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
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
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
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
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?