Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Who or What is the Real Church? - Part 6

In Part 5 we discussed the specific purpose of the Body of Christ on earth in this current age. But what about its role in the next age, the millennium?

This requires some conjecture as we try to fit together the few clues Paul has scattered throughout his letters. But let's try.

First of all Paul tells us that what he has to reveal about the church, the Body of Christ, had been unknown to earthlings until it was shown to him.
Even the greatest of the Old Testament prophets did not know it.
And Jesus, when on earth, did not disclose this secret to anyone, probably because his ministry then was exclusively to Israel.

Indeed, this information was so exclusive to Paul, that he called it "my gospel".
This is how Paul finishes his letter to the Romans:

Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery (secret) hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God (lit. the God of the ages), so that all Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith.
[Romans 16 : 25 NIV]

This gospel that Paul proclaimed was revealed to him directly by God's Spirit.
We declare God's wisdom, a mystery (secret) that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time (lit. the ages) began.
None of the rulers of this age understood it  ... these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
[1 Corinthians 2 : 7 - 10  NIV]

And it was this:
For, among the very first things, I delivered to you what I had also received: that the Anointed (Jesus Christ) died because of our sins, in accord with the scriptures, and that he was entombed, and that he was raised on the third day in accord with the scriptures.
[1 Corinthians 15 : 3 - 4  DBH]

And for those given the faith to believe his gospel, some snippets about their future:
God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
[Ephesians 2 : 6 - 7  NIV]
His (God's) intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose (lit. the purpose of the ages) that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[Ephesians 3 : 10 - 11 NIV]
Do you not know that we will judge angels?
[1 Corinthians 6 : 3 NIV]

My best guess is therefore that the ministry of the church in the next age is ruling with Christ in the heavenlies.
(I therefore think that ruling with Christ on earth is probably the responsibility of redeemed Israel.)

Any improvements on my guess?
Blessings, Barry

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