The Church (Assembly) and the Kingdom of God

Part 3 of a study - by Bob Allgood

      As I understand it, the “kingdom of God” and the “kingdom of heaven” are synonymous with the “kingdom of Christ” (Eph. 5:5) and “the kingdom of his dear Son” (Col. 1:13), and the “kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”, and the “purpose of God according to election” places ALL of God’s elect IN this kingdom, but not IN the New Testament Church (Assembly). ALL the elect of God, including the “old testament saints” from righteous Abel on (you can start with Adam if you prefer), including Gentiles and Hebrews (Jews), are by God’s “eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” IN “the kingdom”. Jesus said in Matthew 8:11, “And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven” – and in Luke 13:29 “And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God”.

   It seems to me that Paul had this understanding and wrote, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Eph 1:3-6). Again he wrote, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:29-30).  

     I have never been able to spiritually discern how the "purpose of God according
to election" and the doctrine of predestination could pertain to one's membership in a local New Testament Church (Assembly).   Let's consider this FACT. Jesus said in Matthew 11:11 “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he”. IMO, “he that is least in the kingdom of heaven” is speaking of Christ himself.  The word “least” is translated from the Greek word “micros”, meaning lesser in age. Jesus was six months younger than John but “greater than he” in the Kingdom. John the Baptist was IN the Kingdom but not IN the New Testament Church (Assembly). Just like ALL the “old testament saints” – Gentiles and Jews – who died IN the Lord, John the Baptist had not been baptized in water – even though he was sent by God to baptize.

   When Jesus began his earthly ministry after being baptized by John, he “went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom”. Mark tells us, “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God” (1:14). Since there is only ONE GOSPEL (Gal. 1:6-9), the “gospel of the kingdom” as preached by Jesus in Matthew 4:23, is the same “gospel of the kingdom of God” as preached by Jesus in Mark 1:14, and is the same as the “gospel of Christ”, “the gospel of God”, “the gospel of the grace of God”, “the gospel of peace”, “the gospel your salvation”, etc..  I cannot find where the “gospel” is ever referred to as “the gospel of the Church”. This does not mean that the church does not preach the gospel – but the good news (or gospel) is about the “kingdom of God’s dear Son”. Paul spent his entire ministry preaching “the gospel of the grace of God.” As he said in Acts 20:24, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

   “The kingdom of God’s dear Son” had been foretold by the Prophets hundreds of years before. Isaiah wrote, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this”.  When the KING was born into this world, “the angel of the Lord came upon them (the shepherds), and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord”. CHRIST the Lord, means the Messiah, the anointed one of God, the KING of the Kingdom.

   Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence” (John 18:36). In the same sense the local, visible, New Testament Church (Assembly) of Christ is IN the world but not to be part of the world. But IT will no longer be the same local, visible church (assembly) when it is presented to himself with ALL the elect of God IN glory as “a glorious church, (assembly) not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing”. For then it will be “holy and without blemish”. But this cannot be said of a local, visible, New Testament Church (Assembly) here on this earth, because we dwell in these earthen vessels, and the church is made up of SINNERS.  

    It seems to me that the New Testament gospel Church, as taught in the scriptures, is always a particular local, visible assembly of born again believers who have been properly baptized in water. There is no such thing as a “Holy Catholic (universal) Church” or an “Invisible Church (assembly)” taught in the scriptures. There will be a Church (Assembly) in glory when all the redeemed (elect) are gathered together to be “with the Lord”. The term “The Primitive Baptist Church” is a misnomer unless it is being used generically to speak of a particular local, visible Primitive Baptist Church or Churches. Technically speaking there is no such thing as “The Primitive Baptist Church”.

   The term “the church” appears in seventy (70) verses of scripture in the New Testament. However, in almost all of those verses the reference is to a particular church (assembly) in a particular location. As far as I can tell there is no such thing as a “Holy Catholic (universal) Church” or an “Invisible Church (assembly)” taught in the scriptures for this time world. I do not find any “Denominational Headquarters” for the New Testament Churches taught in the scriptures. I do not find where any natural man is to be called the Pope or Ruler over the churches of Christ. Jesus Christ is the head of His church and churches. There are Bishops, Elders and Deacons within each church, but they are not to “Lord it over God’s heritage”. Since I have introduced two creatures at once, a Universal Church and an imaginary Invisible Church (assembly), I will deal with the Catholic or universal aspect first.

    There is “The Roman Catholic Church” with all its Babylonish idolatry and sexually perverted priest. The Roman Catholic Church is the largest body of “Christians” (?) in the world. It has about 1 billion members -- nearly a fifth of the world's population. The pope, who is the bishop of Rome, serves as the head of the Roman Catholic Church. He governs the church from Vatican City, a tiny independent country within the city of Rome. 

    There is “The Episcopal Church”, which is a break off from “the Church of England”, which has over 100 dioceses and about 12,000 clergy in the United States. It supports missionary activities in many parts of the world.  A General Convention of bishops, priests, and laity that meets every three years governs the church. A presiding bishop heads the convention's House of Bishops and the Executive Council, which puts the convention's decisions into practice. The church has about 2,500,000 members.  The Headquarters are in New York City.

    There are other “denominations” that could be used to illustrate the Universal aspect of man-made organizations, but these should suffice. The true New Testament Church has no “head” but Jesus, and no headquarters but in heaven. Each and every church is autonomous, with Christ as her head, to carry out the business of the individual, particular church. When Jesus gave the “keys (authority) to the kingdom of heaven” to the apostles, they were to be used in New Testament Church in a local church manner, not in a catholic or universal manner. This is obvious from HIS teachings in Matthew 18:15-17.  One of the vital characteristics of a New Testament Church (assembly) is “church discipline”. No where in the scriptures is “church discipline” designated to an authority outside the local assembly. The “rule” of catholic or universal church denominations is carried on under the establishment of “the clergy”. The separation of “the clergy” from “the laity” and the rule of “the clergy” over “the people” is nothing more than the doctrine and deeds of the Nicolaitans. Jesus told the church at Ephesus “thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate”. Jesus told the church in Pergamos, “So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate”.

     On the day of Pentecost when the Lord added 3,000 souls to the church at Jerusalem, those that gladly received the words of Peter’s preaching, “continued stedfastly in the “apostles’ doctrine” and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). It does NOT say they continue in the “Apostles Creed” which is a Roman Catholic and Protestant declaration of their belief, including a belief in the “Holy Catholic Church”.  

    Here is the basic Roman Catholic form of the Apostles' Creed:

 I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.  He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven; sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.  Amen. 

    The Protestant form generally substitutes the word Maker for Creator and uses catholic or Christian instead of Catholic.  When the word “Catholic” is used as a noun it refers to a member of a Catholic church, especially a Roman Catholic. When it is used as an adjective it refers to the Roman Catholic Church or to “the universal Christian church” (?).

   This unscriptural idea of a “universal church” seems to have rubbed off on some of my brethren among the Primitive Baptists who speak of “The Primitive Baptist Church” in the same sense as some do “The Catholic Church”. All of us use the term “the church” or “the Primitive Baptist Church” to speak of a particular church or the PB churches in general, just as we would talk about “the American housewife” or “the Ford automobile”.  But when one uses the term “THE Primitive Baptist Church” in the sense that there is only ONE Primitive Baptist CHURCH, then IMO, that is going “catholic or universal” with the doctrine.   

    One cannot be baptized into “THE New Testament Church”. One must be baptized into a particular New Testament Church in a particular location. One cannot be baptized into “THE (Holy Catholic) Primitive Baptist Church”. One must be baptized into a particular Primitive Baptist Church in a particular location. One cannot attend “THE Primitive Baptist Church”. One must attend a particular Primitive Baptist Church.

    I first began to notice that some Primitive Baptists hold to the idea of a “catholic (or universal) Primitive Baptist Church back in 1994. In the Philippines Journal “Under the Mango Tree” Jeff Harris used this terminology on the ordination papers of those he ordained, by saying “We, the undersigned Elders of THE Primitive Baptist Church – etc..” The idea of there being “THE Primitive Baptist Church” went so far, that there was a LOGO designed to promote it. I first saw this logo in the spring of 1994.

  After reading the Ordination Certificates used in the Philippines, which began with the words, “We the undersigned Elders of “THE Primitive Baptist Church”, I examined my own ordination certificate and sure enough it begins with the same words, “We the undersigned Elders of “THE Primitive Baptist Church”. This tells me that whoever designed the “Ordination Certificate” did not have a good understanding of the doctrine of the New Testament Church as taught in the Scriptures. IMO, this statement is not only unbiblical it creates some problems and confusion.

    If apostate or liberal Elders who have departed from the faith remain Elders in “THE (catholic) Primitive Baptist Church”, and all the Elders which have “kept the faith” are Elders in this same imaginary “catholic Primitive Baptist Church”, how then does one “come out from among them and be separate”? Where does this catholic Primitive Baptist Church assemble itself? Who is the pastor? What songs does the assembly sing? Who does the preaching? Who is the treasurer? How is church business conducted? How is “church discipline” conducted? Of course these questions will also apply to the imaginary “invisible church” when I get around to that subject. Would it not be better for the Ordination Certificate to read, “We the undersigned Primitive Baptist Elders at the request of such and such Primitive Baptist Church in such and such city, etc. etc..”, rather than “We the undersigned Elders of THE Primitive Baptist Church”?