![]()
3
When Did the Church Begin?
In chapter 1, we saw seven rules that can be used in defining Bible words and terms. Before we apply some of those rules to the study of the doctrine of eternal life as understood by Calvin and Arminius, let’s apply them to another subject. If someone asked you the question, “When did the church begin?” how would you answer? If your answer is when the Lord Jesus called out his disciples, Acts 2, or any other similar answer, you have missed the entire point of chapter 1. The answer you give is contingent upon what is meant by the word “church.” As we have seen, there are no less than seven different definitions for the word “church” based upon each individual Bible context. The answer then to “when did the church begin?” is contextual and contingent upon how we define the word “church.” My intention is not to make a full study of the word church in the Bible, but to do a quick study and apply those results to our larger study of eternal life. Indeed, if we fail to understand how a single word such as “church” can have multiple meanings in the Bible, we will also fail to see where the teachings of Calvin and Arminius can differ with what the Bible actually teaches. What then is the answer to the question, “When did the church begin?” The proper answer is, “What do you mean by the word church?” or “Please define the word church.”
We have seen that the word church has no less than seven different Bible meanings depending on the context in which it is used. If the reader is in doubt as to the multiple meanings of the word church, I invite you to look up all references of the words “church” and “churches” and study them in their contexts as I have done. The following is a quick reference of the various definitions of the word church.
- The general definition: Any called-out assembly.
- Specifically: Moses’s called-out assembly in the wilderness (mixed multitude of saved and lost).
- Specifically: The called-out assembly of John Baptist’s disciples separate and distinct from the Lord’s disciples (Matt. 9:14, Matt. 11:2, Mark 2:18, Luke 5:33, Luke 7:18, Luke 7:19, Luke 11:1, John 1:35, John 3:25, John 4:1).
Note: Although the Bible does not specifically refer to John’s disciples as a “church,” the same could be argued regarding Jesus’ called-out assembly. In Matthew 16:18, the Lord was referring to a future church, which he had not started while in Matthew 18:17, it could be argued that the Lord was citing the established church assembly or synagogue. The word “church” can be used in a generic way meaning any called-out assembly (potentially saved and lost).
- Specifically: the called-out assembly of Jesus’ disciples (saved and lost).
- Specifically: The assembly point, gathering place or building (saved and lost).
- Specifically: The called-out assembly of professing New Testament believers (saved and lost).
- Specifically: The body of born-again believers only, to be ultimately assembled in heaven (saved only).
So then, if someone asks, “When did the church begin?” and they are reading Acts 7:37–38, the answer will be different than if they are reading Matthew 18:17.
This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us. (Acts 7:37–38; emphasis mine)
“And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican” (Matt. 18:17; emphasis mine).
The church of Moses was generally the same type as John Baptist’s and the church of the Lord’s disciples in Matthew 18:17 in that they were all called-out assemblies, consisting potentially of both redeemed and non-redeemed persons. Concerning the church of Moses, we read in Exodus 12:38:
“And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle” (Exod. 12:38; emphasis mine).
In like manner, the church mentioned in Matthew 18:17 (whether we identify it as the Lord’s disciples or the local synagogue) was a called-out assembly of both redeemed and non-redeemed persons. If this doesn’t set well with the reader, let me remind you what the Lord Jesus said about his own called-out assembly of handpicked disciples.
“Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70; emphasis mine).
This was the Lord’s handpicked “church,” which included Judas Iscariot or as my grandson once called him “Judas the scary it.” Judas was also sent out into the world to do miracles.
And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (Matt. 10:1–8; emphasis mine)
Yes, Judas Iscariot was a part of the pre-Pentecost church or assembly of Jesus Christ. So, we realize that the Old Testament church of Moses was similar in some ways to the Lord’s called-out assembly of handpicked disciples, yet they were not exactly the same. These assemblies were, of course, distinguished by two different leaders; Moses being one and Christ being another, and the time factor differentiates them as well. This one factor of time more than anything else causes us to render two different answers to the question, “When did the church begin?” Without going into further detail here, let’s agree that the church of Moses and the church of Jesus’ disciples before Pentecost were the same in some ways yet different in others.
Now we have two different answers to the “When did the church begin?” question, depending upon the context of scripture and the definition of the word church. Using this method, we can list six different answers to the same question, “When did the church begin?”
- “When did the church begin?”
Church: Any called-out assembly.
Answer: We must specify which one.
- “When did the church begin?”
Church: Acts 7:37–38. The called-out assembly of Moses in the wilderness (saved and lost).
Answer: The church or assembly of Moses began when Moses led them out of Egypt.
- “When did the church begin?”
Church: The called-out assembly of John Baptist’s disciples (potentially both saved and lost).
Answer: Before the Lord Jesus began calling out his disciples.
- “When did the church begin?”
Church: The called-out assembly of Jesus’ disciples before Pentecost (saved and lost).
Answer: Shortly after the Lord Jesus began his earthly ministry and before the beheading of John the Baptist.
- The assembly point, gathering place or building (potentially populated by both saved and lost).
Answer: We must specify which one.
- The local church or the professing church body. Specifically: The called-out assembly of professing New Testament believers (potentially populated ...
