CHART 4; IMPORTANCE
Chart #4: How Is this Relationship Important?
-
The Bible is God’s record of His will dispensed to people.
-
God has one will – that we relate to Him as adopted children through Jesus Christ as we live holy and blameless in love. Eph. 1:3-14.
-
God “dispensed” this will to people: (1) orally to the heads of households during a period that might be called a “Patriarchal dispensation,” (2) in writing to Israel through Moses and various prophets while everyone else still learned “by natural processes” during a period that might be called a “Mosaic dispensation,” and (3) personally though the life of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament during our period, which might be called a “Christian dispensation.”
-
The bible is one book recorded over time by inspired people in two “Testaments,” each of which is structured according to which type of literature a book fits rather than as part of a story line or chronology. See chart 2 for the specific structure of the Old and New Testaments.
​
-
These two Testaments fit together as the New fulfills the Old through Jesus as illustrated in the fulfillments of Daniel 2, Isaiah 2 (& Micah 4), Jeremiah 23, Jeremiah 31 and Joel 2 described in Acts 2.
-
Why is this relationship important for human fulfillment of God’s plan that we be holy and blameless in love through our adoption in Christ? What pictures illustrate what God’s plan has been that we now enjoy as we relate to God through Jesus Christ?
God promised one necessary thing – relationship to Him through Jesus -- but He illustrated it as many things: His Kingdom/Reign, His Household, the Body of His Christ, His Townhall or Assembly (“Church”), His Bride, His Flock, His Vine and His Temple.
-
God promised something that He pictured many ways and brought into existence through Jesus Christ by the day of Pentecost after Jesus’ death and resurrection.
-
God promised through Daniel a perpetual “reign” or “kingdom” to come about during the Roman period and John the Baptizer as well as Jesus said that this would come to their listeners. Paul and others tell us that after Pentecost, this exists and is spiritual. Dan. 2:44, Matt. 2:1-2, Mk. 9:1, Matt. 16:18-19, Col. 1:13-14, I Cor. 15:24, Eph. 2:19, II Cor. 10:3-5, Heb. 12:28.
-
God promised through Isaiah a “house” above all the “mountains” in “the last days” when people from all nations would flow up to Zion to hear His law/word proclaimed in Jerusalem and then leave at peace. Paul and others tell us that after Pentecost, this exists as God’s Townhall or Assembly (“church”). Is. 2:2-4, 46:13, I Tm. 3:15, Eph. 1:3-5, 5:1-8, Gal. 3:26-27.
-
God promised through Hosea a new marriage to a “bride” of people committed in love to Him. Paul and others tell us that after Pentecost, this exits as God’s Townhall or Assembly (“church”). Hos. 2:18-20, Eph. 5:23-30, II Cor. 11:2-5, Rom. 7:1-4.
-
God promised through Ezekiel a new “flock” that God would “shepherd” self-sacrificially and Jesus promised that He was the shepherd of such a flock. Paul and others tell us that after Pentecost, this exists as God’s Townhall or Assembly (“church”). Ezek. 34:23-24, 30-31, Jn. 10:11-18, Acts 20:28-32, I Pet. 5:1-8.
-
God promised through Isaiah a new “vineyard” through which God would bear fruit and Jesus said that He was such a vine for His disciples who are branches in Him. Paul tells us that after Pentecost, such a harvest is growing. Is. 5:1-7, Ps. 80:8ff., Jn. 15:1-11, Gal. 5:20-22.
-
God promised through Moses a “kingdom of priests” and through Isaiah and Hosea a new temple worship open to “whosoever will.” Paul and others tell us that after Pentecost, this “temple” and “priesthood” exist. Ex. 19:5-6, Is. 61:6, 66:18-21, Hos. 1:10, 2:23, Eph. 2:20-22, I Pet. 2:4-10, Rom. 12:1-8.
-
God promised through Jesus that Jesus would build a Townhall or Assembly (“church”) that would be associated with this “reign” and these blessings. Paul and others tell us that after Pentecost, this exists as promised. Matt. 16:18-19, Eph. 1:22, Acts 2:38-47, II Thess. 2:13-14, Heb. 12:22-23, Rev. 1:4, 20:15.
-
Paul and others tell us that this relationship to God through Jesus is also to be seen as an extension of Christ Himself – His body! .II Tim. 2:10, I Cor. 12:13, 2:16, 4:4-6, 5:23, 23, Eph. 1:3, Col. 1:18 Cf. Ezekiel 37.
-
God’s promises are unified in Christ and all-important for us.
-
God’s promises point to only one thing that is pictured many ways. There is only one relationship to God through Jesus Christ that is God’s reign/kingdom, household, bride, flock, vineyard, temple, Townhall or Assembly (“church”) and Christ’s body. See above.
-
This one relationship is where God gives forgiveness (Col. 1:13-14), salvation (II Thess. 2:13-14, Rev. 20:14-15, Heb. 12:22-23, Acts 2:47, Eph. 5:23, Eph. 2:16, II Tim. 2:10) – indeed, all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3, Jn. 14:6).
-
This one relationship to God through Jesus Christ is therefore “what the Bible is about” in the most simple and profound sense!
-
God planned for “whosoever will” to have this relationship to Him as His “church,” but did not set up religious clubs called “churches.”
-
Listening to God’s word, believing in Jesus, repenting to God’s way of life and confessing that Jesus is God’s Messiah, the Son of God bring us up to this relationship. Baptism into the Father, Son and Holy Spirit put us into this relationship. Rom. 10:17 & 10, Acts 11:18, Gal. 3:27 & Rom. 6:3, I Cor. 12:13, Acts 2:38, 41, 47, Jn. 3:3-5, II Cor. 5:17.
-
This relationship is necessary for salvation and is called God’s reign/kingdom, His household, His bride, His flock, His vineyard, His temple, His Christ’s body and His Townhall or Assembly (“church”). These illustrate where we have His blessings and therefore we cannot be saved “outside” this relationship or “church.”
-
This “church” is not a religious social club with a constitution or “creed” as most Americans use the word “church.” Salvation is not connected with any religious social club even if called a “church.”
Next chart: How did this new relationship look?