Noah's Ark: "The Church" as Defined By John Walvoord

THE MEANING OF THE CHURCH

RELATION TO THE RAPTURE QUESTION

The doctrine of the church has been rightly considered by theologians of all points of view as being an integral and important aspect of theology as a whole. Systems of theology can often be characterized by their ecclesiology. The premillennial system of interpretation has especially relied upon a proper understanding of the doctrine of the church as a body distinct from Israel and from saints in general. What is essential to premillennialism becomes an indispensable foundation in the study of pretribulationism. It is safe to say that pretribulationism depends upon a particular definition of the church and any consideration of pretribulationism which does not take this major factor into consideration will be largely beside the point.

If the term church includes saints of all ages, then it is self-evident that the church will go through the tribulation, as all agree that there will be saints in this time of trouble. If, however, the term church applies only to a certain body of saints, namely, the saints of this present dispensation, then the possibility of the translation of the church before the tribulation is possible and even probable. Decision, therefore, as to the exact nature of the church is prerequisite to the discussion which follows. The precise usage of ecclesia, usually translated "church" or "assembly," must be determined by study of New Testament passages as well as its use in the Septuagint or the LXX, the Greek translation of the Old Testament.

In the New Testament, the Greek word ecclesia is found in at least four important meanings. It is used

(1) to mean an assembly of people. In this sense it has no special theological meaning. It can refer to Israel as a gathered people in the wilderness (Acts 7-28) or a regular assembly of citizens (Acts 19:39) or a group of people gathered for a religious worship (Heb. 2:12).

(2) The same word is used for an assembly of Christians in a local church (Acts 8:1, 3; 11:22, 26) and in the plural for a group of such churches (1 Cor. 16:19; Gal. 1:2). Each assembly or church has a local gathering composed of professed Christians. That all in the assembly are not necessarily true believers is clear from messages to the seven churches of Asia (Rev. 2-3).

(3) Ecclesia is also used of the total of professing Christians without reference to locality and is practically parallel in this sense to Christendom (Acts 12:1; Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13; Rev. 2:1--3:22; etc.).

The same word is used (4) of the body of Christ, composed of those baptized by the Holy Spirit into the church (1 Cor. 12:13). Ecclesia used in this connection becomes a technical word referring to the saints of this age.

All agree that ecclesia in its first meaning indicated above is used of Israel in the Old Testament. The issue is whether ecclesia is ever used of Israel in the sense of the second, third, and fourth meanings. A study of every use of ecclesia in the New Testament shows that all references where ecclesia is used in the New Testament in reference to people in the Old Testament can be classified under the first meaning. Of particular importance is the fact that ecclesia is never used of an assembly or body of saints except in reference to saints of the present age.

Use of ecclesia in the Septuagint. Three Hebrew words are frequently translated "congregation" in the Old Testament. Moed, having the thought of an appointed meeting or assembly, is translated "congregation" in 149 passages in the Authorized Version. Edah in the same version is translated "congregation" 124 times. Only Kahal, in various forms, is translated "ecclesia" in the Septuagint, and is rendered 86 times as "congregation" in the Authorized Version. All three words as translated into English predominantly have the translation of "congregation." These as well as several lesser words never go beyond the simple concept of an assembly. It is therefore a theological error, though commonly practiced, to read into these passages a spiritual concept reserved for the church as the body of Christ in the New Testament. Ecclesia as it appears in the LXX means simply "assembly," no more. The conclusion that the use of ecclesia in the LXX automatically proves that the church, the body of Christ, was in the Old Testament is a confusion of terms and has no real basis in fact.

The church future in Matthew 16:18. The teaching that the body of Christ in the New Testament is a separate entity is supported by the predictive statement of Christ in Matthew 16:18: "Upon this rock I will build my church." The figure of speech rests upon a concept of a future undertaking. Christ did not say, "I am building," but "I will build." It is significant that this is the first reference to the church in the New Testament, and is here regarded as a future undertaking of Christ Himself.

The body of Christ formed at Pentecost. In Acts 1:5 Christ predicted: "John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence." Ten days later was the Day of Pentecost. As far as the record of Acts 2 is concerned, nothing is said of the baptism of the Spirit. In Acts 11:15, however, in relating the story of the conversion of Cornelius, Peter states, "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them even as on us at the beginning." In the next verse he cites this as fulfilling the prophecy of Christ in Acts 1:5. The baptism of the Spirit which is the subject of predictive prophecy in the gospels and in Acts 1 finds its first fulfillment in Acts 2.

The classic passage on the baptism of the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:13, declares: "For in [by] one spirit were we all baptized into one body whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or freed and were all made to drink of one Spirit." The baptism of the Spirit is the act of God by which the individual believer of Christ is placed into the body of Christ. The Greek preposition en, translated "in" in the American Standard Version, is properly rendered "by" in both the Authorized and the Revised Standard Version in recognition of its instrumental use. The Spirit is the agent by whom the work of God is accomplished.

In virtue of these significant truths, it becomes apparent that a new thing has been formed--the body of Christ. It did not exist before Pentecost, as there was no work of the baptism of the Spirit to form it. The concept of the body is foreign to the Old Testament and to Israel's promises. Something new had begun. Peter declares that Pentecost was a new beginning (Acts 11:15). Living Israelites saved under the old economy were apparently placed into the body of Christ at Pentecost (cf. Gal. 3:28; Eph. 2:14-15).

Thereafter the church is distinguished from both Jew and Gentile (1 Cor. 10:32; Heb. 12:22-24). The church as the body of Christ is therefore a new entity, and the term ecclesia when used in this sense refers only to saints of the present dispensation.

THE CHURCH AGE AS A PARENTHESIS

Not only do the Scriptures indicate that the church of the present age is a distinct body of believers, but there is good evidence that the age itself is a parenthesis in the divine program of God as it was revealed in the Old Testament. There has been considerable opposition to the concept of the church age as a parenthesis on the part of amillenarians as well as some premillenarians. Generally speaking, however, those who distinguish clearly between the church and Israel have recognized the present age as an unexpected and unpredicted parenthesis as far as Old Testament prophecy is concerned. While a concept of a parenthesis is not absolutely essential to pretribulationism, if this teaching be accepted, it greatly strengthens the pretribulational argument.

Of major importance is the relationship of this to the interpretation of Daniel's seventieth week (Dan. 9: 27). Those who believe that the present age is a parenthesis regard it as the extended period of time between the close of the sixty-ninth week of Daniel and the beginning of the seventieth week. This would support the teaching of pretribulationists that the future fulfillment of Daniel's seventieth week has to do with Israel and not the church, and thereby strengthens the pretribulation position. The study of Daniel's seventieth week will sustain the teaching that the church of the present age is a distinct body from those who live in the seventieth week.

Daniel's seventieth week relates to Israel, not the church. The interpretation of Daniel 9:24-27 is of major importance to premillennialism as well as pretribulationism. Conservative scholars generally have interpreted the term week used here to mean seven years (cf. Gen. 29:27), and usually trace the fulfillment of the first sixty-nine sevens of years as culminating in the crucifixion of Christ. This was predicted in the terms that "the anointed one be cut off, and shall have nothing" (Dan. 9:26). While the interpretation of the first sixty-nine sevens is thus afforded a literal fulfillment, nothing can be found in history that provides a literal fulfillment of the last seven or the seventieth week. It has been taken by many that this indicated a postponement of the fulfillment of the last seven years of the prophecy to a future seven-year period preceding the second advent. If so, a parenthesis of time involving the whole present age is indicated.

This proposal has been rejected by the liberal, by the amillenarian, and by some premillenarians, particularly those who are not dispensationalists. Philip Mauro, an amillenarian, states flatly, "Never has a specified number of time-units making up a described stretch of time, been taken to mean anything but continuous or consecutive time units."

It should be obvious to careful students of the Bible that Mauro is not only begging the question but is overlooking abundant evidence to the contrary. Nothing should be plainer to one reading the Old Testament than that the foreview therein provided did not describe the period of time between the two advents. This very fact confused even the prophets (cf. 1 Pet. 1:10-12). At best such a time interval was only implied, and this may be observed in the very passage involved, Daniel 9:24-27. The anointed one or the Messiah, is cut off after the sixty-ninth week, but not in the seventieth. Such a circumstance could be true only if there were a time interval between these two periods.

Many illustrations of parentheses in the Old Testament. As H. A. Ironside has made clear in his thorough study of this problem, there are more than a dozen instances of parenthetical periods in the divine program. In Luke 4:18-20, quoting Isaiah 61:2, obviously the present age now extending over nineteen hundred years intervenes between the "acceptable year Of the Lord" and "the day of vengeance of our God." There is no indication in the Isaiah passage of any interval at all, but Christ stopped abruptly in the middle of the sentence in His quotation in Luke thus indicating the division. A similar spanning of the entire church age is found in Hosea 3:4 as compared to 3:5 and Hosea 5:15 as compared with 6:1. Psalm 22: 1-21 predicts the sufferings of Christ, verse 22 anticipates the resurrection of Christ, and then the remainder of the Psalm deals with millennial conditions without reference to the present age. This characteristic is found in much of Messianic prophecy in the Old Testament.

The prophetic foreview of Daniel 2 in Nebuchadnezzar's image and the fourth beast of Daniel 7:2327 likewise ignores the present age. Daniel 8:24 seems to refer to Antiochus Epiphanes (170 B.C.), whereas Daniel 8:25 leaps the entire present age to discuss the future beast of Revelation 13:1-10, who will appear after the church age is concluded. A similar instance is found in Daniel 11:35 as compared with Daniel 11:36. Psalm 110:1 speaks of Christ in heaven and Psalm 110:2 refers to His ultimate triumph at His second advent.

Ironside suggests that Peter stops in the middle of his quotation of Psalm 34:12-16 in 1 Peter 3:10-12 because the last part of Psalm 34:16 seems to refer to future dealings of God with sin in contrast to present discipline. The truth of a parenthesis is implied in Matthew 24 where the present age is described as preceding and intervening between the cross and the sign foretold by Daniel 9:27 (cf. Matt. 24:15). Acts 15:13-21 makes sense only when it is understood that the present age intervenes between the cross and the future blessing of Israel in the millennium.

Even in types, the interval is anticipated. The yearly schedule of feasts for Israel separates widely those prefiguring the death and resurrection of Christ and those anticipating Israel's regathering and glory. In the New Testament, the use of the olive tree as a figure in Romans 11 involves the three stages:

(1) Israel in the place of blessing;

(2) Israel cut off and the Gentiles in the place of blessing;

(3) the Gentiles cut off and Israel grafted in again. The present age and Israel's time of discipline and judgment coincide and constitute a parenthesis in the divine program for Israel.

The ultimate proof of the teaching that the present age is a parenthesis is in the positive revelation concerning the church as the body of Christ and the related truths which reveal the church to be an organism, a body of believers subject to translation and being caught away to heaven. The church is regarded as a bride being prepared for the bridegroom. These distinctive truths establish the concept that the church is to be in this dispensation only. As such, the church is distinguished clearly from the saints who appear on earth during the time of the tribulation.

MYSTERY OF THE ONE BODY

In seeking an answer to the question of a precise definition of the church as it exists in the present age, a major contribution is provided in the New Testament. While the church is never expressly called a mystery in the New Testament, the term is used of the distinctive elements of truth which concern the church. In the apostolic period, mystery cults existed which were so called because their rites of initiation were mysteries or secrets to those no in the cult. Initiation consisted of various rites in which the novitiate was introduced to these mysteries. The word came therefore to be used of significant facts once hidden but now revealed. As used of truths relating to the church, the word mystery should not be considered as truth which is incomprehensible or obscure but rather as truth once hidden, i.e., in Old Testament times, but now revealed in the New Testament. Edwards correctly defines the word mystery, "a secret imparted only to the initiated, what is unknown until it is revealed, whether it be easy or hard to understand."

Content of the mystery. The New Testament revelation concerning the mystery of the one body is given in express terms in Ephesians 3:1-12. In this passage the content of the mystery is stated in the following words: ". . . by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit, to wit, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ through the gospel" (Eph. 3:3-6). The purpose of the revelation is given in the words: "to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things" (Eph. 3:9).

Even an ordinary reading of this passage will re veal the central feature of the mystery. It is that Gentiles should have an absolute equality with the Jews in the body of Christ: "fellow-heirs," "fellow-members," and "fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ through the gospel." Even Oswald Allis who strenuously opposes the unique character of the church in this age admits: "The mystery is, that the Gentiles are to enjoy, actually do enjoy a status of complete equality with the Jews in the Christian Church.... They belong to the same body.... This important feature of the Christian Church was the mystery."

Was the body of Christ partially revealed in the Old Testament? Having conceded the main point in the argument, Allis, however, attempts to nullify the concession by claiming that the general equality of Gentile and Jew is clearly predicted in the Old Testament. He states, "Clearly the equality of Gentile with Jew was predicted in the Old Testament.' A search of his argument for proof texts on this point, however, reveals none whatever.

The fact is that the thought of equality of Jew and Gentile was never mentioned in the great kingdom passages of the Old Testament. The Jews correctly interpreted such passages as Isaiah 61: 5-6 as indicating their supremacy in the predicted kingdom age: "And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But ye shall be named priests of Jehovah; men shall call you the ministers of our God: ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves." Isaiah 2:1-4 teaches the same truth of Israel's exaltation in the kingdom age. The seat of government shall be in Jerusalem and from Zion the law will go forth.

It is of course true that Gentiles are promised great blessing in the kingdom age. They are promised salvation, material blessing, peace, tranquillity, and a share in the glory of that era. None of these promised blessings are extended to Gentiles on the ground of equality, however, and this is the point of the mystery.

The real issue is whether Jews and Gentiles are presented as the same body in the Old Testament. Our examination of the Old Testament fails to sustain this idea. The distinct character of the present age is further shown by the fact that the Old Testament in its prophetic foreview pictures Israel in the millennial kingdom, which is quite different from the purpose of God in the present age. Only if the amillenarian method of spiritualizing Old Testament passages be adopted can the present age be made to conform. Allis as an amillenarian admits this when he writes: "This conception of the mystery is entirely due to the insistence of Dispensationalists that the kingdom promises to Israel must be literally fulfilled, and therefore that the complete equality of Jew with Gentile in the Church is utterly at variance with the Old Testament and necessitates the view that the church age is quite distinct from the kingdom age." In other words, the only way Allis can sustain his contention that the mystery is not entirely new is by application of the spiritualizing principle of interpretation to the Old Testament. When literally interpreted, the Old Testament strictly maintains the distinction between Jew and Gentile, distinguishes their hope, their promises, and God's dealings with them. The idea that Jews and Gentiles might be united in one entity without any distinction whatever, with equal privileges, rights, and fellowship is foreign to the Old Testament.

THE CHURCH AS AN ORGANISM

In demonstrating that the church of the present age is a different body of believers from those of prior dispensations, one of the important lines of truth is the Scripture revelation that the church is an organism. While the new feature of equality of Jew and Gentile is stressed in the mystery of the one body, in the truth relating to the church as an organism the distinctive feature is that of being indwelt by Christ Himself.

Christ in you. In Colossians 1: 26-27 the central feature of this mystery is described as the fact of the indwelling Christ: "The mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." This passage presents the central truth that "Christ" is "in you." It specifically says that the truth thus revealed was "hid for ages and generations." The Old Testament while speaking of the coming of the Messiah both in suffering and in glory never once anticipates such a situation as "Christ in you." It is significant that Allis, when attempting to show that revelation concerning the church as the body of Christ was partially revealed in the Old Testament, does not once mention Colossians 1:26-27 for the obvious reason that this passage expressly contradicts the thought of partial revelation of the church.

That the church is in mind is made clear by Colossians 1:24 where the body of believers indwelt by Christ is identified as the body and the church. The revelation here given of the indwelling Christ was predicted by Christ Himself in the Upper Room in John 14:20 and also is mentioned in His prayer in John 17:23. The truth is described as "the riches of the glory of this mystery: and the fact of the indwelling Christ is called "the hope of glory."

Not only does the revelation of the present position of Christ indwelling the believer stand in contrast to anything which existed in the Old Testament, but it also is quite distinct from anything predicted for the millennial kingdom. In the millennium, the glory of the Lord will be manifest to all the earth, and His dwelling is with men. But never does the prophecy envision the Messiah as indwelling men. In the present age in which the church is in the world, the glory of the Lord is veiled, and His presence is the basis of hope for future glory. In the millennium this hope will be fulfilled and be distinct from either the Old Testament order or that of the present age.

Christ the fullness of the Godhead bodily. The revelation given in the first chapter of Colossians is enlarged in Colossians 2:9-19 where Christ is presented as possessing "all the fulness of the Godhead bodily," with the result that those who are indwelt by Christ are also "made full," or complete. Christ is presented as the "Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God" (Col. 2:19). Here again the mystery is revealed to be truth utterly foreign to anything Israel knew in the Old Testament, or for that matter, anything contemplated in the future in Israel's covenants. Israel is always regarded as a nation, a theocracy, and a people among whom God dwells, while the church is regarded as a living organism in whom Christ dwells, united by vital life and growing by inner spiritual supply.

The indwelling Christ the hope of glory. As indicated previously, the fact that Christ indwells the believer is our ground for the "hope of glory" (Col. 1: 27) . This thought is given further revelation in the third chapter of Colossians.

In Colossians 3:4 it is revealed, "When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory." The indwelling Christ is integral with the believer's hope. At the present time He is "our life" while in the future we can expect His fully manifested glory when He is glorified. The ultimate goal of spiritual experience is reached in Colossians 3:11 when the believer enters into the truth that "Christ is all, and in all."

It may therefore be concluded from the study of both the mystery of the one body and the mystery of the church as an organism that the believers in the present age are quite distinct from either the believers of the Old Testament or believers of future ages.

MYSTERY OF THE TRANSLATION OF THE SAINTS

The Scriptural revelation of the translation of the saints as presented in major passages in the New Testament lends support to the concept that the church of the present age is a distinct body of believers. The truth revealed concerning the translation is in itself not only a supporting argument for premillennialism as a whole but by its detail sustains the concept of a pretribulational rapture.

The content of the mystery of the translation. In 1 Corinthians 15, following the general discussion of the resurrection of the human body, the dramatic revelation is introduced: "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible. and we shall be changed" (1 Cor. 15:51-52).

Of major importance in this revelation is the fact that the translation of the saints is declared to be a mystery. In contrast to the more general method of transformation embodied in the doctrine of resurrection, the truth is plainly taught that the bodies of believers on earth at the time of the Lord's coming for them will be translated and changed into incorruptible and immortal bodies without knowing physical death.

It should be clear to all careful students of the Word of God that it is not a mystery that saints who die will be raised again. The doctrine of resurrection is taught in both the Old and New Testaments and is not a hidden truth. Nor is it a mystery that there will be living saints on the earth at the time of the coming of the Lord. All passages dealing with the second advent as well as those which speak of Christ's coming for His church assume or state that saints will be on earth awaiting His coming. The precise mystery is the added revelation of the fact of translation without dying in connection with the coming of the Lord.

Significance of the revelation. In establishing the distinctive character of the church, the revelation of the translation as a mystery is another distinctive promise given to believers of the present age. Never in the Old Testament are believers promised translation. The Old Testament saints anticipated that if the second advent was fulfilled in their lifetime they would see Christ establish His millennial kingdom on earth. It did not form part of their expectation, however, that any of them would be translated, and in fact the Scriptures provide no such teaching in connection with the second coming to the earth. Rather, as will be pointed out later, it is absolutely necessary for the saints who are on earth at the time of the second advent to enter the millennial kingdom in the flesh, in order to fulfill the many promises that picture their normal life on the earth.

The translation of the saints as a comforting hope. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, in connection with the further revelation given the translation of the church, the passage closes with the exhortation "Wherefore comfort one another with these words." Here again is a truth and exhortation which is foreign to the Old Testament promises. The church is promised the comfort of translation, and this seems to be regarded in 1 Thessalonians as an imminent event. Nothing in the Old Testament encouraged any believer to anticipate translation at the time of the coming of Christ, or to expect reunion with loved ones with the comfort that this would afford by any imminent coming of Christ to take them to Himself. Once again the truth is given as a new revelation in the New Testament relating to the church as the body of Christ. The very fact that the hope is presented as a comforting hope is another argument for pretribulation rapture for the church.

MYSTERY OF THE BRIDE

In Ephesians 5:22-23 the mystery of the church as a bride is unfolded. The truth is revealed in connection with a series of exhortations in Ephesians 5 concluding with the proper relationship of husbands to wives as illustrated by the relationship of Christ to the church. It is revealed that Christ "loved the church, and gave himself for it" (Eph. 5:25), the purpose being "that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of the word, that he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:26-27). On the basis of this revelation, it is declared, "Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies" (Eph. 5:28). It is declared to be a natural thing to obey this command as illustrated in the love of Christ for the church, "because we are members of his body" (Eph. 5:30). In the human marriage relation this union results in man and wife becoming "one flesh" (Eph. 5:31), and as illustrated in the church, it is affirmed, "this mystery is great: but I speak in regard of Christ and of the church" (Eph. 5:32).

The obvious figure of the passage is to present the church as a bride which in the future will be presented to Christ and joined to Him in what is symbolized as the marriage relationship. As the bride, the church is also "his body." This relationship of Christ to the church, however, is declared to be a mystery. This at once sets apart this truth as something distinctive in the present age.

The idea of God related to man under the figure of marriage is, however, by no means new. In the Old Testament, Israel is declared to be the wife of Jehovah, and the entire book of Hosea is devoted to a historical allegory of this relationship. Israel is pictured as an untrue wife to be restored in millennial days. By contrast the church in figure is described as a pure virgin (2 Cor. 11:2) being prepared for future marriage. The resulting union between Christ and the church has in view a body of believers composed of Gentile and Jewish believers.

Such a union is never once contemplated in the Old Testament. While both Jews and Gentiles could be saved and could anticipate millennial blessings on the basis of Old Testament prophecy, never are they regarded as being combined in one body. The new relationship to Christ, contemplated in the bride figure, is quite distinct from anything anticipated in the Old Testament and further substantiates the distinctive character of believers in the present age.

CONCLUSION

On the basis of the usage of the word ecclesia in the New Testament and the obvious contrasts in the character of the church to believers in either the Old Testament or the future millennium, the conclusion is clearly drawn that the body of believers in the present age which composes the church has a distinct place in God's plan and program and as such is contrasted to saints who will come to know Christ in the tribulation period or in the future millennium. When therefore the question is considered whether the church will go through the tribulation, the last generation of the church living on earth at the time is in view and must not be confused with those described as saints or with Israel or with the elect in the tribulation period.

It is significant that none of the truths discussed as distinctive of the church are found in the description of saints in the tribulation. Never are tribulation saints referred to as a church, or as the body of Christ, or as indwelt by Christ, or as subject to translation, or as the bride. As the church is a distinct body with special promises and privileges, it may be expected that God will fulfill His program for the church by translating the church out of the earth before resuming His program for dealing with Israel and with the tribulation.

Excerpted from:
The Rapture Question, John F. Walvoord, 1957, pages 19-39.