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The Daily Word of Righteousness
A Destructive Doctrine, #3
In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. (Ephesians 2:21—NIV)
The "whole building" mentioned in the above passage is the holy city, the new Jerusalem, the eternal dwelling place of God and the Lamb.
Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." (John 14:23—NIV)
Does the above verse apply to Jews or Gentiles? It was spoken first to Jews!
And then in the same context as Ephesians 2:19-21 (above):
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 3:6—NIV)
Think of it! "The Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body." And it is being taught today that there is a "Gentile Church"!
In the same context:
There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— One Lord, one faith, one baptism; One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:4-6—NIV)
It seems to me that anyone who would consider these statements in the Book of Ephesians, and then maintain there are two churches, two bodies of Christ, would be guilty of being willfully unscriptural.
Notice further:
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ. (Galatians 3:16—NIV)
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 4:28,29—NIV)
There is neither Jew nor Greek (Gentile) for we are all one in Christ Jesus.
One new man! One Seed of Abraham!
I say again, it seems to me that anyone who, in the light of such passages, would still claim there are two churches, two called-out people of God, appears to be being willfully unscriptural.
Some have said because Matthew spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven and the other Gospels spoke of the Kingdom of God, there are two different kingdoms. If you will read the four Gospel accounts, beginning with the preaching of John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus, you will find that the same parables described by Matthew as parables of the Kingdom of Heaven are presented by Luke as parables of the Kingdom of God.
Did John and Jesus in the Book of Matthew preach the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven, and in Mark and Luke preach the coming of the Kingdom of God, and by this refer to two separate kingdoms? This is ridiculous!
When Jesus said we must be born again to enter the Kingdom of God, to which kingdom was He referring? He was speaking to the Jew, Nicodemus; so Jesus must have meant the Jewish kingdom on the earth. Therefore we Gentiles do not have to be born again in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (if there are two different kingdoms). What nonsense!
The two-church, two-kingdom idea to me appears frivolous. I would not discuss such apparent error if it were not for its destructive impact on Christian thinking and behavior.
To be continued.