The Church (Assembly) and the Kingdom of God

Part 5 of a study - by Bob Allgood

    Let’s take a closer look at some complex passages with duel applications to the church (assembly) and the kingdom. I have proposed that the sovereign dominion of God over his creation, including the human race and the universe, encompasses that which is called in the New Testament the “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven”, and this “kingdom” is synonymous with “the kingdom of God’s dear Son” and encompasses the New Testament Church (Assembly). If I am right in this proposition, and I know of nothing to make me think that I am wrong, then it stands to reason that some passages of Scripture dealing with the local, visible New Testament Church (assembly) could or will also apply to the kingdom or God or the assembly to be gathered in glory. And likewise some passages dealing with the church (assembly) or kingdom in glory could or will apply to the local, visible New Testament Church (assembly). In my last post I used a passage which proves this point.

    In Acts 20:28 Paul said to the Elders of the church (assembly) AT Ephesus, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood”. Clearly the context of this statement deals primarily with the FLOCK of God’s people at Ephesus over which the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers. This FLOCK is called “the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood”.

    None would deny that ALL the elect of God, whom God foreknew, predestinated, called and justified, and will be assembled in glory (whom he glorified), have been purchased with the blood of Christ. None would deny that ALL who are IN the “kingdom of God”, who have been translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son, have been purchased with the blood of Christ. None would deny that every child of God who is IN every local, visible New Testament “Church of God” have been purchased with the blood of Christ. Therefore, while this passage has a primary application to the Church at Ephesus, a portion of it has a secondary application to “the whole family (of God) in heaven and on earth” (see Eph. 3:14-19).

   Some other complex passages are those that speak of “the church” as being “the body of Christ”. The phrase “the body of Christ” appears four (4) times in the New Testament and three (3) times has a primary reference to the local, visible assembly, and a secondary reference to either other assemblies or the whole family of God. The phrase “his body” appears eight times and three (3) or four (4) of those seem to have a primary reference to the whole family of God, or “church (assembly) that will be gathered in glory. We must remember when considering the word Church or Churches in the New Testament, using a contextual method of interpretation, IMO, the primary application should always be FIRST to the local, visible church or churches to which the words are written. In only a few cases does the context of the scripture allow for a SECOND application to the invisible body of Christ, referred to as the Bride in the Revelation, to be assembled in eternal glory. 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. We should never take the position that the phrase “the church (assembly)” is never used to speak of the assembly of the whole family of God on earth and in heaven.

    Paul taught the Corinthian Church (assembly) that communion (i.e. The Lord’s Supper – the cup and the bread) was “the blood of Christ” and “the body of Christ”. He wrote, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” (1 Cor. 10:16). He then went on to say in the same epistle, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (1 Cor 12:27). Certainly no one would claim that ONLY those in the Corinthian Church (assembly) made up “the body of Christ”. Therefore this statement must first be applied to the Corinthian Church, but secondarily it must be applied to all other local, visible New Testament Churches (assemblies) and to ALL who are “baptized into Jesus Christ” by one Spirit. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:13 “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit”.

   As I understand it ALL of God’s elect are “heirs according to the promise” of eternal life and are “baptized INTO Jesus Christ” or into “his body”. Paul wrote, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal 3:26-29). Again in Romans 6:3 “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?”  Therefore it must be understood that the phrase “the body of Christ” has duel application to not only the local, visible New Testament Church (assembly) but to ALL local visible NT Churches (assemblies) and to ALL of God’s redeemed IN Christ.

   I think this precept is seen in other passages such as Ephesians 1:15-23 and especially verses 22-23 which says, “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all”. This precept is also seen in Ephesians 5:25-31 where Paul speaks of Husbands loving their wives and compares marriage to being JOINED to Christ. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband”. While, IMO, the primary application is to the Church at Ephesus, the secondary application is to ALL other churches and to ALL of God’s elect IN Christ who make up the “Bride”.

   It has been pointed out that the Greek word “Ekklesia” was translated Church or Churches 115 times in the KJV; 36 times as church (singular), and 79 times as churches (plural). The word "KINGDOM" appears in the New Testament 158 times in 150 verses, including the times it appears in the terms "kingdom of heaven" and "kingdom of God". To examine each of these passages would extend this study beyond reason and perhaps beyond my life time. But I will try to examine some in order to provide proof for the premises presented herein.

   There are many Parables describing what takes place in “the kingdom of God” and “the kingdom of heaven”, but to the best of my knowledge there are only TWO passages that explicitly DEFINE or EXPLAIN “the kingdom” for us. In other words in these two passages GOD TELLS WHAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS! Jesus said "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation -- for behold the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:20-21). The word "observation" comes from a Greek that means "inspection or ocular evidence". Jesus teaches us that the KINGDOM OF GOD cannot be seen with the physical eye. Therefore we must conclude that there is a difference between “the kingdom of God” and the local, visible New Testament Church (assembly) which can be seen. Paul, who certainly understood the kingdom better than we do today, confirmed this precept by saying “the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy IN the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:7). Again this teaches me that “the kingdom of God” cannot be seen, touched or consumed in a physical sense, but IS experienced IN the Holy Ghost.

    I believe the “kingdom of God” is the realm in which the will of God is done through the power of the Holy Spirit. While Jesus was here on this earth, HE accomplished that by doing the “will of his Father”. He said “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38). Jesus did the will of His Father through the power of the Holy Spirit, for it says in John 3:34 “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him”. When Jesus ascended back to glory, He promised to send another Comforter, as He said, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth WITH YOU, and shall be IN YOU (caps mine – ba)” (John 14:17). THIS appears to be “the kingdom” under consideration when Jesus said, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). IMO, this little passage teaches that the “little flock” and “the kingdom” must be different in some ways.  

   Previously I used Acts 20:28 to show how the term ”the church of God” could have a duel application to not only a local visible assembly, but to other assemblies and to all of God elect. The parable of the “wheat and the tares” has similar duel applications. In Matthew 13:24-30 we read, “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn”.

    There is no need for me to explain this parable because the disciples said to Jesus “Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field” and He explained it in verses 37-43. “He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear”.

    It seems to me that this parable is speaking of God’s elect which are “the good seed” sown by the Son of God. It also seems obvious that “the end of the world” is under consideration, when “the children of the wicked one” shall be separated from “the kingdom” of heaven and cast into a furnace of fire. IF “the children of the kingdom” is the “visible NT church” then Jesus says the Devil is busy sowing “tares” within the local NT church. The fact that he says “Let both grow together until the harvest” would contradict his teachings on church discipline in Matthew 18:15-17. If “the kingdom” in this parable is the local visible NT church, that means that “the righteous” cannot enjoy this kingdom until the tares are separated “in the end of the world”. While there can be applications made to “tares” (wolves in sheep’s clothing) getting into the local, visible NT church, it seems clear to me that in this parable “the kingdom of heaven” deals primarily with all of the elect of God – at least in the New Testament era. 

    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”. In Luke 13:29 we read, “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”.  Obviously the Old Testament Saints under consideration here were not IN the local, visible NT church – but are IN the “the kingdom of heaven” and “the kingdom of God”.