1 © 2013 James P. Steel See printed material for permissions. Chapter 13 – A Light to the Nations

A Light to the Nations! The Role of the Church in this Dispensation

His Great Cause can be seen… In our family position! In God’s grand scheme for history! In His resurrection victory over principalities and powers! In filling all things. He is our pleroma! In making us His temple! Grazing in Ephesians 1: 5,11,18; 2:19 1:10 1:19-22; 3: :23,3:19, 4:7, (Col.2:9) 2:20-22

Before we look closer at our own Dispensation, let’s straighten out some usages of the word “kingdom”.

In a word PD builds its position by reinterpreting what it sees as symbols or metaphors of the church. It is a doctrine built on symbology, not literal interpretation. (A fatal flaw) As a result of that logic, (ergo): The body of Christ will soon be seen as a mere metaphor and not a unique entity. The church in this age will soon lose its distinctive identity. Progressive Dispensationalism should be properly titled Neo-Dispensationalism. However, in the end, it is neither neo or Dispensational. Israel is the wife of Jehovah, the church is the bride of Jehovah. Those metaphors are essentially one and the same or God is a polygamist. (See Blaising and Bock) Here is an example: Yikes!! This is essentially what our Reformed and Charismatic brethren have taught all along! In Five Minutes or Less…

OLD TESTAMENT NEW TESTAMENT KINGDOM

In the Old Testament there could be no expression of the baptism of the Spirit. It was not experimental or practical. This baptism was both positional and practical. Its expression in our age is unique. The doctrines of adoption, body truth, and temple truth all flow from it. Its expression in the age to come has not been fully revealed, but it will be unique to that age. (Acts. 2)

OLD TESTAMENT NEW TESTAMENT KINGDOM Note Ephesians 5: :30 - The body relationship is more than a metaphor. It is systemic. We are actually members of His flesh and blood. Paul builds on this in Col. 1:24. The idea of knitting together, just as flesh and bones knit represent this truth. 5:31 – Even so, the body relationship is less than absolute. It is identic (sharing the same traits) but not identical. You are not your mate. The point is that the body of Christ is more than a metaphor because so many dynamics descend from this truth. Spiritual power ensues from it and spiritual gifts result from it. Israel simply could not have been the body of Christ.

OLD TESTAMENT NEW TESTAMENT KINGDOM

The Church The called-out ones in this age and is: uniquely founded upon Christ, uniquely baptised by the Spirit, uniquely the mystery form of Christ’s body, and uniquely Christ’s temple through which He carries out His priestly ministries.

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