Series: Fundamental Lessons
on the Church. Lesson One,
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE
CHURCH
By Bob W. Lovelace
Being members of the
church of Christ we desire to share with you some fundamentals concerning the
church He promised to build (Matt. 16:18; Rom. 16:16). We make an earnest
appeal for all to turn back to the New Testament, the Bible, for what they
believe and practice. This is based upon the all-sufficiency of God's word (2
Peter 1:3; Jude 3; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Rom.
1:16). Our plea is that all go back
to the Bible and simply practice what was given through the inspired apostles
and prophets of the first century. By doing such we are assured that we can be
today what they were, simply Christians being members of the church or body of
Christ (Matt. 16:18; Mark 16:15-16;
Eph. 1:22-23). Luke who wrote the book of Acts tells us the disciples were
first called Christians in Antioch
(Acts 16:26).
THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN PROPHESY
There are many within
denominations that believe the “church” was somewhat of an afterthought. They
refer to our time as the "church age," as they call it, believing
that the church came into existence only because Jesus was rejected by His own,
the Jews. For many the church, they think, is just a temporary thing since they
have been taught that Christ will return here again to establish His kingdom.
Thus they reason like this: 1. God sent His Son. 2. The Jews rejected Him. 3.
The kingdom was "not" established because they rejected Him. But the
truth goes like this: 1. God sent His Son. 2. The Jews, His own people,
rejected Him. 3. The kingdom "was" established in spite of His
rejection and the efforts of His enemies (Ps. 2; Matt. 16:18-19; 18:18;
Mark 9:1; John 18:36; Col. 1:12-14
where Christians were "in" the kingdom). Moreover, as we will see,
that very rejection was foretold in prophecy. What they fail to understand is
the place of Christ's church in relation to His kingdom. Consider carefully the
following points.
Jesus’ rejection was foretold in
prophesy,
Dear
reader it is important that you understand why the rejection of Jesus as the
Christ by His own, the Jews, was clearly set forth long before He came in the
first century. ("Messiah is translated “Christ” in the New Testament, see
John 1:41-42.) The apostle John tells that Jesus came to His own, and His own
did not receive Him (John 1:11).
What the apostle John stated as having already taken place (John is writing in
the first century after Jesus’ ascension.), the prophet Isaiah foresaw many
centuries before. Isaiah 53:2-5, 10 is one of many such prophecies of Jesus'
rejection as the Messiah. Here are those exact verses, "For he shall grow
up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is
no beauty that we should desire him. [3] He is despised and rejected of men; a
man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from
him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. [4] Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him
stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. [5] But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our
peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed…Yet it pleased the Lord
to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt
make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his
days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand."
In John’s Gospel,
as elsewhere, Jesus is set forth as being God (John 1:1-14). And His words were
the word of God (John 7:16; 14:24). Both Jesus' rejection and death were
foreknown (foretold in prophesy) and planned in actuality according to God’s
eternal plan. This plan was formed in eternity before the world began (Ephes. 1:4). Jesus' death for the sins of the world was
planned in the sense Peter makes known in his sermon in Acts 2:23. He preached,
“Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye
have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:” (Acts 2:23; cp. Acts 4:27-28).
Although Jesus' own people the Jews did what they intended to do with Him, i.e.
crucify Him, it was nevertheless God’s eternal plan that Jesus would suffer and
die as a result of their rejection. And that plan goes back to eternity before
the beginning of the world. Let’s read Jesus’ own statement in Luke 22:22, “And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom
he is betrayed!” Jesus is saying that Judas would betray Him, but he is stating
"more" than that. Who determined His death? Peter to his Jewish
brethren said, “And now, brethren, I wot that through
ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. [18] But those things, which God
before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets,
that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled” (Acts 3:17-18). Peter spoke the truth in saying God
"has" fulfilled the very things foretold by the prophets concerning
Jesus' rejection and death!
Jesus'
resurrection was also foretold in prophecy (see Ps. 16:8-11; cp. Acts 2:23-36). Following His resurrection from the
death He rebuked His disciples for being slow to comprehend it was God's plan
for Him to die on the cross. He said to them, “... O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
[26] Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his
glory? [27] And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them
in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:25-27). Luke
tells us at this time He “... opened...their understanding, that they might
understand the scriptures, [46] And said unto them, Thus it is written, and
thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from
the dead the third day: [47] And that repentance and remission of sins should
be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. [48] And ye
are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:45-48).
Just
as we have stated, the rejection (See Isa. 53:3-5),
crucifixion with thieves (See Isa. 53:9, 5-12),
resurrection (See Ps. 16:8-11; cp. Acts 2:23-32)
and ascension (See Acts 2:30-35; cp.
Ps. 110:1; Ps. 68:18) of Christ are all foretold in the Scriptures. And all
these had taken place by the time recorded in Acts Chapter Two concerning the
day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. In
addition to charging the Jews with having crucified the Christ or Messiah,
Peter tells them that all of Israel
is to know “... that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified,
both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).
Those who then believed in Jesus as God's Son asked Peter what they should do
to be saved (Acts 2:37). Why not
just read now what transpired and notice the answer Peter gave? Luke records,
"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto
Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? [38]
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the
Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:37-38).
Peter's
reply is what men are still to be told to do "today" to be saved.
Dear reader the significance of Acts chapter two is that it is records the
beginning of the church. The day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2 is the day
upon which the church was established. And the date of this recorded event is
generally put at about 33 AD.
The Church’s establishment was planned
in eternity as well as foretold in prophesy,
The scriptures teach that
the church has been purchased with the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28). During His ministry prior to His death
Jesus said, “I will build My church...” The church was
yet in the future when Jesus made this promise in Matt. 16:18. This statement
(promise) of Jesus is itself a prophesy concerning the
church. One might ask, "When was the church “first” planned by God?"
The apostle Paul explained the church as part of God’s eternal plan when he
said to christians, “...just
as He choose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and without blame before Him in love” (Eph. 1:4). And again Paul says in Ephes. 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them.” Moreover, Paul placed God’s plan for the church in the eternal purpose
of God when he wrote, “To the intent that now unto the principalities and
powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of
God, [11] According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus
our Lord:” (Ephes. 3:10-11). Dear reader if there
ever was a plain Gospel truth it is this: The Church is the product of God’s
planning and wisdom from eternity before the world began! Moreover, we learn
that the church is tied with the eternal foreknowledge of God who planned
Christ's rejection by His own, the Jews.
Both the kingdom and establishment of
the church was foretold by Christ,
We
have already pointed out, briefly, that when Jesus promised to build His church
the church was yet in the future. Matthew records this event during the
ministry of Christ. He says, “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea
Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men
say that I the Son of man am? [14] And they said, Some
say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. [15] He saith unto them, But whom say ye
that I am? [16] And Simon Peter answered and said,
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. [17] And Jesus answered and
said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for
flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in
heaven. [18] And I say also unto thee, That thou art
Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it. [19] And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom
of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth
shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:13-19).
God did not prolong the
kingdom because the Jews rejected Jesus as the Christ. God foretold their
rejection! Moreover, the building of Christ’s church and the giving of the keys
of the kingdom to the apostles belong together. What Jesus said to Peter in
Matt. 16:19 he said to all the apostles in Matt. 18:18,
“Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on
earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven.” This statement concerning the "keys of the
kingdom" refers to how God’s word was given by the Holy Spirit to the
Apostles, thus enabling them to bind that law upon mankind (John 16:13-15; Lk. 24:46-49; Acts 2:4-8). Having God's word delivered to
them by the Holy Spirit they, the apostles, would preach the terms of entrance
into the kingdom.
The
apostles received Christ’s word from the Holy Spirit (John 16:13). Jesus promised that He would send the Spirit to
guide them into all truth. Jesus declared that the truth which was be revealed
by the Holy Spirit was both His and the Father's (John 16:13-15). Thus, to reject the word of the apostles was to
reject Christ. Jesus said to the apostles, “He that heareth
you heareth me; and he that despiseth
you despiseth me; and he that despiseth
me despiseth him that sent me” (Luke 10:16). Moreover, Jesus made it plain that to
reject the apostles and Himself was to reject the Father who sent Him (also
Luke 10:16). The simple fact of the
matter is no one has a relationship (fellowship with) with God while rejecting
His Son, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, being the Son of
God (Matt. 3:17; 17:5). Yet many
today claim belief in and fellowship with God, while still denying the deity of
Jesus as God's Son. One who denies the Son does not have fellowship with God
the Father, Jesus said. Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way, the truth,
and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).
Going on now
concerning His church Jesus' promise was “I will build My
church” (Matt. 16:18). Jesus'
statement was, "And I say also unto thee, That
thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of
hell shall not prevail against it." The church was yet in the future when
Jesus made this statement for Jesus had not yet died. He said “My” church.
"My" is possessive indicating that the church belongs to Christ.
Jesus is the Head of the church and the Savior of the body, which is the church
(Eph. 5:23; 1:22-23). Paul said, "For the husband is the head of
the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body." (Ephes.
5:23) The word "church" in Matt. 16:18 is
singular. There is but one church that Jesus is the head of (Eph. 4:4; 1:22-23). The book of Ephesians teaches the
body is the church. Eph. 1:22-23 says, "And hath put all things under his
feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, [23] Which is his body, the fulness of
him that filleth all in all." The church is that
which was purchased with the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28). The apostle Paul told the elders (overseers) in
the church at Ephesus to "… to
feed the church of God,
which he hath purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:27). The church
is the purchased possession of Christ and Christians belong to Him (I Cor. 6:19-20).
Thus Peter can say, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with
corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by
tradition from your fathers; [19] But with the precious blood of Christ, as of
a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:18-19). Concerning His
blood Jesus said, "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is
shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28). Thus remission
of sins comes through the blood of Christ (Matt. 26:28). (In the lesson on
"Membership" you can read and learn at what point one receives the
remission of their sins through the cleansing power of Jesus' blood.)
When
Jesus made His statement in Matthew 16:18-19 the Kingdom had not yet come, for
He was yet to give the apostles the keys to the kingdom. Both the
building of the church and giving of the key of the kingdom to the apostles
were yet in the future at the time recorded in Matthew chapter sixteen. In Mark
9:1 to a gathering of people Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not
taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom
of God come with power.” Dear
reader notice that the Kingdom had not yet come when Jesus promised some here
that they would live to see it come with power. Either the Kingdom has come or
there are some mighty old people living yet upon the earth! But it did come
just as Jesus said that it would here. And when it came not long after His
promise just as recorded on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, many Jews who had
come to Jerusalem from all over the Roman Empire heard, believed and were
baptized for the remission of their sins. Those who believed and were baptized
were added to the apostles that day and constituted the church (Acts 2:41). From then on Luke records that “… the
Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).
One
gains more understanding about the keys of the kingdom and the word given to
the apostles by studying Paul's statement in Col. 1:13. Here we learn that one is translated out of
the power of darkness and "into the Kingdom" upon their obedience to
the Gospel. Hear Paul as he says, "Giving thanks unto the Father, which
hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
[13] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us
into the kingdom of his dear Son: [14] In whom we have redemption through his
blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” (Col. 1:12-14). Moreover, this takes
place when one is baptized for the remission of their sins. Those in the church
at Colossae
had been baptized for the remission of their sins just as those on the Day of
Pentecost in Acts 2:41 where we
read, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day
there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” Paul spoke of their
having been buried in baptism (Col. 2:12). Here is what Paul says, "In
whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in
putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
[12] Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the
faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. [13] And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision
of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all
trespasses" (Col. 2:11-13; cp. Rom.
6:1-7).
When one properly
puts "together" the promise to both build the church and give the
apostles the keys to kingdom, then they understand that "the church"
signifies those who have been translated from "darkness" into the kingdom
of Christ! And what a kingdom it is! When there is a
comparison such as this of "darkness with light" and "being in
the kingdom," then the kingdom here on earth refers to the church. Read
again now what Paul said to the church at Colossae. He said that God
"hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into
the kingdom of his dear Son" (Col. 1:12). To the church at Ephesus Paul
said, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk
as children of light:” (Ephes. 5:8). Belonging to the
church our “citizenship” is in heaven where Christ reigns over all things
(Phil. 3:20; I Tim. 6:15-16, Eph.
1:20-21). As members of Christ's church we eagerly await for Him to return and
take us to ever be with Him (Phil. 3:20; I Th. 4:15-18).
At
His trial Jesus told Pilate that He did not come to establish an earthly
kingdom. Jesus said concerning His kingdom, “My kingdom is not of this world:
if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should
not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. [37] Pilate
therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered,
Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born,
and for this cause came I into the world, that I
should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice” ( John 18:36-37). Dear reader, the kindgom of Christ is a spiritual kingdom not an earthly
one. There are no physical boundaries for Christ’s kingdom. There is no such
thing as a “christian” nation. Throughout this world
men can hear, believe and obey the Gospel of Christ and thus be translated from
darkness into the light of the kingdom
of Christ. And upon one's obedience
through baptism they belong to Christ’s church!
The “time” of the kingdom and church
is spoken of in prophesy in Daniel 2,
Since
we stated in this particular heading that the “church” was spoken of in
prophesy it is befitting that we give a few passages where such is so. Remember
that Jesus “foretold” that He would build His church thus His very words were a prophesy concerning the establishment of the church. The
“time” of the church is spoken of in prophesy in Daniel 2. Here Daniel a
prophet of God interprets a dream that king Nebuchadnezzar,
the great king of the Babylonian Empire has dreamed. The king has searched but
has failed to find one among his wise men who has the ability to do what Daniel
through God did. King Nebuchadnezzar saw a great image. The image’s head that was
of fine gold represented Nebuchadnezzar’s Kingdom,
the Babylonian empire (Dn. 2:32
compared with 2:37-38). Its chest
and arms of silver represent the next world kingdom, the Persian (Dn. 2:32 compared with 2:39). Next Daniel explains that its belly and thighs of
brass represent the Grecian Kingdom
(Dn. 2:32 compared with 2:39). And last the legs of iron with feet
partly of iron and partly of clay represent the Roman Empire
(Dn. 2:33 compared with 2:40-45).
Daniel
prophesied of the kingdom of Christ
here and said it would be established during the days of the Roman kings (Dn. 2:44). In the Gospels it was because of the
decree of Caesar Augustus that Joseph went up from Galilee, out of the city of
Nazareth, into Judea to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because
he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his bethrothed wife, who was with child (Luke 2:1-5). While
there she brought forth her firstborn Son, Jesus of Nazareth the Son of God.
His name would be called Immanuel which means “God with us.” His very name
Jesus means "Savior" ( Matt. 1:21 ). Before His birth the angel told Mary,
“Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
[31] And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,
and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
[32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the
Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: [33] And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of
his kingdom there shall be no end.” (Luke 1:30-33)
When
Jesus began His ministry Mark tells us, “Now after that John was put in prison,
Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, [15] And
saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye,
and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15). The words “at hand” mean that the
Kingdom is near. Again in Mark 9:1 Jesus told certain people gathered to hear
Him that there would be some who would not die until they saw the kingdom come
with power. And in Matthew 16:16-19 just as we have studied, the church was yet
in the future when he promised that He would give the keys of the kingdom to
the apostles (Cp. Matt. 18:18). And so, according to God’s eternal plan the apostle
Paul would later (It is not really that much later for Jesus began a ministry
at about thirty years of age and it only lasted three or four years, Lk. 3:23.) say that Christians had been translated from the
power of darkness and into the kingdom of God’s Son. Here is that important
verse once again: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath
translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” (Col. 1:13). Notice that by
the time Paul wrote Colossians the Kingdom had come! The church had been
established!
Dear
reader, from Acts chapter two onwards Christ’s church is always spoken of as
being in existence. And there is a reason for the “time” being so exact as to the establishment of the church. Being christians we do not concern
ourselves with the time that “any” denomination has started in history nor do
we belong to a denomination. As members of the church we are not a part of the
community churches which sprang from discontentment with denominational
patterns. We delight in having confidence in knowing about the beginning of
Christ’s church to which we belong.
The purpose of this brief study,
The purpose of this brief
study has been to acquaint you with the church Christ promised to build. The church
of Christ was established in Jerusalem,
on the day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts chapter two. To introduce the
events of that day Luke records, "When the day of Pentecost was fully
come…" (Acts 2:1). The date is generally stated
as being about 33 AD. The apostle Paul says that christians “... are built upon the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” (Ephes. 2:20).
There is no other foundation upon which to build the church for Paul also says,
“According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. [11] For other foundation can no man
lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor.
3:10-11). We hope that you will
desire to study the next lesson, "The Head and Authority of the
Church."
Questions
to Answer based upon this lesson if you desire,
Back to the Table of
Contents
Home