[This is Part 5 of a 6-part study to promote a biblical understanding of church planting.]
It is hard for Western Christians to really appreciate the cultural shift that took place in the first century when Jews and Gentiles were brought together into a single entity—the Church. Some illustrations such as slaves and slave owners together in the same churches before the Civil War, or Nazi’s and Jews in WWII Germany, come pretty close.
Even though the Apostle Peter declared on the Day of Pentecost, “And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved!” (Acts 2:21), it took some serious pushing to get him to go into the home of a Gentile in chapter 10 to proclaim the gospel. But there he said something quite profound:
“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him… Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
In other words, “everyone” means “everyone.”
He said “everyone” in Acts 2, but apparently didn’t think it included Gentiles. Perhaps in Acts 10 as he presented the gospel to Gentiles, he emphasized that word “everyone” as it all dawned on him like a ton of bricks. “Everyone…everyone? Everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
But Peter wasn’t the only one who struggled with this. It created conflict from the very beginning, including the first intentional missionary endeavor—the first missionary journey documented in Acts 13-14. As we read 13:44-14:7, Luke mentions “many had been appointed to eternal life believed” (13:48) which could easily lead readers into a debate about predestination and election. He also notes the “signs and wonders” (14:3) done by the hand of the first missionaries which piques the interest of most readers. But, the emphasis seems to be on the inclusion of both Jew and Gentile in the Church:
“Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, “I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.”’ When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:46–48, NASB95)
“In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks.” (Acts 14:1, NASB95)
“We are turning to the Gentiles,” Paul and Barnabas said. And they quoted the prophet Isaiah 42 and 49 to prove that this was God’s plan all along—the time had come for the Gentiles to be included in God’s unfolding plan. How did the Gentiles feel about this? “They began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord!”
This new community—Jew and Gentile together—is highlighted throughout the New Testament; an underlying issue that crept into numerous debates and issues. If we read the New Testament with individualized spirituality in mind, we often miss how important the church community—the local church—was to Christianity. This was especially obvious in the ministry and letters of Paul because he was the Apostle to the Gentiles. For example, look at what Paul wrote about this Jew-Gentile connection in Ephesians 2:11-22.
“Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called ‘Uncircumcision’ by the so-called ‘Circumcision,’ which is performed in the flesh by human hands—remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:11–22, NASB95)
There is such good news! It is a celebration of the gospel—what Christ accomplished through His death and resurrection—and one of the key implications of the gospel: the Church! Jew and Gentile together in one “new man…one body.” Gentiles were “separate from Christ, excluded from” the covenants God had made with Israel in the past, and—take a close look—“having no hope and without God in the world.” But Christ “Himself is our peace.” He “made both groups into one.” Beautiful! Now turn to the next chapter and read Ephesians 3:1-10.
“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 3:1–10, NASB95)
Focus on that last sentence. Paul explained how he understood his role in what God was doing. He was given “this grace” which he also called his “stewardship” earlier. What was Paul’s “grace” or stewardship”? Two things—two tasks or responsibilities. First, he was to “preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ.” In other words, he was supposed to proclaim the gospel in the Gentile world. But that wasn’t the only thing. Notice the “and” right after that. He had a second task. Next, he was supposed to “bring to light what is the administration of the mystery…” The “mystery” was a truth that hadn’t been revealed before Christ’s earthly ministry—that’s what “mystery” means. Paul had defined it earlier in v.6. It was “that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel”! Paul was to “bring to light” how this “mystery” (i.e., the Church) was supposed to be “administered”—how it was supposed to work.
Notice one other treasure included here—the “why.” Why did God bother? Why did He bring Jews and Gentiles into the same new community, knowing it would be difficult and result in all kinds of conflict? Why didn’t He just segregate the Jewish Christians off in their own “Messianic congregations” and the Gentiles in their own churches? “So that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places”! The Jew-Gentile community—the Church—was a display of God’s wisdom! It was so unlikely and so miraculous that only God could do it. The Church is supposed to be a living, breathing, multifaceted, multicultural illustration of God’s infinite wisdom.
What does this mean for churches today? First, Paul’s teaching (found in his letters) is critical for us in becoming the “body” we are meant to be. It was Paul’s job to show us “the administration” of the Church. We should scour Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon for clarity about how to “administrate” this new community. Perhaps we often fail to be the churches we’re supposed to be because we haven’t really done our homework on what Paul “brought to light.” This should lead to a strong focus on the example and teaching of Paul. This does not mean we don’t focus on Jesus because the ministry of Paul was the work and teaching of Jesus—what Jesus continued “to do and teach” (Acts 1:1-2). It was also the outworking of the Great Commission Jesus gave to His Church (Matthew 28:18-20). Obeying Paul is obeying Jesus.
Second, we exist to put God’s wisdom on display. Go back and read v.10 again—memorize it, take it into your heart and soul. The way we do church is supposed to glorify Him in the eyes of “the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places”! These “rulers and authorities” most likely refer to all the angels—both good and fallen. So, can you picture it? As we “do church” they’re watching. As we live in community with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we either confirm the wisdom of God, or we make a mockery of it. We either do church God’s way and bring Him glory, or we do it our way and God’s angels turn away in sadness. The reality is that God’s wisdom will always “be made known” by some churches somewhere. The question is simply, “Will it be my church?”
