PIEDMONT BAPTIST GRADUATE SCHOOL
THE DISPENSATIONAL UNIQUENESS OF THE CHURCH
ADVANCED ECCLESIOLOGY THE735 DR. HOYLE E. BOWMAN GRADUATE DIVISION
BY TIMOTHY L. DECKER 4/24/2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Hermeneutics
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
The Church could not be in the Old Testament nor the life of Christ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 A) The mystery character of the Church (4 aspects) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 B) Christ’s first prophecy of the Church in Matthew 16:18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 C) Christ as the Head of the Body after His ascension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 The Church is a distinct age beginning at Pentecost (Acts 2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 A) Spirit Baptism and “The Beginning”. . . . . . . . . . .10 B) The future ministry of the Holy Spirit
. . . . . . . .12
C) The “one new man” in Ephesians 2:15 . . . . . . . . . .14 The Church is a parenthesis in the program for Israel . . . . .15 A) The distinction between the Church and Israel . . . . .15 B) Israel’s rejection of the Kingdom offer . . . . . . . .15 C) Romans 11 and the grafting in of the Gentiles . . . . .17 Conclusion
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Works Cited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
ii
Introduction “The nature of the church is a crucial point of difference between classic, or normative, dispensationalism and other doctrinal systems.
Indeed, ecclesiology…is the touchstone of
dispensationalism.”1 important study.
The doctrine of ecclesiology is an
This doctrine directly affects eschatology,
soteriology, Christology, and Pneumatology and other doctrines indirectly.
It is a major point of controversy that must be
settled to gain a correct understanding of God’s institution of the Church.
This paper will set out to show the Dispensational
distinctiveness of the Church dealing with three specific aspects of ecclesiology: 1) the Church could not be in the Old Testament nor the life of Christ, 2) the Church is a distinct age beginning at Pentecost, and 3) the Church is seen as a distinct program (parenthesis) different than that of Israel or the future Kingdom. Hermeneutics Before the analysis can begin, one must establish the hermeneutic which will be employed to gain the interpretation of the text.
It is the writer’s opinion that an objective
hermeneutic must be sought if the text is to speak for itself. Whenever any bias or presupposition clouds the interpreter in
1
Ryrie, Charles C., Dispensationalism, rev. and exp. ed. (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2007), 143.
1
2 gaining the correct understanding of the text, the interpretation will inevitably be incorrect.
Thus, a consistent
use of the plain, normal, and literal method of interpretation will be employed along with the historical, grammatical, and contextual rules of interpretation.
It is with this guideline
that one can approach the Scriptures with an a priori examination of the text and allow the Scriptures to speak for themselves. The Church could not be in the OT nor in the life of Christ The Covenant Amillennial view as to the origin of the Church would place it in the Garden of Eden or with Abraham. Either school of thought is based on a preset supposition that there is a “Covenant of Grace” made between God and mankind which is playing itself out in the story of Scripture.
This
covenant is not a Biblical covenant and cannot be supported by Scripture.
Concerning the Church Berkhof, an Amillennialist,
writes, “The New Testament Church is essentially one with the Church of the old dispensation.”2
According to this view, the
Church and Israel are essentially the same thing.
In other
words, this position does not make any distinction whatsoever between these two programs of the Church and Israel.3
2
Berkhof, Louis, Systematic Theology, 2003 reprint (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, n. d.), 571.
3
Although even Berkhof will undoubtedly speak on differentiations from the Old Testament to the New.
3 A) The Mystery Character of the Church (4 aspects) The Church cannot be seen even in the Old Testament much less as a part of Israel due to the mystery character of the Church.
The Greek word for mystery (musthrion) is defined by Paul
as that “which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations” – Romans 16:25-26.
Therefore, a mystery is
something that was unrevealed in time past (during the Old Testament) but now God has unveiled that truth today.
As a side
note, the revelation of a mystery is not hidden in the Old Testament and thus unrealized only to be found by an interpreter.
Paul says in Ephesians 3:9 that this aspect of the
mystery character of the Church was hidden in God not the Old Testament.
Therefore only what God reveals is what is known
concerning the mysteries of the Church – to which there are four aspects. 1) The first mystery aspect of the Church which is totally new from times past is the uniting of Jews and Gentiles into one body (Eph. 2:15-16 and 3:1-10).
“The mystery in Ephesians 3:6
is that Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the same body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ.”4
4
Ryrie, Dispensationalism, 156.
Israel
4 was always seen as above the Gentiles and this can even be seen in the future Millennial Kingdom (Zechariah 14).
But during
this present age of the Church, Jews and Gentiles are on an equal plain where there is no distinction for entrance into the Body of Christ (Rom. 3:22, 1 Cor. 12:13, Gal. 3:28, and Col. 3:11).
In the past dispensation, the people of God were only
Jews, and Gentiles had to come under Mosaic Judaism in order to be in a place of blessing.
That is not so in this dispensation.
“The church simply didn’t exist in the Old Testament.
The
Gentiles were not yet fellow heirs in God’s blessings but were ‘aliens from the commonwealth of Israel’ (Eph. 2:12).”5
This
aspect of equality of Jews and Gentiles into one Body is the first aspect of the mystery character of the Church. 2) The second mystery aspect of the Church is the indwelling of Christ in the believer making a living organism (Col. 1:24-27).
“This was a fact of the Messiah that the Old
Testament never envisioned or predicted.”6 aspect did not take place in the past.
Thus, this mystery
Paul details that this
unique union with the believer to Christ was a mystery and something that only took place during this Dispensation.
Christ
even intimates this union and sets it in the future when He
5
6
Geisler, Norman, Systematic Theology, vol. 4 (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2005), 22.
Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G., Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology (Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 1989), 467.
5 says, “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you” – John 14:20. 3) The third mystery aspect of the Church is the Bride of Christ aspect of the Church (Eph. 5:25-32).
The fact that this
age is seen as the Bride of Christ (which is very distinct from the wife of Jehovah), which is a term never used for any other dispensation, proves the extent of the mystery character of the Church.
“There is no mystery of the bridegroom relationship to
Israel (Isa. 54:5), but such a relationship with the Church was not revealed until New Testament times.”7
Some object and see
Israel being the wife of Jehovah equal to the Bride of Christ. But there is a major difference between a wife and a bride.
The
Church is also the Bride of the 2nd person of the Trinity whereas Israel’s marriage is to Jehovah (no person is clearly identified). 4) The last mystery aspect of the Church is in relation to the Rapture of the Church (1 Cor. 15:51-56). the mystery of the rapture.
“Finally there is
The idea of resurrection was not
unknown to Old Testament saints, but the idea of the translation of living saints at the rapture was the mystery revealed through Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52.
This passage cannot refer to
the Second Coming of Christ because that even was not a mystery
7
Ryrie, Charles C., The Basis of the Premillennial Faith (Dubuque, IA: ECS Ministries, 2005), 110.
6 unrevealed in the Old Testament [see Zechariah 14:4].”
8
Ryrie
makes an important point by showing that the Rapture of the Church is distinct from the Second Coming due to the very fact that the Rapture of the Church is referred to as a mystery which is not revealed in the Old Testament. In summary, Pentecost in commenting on the mystery aspect of the Church writes, “The existence of an entirely new age [due to the mystery aspect of the Church], which only interrupts temporarily God’s program for Israel, is one of our strongest arguments for the [Dispensational] premillennial position.”9
The
fact that the Church is unrevealed in the Old Testament cries loudly for the fact that the Church is a distinct program from Israel and thus not in any of the Old Testament economies. B) Christ’s first prophecy of the Church in Matthew 16:18 Another Scriptural attestation to the fact that the Church did not exist during the Old Testament as well as the life of Christ is Matthew 16:18. will build My Church.”
Christ says that “upon this rock I What is so significant is that Christ
uses a simple future tense (oijkodomhsw) to say that “I will build.”
This future tense indicates that Christ was referring
to a future program that had not yet been established in the Old
8
9
Ryrie, Premillennial Faith, 110.
Pentecost, Dwight D., Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958), 136.
7 Testament.
Some try to make the ejkklhsia to refer to Israel since
the LXX uses ejkklhsia of Israel on numerous occasions.
“Although
previously the word always was used of the simple concept of assembly, now in Matthew 16:18 it is characterized by the new content that Jesus gave it as over against some other kind of ekklesia.”10
In other words, Christ did not speak of a general
ejkklhsia referring to the Old Testament, but rather He specified it as “My Church” (mou thn ejkklhsian).
This is brought out even
further when realizing that the possessive pronoun “My” (mou) is in the emphatic position indicating an entirely new ejkklhsia. The Landmark theology view would hold to the Church’s origin during the life of Christ at some time.
The way in which
Matthew 16:18 is used is taken in the sense that Christ will “edify,” “strengthen,” or “enlarge” His Church.
These
translations all fit the semantical range of oijkodomew, however, Matthew’s recording of Christ’s use of oijkodomew would restrict such a translation to only “build.”
The word is used in Matthew
7:24, 26, 16:18, 21:33, 42, 23:29, 26:61, and 27:40.
In every
case, not considering 16:18, the only translation that would make sense is “build.”
That logic would carry over to 16:18
since there seems to be a consistent use of the word oijkodomew.
10
Radmacher, Earl D., What the Church is All About (Chicago: Moody Press, 1972), 211.
8 Christ’s prophecy of the Church program is a significant passage which places the Dispensation of the Church to a future program.
Any idea of reading the Church back into the Old
Testament and even the life of Christ is grammatically impossible due to the simple future tense in Matthew 16:18. C) Christ as the Head of the Body after the Ascension The last passages that will be consulted (though there are many more), which speak to the fact that the Church did not exist during the Old Testament nor the life of Christ, is Ephesians 1:19-23 and 2:11-22.
These two passages give the
logical and chronological beginning of the Church age that will contradict any system holding to a Pre-Pentecost (Acts 2) view. First of all, Ephesians 2:11-22 is a wonderful theme of the Gentiles who were formerly strangers to Israel (vs. 12) but now have been brought into one Body called the “one new man” (vs. 15).
The logical order that is set in place is that in verse
14, Paul speaks that before there was the “one new man” (the Church) there was a dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles. Due to the blood of Christ (vs. 13) there was brought about a peace (vs. 14) between the two.
This peace brought both Jews
and Gentiles into one body (vss. 14-15).
Christ is our peace
because by His flesh (or death since the context is about the death and blood of Christ) He abolished the Law (vs. 15).
Thus
the logical progression is that the “one new man” did not begin
9 until after the death of Christ.
It would be impossible for the
Church to exist before the death of Christ because its existence is predicated on the death of Christ (Eph. 5:2 and 25).
This is
the logical order as to the origin of the Church not being in the Old Testament nor the life of Christ. The chronological order is set forth in chapter 1 of Ephesians.
The chronology of Christ being raised to the
position of Head of the Body of Christ which is the Church is laid out in verses 20-23. resurrection.
Verse 20 begins with Christ at the
The exaltation and ascension of Christ to the
right hand of the Father is next (vs. 20).
After that, God gave
Christ to be “Head over all things to the Church which is His body” (vs. 22-23).
Therefore, Christ was not the Head of the
Church until after His ascension back to heaven.
This logically
leads to the fact that there could be no Body of Christ before the ascension of Christ, otherwise there would be a headless body.
But even nature proves that the head always develops
before the body.
Therefore, there could be no Church in the Old
Testament nor the life of Christ because it would be a lifeless, headless body.
Christ had to ascend to the right hand of God
and assume the position of the Head of the Body of Christ, the Church, in order for the Church to begin.
10 The Church is a distinct age beginning at Pentecost (Acts 2) Since it has already been shown that the Church could not have possible begun in the Old Testament nor the life of Christ, one can now get more specific as to the beginning of this distinct economy called the Church. A) Spirit Baptism and “The Beginning” Some Covenant theologians try to read New Testament truths back into the Old Testament.
Therefore they see the Baptism of
the Holy Spirit occurring in the Old Testament.
What is
significant is that Spirit Baptism places the believer into the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13 and 27).
Since the Body of Christ
is clearly a reference to the Church (Eph. 1:22-23, 4:12, 15-16, 5:30, Col. 1:18, and 24) and the Church did not exist during the Old Testament nor the life of Christ, it can be said that Spirit Baptism is limited to the New Testament as well and is apart of the Church age only.
Therefore, if one can narrow down the
beginning of Spirit Baptism, then the origin of the Church can be determined as well. John the Baptizer prophesied Spirit Baptism would occur in the future (Matt. 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, & John 1:33).
This
means that it, like the Church, is set to begin in the future and did not take place in the Old Testament.
Right before the
ascension, Christ leaves the encouraging words to His disciples that “you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days
11 from now” (Acts 1:5).
Again the future tense is used which
would mean that Spirit Baptism did not occur during the life of Christ. The Dispensational teaching is that Spirit Baptism began at Pentecost in Acts 2.
The problem with this view is that “Spirit
Baptism” is not mentioned in Acts 2.
This problem can be
remedied with Peter’s statement in Acts 11:15-16.
In reference
to the new Gentile conversions Peter says, “The Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning.
And I
remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’”
Peter states that what happened to him at “the
beginning” is the same thing that happened to these Gentile converts (vs. 15).
Peter clarifies that what happened to him at
“the beginning” was what Christ had prophesied in Acts 1:5 concerning the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (vs. 16).
The
interesting thing to note here in verse 16 is that Peter left out the phrase “not many days from now” which Christ had said before His ascension.
Therefore, Peter was referring to a time
in the past which he also called “the beginning.” Thus, the Holy Spirit falling upon the believers (vs. 15) is parallel to the Holy Spirit filling the believers on Pentecost (Acts 2:3-4).
This also ties the beginning of Spirit
Baptism to the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
Even though Acts 2
12 does not mention Spirit Baptism, Peter’s statement in Acts 11:15-16 and the quote from Acts 1:5 refers the beginning of Spirit Baptism to Pentecost (Acts 2). B) The future ministry of the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit took on a new ministry on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
Christ gives details to the Spirit’s
present ministry at that time as well as His future ministry that will begin at Pentecost (John 14:17). Holy Spirit “abides with you.”
Christ says that the
This was the current ministry of
the Holy Spirit during the life of Christ and subsequently the Old Testament economy of the Law.
Christ then says of the
future ministry of the Holy Spirit that He “will be in you.” The contrast between these two phrases marks a distinction in the ministries of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is seen in the Old Testament coming “upon” believers (1 Sam. 10:10 and 16:14) and rarely “in” believers (Num. 27:18 and 1 Pet. 1:11).
Since the purpose for the Spirit
to come into a believer was to perform a specific duty (which is parallel to the Spirit coming upon a believer), the Spirit coming “upon” and “in” a believer in the Old Testament should be seen as referring to the same happening. New Testament Spirit indwelling has an entirely different purpose – progressive sanctification.
The Holy Spirit enabled
men in the Old Testament to perform certain duties or tasks.
13 The indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit (the New Testament sense) is mainly for the believer to be conformed more into the image of Christ.
This is seen in the fact that believers of
this age are referred to as “temples of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 3:16, 6:19, and 2 Cor. 6:16). pure and holy.
The temple is meant to be kept
In Romans 8, the result of Spirit indwelling
(vss. 8-11) is not living according to the flesh (vss. 12-13). Galatians 4:6-7 tells us that a result of Spirit indwelling is that we are no longer slaves of sin and can now choose to do what is right.
Therefore, the indwelling of the Spirit in this
age fulfills an entirely different purpose than the Spirit’s ministry of the Old Testament. All of that is to point out the present/future distinction made in John 14:17.
The Holy Spirit abided (menw) with (para)
the men during that age.
In the future age (the Church age) the
Spirit will be (future tense of eijmi) in (ejn) the believer. future ministry is also seen in John 7:39. take place until Pentecost.
This
All of this did not
Subsequent teaching of John 14-16
concerning the Holy Spirit is fulfilled in Acts 2 and beyond. Other pneumatological principles that accord with the teachings of John 14-16 are seen in the epistles as well.
Therefore
Pentecost (Acts 2) marks a distinct beginning of a new program in which the Holy Spirit works in a different capacity as never before.
14 C) The “one new man” in Ephesians 2:15 The fact that Paul refers to the “one new man” subsequent to the teaching of the death of Christ indicates a logical progression that the Church began after Christ’s death.
This
passage has already been referred to so only two points will be made here. First of all, Paul says that this “new man” was created or The word used is ktizw.
made.
Vincent says of this word that
“the work was to be a new creation on a new foundation.”11 Therefore the emphasis here is on something entirely new and distinct from anything in the past.
The logical progression
from other Scriptural evidence would point this “one new man” as beginning at Pentecost in Acts 2. The second point is that Paul refers to this not as just “one man” but “the one new man.”
The word for “new” (kainoV)
indicates “new as to form or quality, of different nature from what is contrasted as old.”12
Therefore, not only is this new
man a created (ktizw) economy and thus new in time but this new man is “new” (kainoV) in quality as well emphasizing the distinct blessing of the Body of Christ over other dispensations.
11
Vincent, Marvin R., Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 3 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers,
n. d.), 379. 12
Vine, W. E., An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (Iowa Falls, IA: Riverside Book and Bible House, n. d.), 781.
15 The Church is a parenthesis in the program of Israel A) The distinction between the Church and Israel The fact that has been made that the Church is not in the Old Testament builds the case that the Church is separate and distinct from Israel. into this idea as well.
But there are other factors that play First of all is Paul’s distinction
between Gentiles, Jews, and the Church of God (1 Cor. 10:32). Paul speaks of specifically of Jews or Israel in distinction to the Church of God.
This kind of statement makes it clear that
in Paul’s mind, the Church and Israel were indeed two different economies and peoples. B) Israel’s rejection of the Kingdom offer Matthew is the Jewish gospel account which presents Christ as the coming King of Israel.
An outline of chapters 1-12 gives
much understanding to the flow of thought and the argument of Matthew concerning Christ as the King of the Jews.
Chapter 1,
Matthew gives the legal right of Jesus Christ to the throne of David in His genealogy.
Matthew emphasizes this with his
references to Christ as the Son of David. adoration of the King.
Chapter 2 is the
The magi come to worship the King of the
Jews who they recognized would one day reign over the entire world.
Chapter 3 gives Christ official right to be the King.
Here we see the King anointed for the position (Acts 10:38). Chapter 4, Christ shows His moral right to be the King.
Only a
16 perfectly impeccable man could reign perfectly.
Chapters 5-7,
also known as the Sermon on the Mount, describe the judicial right of the King.
It is here that the King sets up laws and
principles concerning the Kingdom.
This was desperately needed
to escape the Pharisaical rules governing the land.
Chapters 8-
10 is the description of the King’s credentials needed to sit on the throne.
The miracles listed in these chapters flashes the
overwhelming qualifications that the King has to rule in His Kingdom.
Chapters 11 and 12 begin the rejection of the King.
After all that Christ had done and showed them, the Jews still rejected Him.
Matthew gives 10 straight chapters of why Christ
was the rightful King of the Jews, and yet He was still rejected.
One can only imagine the depravity of the people
during that day to miss their King who was right in front of them.
Thus in chapter 13, one finds the kingdom which was
offered, being postponed.
Israel’s rejection of the Messiah
brings Christ to chapter 16 where we see Christ first prophecy of the new program (16:18).
Christ also begins to teach the
disciples about His future death and resurrection (16:21).
This
marks a shift in Christ’s ministry since the national rejection of Israel is all but certain. Paul expounds on the temporary rejection of Israel as a benefit to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:11, 15, and 17).
Due to
Israel’s rejection, Israel has been set aside for a time until
17 the “fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Rom. 11:25).
God
will use the Church age to make Israel jealous and bring them back to God (Rom. 11:11 and 14).
One day, God will take the
Church out of this world and resume His program with Israel. That is why it is important to see the Church as a parenthetical economy in God’s plan. C) Romans 11 and the Grafting in of the Gentiles As was stated above, Israel had been cast aside, although not permanently (Rom. 11:1 and 11).
Paul gives a picture of an
olive tree which symbolizes a place of blessing.
Israel is
pictured as the natural branches which were cut off (vss. 17, 20, and 21).
The Gentiles are the wild branches which are
grafted in along with a few remaining natural branches.
This is
a picture of the mystery aspect of Jews and Gentiles in one Body (Eph. 2 and 3).
The time when the wild branches are grafted in
is the Church age.
Since the natural branches (Israel) have
been cut off, it is plain to see that Paul is emphasizing that the Israeli program has been set aside. the Church. parenthesis.
God is now dealing with
It is in this view that the Church is seen as a
18 Conclusion Ryrie was correct in stating that “ecclesiology…is the touchstone of dispensationalism.”13
When a literal hermeneutic
is applied to the Scriptures, the only natural conclusion that rises from the Scriptures is that the Church is a distinct program from all others in the past and future.
Different
positions like Covenant Theology, Landmark Theology, Progressive Dispensationalism, and Ultradispensationalism have impacted ecclesiology in a very negative way.
Their incorrect
conclusions come from not using an objective hermeneutic as well as by employing presuppositions that cloud the interpreter’s reason.
If one mistakes the economy of the Church age, then
other major doctrines such as eschatology, soteriology, Christology, and Pneumatology are sure to slide as well.
That
is why this author feels that there is a great need in correctly understanding the Biblical view of ecclesiology.
Thus this
paper set out to show the Dispensational distinctiveness of the Church dealing with three specific aspects of ecclesiology: 1) the Church could not be in the Old Testament nor the life of Christ, 2) the Church is a distinct age beginning at Pentecost, and 3) the Church is seen as a distinct program (parenthesis) different than that of Israel or the future Kingdom.
13
Ryrie, Dispensationalism, 143.
WORKS CITED
Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology. 2003 reprint. PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, n. d.
Carlisle,
Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology. Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, 1989. Geisler, Norman. Systematic Theology. Bethany House, 2005.
Vol. 4.
Minneapolis:
Pentecost, Dwight D. Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958. Radmacher, Earl D. What the Church is All About. Moody Press, 1972. Ryrie, Charles C. Dispensationalism. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2007.
Chicago:
rev. and exp. ed.
__________. The Basis of the Premillennial Faith. ECS Ministries, 2005.
Dubuque, IA:
Vincent, Marvin R. Word Studies in the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, n. d.
Vol. 3.
Vine, W. E. An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Iowa Falls, IA: Riverside Book and Bible House, n. d.
19
