|
Vertical Divider
|
“[Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything” (Colossians1:15-18).
|
|
Vertical Divider
|
Origin
The kingdom of God is first and foremost reflective of the sovereign authority of God. It is manifested in eternity and time for the benefit of His creation. The authority of God was challenged in eternity by the devil and his angels. Concordant with divine justice, the subsequent fall and banishment of angelic citizens from the kingdom of God demanded rectification. With foreknowledge, God had predetermined a course of action that would serve to vindicate His nature and repopulate His kingdom. It was inclusive of Eternal Covenant, renovated earth, human race, covenantal plan and nation, messianic king and ecclesia. According to eternal plan, God renovated the earth and populated it with the human race. By a willing demonstration of obedience, mankind would serve to vindicate the divine nature and, thereby, qualify to repopulate the divine kingdom. Foreknown by God, however, the first, representative man and covenantal head of the human race, Adam, chose the path of disobedience. Although it was manipulated by satanic deception, his disobedience was ultimately predicated on personal choice. Consequent to the disobedience of its representative headship, the human race fell from privilege to prohibition. In a state of legal unsuitability and organic incompatibility, it was prohibited from sharing life with God. Burdened by an unpayable debt, the legal status of the human race was transformed from law-abiding to law-breaking; from righteous to unrighteous. Therefore, it became legally unsuitable to accommodate divine life (zoe) and resulted in the necessary departure of God. Concordant with the departure of the living (zoe) God humanity experienced degeneration of life. As a consequence, the organic status of the human race was transformed from the highest possible quality of life, suitable for heavenly fellowship, to a significantly lower form of life appropriate for existence on earth apart from God. The progressive natural degeneration of life on earth is plainly evidenced in both soul and body. The degenerated soul is characterized by a darkened mind, perverse will and deceitful emotions and the human body subject to pain, suffering and eventual death. Relative to his fallen state, mankind is prone to develop forms that are innately selfish by nature. They are designed to support function that is ultimately self-willed, self-fulfilling, self-protective and self-serving. As a consequence, fallen mankind is all too willing to stop short of life (zoe) and settle for the practice of lifeless religion; the motive and source for a church very different from the one so gracefully distinguished in the pages of the New Testament. 
|
|
Vertical Divider
|
Distinct Church
The church of the New Testament is distinct. Originated by God before the foundation of the world, it is perfect in function and form. Therefore, there is nothing else like it (Ephesians 1:4; Hebrews 4:3). Manifested on earth, the New Testament church was not a mere copy of the original in heaven, but the perfect, heavenly original mirrored on earth. Therefore, it was as clear and distinct on earth as in heaven (Ephesians 1:3-4; 2:4-10; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 4:3). The creation of the New Testament church was a gracious work of the God. The basis for its origination was the life changing Eternal Covenant. The Eternal Covenant was initiated between the members of the Godhead in eternity and fulfilled in time. Redemptive in nature, its stipulations included the willing death of the Son, His subsequent resurrection by the Father and its application to fallen humanity by the Spirit. The divine fulfillment of the Eternal Covenant provided the basis for relationship between God and man after the fall. While the Eternal Covenant furnished the means for the redemption of fallen mankind in general, the church was its primary beneficiary. Throughout the Church Age, the benefit of the Eternal Covenant applied to the elect would allow God to decisively demonstrate the attributes of His nature to the angelic host through the New Testament church. The benefit of the Eternal Covenant provided for the elect of the New Testament church to become legally suitable and organically compatible with God. Therefore, it is able to enjoy the glorious privilege of life shared with the mediator of the covenant, Jesus Christ, and citizenship in His kingdom. Through benefit of the Eternal Covenant, the New Testament church was made legally suitable with God by justification from all transgression of His law. It was satisfied by Christ’s fulfillment of the righteous requirement of the rule of law, His sacrificial death for the forgiveness of all transgression of law and subsequent imputation and declaration of righteousness to the New Testament church. Legally suitable by benefit of the Eternal Covenant, the New Testament church could experience life with God. It occurs by the twofold process of regeneration and spiritual birth. Through regeneration of life, the New Testament church was made organically compatible to accommodate the living (zoe) God. By spiritual birth it is graciously joined to the mediator of the Eternal Covenant, Jesus Christ, in an intimate union of shared life. Made legally suitable and organically compatible with God, the brothers and sisters of the New Testament church assembly are described as saints. They have been eternally set apart by God for His own special purpose (Romans 1:7; 1Corinthians1:2; Ephesians 1:1). Congruent with the Eternal Covenant, the New Testament church was graciously called of God before the foundation of the world to be demonstrative of the attributes of the divine nature on earth. It was called out from the just condemnation and wrath of God and called together into an intimate community known as the ecclesia or the “assembly” of God’s chosen people (Romans 8:28-30; 9:23-24; 1 Corinthians 1:4-9; 7:15; Colossians 3:15; 1 Timothy 6:12; 1 Peter 2:9). The New Testament church was designed to be an eternal vehicle through which God would vindicate His nature to the angelic host and repopulate His kingdom with willing citizens, predominantly from the Gentile nations of the world (Ephesians 3:1-13). The progressive manner in which He would fulfill the vindication and repopulation through the New Testament church would serve to reveal His manifold wisdom to the heavenly host; the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places (Ephesians 3:10). It would provide them with an indisputable demonstration of His nature, inclusive of but not limited to His selfless love, unfailing mercy and absolute justice. The original language of the New Testament referred to it as the ecclesia or “assembly” of God. Beyond ecclesia, the distinct church of the New Testament is described by a number of titles. They have included but are not limited to: “desired” (Ephesus), the bride of Christ, the “body of Christ”, the “pillar and support of the truth”, a “royal priesthood”, a “chosen Race”, a “holy temple of the Lord” and a “dwelling of God in the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 2:21-22; 4:12; 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 19:7). In the vernacular, the church of the Bible has been referred to by titles such as organic church, eternal church and New Testament church. |
|
Vertical Divider
|
|
|
Vertical Divider
|
Unlike anything else on earth, the New Testament church is characterized by eternal attributes. Among others, they include:
|
|
Vertical Divider
|
|
|
Vertical Divider
|
The New Testament church is an eternal, shared-life community that was created in heaven and mirrored on earth by God. It is eternal in origin, calling, function, form, purpose, mission, animation, doctrine, governance, works, leadership, body, manifestation, practice and growth. Truly distinct, the New Testament church is suitable for the fulfillment of eternal purpose within the hostile environment of the fallen earth.
|
|
Vertical Divider
|
|
|
Vertical Divider
|
Eternal Destiny
Gloriously and unconditionally joined to God by an intimate union of shared life, there is no amount of deception, difficulty or darkness that can separate the ecclesia from His living (zoe) presence and loving purpose. “…we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, ‘For your sake we are being put to death all day long, we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:28-39). The distinct church of the New Testament was established before the foundation of the world. Its eternal destiny was secured by the love of God, the blood of the Eternal Covenant and the indwelling presence of indestructible life (zoe). |
|
Vertical Divider
|
|
|
Vertical Divider
|
Endnotes
1Hoehner, Harold W. A Chronological Table of the Apostolic Age. Doctoral Dissertation, April 1972. © 2018 James Hiatt |
