Ecclesiology
The Church a New Creation
Lesson XIV
February, 2007
I
The Church is a New Creation
2 Corinthians 5:17 In Christ, a new creature
Ephesians 2:10 His
workmanship created in Christ Jesus
Ephesians
2:15 One new man
Galatians 3:26-28 One in Christ Jesus
Galatians
5:6 Not circumcision nor
uncircumcision
Galatians
6:15 A new creature or creation
Ephesians
4:24 A new man … created
Thus
old distinctions are not reckoned in the Church, e.g. Ephesians 2:12-13.
Ephesians 2:12-13
(12) That at that time ye were without Christ, being
aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of
promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
(13) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far
off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
II
That God has Created Different Creations is Scriptural
They remain Angels eternally. They do not procreate nor die.
Matthew
25:41
Even fallen angels remain angels.
(41)
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed,
into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
2.
There are ranks among
the Angels
Genesis
3:24 Cherubim
Isaiah 6:2
Seraphim
Jude
9 Michael is the arch (chief) Angel
2
Thessalonians 1:7 There are Mighty Angels
Matthew
25:31 There are Holy Angels
Daniel
9:21 & Luke 1:19 Gabriel is an example
Jude 6 There are fallen, chained Angels
Luke
8:33 There are fallen angels called
Devils or Demons
Luke
4:2 The Devil stands apart as a leader
of fallen Angels
Who
put the angels in these ranks, or perhaps the word ‘divisions’ is better? Were these not the work of God?
No
Scripture is addressed to Angels, although we learn some facts about them
there.
III
There are ranks or divisions among men
1.
Gentiles
Genesis
10:5
The
first time the word is found in Scripture
(5)
By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after
his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
Joel 3 Four different words are used for this rank
of men.
Verse 2 Nations
Verse
4 Gentiles
Verse
11 Heathen
Verse
17 Strangers
Joel
3:2,4,11,17
(2)
I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of
Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and [for] my heritage
Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
(4)
Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of
Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly
[and] speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;
(11)
Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together
round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.
(17)
So shall ye know that I [am] the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain:
then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any
more.
1
Thessalonians 4:5 Perhaps the best definition. One who knows not God.
(5)
Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
cf 2 Thessalonians 1:8 Judgment on those who
know not God, (Gentiles).
(8)
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Very little Scripture is addressed
directly to Gentiles.
Luke
21:24
We
are now in “the times of the Gentiles”.
(24)
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive
into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until
the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Romans
11:12
Times
of the riches of the Gentiles
(12)
Now if the fall of them [be] the riches of the world, and the diminishing of
them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
Romans
11:25
Israel
is blinded until “the fullness of the Gentiles is come in.
(25)
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye
should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to
Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
The
‘times of the Gentiles’ are fully described in Daniel chapter two. The fullness of the Gentiles will have come
in when the Church is complete. There
are scriptures about Gentile Nations, e.g., Moab, Edom, Egypt, but very little addressed
to
them.
2.
The Jews of Israel
Perhaps
it will come as a surprise to some that three quarters of the Bible is
addressed to
Jeremiah 7:3,21
(3) Thus saith the
LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will
cause you to dwell in this place.
(21) Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put
your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.
Jeremiah 9:15
15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of
Israel; Behold, I will feed them, [even] this people, with wormwood, and give
them water of gall to drink.
Jeremiah 11:3
3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of
Israel; Cursed [be] the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
To
read the Old Testament is to bring one’s focus on the history, geography and
prophecy connected with
3. The
Church
We
write about the “true” Church acknowledging that throughout history there have
been the tares of the false Church mingled with the wheat of the true Church.
Remember
counterfeits are only made of that which is true. In other words, the false proves that there
is a true.
It
did not take long after the true Church was formed for the false to appear.
I
quote “Valiant for the Truth”, page 449:
“The
Christianity of the Apostolic Fathers, of the Apologists, of Irenaeus, is very
different from the Christianity of Paul.
Read the Epistle of Romans first, and then read Irenaeus, and you are
conscious of the mighty decline. No
longer does the gospel stand out sharp and clear, there is a large admixture of
human error.”
This
can also be said of other great names in Church History, such as Augustine and
Martin Luther.
1
Corinthians 10:32 The Church is presented as
being different than Jews or Gentiles.
Galatians
3:28 In the Church Jews and Gentiles
have become one.
Colossians
3:10-11 In the Church a new man is created.
Colossians
2:11 The Church is a circumcision made
without hands.
Ephesians
2:11 Israelites are the circumcision
made with human hands.
If
we would understand Scripture, we must see this clearly. The Church is not a “spiritualized Israel”,
but rather a New Creation. The terms “Jewish-Christian”
or “Christian-Jew” are only correct if used in the same sense as “German-Christian”,
“Russian-Christian’ or “American-Christian”.
But as is often the case, the terms are misused.
By
way of example: To use the term “Christian atheist” (as has been done) is a
contradiction of terms. “Roman Catholic”
is a contradiction. For if it is “Roman”,
it is not universal, which is the meaning of “catholic”.
So
to speak of a “Christian Gentile” or “Christian Jew” can also be a
contradiction.
The
Human race sprang from Adam.
The
Jewish-Israel nation, from Jacob.
The
Church originated with Jesus Christ.
In
the sight of God, if we have read Scriptures correctly, in this age of the formation
of the Church, if a man is a Christian he is not identified as a Jew even as a
Gentile who becomes a Christian is no longer a Gentile. (Ephesians 2:11). A Christian Jew is not a “completed Jew” but
is rather a “New Creature” in Christ.
Ephesians 2:11
(11) Wherefore remember, that [ye being] in time past
Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called
the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
A
Jew wrote: “A true Christian must
believe John 3:16 to be a Christian. For
Christianity is based on what one believes about Jesus. A Jew is a Jew regardless of what he believes
or does not believe, he just belongs.”
The
Church must be seen as a company of called-out, new people, with a new purpose.
IV
The Church holds a New Position
We
are not ‘adopted’ into the family of God, as the world uses the word when
adopting children.
John
1:12-13
We are born into the Church, the family of
God.
(12)
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
[even] to them that believe on his name:
(13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
In
the natural, adopted children do not have the nature of their adoptive parents.
1
Peter 1:4
Because
we have been born of the Spirit we become partakers of the Divine nature.
(4)
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away,
reserved in heaven for you,
Thus,
as to our relationship, it is the result of a spiritual birth.
As
to the Bible use of the word “adoption” it has not to do with relationship but
rather with position. By this adoption
we are placed in the body, not as servants, not as minors, or children under
age, but hold the position of adult son-ship.
Galatians 4:1-7
(1) Now I say,
[That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant,
though he be lord of all;
(2) But is under tutors and governors until the time
appointed of the father.
(3) Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage
under the elements of the world:
(4) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent
forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
(5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might
receive the adoption of sons.
(6) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the
Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
(7) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and
if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Galatians
4:1-7 These facts we learn from these
verses in Galatians. No longer are we
like children who cannot draw on their inheritance until they come of age, for
by adoption we are made adult-sons.
1 John 3:2
(2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not
yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall
be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1 John
3:2 Beloved now are we the sons of God… Birth gave us relationship, adoption gave
us position.
Romans 8:15-17
(15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again
to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father.
(16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God:
(17) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and
joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also
glorified together.
Romans
8:15 This ‘spirit of adoption’ according to verse 17 makes us, not only
heirs of God, but joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.
We
illustrate “joint-heirs’ as in the marriage union.
1 Peter 3:7
(7) Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with [them] according to
knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being
heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
1 Peter
3:7 This verse speaks of the married
couple as being “heirs together of the grace of life.”
I
believe a good marriage involves one home, one purse, one bed, one bank account,
etc., so there is interdependence. A
husband does not speak of “my” house but “our” house. Not “my” car but “our” car. Nothing is “mine”, all is “ours”. That is being “joint-heirs”.
Nowhere
in the Scripture is it said that the Jews are joint-heirs with Christ.
Why
did Joseph’s brothers hate him? Primarily
because his father, by giving him the coat of many colours, was letting them
know he had made Joseph the heir of all that he had: the position of the
first-born.
Although
Ishmael was Abraham’s first born son, Isaac - not Ishmael - was given the
position of first-born heir.
To
whom does the coat of many colours belong today? Who holds the position of the first-born of
the Father?
Colossians
1:15 tells us plainly, it is Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:15
(15) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
of every creature:
And
that means, Christ is heir of all Creation and by our adoption we have been
made joint-heirs with Him in all that He is and all that He has!
V
The Church keeps a New Day
Matthew 28:1 In the end of the Sabbath (
Mark 16:1 And when the Sabbath was
past….
Mark 16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week…
Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week
John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary…
It
should not be questioned that the first
day of the week, not the last day of the week, was the celebration day of
the resurrection of Christ.
Matthew 28:9 It was still the first day of the week when Jesus met the women
who had gone to the tomb.
Matthew 28:16-17 On the first day of the week he met his disciples at the appointed
place in Galilee.
Mark 16:7 It was on the first day of the week he sent the message with women
as to where his disciples were to meet him in Galilee.
Mark 16:9 On that first day of the week he met Mary
Magdalene.
Mark 16:14-16 After rebuking the disciples for their unbelief, on that first day
of the week he commissioned them to preach the gospel everywhere.
Luke 24:13-32 On the first day of the week he walked with, talked with, ate with
and opened the Scriptures to two on the road to Emmaus.
Luke 24:33-39 On the first day of the week he appeared to eleven disciples and
“showed them his hands and his feet”.
There were no other hands exactly like those hands! Then he opened the Scriptures to them and
promised to send the Holy Spirit.
John 20:24 On that first day of the week, Thomas was absent. He said he would
not believe in the resurrection until he could see with his own eyes.
John 20:26 Counting that first Lord’s day of resurrection, if Jesus appeared
eight days later it would be another first day of a new week.
Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost was fully come...
The word ‘Pentecost’ means fiftieth so, that event was a first day of the week.
Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the
disciples came together to break bread…reveals that it was then the order of
the Church to meet the first day of the week.
1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in
store, as God hath prospered him…”
Surely
these Scriptures together show that the early Church kept the first day, not
the last day or Sabbath day.
And
as the last day of the week was Israel’s special day, the first day of the
week, resurrection day, is the special day for the Church.
If
one does not see the New Position of the Church, one will be troubled with
keeping Sabbath days, holy days etc.
Colossians 2:16.
Colossians 2:16
(16) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink,
or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]:
Romans 10:4
(4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to
every one that believeth.
Romans 6:14
(14) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are
not under the law, but under grace.
Romans
6:14 … ye are not under law but under
grace. So we repeat:
The
weekly Sabbath was given to
VI
The Church has a new way of life and living.
Romans
6:14 The law is no longer our guide for
living. When will we learn that no one
will willingly live under law unless forced to do so?
2.Corinthians
3:6 “… The letter (that is, the law)
killeth…the spirit giveth life.
2
Corinthians 3:7 The law is a ministration
of death.
Romans 8:2 We are led by grace, not driven by law.
(2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
1 Corinthians 9:20-21
(20) And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might
gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might
gain them that are under the law;
(21) To them that are without law, as without law, (being
not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them
that are without law.
1 Corinthians 9:20-21 Notice three classes of people:
1) those under the law (Jews),
2) those without law (Gentiles),
3) those under the law to Christ
(the Church).
Under
Christ as a wife to a husband and a husband to a wife. It is called the law of love. As such the wife is to seek to please her
husband and the husband is to seek to please his wife.
1 Corinthians 7:33-34. So the Church is to live to please
Christ. One does not see the life under
grace if one does not desire to please Christ.
1 Corinthians 7:33-34
(33) But he that is married careth for the things that
are of the world, how he may please [his] wife.
(34) There is difference [also] between a wife and a
virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be
holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things
of the world, how she may please [her] husband.
Hebrews 13:21 Now the Lord Jesus ‘… make you perfect in every good work to do
his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through
Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen”
Hebrews 13:21
(21) Make you perfect in every good work to do his will,
working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ;
to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
“Thy
will. Nothing less. Nothing more.
Nothing else.”
There
will always remain the danger of Galatianism that seeks to live the Christian
Life through and by the efforts of the flesh.
Galatians 3:3
(3) Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye
now made perfect by the flesh?
Sinners
are in need of grace for salvation and grace for everyday living!
O
to see that grace does not put us under obligation to keep ourselves saved or
safe!
To
illustrate grace fully is difficult. But
if I were to go to the slums of Vancouver, bring one of those down-and-out
people to my home, give them a place at my table as equals with other members
of my family. That would picture, in
part at least, what grace has done. And
I would expect that one to be thankful and seek to please me.
The
story is told about Doctor Barnardo who had built homes for orphans in London. Someone told an orphaned boy if he went to
Doctor Barnardo he would give him a home.
So he went and knocked on the door of the doctor’s home. Doctor Barnardo asked if he had any papers of
identification or could show any reason why he should accept the boy. The boy looked down at first, then lifting up
his arms dressed in rags said, “these, sir”.
The doctor took the boy into his arms and said “Boy, your home”. Oh what grace!
Christ
came to lift up the fallen!
VII
The Church has a New Feast
1 Corinthians 10:16-20
(16) The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the
communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the
communion of the body of Christ?
(17) For we [being] many are one bread, [and] one body:
for we are all partakers of that one bread.
(18) Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which
eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
(19) What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that
which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
(20) But I [say], that the things which the Gentiles
sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye
should have fellowship with devils.
In
these verses we read of three feasts for three different classes of people.
Verse 16 The blessing which we (the Church) bless, is
it not the communion of Christ?
Verse 18 Behold Israel after the flesh eat of the
sacrifices.
Verse 20 The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they
sacrifice to devils. And it is known
that at their sacrifices they have a feast.
Gentiles’
feasts identify them with idols, and behind each idol is a demon.
Jewish
feasts identify them with their sacrifices.
The
Church’s feast identifies it with the sacrifice of Christ.
Each
of these feasts are acts of identification.
1 Corinthians 11:26
(26) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this
cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
At
this table you are identifying yourself with the cross and the coming of Christ.
The
Lord’s table is the only picture he left for us of Himself during His absence.
We
need not expand on that subject here, suffice it is to recognize that Israel
did not keep this ordinance, but the Church has always done so.
VIII The Church has a
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
(9) For they themselves shew of us what manner of
entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the
living and true God;
(10) And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised
from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 The Christian’s life is summed up in the
words, ‘turned to God from idols (one
must turn from something) to serve the living and true God and to wait for His
Son from heaven. Turning, serving and
waiting.
Titus 2:12-13
(12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
(13) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Titus 2:12-13
Living
and looking . Grace teaches us to do so.
1 John 3:2-3
(2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not
yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall
be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
(3) And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth
himself, even as he is pure.
1 John 3:2-3 Every one that hath this
new hope, purifies himself.
If
we believe the Lord could come at any moment it does have a bearing on how we
live. Nothing else can purify the Church
more than the sure hope of the Lord’s return.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
(13) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,
concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have
no hope.
(14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
(15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord,
that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not
prevent them which are asleep.
(16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with
a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the
dead in Christ shall rise first:
(17) Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall
we ever be with the Lord.
(18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 If these words do not teach a Rapture, what do they teach?
Perhaps
no truth has been more neglected by the Church down through its history than
that of the Rapture. 1 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 5:27
(27) I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read
unto all the holy brethren.
1 Corinthians 15:51-58
(51) Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all
sleep, but we shall all be changed,
(52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed.
(53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and
this mortal [mus]t put on immortality.
(54) So when this corruptible shall have put on
incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be
brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
(55) O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is]
thy victory
(56) The sting of
death [is] sin; and the strength of sin [is] the law.
(57) But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(58) Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:51-58 The mystery revealed.
We
shall not all die, but we shall all be changed in a moment. Such is the
There
are two ways to change these bodies:
1)
by death and resurrection
2)
by translation without death
Brother
McNichol would often end a lesson with the words: He’s Coming! He’s Coming!
And we knew he believed what he had said.