Why we believe the Christian Church began at Pentecost

By Pastor Terry L. Reese, Center Church

 

There are those who believe that the Church began during the Old Testament era, or perhaps during the days of John the Baptist. Others believe that the Church began during the days of our Lord's humility, during the period of the Four Gospels. Still others (Ulradispensationalists) believe that the Church began sometime after Pentecost (Acts 13? Acts 28). We reject these views, and hold to the classical Dispensationalist view, which affirms that the Church began on the Day of Pentecost.

 

 

1.  In Matthew 16:18 Jesus states “I will build my church,” indicating that the building of the church was future event.

 

2. Spirit Baptism is what joins us to the universal Body (1 Cor. 12:13) and makes us one (Eph. 4:4-6). This coming work of the Holy Spirit was prophesied by John the Baptist (Matt. 3:11) as something Jesus would do in the future. The promise of the Savior (John 7:37-39, Acts 1:8) to accomplish this was fulfilled in Acts 2:1-4 at the Day of Pentecost—what Peter calls the beginning (Acts 11:15-17).

 

3. Without Jesus’ inaugural death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, there could be no Christian Church (Eph. 1:19-23). He purchased the Church by His death (Acts 20:28), He is the living Head of the Church (Col. 1:18) and its Foundation (1 Cor. 3:11), and He gave the Church both is Commission and its Ordinances (Matt. 28:19-20; John 13:14-15; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

 

4. The Church is called a NT “mystery” (i.e., a Divine truth that was previously hidden and unknowable, but which is now clearly seen through the channel of Divine revelation). While the salvation of Gentile nations was foreseen in the OT, the joining of Jew and Gentile in one spiritual Body was not (cf., Eph. 3:1-6).

 

5. The Apostles and NT-era prophets are described as Foundational men (Eph. 2:20).

 

6.  The Church is always distinguished from national Israel (1 Cor. 10:32); it is not a continuation of it.

 

7.  The Gifts of the Spirit through which the Church necessarily functions came only with the Ascension of Christ (Eph. 4:7-12).

 

8.  The living Body is now God’s earthly Temple (Eph. 2:21-22).