The Distinctiveness of the Church (2) Ecclesiology

The foundation statement for the church: Mt The church was yet in the future when Jesus made the statement. The church was founded on “this rock” which is the confession of faith that Peter uttered in verse 16. The church will withstand the attacks of the ‘gates of hell’ There is some kind of connection between Peter, the church, and the kingdom that flows from Peter’s confession and Christ’s foundation statement

Relationship of the church to the Kingdom To the universal kingdom: As all things are under God’s sovereign rule, so the church is included under the universal kingdom To the Davidic/Messianic kingdom: As Christ’s brethren and co-heirs, the church will rule in this kingdom along with Christ To the mystery aspect of the kingdom: as part of this age and under Christ/God the church participates in the mystery aspect To the Spiritual form of the kingdom: The true church – the believers in Christ – is equivalent to this form of the kingdom If one were to try to summarize the relationship of the church to the kingdom, he would have to say that it is related but not equivalent to certain concepts of the kingdom; it is unrelated to another concept; and it is equivalent to another. The concept of the kingdom must be defined before one can determine the relationship of the church to it.

The relation of the church to Israel The distinction stated: “The church stands distinct from Israel and did not begin until the Day of Pentecost, and thus did not exist in the Old Testament period.”

The relation of the church to Israel Israel and Gentiles clearly distinguished after the church began (Ac 3.12, 4.8, 10, 5.21, 31, 35, 21.19) Natural Israel and the church are distinguished (1 Cor 10.32) God has revealed a separate program of blessing for Israel after the age of the Gentiles [and the church] has run its course (Rm , 28-32)

The relation of the church to this age The distinction stated: “The church did not exist in Old Testament times but was constituted on the Day of Pentecost. It is distinct to this present time period.”

The relation of the church to this age The future tense in Mt – I will build my church The church’s head is the resurrected Christ, therefore the church must begin after the resurrection (Eph ) The essential foundational spiritual gifts could not exist without the resurrection (Eph ) The mystery doctrine of the one body hidden in OT times, revealed by the NT apostles (Eph 3.5-6, Col 1.26) – First mention (1 Cor ) – Second mention (Rm ) – Synonym: one new man (Eph 2.15)

The relation of the church to this age “The new body was not known in other ages, but is now revealed. And since the church is the body of Christ, and since that body was not revealed and operative until the New Testament era, the church is distinct to this age.” The relation of the church to this age