The Church in the Eternal Plan of God

Introduction. Our generation has seen an increasing departure from an appreciation of the role of the church in God’s plan of salvation and the importance that it plays in our relationship to God.  Out of frustration over the party spirit that has torn the religious world apart throughout history, many, who find religious disagreement distasteful, have  embraced the idea that you can be in Christ, and yet not worry about identifying or having a connection to the church.  Sadly, in so doing, those who adopt this approach…

· Fail to recognize the Biblical role that God has intended for the church to play,

· They alter the definition of what it means to be “in Christ,” and

· They actually contribute further to the very religious division which they find to be so distasteful.

This morning I would like for us to examine this from the Bible and see what the Bible teaches about the church in the eternal plan of God.

I.  The Church was Prophesied in the Old Testament.

A. Isaiah (ca. 760 B.C.) prophesied the coming of the “mountain of the Lord’s house”  (Isaiah 2:2-3).  This is something into which “many nations” will flow and people will come to learn from the Lord.  It is a “household” that extends beyond God’s relationship to the Jews alone.

B. Jeremiah (ca. 640 B.C.) prophesied the establishment of a “new covenant” (Jeremiah 31:31-34).  Here we note: 1) “New Covenant” in contrast to the Old; 2)  “They shall all know me” – no longer the idea that one could be in Israel but not “know the Lord”; 3) forgiveness of sins. 

C. Daniel (ca. 560 B.C.) prophesied a kingdom that would stand forever (Daniel 2:36-45).  This would come in the days of the kings of the fourth kingdom.  We know the duration of the kingdoms of Babylon and after it: 1) Babylonian (625-536 B.C.); Medo-Persian (536-330 B.C.); Greco-Macedonian (330-166 B.C.); and Roman (63 B.C.-455 A.D.).

These prophesies indicate the promise of: 1) An institution which is called the “mountain of the Lord’s house,” from which will…  2) go forth the law from Jerusalem; 3) This will involve a “new covenant”; 4) a new definition of a relationship to “know the Lord,” and 4) forgiveness; yet it will also bring with it a…5) kingdom which shall stand forever, which will arise during the 6) Roman Empire.

II.  The Church was Established in the New Testament.

A. Jesus declares that He will build “His Church”  (Matthew 16:13-20). 

The term translated “church” here was used before the time of Christ to refer to the sacred assembly of God’s people (Deuteronomy 4:10 LXX).  To those to whom He spoke this would have been a declaration that He intended to establish an assembly of people for Himself.

B. Jesus declared the establishment of a “New Covenant” (Matthew 26:26-30).

C.  Jesus sent forth His disciples with a new law from Jerusalem (Acts 1:8; 2:36).  As both “Lord” and “Christ” they declared that He was fulfilling all that was prophesied about the one who would be a Lord, i.e. a master or king and the Christ i.e. the anointed one of God.  On the Day of Pentecost, after Jesus’ ascension, this “law” first goes forth.  With this the “church” is established (Acts 2:41-47).

III.  The Role of the Church in the New Testament.

      As time goes on in the further revelation of this Law of the New Covenant we learn some things which were not disclosed when Old Testament prophesies were first revealed, nor fully understood by those with whom Christ first walked.

A. Forgiveness of sins is found in entrance into the “kingdom of the Son” i.e. the church (Colossians 1:9-14).  Note:  1) Describes growth in knowledge of the Lord—just as Jeremiah had pointed to a time, and congregation of all who would “know the Lord”; 2)  “inheritance of the saints”—a relationship of kinship that would allow one to inherit certain benefits; 3) this is a kingdom, in which is found…4) forgiveness.  There can be no doubt that the kingdom of Daniel, the covenant of forgiveness of Jeremiah, and the “mountain of the Lord’s house” are all the same.

B. Christ is the “Head of the church” (Ephesians 1:22).  Note: He is head over the church; He is King over the kingdom.  These are simply different ways of describing the same thing.

1. The church is “His body” (Ephesians 1:23a), of which, there is…

· …Only “one body” (Ephesians 4:4).

· He is the one who established the organization of the church (Ephesians 4:11-15).  We see from Philippians 1:1 this is comprised of local congregations of bishops (also called elders), deacons, and saints. 

· He is the “Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23).  So if the body=the church, and the Christ established the organization of the body, and if Christ saves “the body”—if there is one body, we must conclude there is only one church, the organization of which was established by Christ and salvation is found in one’s entrance into this church which belongs to Christ.

[Note: In fact, by definition to be in the kingdom, or in the church means that one is among those forgiven—and thus the saved in Christ.  To say that one can be saved and not be a part of Christ’s church is in essence to say one can be saved yet not saved!]

2. The church is “the fullness of Him” (Ephesians 1:23b).  We can hardly say that the church doesn’t matter if it “fills all in all.” 

· In fact the church is to glorify Him (Ephesians 3:21)—only in the first century? No, in “all generations, forever.”  So what was established is to continue.

· The church was in the eternal purpose of God (Ephesians 3:8-12).

C. The New Testament is the rule of faith for the church (I Timothy 3:15).  We are not left to wonder how God wants the church to function—nor to dictate it for ourselves.  God has revealed His will through the inspired writers of the New Testament.

Conclusion. How can we identify the Lord’s church? 

• When was it to be established?  “In the days of these kings”  (Daniel 2:44).  One day of Pentecost all the fulfillments about this New Covenant, Eternal Kingdom, and Mountain of the Lord’s House find fulfillment (Acts 2).  Any church which was established any other time is not the Lord’s church.
• Where was it to be established?  “Out of Zion shall go forth the law” (Isaiah 2:3).  Zion, or Jerusalem is where the gospel of Jesus Christ first went forth.  Any church which was not established in Jerusalem is not the Lord’s church.
• How was it organized? Christ is the head—local congregations are led by elders and deacons (Ephesians 1:22; Philippians 1:1).  Any church with organization higher than the leadership of a local congregation but lower than the headship of Christ is not the Lord’s church.
• What is its Rule of Faith and Practice? The New Testament (I Timothy 3:15).  Any church that looks to another source for its rule of faith and practice is not the Lord’s church.
• How is one added to it?  By obedience to the gospel one becomes a citizen of the kingdom—a member of God’s household and is added to the Lord’s church (Acts 2:47).