New Testament Christianity Is Ordered After A Divine Pattern Ephesians 3:1-12 Kent Bailey The affirmation of the fact regarding the plenary, verbal inspiration of the scriptures necessitates also that the scriptures constitute a divine pattern that must be followed. The perpetuity of the New Testament church is assured by the fact that the word of God constitutes the seed which brings about the continuance of this kingdom, the church (Luke 8:11). Because the word of God is eternal (Matthew 24:35), and because the word of God is that divine element that gives spiritual life, the church is thus an eternal essence. The scriptures affirm that the element of salvation in Christ has an eternal extension to those who will be faithful (Revelation 2:10). Faithfulness to Christ implies that salvation from past alien sins is the means that Christ uses to bring individuals into the church (Acts 2:38, 47; 1 Corinthians 12:13). Because one made entry into Christ and his church, one has the ability to be faithful to Christ; thus assuring that individual of eternal life in the hereafter (2 Timothy 4:6-8). Our faithful following of the word of God thus demonstrates the seed principle of the scriptures which perpetuates the New Testament church. If the nature of the church was not eternal one could not be assured of salvation being conditionally eternal because the church is comprised of all of those having been saved by the blood of Christ (Acts 2:47; 20:28). Such is demonstrative of the authority of the word of God. The purpose and design of the church. Ephesians 3:10-11 sets forth the church in the purpose of God. Knowing before hand in eternity of humanitys needs, God purposed the church. The church was therefore not an afterthought, in the mind of God inserted after sin was introduced in the garden of Eden. The church was thus divinely purposed in eternity. The New Testament church was not only purposed by God The Father, it was also promised by Christ (Matthew 16:13-20). This promise was why our Lord came into the world. He shed his blood to purchase the church (Acts 20:28). Because the purchase price of the church was the blood of Christ, this makes the church essential to salvation. The church of Christ, having been planned by God the Father, promised by Christ, and purchased with his blood thus of necessity implies that our place within the church is to glorify God (Ephesians 3:14-21). God cannot and will not be glorified in any human institution. Neither salvation from past alien sins, faithfulness to Christ, nor eternal life is found within human institutions. Only in the church of Christ can salvation be found, and only in the church of Christ can God be glorified. Such is the specific purpose and design of the one true New Testament church. The church has a distinct identity While indeed nature, purpose and/or design is a crucial component of the church that belongs to Christ; a distinct identity is of crucial importance as well. God has set in order a pattern for the salvation of accountable humanity. We thus read in the scriptures of a pattern principle. The term pattern (tupos) is properly defined as being a mold such as that into which one pours lead. The mold guarantees the same image every time that it is used. The New Testament pattern gives the church a distinct identity. New Testament Christianity is not a smorgasboard of religious concepts where each can do as they may please. The church of Christ is recognizable after and according to the pattern that God gave. To affirm a no pattern concept is thus to deny the binding nature of New Testament doctrine. The pattern of God is summed up in Christ (Ephesians 1:1-12). In noting this particular passage we find that the term purpose is used both as a verb and also as a noun (Ephesians 1:9, 11). At a particular past time in history this pattern of God was not known by humanity because God had not revealed it. even though He had purposed it within Himself. Within he dispensation of the fullness of time God gathered together in one all things in Christ, in whom we obtained the inheritance according to the purpose in him. According to this passage God purposed a purpose, i.e., He planned a plan to save accountable humanity in Christ by bringing such a plan into existence. The church is part of Gods plan. In the study of the book of Ephesians in conjunction with Gods scheme of Redemption we thus discover that the New Testament church is an extension of the wisdom of God in a mystery (1 Corinthians 2:7). That wisdom is referred to in several different ways. It is referred to as (1) The testimony (or word) of God (1 Corinthians 2:1). (2) Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). What was that plan that was a mystery for so many years? That God would save accountable sinners in the church, the ekklesia, the called out assembly of Christ, the totality of all those having been saved from past alien sins. This salvation in Christ has been revealed in the New Testament. In this divine revelation of God were are given the facts, the conditions, and the promises of God. Within this pattern we are to follow the conditions of pardon to become children of God as well as to work, worship and live. We thus have a pattern by which not only to be saved from past sins, but also giving us information about our collective relationship to both God and other Christians within the church. It is a pattern we are to follow to both be saved in Christ and glorify God. New Testament Christianity is what God planned it to be from eternity. New Testament Christianity thus has a pattern and is to be ordered after that pattern.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 21:00:35 +0000
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