1. Systematic Theology III The Doctrine of the Church
The Composition of the Body of Christ
and
The Time and Relationships of the Body of Christ

2. The Distinctions of the Body of Christ
The Church is Distinct from the Kingdom of God
“Many confuse the church and the kingdom, having a mistaken concept of both…A church saint of today is a part of the citizenry of the future kingdom” (McCune, p. 204).
“The kingdom, on the other hand, is the earthly messianic reign of Jesus over the world for one thousand years. It is a basically Jewish theocratic state with Israel as the head of the nations, and it is future to the present age. The kingdom age is the final and culminating dispensation in God’s program for earth history” (McCune, p. 204).
“The position of a church saint in the messianic kingdom will be that of a co-regent with Christ the King…In the Millennium, the church saint will reign with Christ on His Davidic throne” (McCune, p. 205).

3. The Mediatorial Kingdom of God through History
Northern Kingdom
Rapture of
the Church
Descent of
the Spirit
Return of
Christ
1051 BC
722 BC
931 BC
United King.
New Heavens & Earth 7
Southern Kingdom
1000 years
586 BC
Prophets
“Mysteries of the
Kingdom” (Matt 13)

4. The Composition of the Body of Christ
The Regeneration View of the Body of Christ
“This view makes regeneration the building agent of the body of Christ. All who are saved are considered a part of the universal or invisible church. Thus, the church can be extended back to Adam and can be equated with the kingdom of God, defined as an abstract rule of God in the hearts of men by the Holy Spirit. As Millard Erickson says, ‘The kingdom can be found wherever God rules in human hearts.’ In the Old Testament the form of the kingdom was Israel and in the New Testament it is the church, according to this position.
The objection to this view is that it blurs biblical distinctions between the church and Israel, the kingdom and the church, law and grace, the ministries of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament and New Testament, among others. It misunderstands Spirit baptism and has little or no comprehension of dispensational truth” (McCune, p. 207).

5. The Composition of the Body of Christ
The Baptism View of the Body of Christ – “The building agent of the church is the unique ministry of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Where Spirit baptism occurs, the body church is being built and extended” (McCune, p. 207).
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit Effects the Composition of the Body of Christ
1 Corinthians 12:13a For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit Comprehends All Who Are Saved in this Age
Paul’s words above speak of the entire church, not just the one located at Corinth, as is clear from 1 Cor 1:2.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit Results in Union with Christ Who is the Head of the Church
The phrases “in Christ” and “into Christ” assert this. This did not happen with OT saints.
Spirit baptism and the resultant placement in the Body of Christ only occurs after Pentecost. OT saints were not placed in the Body of Christ, for it did not yet exist.

6. The Composition of the Body of Christ
The Baptism View of the Body of Christ
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit Results in a “New Man” – A Body in Which Jew and Gentile Are on a Plane of Perfect Spiritual Equality
“In the Old Testament there were certain things a Gentile proselyte could not do in the nation of Israel. Gentiles were admitted as aliens and foreigners but never on a plane of equality with Jews. In the New Testament church that is all changed and the old ethnic preference for Israel as a national entity no longer obtains in the brand new organism created on the day of Pentecost, called by Paul ‘one new man’” (McCune, pp ).
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit Effects a Perfect Spiritual Unity in the Body of Christ
“…all Christians of the church age are those who comprise His spiritual body of which He is the spiritual head” (McCune, p. 209).

7. The Time and Relationships of the Body of Christ

8. The Historical Time of the Body of Christ
“The church is a unique organism, peculiar to this age. Dispensationalists differ greatly from covenant theologians in the composition and history of the church. Covenant theology places the church’s beginning usually with Adam or Abraham, and it places the church’s final composition or end with the second coming of Christ and the general/resurrection judgement. Covenant premillennialists place Tribulation and Millennium saints also in the church because they too participate in the one covenant of grace and are, therefore, a part of the generic church or the one continuing people of God. Others begin the church somewhere else in the Old Testament, somewhere in the Gospels (with John the Baptist, Jesus Christ), at Pentecost, or at various times in the Acts (so-called ultra-dispensationalists)” (McCune, p. 213). The church began at Pentecost, as shown by:
The Revelational Mystery (Eph 3:1-9; Col 1:24-27)
The Teaching of Christ concerning the Church
“These references to the founding of the church are all future to the ministry of Christ and to His death and resurrection. The Matthew 16:18 prophecy was spoken at Caesarea Philippi about one year before His death, and it is the first mention of the ekklesia in all of revelation history. His allusion to Spirit baptism [in Acts 1:5] is likewise prior to the fact, if only by a few days or weeks” (McCune, p. 215).

9. The Historical Time of the Body of Christ
The Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ Was Necessary before the Church could begin.
His death was necessary before the Holy Spirit could come (John 16:7).
His death was necessary for the validity of the ordinances of the church, water baptism and the Lord’s table.
“Spirit baptism and the formation of the church are dependent on the resurrection of Christ. We are living members of a body of which He is the living head” (McCune, p. 216).
The distribution of gifts to the church could not take place until after the triumphant exaltation of Christ.
“The Counselor ministry of Christ to the church is dependent on His resurrection and ascension” (McCune, p. 216).
According to Peter, Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension were necessary for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:32-33).
The church is grounded on the atonement of Christ at the cross and (Acts 20:28). Its beginning must therefore be subsequent to that event.

10. The Historical Time of the Body of Christ
The Chronology of Spirit Baptism
“There are conclusive indications from the Acts that this new ministry of the Holy Spirit, and thus the beginning of the church, occurred at Pentecost. Peter testifies that what happened at Cornelius’ house was a repetition of what happened at Pentecost (Acts 11:15-16), and he says that what happened at Pentecost fulfilled Jesus’ words in Acts 1:5. Furthermore, the Lord’s command in Acts 1:4…was fulfilled at Pentecost, according to the apostle Peter in Acts 2:33” (McCune, pp ).
The Rapture of Believers
“At the Rapture, all those ‘in Christ’ – all church saints – will be caught up, both dead and living. This will complete the formation of the church and thus the terminus ad quem of the church age” (McCune, p. 217).

11. The Relationships of the Body of Christ
To God
“The church is the temple and dwelling of God – ‘in [Christ] the whole building. . .is growing into a holy temple in the Lord (Eph 1:21-22)” (McCune, p. 217).
To the Created Universe
“In Ephesians 1:17-23, Paul says that Christ’s resurrection and exaltation put Him above every created thing. All things are in subjection to Him. God appointed Him as head over everything and all things. In that capacity He is given as the head of the church. It can be concluded that Christ’s headship over the body Church also elevates the body to a position of preeminence over all the created universe” (McCune, p. 217).
To Other Spiritual Bodies
“Because of the position of the church in relation to Christ via Spirit baptism, the church is destined to be co-regent with Him in His kingdom (2 Tim 2:12; Rev 3:21). The church will be the Lamb’s wife…the head of all other bodies of saints” (McCune, p. 218).

12. Next Time: The Doctrine of the Church
The Structure and Polity
of the Local Church