that forms the foundation for the Church.

86 Essential Truths of the Christian Faith87 Christian Theology88 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology89 The New International Dictionary of the Bible

Fellowship. The apostles were intimately connected to Jesus and one another in a bond of fellowship and brotherhood, and the same holds true for those within the Church today.

The breaking of bread. The apostles regularly broke bread with Jesus, and it was at their last meal together (during the Passover celebration) that Jesus established the Lord's Supper that has been a sacred rite within the Church ever since.

Prayer. Prayer was crucial to Jesus' ministry, he taught the apostles to pray, and prayer remains vital to the Church.90

Hardships And DifficultiesLest we forget, the fact that God's kingdom has already been established in no way exempts Christians from hardship and difficulty. In fact, just the opposite is true. Hence the NT speaks of:

being persecuted for our faith (Mark 10:30) conquering "tribulation ... distress ... persecution ... famine ... nakedness ... peril ...

sword" (Romans 8:35, 37) "persecutions and afflictions" (2 Thessalonians 1:4) "suffer[ing] hardship ... as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2:3) "difficult times" in "the last days" (2 Timothy 3:1)

Hardships and difficulties are a fundamental part of the Church's being "God's occupational force" until Jesus returns:

The Church's ResponsibilityLike many Christians today, the [pre-Pentecost] disciples had a faulty view of the future. They focused on Christ's future kingdom rather than on their responsibility to occupy enemy territory and represent His kingdom until He returns.

The church's responsibility to occupy the world can be compared to what happened in 1983 on the island of Grenada. Due to the rise of Communist insurgency, the U.S. President ordered troops into Grenada. In just eight hours, the battle was over. However, many of the Communists would not accept defeat. Rather than surrender, they sniped at our troops from behind cars, buildings, and trees. So our troops remained there until the victory was secured and a new government was installed.

When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, He was victorious over all God's enemies. He clearly won the victory. However, Satan and his followers have not accepted defeat and still try to claim victory. Thus, the victorious Christ has established His troops - the church - to secure the victory until He returns to set up His new government. The church is God's occupational force until He comes again.91

90 Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels91 2,000+ Bible Illustrations (quoted verbatim)

The Kingdom Is SupernaturalWhile people certainly play an indispensable role in it, it is both humbling and comforting to recall that the kingdom is God's supernatural work:

People may sow the seed by preaching the kingdom (Matthew 10:7; Luke 10:9; Acts 8:12; 28:23); they can persuade others concerning the kingdom (Acts 19:8), but they cannot build it. It is God's deed. People can receive the kingdom (Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17), but they are never said to establish it. People can reject the kingdom and refuse to receive it or enter it (Matthew 23:13), but they cannot destroy it. They can wait for it (Luke 23:51), pray for its coming (Matthew 6:10), and seek it (Matthew 6:33), but they cannot bring it. The kingdom is altogether God's deed although it works in and through humans. People may do things for the sake of the kingdom (Matthew 19:12; Luke 18:29), work for it (Colossians 4:11), suffer for it (2 Thessalonians 1:5), but they are not said to act upon the kingdom itself. They can inherit it (Matthew 25:34: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 15:50), but they cannot bestow it upon others.92

The Body of Christ"You don't have to belong to a church to be a Christian." While such a statement may be technically correct, there are at least two major caveats: 1) While every Christian has the right to choose which, if any, local church he/she will join, at the instant of conversion every true Christian is automatically and permanently placed into the universal Church, and 2) a Christian removed from a local church is somewhat like a log removed from a fire. a Christian removed from a local church is somewhat like a log removed from a fire. While the log remains a log, it quickly changes from a warm and glowing source of light and energy to a cold, dead piece of wood. Other analogies exist, of course, such as: "a soldier without an army; a student who will not attend school; a sailor without a ship; a bee without a hive; or a baseball player without a team."93 To build on the apostle Paul's analogy, a Christian removed from a local church would be like a hand removed from a body - a losing proposition for both the hand and the body.

The apostle Paul is the only NT writer to refer to the Church as a body of which Christ is the head (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 1:22–23; 4:12; Colossians 1:18; cf. 1 Corinthians 10:16–17; 12:12–13). In speaking of a body with many parts, Paul appears to have adapted an image commonly used by both the politicians (ref: the Roman state) and philosophers (ref: the universe) of his day.94 "The primary purpose of the metaphor is to demonstrate the interrelatedness of diversity and unity within the church, especially with reference to spiritual gifts."95

The Holy SpiritThe fact that the the Church is the body of Christ allows for diversity but not for hyper-individualism and/or division. Put differently, unity with Christ (being "in Christ") means 92 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (quoted verbatim)93 2,000+ Bible Illustrations94 The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament95 Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

community with Christians (being "one body").96 The Holy Spirit is the primary agent in and through whom the Church/body of Christ is established. The NT informs us that the Holy Spirit:

permanently indwells every believer at the moment of conversion (John 7:37–39; Acts 11:16–17; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 5:5).

permanently seals every believer at the moment of conversion (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). "The concept of sealing includes the ideas of ownership, authority, responsibility, and, above all, security."97

permanently baptizes every believer into the Church/body of Christ at the moment of conversion (Romans 6:4; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:5; Colossians 2:12).

permanently gifts every believer at the moment of conversion. Spiritual gifts are from Christ, and are distributed: by the Holy Spirit at will ... to all believers ... to the body of Christ as a whole (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1ff.; Ephesians 4:11-16). Not every gift will be found in every local church in every generation. In light of the confusion that often surrounds the topic of spiritual gifts, this is a point worth emphasizing:

[N]ot every congregation need expect that it will have all the gifts represented in it. The state of growth and maturity may not require this. God knows what each group needs and will see that it is supplied accordingly.

[Too,] not every generation may necessarily expect to have all the gifts. A gift given once is a gift given to the whole body of Christ. God gave the foundation gifts of apostles and prophets at the beginning (Ephesians 2:20). After the foundation was laid by those who used those gifts, other gifts were needed. But in the twentieth century we are still benefiting from and building on those foundational gifts. They were given in the first century to the whole body in all centuries. No generation has been slighted. The Spirit endows the church as He wills, and He knows exactly what each believer, each congregation, and each generation needs.98

repeatedly fills (or controls) believers (Ephesians 5:18). teaches (John 16:12-15); guides/leads (Romans 8:14); assures (Romans 8:16); prays for

(Romans 8:26), and sanctifies (1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13) all believers.99

Spiritual GiftednessSpiritual gifts are given for building up the body as its members both minister to (= serve) one another and witness to the world at large. No one spiritual gift is to be valued over the others; every gift is equally important and all the gifts are necessary for a strong and healthy body.100 Despite the relative equality of the gifts, however, leadership gifts in particular do include

96 Tyndale Bible Dictionary97 Basic Theology98 Basic Theology (quoted verbatim)99 Basic Theology100 New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology

"institutional and hierarchical features" necessary for equipping and enabling the saints to perform their duty.101 In this way the Church can be thought of as both an organism and an organization.

The apostle Paul's emphasis on the use of spiritual gifts is in keeping with his overall attitude that "it is the functions people perform rather than the positions they occupy which is crucial."102 If there is any one figure who is to dominate a given church service, it is the Holy Spirit. Rather than the chaos that, sadly and wrongly, has often been attributed to the Spirit, there is to be genuine freedom of expression in an orderly fashion.103 And, when we think about it, it is actually very fitting that this will look different for different gatherings of believers. It is also both refreshing and sobering: it is refreshing in that it makes every believer in a church service a participant rather than a spectator; it is sobering because it removes any attempt at blaming a sour attitude on the worship leader's selection of songs, the number of people in attendance that day, or the pastor's sermon.

Involvement NeededThe fact that the Church is a body also serves to highlight just how much any given local church depends on the involvement of its members. Unfortunately, the expectations of the gentleman in the following story are not very unusual; what is surprising is the candor with which he expresses them.

Someone once called a preacher to say he wanted to place church membership. But, he went on to explain that he did not want to worship every week, study the Bible, visit the sick, or serve as a leader or teacher.

The minister commended him for his desire to be a member, but told him the church he sought was located in another section of town. The man took the directions and hung up.

When he arrived at that address, the man came face to face with the logical result of his own apathetic attitude. There stood an abandoned church building boarded up and ready for demolition.104

A church is kept strong and healthy when its members are involved in one another's lives. And it is only through such involvement that we can give and receive the love and support that is so vital when encountering life's plethora of pains and problems.

In his In the Likeness of God (coauthored with Phillip Yancey), British Christian medical missionary Paul Brand shares a powerful memory involving World War II and its aftermath.

101 New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology102 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters103 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters104 2,000+ Bible Illustrations (paraphrased)

As the Germans bombed London into oblivion, the pilots of the Royal Air Force provided the only ray of hope. At first it seemed a daunting task indeed, as fully half the RAF pilots were shot down. But eventually they became so proficient at taking out the German Luftwaffe bombers that Hitler was forced to call off the bombing raids.

While grateful Londoners worshiped the very ground the RAF pilots walked on, a number of the pilots who managed to escape with their lives by bailing out of a damaged aircraft nonetheless sustained massive burns the damage from which not even the best surgeons of the day could completely undo. Those pilots who were thus permanently disfigured fell into two broad categories: those who got on with their lives as best they could, and those who withdrew as much as possible.

One of the main factors as to which group a particular pilot fell into had to do with how much love and support he received. If a wife or girlfriend looked past his physical disfigurement and remained committed to the relationship, the pilot adjusted well. If a wife or girlfriend chose to abandon her man, the pilot became a social recluse.105

This true story aptly illustrates the need for the life-affirming love that should characterize every local gathering of Christians.

Church Structure And Government

StructureThe Church began within Judaism, and many of the early Church's foundational practices were drawn directly from the Jewish faith, including:

A strong sense of community that was universal in scope and particularized in local assemblies.

Self-government that included a board of elders, a ruling elder, house church leaders, and other service-oriented positions.

Meeting regularly for "Scripture reading, exposition, prayer and common meals." Meeting in homes (the synagogue as a meeting place was a relatively late development

within Judaism).106

Following the departure of Jesus, the apostles were the sole authority figures through whom God worked to establish, strengthen, and grow the Christian Church. There is both an institutional and a charismatic element to their authority, since they had been both appointed by Christ and, following his departure, filled with the Holy Spirit (at Pentecost).107 The rapid expansion of the Jerusalem church resulted in the need for an official group of congregationally-selected/appointed servants so that the apostles could "devote [themselves]

105 In the Likeness of God106 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments107 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments

to prayer and the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4). These servants are often referred to as the first deacons.

Elders and deacons were appointed in newly planted local churches. There were also prophets and evangelists. Leadership positions and their corresponding responsibilities included:

apostles and prophets to lay the foundation and launch the mission (Ephesians 2:20, 3:5)

evangelists, pastors and teachers to proclaim the revealed word with authority (Ephesians 4:11)

others with gifts for government to join them in ruling the church (Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Timothy 5:17)

and deacons to administer the service of mercy (1 Timothy 3:8–13)108

The basic threefold pattern of elders, deacons, and overseers/bishops includes a degree of flexibility, "interchangeability of function," and without a "sharp isolation of an official ministry from the so-called laity or 'mere' people of God."109 The emphasis falls on "real ministry, i.e., service, not in self-assertion and pride but in humility, obedience, and self-offering" that follows the pattern laid down by Jesus who came not to be served but to serve, and to offer his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:25-28).110 Viewed from a slightly different perspective, the NT indicates three basic "forms of ministry":

a ministry of tables - performed by apostles, deacons and some women a ministry of oversight and pastoral care - performed by apostles, elders, bishops and

pastors a ministry of the word - performed by apostles, prophets, evangelists, elders, deacons -

and by some with no designation at all111

As for style, what we find in the NT is that the more charismatic or dynamic forms of leadership existed side by side with others, although there was a definite trend toward more institutional or structured leadership with the passing of time.112 One source notes the correlation between this trend and the three general phases or categories of Paul's writings: earlier writings => building the community; mature writings => stabilizing the community; later writings => protecting the community.113

In all cases, the fundamental purpose of church leadership was/is to equip the saints to minister (= serve) through the use of their Spirit-given gifts (Ephesians 4:7-16). To the extent that the

108 New Dictionary of Theology109 The New International Dictionary of the Bible110 The New International Dictionary of the Bible111 New Dictionary of Theology112 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments113 New Dictionary of Biblical Theology

leaders and the members are functioning in harmony, there is a win-win situation of spiritually maturing members of a strong and healthy body.

With the appointment of deacons in the Jerusalem church came the first move toward a wider organizational structure. As elders and deacons were appointed in newly planted local churches, this structure continued. During all of this, however, there remained an emphasis on function over form/position. Elders and deacons were servant-leaders who, like the remainder of their congregation, were attempting to exercise their spiritual gifts to the glory of God. They were due respect and honor not because they possessed a high and lofty title but, rather, because they were humble servants of their master, Christ. Not surprisingly, this same theme is reflected in Jesus' teaching as he sought to prepare his disciples (the apostles) for their role as leaders of the soon-to-be-established Christian community:

The character of the ethical teaching of Jesus excludes the notion of hierarchy among the disciples. In fact, Jesus expressly criticized those who sought positions of superiority and he inculcated humility as a more desirable quality (Matthew 18:1ff.; Mark 9:33f.; Luke 9:46f.). He also criticized the use of status titles like 'Rabbi', since he maintained that his disciples were all brethren who had the same teacher, i.e., himself (Matthew 23:8). He linked with 'Rabbi', the title of 'father' and 'master'. The greatest among his group of followers were those willing to be servants (douloi) utterly obedient to their master's wishes. The only privilege that could be claimed by any of the disciples was the privilege of service and sacrifice (such as taking up a cross).114

As evidenced by the qualifications listed in 1 Timothy and Titus, elders and deacons would have been appointed to their positions only if they had been respected both within their own households and by the wider community. And of course within the close confines of home gatherings, a genuine love and concern for others would have been indispensable. Put differently, other than an aptitude to teach (for elders only, not deacons), it would have been how well they got along with other people that would have been most important.115 It has also been pointed out that except for teaching, the same qualities are expected of all believers.116 All of which fits very well with the NT emphasis on example. As one source has noted: "The main requirements for elders and deacons in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9 are qualities of character, doubtless because these men are expected to serve as examples to the other members of the church. And Scripture mentions many Bible characters as positive or negative examples (1 Corinthians 4:16; 10:1-12; Philippians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:6: 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9; Hebrews 6:11-12; 11:1-12:2; 13:7; James 5:17-18)."117

It needs to be said that this is a truth well worth rediscovering in light of the modernized Church's tendency to trade in these biblical criteria for man-made qualifications centering on a seminary degree and corporate managerial skills which, in turn, reflect not the values of the

114 New Testament Theology (quoted verbatim)115 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters116 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology117 The Doctrine of the Christian Life

Church but, rather, the values of a larger "consumer-oriented and accreditation-conscious society."118 As Vance Havner has put it: "Never before has the church had so many degrees yet so little temperature."119

By way of summarizing the NT's teaching regarding church structure, one source offers five general (and practical) principles:

1. All authority is derived from Christ and exercised in his name and Spirit.2. Christ’s humility provides the pattern for Christian service (Matthew 20:26–28).3. Government is collegiate rather than hierarchical (Matthew 18:19; 23:8; Acts 15:28).4. Teaching and ruling are closely associated functions (1 Thessalonians 5:12).5. Administrative assistants may be required to help the preachers of the word (Acts 6:2–

3).120

Paul was many things, including an apostle, a church planter, and a pastor. As such, anyone in, or aspiring to, a church leadership position would do well to emulate his example.

To avoid assuming an authoritarian stance, Paul preferred to speak in terms of imitating rather than obeying him. He issued appeals based on love rather than commands (though he was capable of commanding if/when the situation dictated it). And his "rare calls for obedience have more to do with responding appropriately to his loving urgings (2 Corinthians 2:9), remaining faithful to the gospel (Philemon 21; cf. Philippians 2:12), or yielding to the promptings of the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:8)."121

After providing them with some foundational instruction regarding the Christian life, Paul remained confident the churches he founded would grow and mature.122 Of course there were problems - sometimes lots of them. And so like a loving parent anxious over a teenage son or daughter, the apostle Paul sought to keep the lines of communication open (via personal visits, letters, and official representatives), repeatedly reminded his churches of what was most important, and never stopped praying for them.

Paul's authority came from the Gospel, and only so long as his counsel was in keeping with the Gospel did he expect it to be followed. Though he was quick to mention his apostleship (as, for example, when he began his letters with: "Paul ... an apostle ... "), he did not try to lord it over others or use it as a whip to keep them in line.123

Paul did not see his ministry as the road to fame and fortune. Just the opposite: he suffered many hardships in order to spread the Gospel; he worked with his own hands rather than give the impression that he was just another smooth-talking professional philosopher; and he was content with what he had at any given moment, be it little or much.

118 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters119 Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World120 New Bible Dictionary (quoted verbatim)121 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters122 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters123 Dictionary of Paul and His Letters

GovernmentAll of this is not to say that modern associations, denominations, etc. are anti-biblical or contrary to NT teaching. While the early believers did not see themselves as belonging to a national or worldwide human-centered institution, they did see themselves as being linked together in Christ as part of a new Christian family that transcended boundaries, including those of geography.124 What's more, the fact that "each church or congregation is the church in its own setting, each a manifestation or concretion of the whole church" allows "for great flexibility in organization and structure according to particular and varying needs."125

At times a Christian will be heard to express concern over the inherent conflict that goes along with the enormous number of Christian denominations, sects, etc., ending with something like: "Why do we have to be Methodist, or Presbyterian, or Baptist? Why can't we just be Christian?" However, besides the fact that there has been conflict literally beginning with the first local church, anyone who is a sincere, committed Christian remains so regardless of the association, denomination, etc. to which he/she belongs. And, lest we forget, God graciously uses hardships, difficulties, and conflicts as tools by which to refine the character of his people. Along these lines, Charles Colson and Ellen Vaughn offer the following insight:

Messy, ambiguous, imperfect? You bet. There is no perfect or model church. But we should not despair - for at least two reasons.

First, tensions allow for a variety of expressions which, often confounding human wisdom, reach people who might not otherwise be reached. There is richness in our diversity that strengthens the overall witness of the church. Different confessions, because of their own emphasis, make different aspects of the spiritual reality visible.

But there's a second and even more important reason not to despair. ... [The fact that the church comes under the influence of the Fall] may well save us all from the one fate worse than chaos: triumphalism. That is, the very real temptation to believe that we have all of the truth, thus confusing ourselves with the kingdom of God.126

As illustrated by the following story, while no form of church government is above critique, it behooves us to be well-informed before offering criticism.

A well-cultured Catholic lady named Nancy fell in love with and married a not-so-well-cultured Baptist man named Norman. Norm's lack of knowledge on any topic, including Catholicism, never prevented him from loudly sharing his disparaging opinions. Everything was fine between the couple, however, so long as they avoided the topic of religion.

124 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments125 The New International Dictionary of the Bible126 Being the Body (quoted verbatim)

For their honeymoon they decided to visit Ireland. Before leaving on their trip, Nancy made Norm promise not to say anything about Catholicism while they were there. One evening the couple visited a pub, where they were enjoying a game of darts when suddenly news came over the radio that the Pope was gravely ill and had been hospitalized. Everyone gathered around the radio to hear more.

After a little while Norm's impatience got the best of him. He walked over to the radio and loudly said, "Oh, to heck with the Pope! Let's get back to playing darts." The next thing he knew, Norm was waking up in a hospital bed in a full body cast. Through tears his wife managed to ask, "Norman, didn't I warn you not to say anything about the Catholic faith?"

"Sure," Norm replied. "But you never told me the Pope was a Catholic!"127

Post-apostolic developments saw the emergence of three distinct forms of church government: episcopal, presbyterian, and congregational. While advocates of a given form claim to be able to trace its origin to the NT, in actuality what we see in the NT is "diversity and development in church order and in patterns of leadership"128 which laid the groundwork for the emergence of varying forms of church government.129

Episcopal (bishop rule)A distinguishing characteristic of episcopalism is its teaching that "local churches are subject to the more or less monarchical authority of a bishop."130 In the episcopal form of church government, a priest (presbyter) and deacons operate on the congregational (parish) level, congregations (parishes) are formed into a diocese, and a bishop has authority over a diocese. Priests and deacons are appointed ("ordained") by the bishop, and their authority derives from him. Normally a new bishop is appointed ("consecrated") to his office by three bishops, with the new bishop thus receiving "the authority to teach, to sanctify and to govern."131

This form of church government is practiced by the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Episcopalian, and to an extent Methodist, branches of Christianity. The doctrine of "apostolic succession" is usually set forth, in which it is taught that Jesus appointed the apostles, who appointed others, who appointed others, etc. Hence "[t]hrough the sacrament of orders, conferred by the imposition of a bishop’s hand on the head of a candidate, the powers of the episcopal office are transmitted from generation to generation."132

"By the middle of the 2nd century the threefold ministry of bishop, presbyter and deacon was firmly and widely established."133 In this form of church government, episkopos (overseer)

127 A Treasury of Humor (quoted verbatim)128 Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments129 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology130 Dictionary of Christianity in America131 Dictionary of Christianity in America132 Dictionary of Christianity in America133 New Dictionary of Theology

represents a different office from presbyteros (elder), and traces of this system are found within the NT examples of James (the brother of Jesus), and Timothy and Titus - all of whom exercised influence and authority beyond that of a presbyter.

While some hold that bishop-rule was a matter of expediency brought on by persecution and the need to defend against heresy,134 others claim that the first bishops were appointed by the apostles and thus form an apostolic succession. With the latter view in particular, any other form of church government is viewed as a violation of apostolic authority and hence not truly Christian.135 In terms of sheer numbers, more professing Christians adhere to episcopalism than any other form of church government.136

Presbyterian (elder rule)Presbyterianism is "[a] form of church government consisting of a graduated series of councils from the congregational to the national level [= General Assembly]. Presbyterians view church government, along with the civil magistry, as a gift from God. It is always subordinate to, and for the service of, the gospel and the ordering of the faith and life of the Christian community."137

This form of church government came into being as a result of the Protestant Reformation. It understands the NT's presbyteros and episkopos to represent the same office - that of elder. This form of government is directly tied to that of the Jewish synagogue, ruled as it was by elders. It asserts that the situation involving James, Timothy, and Titus can be easily explained in terms other than their being officially appointed as "bishops," in which case as late as A.D. 70 there was no sign of episcopal government. In addition, early extra-biblical Christian writings do not necessarily reflect acceptance of the episcopal form of church government.138

"In practice, Presbyterianism operates with a three-fold ministry of preacher, elder and deacon. It may be difficult to fit this into the NT nomenclature but it harmonizes well with the basic contours of apostolic polity. What matters is not how the church designates its officers, but whether it fulfils the essential ministries of proclamation, pastoral care and compassion."139

Grievances and injustices on the local level can be escalated to and dealt with on a higher level through presbyteries and synods.

Congregational (congregation rule)A fundamental principle of congregationalism is that local congregations of sincere, committed Christians "can minister and govern themselves through congregational vote, covenant and participation."140 Foundational NT teaching for this form of church government includes Christ

134 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology135 New Dictionary of Theology136 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology137 Dictionary of Christianity in America138 New Dictionary of Theology139 New Dictionary of Theology140 Dictionary of Christianity in America

as the head of the Church (Colossians 1:18 et al) and the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9) which, among other things, translates into unity and equality.141

Like the presbyterian form of church government, that of the independent or congregational understands presbyteros and episkopos as representing the same office - that of elder or pastor. From the congregational perspective, churches are independent and autonomous, and the NT does not reflect the idea of regional or national churches.142

It was the Puritans who first introduced congregationalism to America, and in this form of church government "[t]he local body of believers is autonomous of any ecclesiastical structure and seeks God’s guidance by reading, hearing and interpreting the Bible, along with seeking through prayer the continual guidance of the Holy Spirit."143 Boards of deacons and elders are elected, councils and committees are formed, and various offices and positions are established - all in a coordinated effort to both minister to (= serve) and further the ministry of the local church.144 The need for organization often leads local churches to join together in fellowships, denominations, etc.145 Congregationalism can be found among many and various denominations, including Baptist, as well as "non-denominational" (= independent) churches.

Authoritative TeachingAlthough the Church proper was not born until Pentecost, its foundation was laid with Jesus' choosing of the twelve disciples who became his direct representatives or "apostles" (minus Judas, who was replaced early on). They were chosen by Jesus; they spent time with and were taught by Jesus; and they saw and interacted with Jesus following his resurrection. Jesus gave the apostles special authority to "bind and loose" (Matthew 18:18) and to "forgive and retain sins" (John 20:23) - power that would later prove instrumental for "organizing and governing the church."146 Here it is important to note both what was involved in this Christ-given power and how it relates to us today. This is a point well worth stressing, particularly since it has often been misunderstood. As renowned Greek scholar A. T. Robertson explains in his comments on John 20:23 ("'If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.'"):

The power to forgive sin belongs only to God, but Jesus claimed to have this power and right (Mark 2:5-7). What he commits to the disciples and to us is the power and privilege of giving assurance of the forgiveness of sins by God by correctly announcing the terms of forgiveness. There is no proof that he actually transferred to the apostles or their successors the power in and of themselves to forgive sins. In Matthew 16:19 and 18:18 we have a similar use of the rabbinical metaphor of binding and loosing by proclaiming and teaching. Jesus put into the hands of Peter and of all believers the keys of the

141 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology142 New Dictionary of Theology143 Dictionary of Christianity in America144 Dictionary of Christianity in America145 New Dictionary of Theology146 Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Kingdom which we should use to open the door for those who wish to enter. This glorious promise applies to all believers who will tell the story of Christ’s love for men.147

This is in keeping with the fact that within the NT the emphasis consistently falls on the message more so than the messenger. That is certainly not to say that the messenger was not important; it is to say that the messenger acted with God's authority only to the extent that his/her message came from God. And while this remains the case for the church clergy and church laity alike, there is a special privilege and responsibility that goes along with being a leader within a local church (or within the larger "Christian community," for that matter). To the extent that a given leader adheres to and communicates biblical truth - including striving for "a balanced combination of oversight and example"148 - that leader is to be respected and obeyed. On the other hand, the leader who does not adhere to and communicate biblical truth - including dictating terms rather than "lead[ing] the church into spiritually minded consensus"149 - automatically forfeits his/her God-given authority. While Christians are called to submit to their spiritual leaders (Hebrews 13:7), a church's primary "commitment [is] not to a pastor but to the truth of the gospel."150

Judging by television programming, book sales, and conference attendance, we live in an age when some of the most popular (so-called) "Christian" speakers and writers have traded God's truth for "doctrines of demons" (1 Timothy 4:1). One especially popular - and toxic - form of heresy is the "prosperity gospel" - a.k.a. the "health and wealth gospel," the "name it and claim it gospel," or the "blab it and grab it gospel." (Now available in a popular secularized version known as The Secret.) And because they answer to no one but themselves, the purveyors of this and similar other brands of spiritual snake oil are able to go on deceiving untold numbers of gullible (professing) believers. The only real corrective to this state of affairs is for each individual Christian to stop being content with second-hand knowledge and begin learning and applying biblical truth for him- or herself. While this certainly does not mean every Christian needs to be a seminary graduate, it does mean that every Christian needs to make regular, committed, prayer-filled Bible study an absolute priority.151

Lest such a verdict regarding false teachers and their false teaching appear overly harsh, let us recall two facts from Scripture. First of all, the same apostle Paul who advocated loving tolerance in gray areas declared in no uncertain terms that anyone preaching a false gospel is to be "doomed to destruction"152: "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed [Greek anathema, "given up to the curse and destruction"153! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed [Greek

147 Word Pictures in the New Testament (quoted verbatim)148 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology149 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology150 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology151 For a listing of recommended Bible study resources, please see: http://ac21doj.org/resources/resources.html152 Thayer's Greek Definitions153 The Complete Word Study Dictionary

anathema]!" (Galatians 1:8-9). This translates into the need for complete rejection of both the false message and the false messenger. "[W]e are not to patronise [sic] or countenance such preachers. No matter what their zeal or their apparent sincerity, or their apparent sanctity, or their apparent success, or their real boldness in rebuking vice, we are to withdraw from them."154 Secondly, a healthy skepticism regarding biblical teaching is commended by the Bible itself: "The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men" (Acts 17:10-12). Notice that the Bereans were "examining the Scriptures daily." "Examining" (Greek anakrino) "means to sift up and down, make careful and exact research as in legal processes."155 The true and accurate biblical teaching to which this group of Bareans was exposed resulted in belief unto salvation. But to get to that point, they first had to verify that it was (to use Francis Schaeffer's phrase) "true truth." As one source helpfully notes: "How do you evaluate sermons and teachings? The people in Berea searched the Scriptures for themselves to verify the message they heard. Always compare what you hear with what the Bible says. A preacher or teacher who gives God’s true message will never contradict or explain away anything that is found in God’s Word."156

Not coincidentally, this is in keeping with the Protestant Reformation's much-need reminder that a distinguishing mark of the true Church of Christ is "[t]he pure preaching of the word of God" (with the other two being "the proper celebration of the sacraments, and the faithful exercise of church discipline").157

Church DisciplineTo "discipline" is "to train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control."158 There is a close connection between discipline and discipleship, in that a Christian "disciple is one who voluntarily places himself under the discipline of" Jesus Christ.159 Broadly speaking, placing oneself under or submitting to Jesus involves two distinct but related forms of discipline. There is the self-discipline necessary for diligent pursuit of the Christian basics of prayer and Bible study. This is an ongoing process that never ceases this side of heaven. Then there is church discipline, the twofold goal of which is protection and restoration. When combined with the loving fellowship of a local assembly of believers, self-discipline can, will, and does prevent church discipline.160 It is somewhat like the four year old boy who "did not like soap and water. One day his mother, endeavoring to reason with him, said, 'But surely you

154 Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible155 Word Pictures in the New Testament156 QuickVerse Life Application Bible, New Living Translation edition157 New Dictionary of Theology158 Merriam-Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary159 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology160 New Dictionary of Theology

want to be clean, don't you?' 'Yes,' the boy replied through his tears, 'but can't you just dust me off?'"161 The "dusting" of self-discipline will help prevent the "full bath" of church discipline.

Jesus commanded: "'Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age'" (Matthew 28:19-20). In simplest terms, the leadership within a local church is charged with making disciples. This involves guiding the membership toward spiritual maturity through the "supervision of members' faith and life."162 For its part, the church's membership is required by Scripture "to pay heed to their [leaders'] admonition."163 Hebrews 13:17, for example, reads: "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you." To "obey" (Greek peitho) is "to believe in something or someone to the extent of placing reliance or trust in or on."164 Trust and obedience are actually two sides of the same coin: if we trust, we will obey; and our obedience is the outward evidence/proof of our inward trust.165 To "submit" (Greek hupeiko) is literally "to retire, withdraw"166 or "to surrender."167 The idea is to stop resisting and start yielding. All of which is certainly not to say or imply that Christians are called to obey or submit to abusive church leadership, for such leadership is not of God and therefore does not constitute legitimate authority. It is to say, however, that we are to put confidence in, and follow the lead of, trustworthy leaders.

When it comes to the procedures to be followed for church discipline, the seminal NT text is Matthew 18:15-17: "'If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.'" We see here a process that demonstrates both compassion for the erring believer and a stringent desire to preserve and protect the Christian community.168

Assuming the offending member remains unrepentant, contemporary church discipline normally involves several stages:

private, personal counsel from the church's leadership/ruling body meeting with the ruling body an (often anonymous) announcement to the congregation, accompanied by an urgent

request for prayer161 2,000+ Bible Illustrations162 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology163 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology164 Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains165 Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words166 Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words167 Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries168 Expositor's Bible Commentary

publicly naming the erring brother or sister excommunication until such time as there is genuine repentance169

Sad to say, in many churches this is all but a moot point, since a sinning believer will simply leave his/her church and find another. Nevertheless a church's leadership remains responsible before both God and the church's membership to follow the dictates of Scripture regarding church discipline.170

Conclusion"The real Church consists of all who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ as his disciples, and are one in love, in character, in hope, in Christ as the head of all ... "171

Many people reading that description of the Church would view it as sentimental, idealistic nonsense. One in love? One in character? One in hope? How can that be when the Church is wracked with problems, including public scandal, denominationalism, congregational in-fighting, hypocrisy, and spiritual snobbery - just to name a few? The truth is that the Church does suffer from those problems - and many more, besides. The Church is a spiritual family in which "ideals of intimacy, care and responsibility" are held in highest esteem.172 But just as with its natural counterpart, the Church is afflicted with conflicts that must be taken seriously and dealt with compassionately.

Foundational PhilosophyJust after graduating from Bible college, I worked for a few months as a third-shift freezer stock clerk at a local Sam's Club. As part of my new-hire orientation, I was shown a video outlining the club's history and business aims. Sam's Club was founded by the same person who started Wal-Mart, Sam Walton. It was Sam's commitment to honesty, integrity, and customer satisfaction that laid the foundation for those two stores, with Wal-Mart now being the largest retail store in the world. The reason new hires are shown the video is simple: to see what a business is really all about, look at its founder and its beginning.

The same holds true for the Christian Church. Its very admirable goals and ideals notwithstanding, we should not be the least bit surprised to learn that the Church suffers from the same maladies as every other human institution. But to see what the Church is really all about, we need to look to its founder, Jesus Christ, and its beginning as recorded in the NT. Even there we see problems, of course. But we also see the Church withstanding and overcoming those problems as its leaders tirelessly remind the new believers of the great and awesome God who loves us so much that he sacrificed his one and only Son so that we can have true and lasting (= eternal) life. Like the individual believer, the Church is a work in progress. And also like the individual believer, it is sustained through hope and God's transforming power.

169 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology170 Evangelical Dictionary of Theology171 Smith's Bible Dictionary172 New Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Pastoral Theology

A GardenIn one respect the Church can be compared to a vegetable garden. As with any garden, it requires tremendous amounts of time and effort to properly cultivate and care for. Which is where you and I come in. And so let's pick a row, roll up our sleeves, and get busy.

Three Rows of Squash- Squash indifference. - Squash criticism. - Squash gossip.

Four Rows of Turnips- Turn up for meetings. - Turn up with a smile.- Turn up with a visitor. - Turn up with a Bible.

Five Rows of Lettuce- Let us love one another.- Let us welcome strangers. - Let us be faithful in duty. - Let us truly worship God. - Let us give liberally.173

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Yancey, P., and P. Brand. 2004. In the Likeness of God. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Zodhiates, S., compiler and editor. 1993. The Complete Word Study Dictionary. Chattanooga: AMG.