Church
“A calling out”

The word ekklhsia comes from the Greek preposition ek, meaning ‘out from’, and the word klhsiV meaning a ‘calling’. Even so, we will see that this word has various tints of meaning and connotations. The original usage of the word signified a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into a public place to discuss the affairs of State; an assembly of the people convened for deliberating. We can see this usage in Acts 19:39. ekklhsia can also refer to the assembly of Israelites as they were traveling through the desert, as seen in Acts 7:38 and Hebrews 2:12. The word also has a very general usage referring to any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance or tumultuously (Acts 19:41). Now, in the Christian syntactic we see it used as an assembly of those who are in Christ, gathered for worship or fellowship (1 Corinthians 11:18; 14:19, 35). Christ speaks of it in Matthew 18:17 regarding all his adherents, and in Hebrews 12:23 it is used to speak of the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven. Over all, the implication of the word ekklhsia is a gathering of people ‘called out from’ where ever they may be assembled, to be in another place, for a common purpose with those of whom they are gathered. This is how we are to see the church that Christ himself said that he was going to build (Matthew 16:18), a calling out of an old system of externals, into a new system of internals. Most importantly, it is a calling out of a segregated body of hierarchy, into a unified body of equality. It is with this in mind that Paul urges his readers in Ephesus to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit. For “there is one body and one spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4).” However, just because we were called out from a system of law into a system of faith, this is not to say that the study of the Old Testament economy no longer has value. On the contrary, it is vital not only to our personal growth as believers, but equally vital to our growth as the body of Christ.

Comparing two foundations

In Henry Clarence Thiessen’s book (Revised by Vernon D. Doerksen) he states that “while there is a connection between the saved of all ages (John 10:16; Romans 11:6, 24; 1st Peter 2:9), and there is a people of God throughout the various ages, Christianity is not new wine poured into old wineskins. Rather, it is new wine in new wineskins (Matthew 9:17).” While this is true, and while I respect highly Thiessen and Doerksen, I need to add one undisputable fact. Simply stated, the Lord is never changing. Thus the Psalmist wrote “But you remain the same, and your years will never end (Psalms 102:27)." As well, it says in Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever.” James writes, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows (James 1:17)." Lastly, the Lord says it best when he declares to Malachi “I the Lord do not change (Malachi 3:6)." God and all of His attributes are immutable and eternal; therefore, it only reasons to say that the foundation that supported the first calling out continues to support the present calling out. For this reason, our study will begin with a look at the foundation of God’s church, which has remained the same throughout all ages. You can categorize this foundation into three major areas. There was faith, obedience, and evangelism. Under one of these three, you can fit all the similarities, and say all there is to say on the subject.

Everlasting faith
(Exemplified in Abraham)

Romans 4:1-25 is by far the crème de la crème of Bible passages that bring to light the truth of justification by faith, in both the New and Old Testament economies. The key verse in this chapter is 4:13, which reads, “It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.” To say that believers, before Christ’s incarnation, obtained salvation through a system of mere works is a distressing misconception. John F. Walvoord writes in his book ‘Jesus Christ Our Lord’ “Under the system of sacrifices, God provided an outward means of manifesting inward faith. However, the sacrifices in themselves could not save because an unbeliever who offered sacrifices was still lost. A believer who really trusted in Jehovah would, on the other hand, be sure to offer his sacrifices.” God’s word assures us that it could be no other way, “For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath (Romans 4:14-15a).” W. H. Griffith Thomas wrote, “using Abraham to prove more clearly than ever the necessity and importance of faith in relation to righteousness, and at the same time to give adequate evidence that this teaching on righteousness by faith is in exact agreement with the Old Testament as exemplified in the Father of the Faithful… The fact of taking Abraham in support of his doctrine is full of significance and importance. The Mosaic Law was not by any means the first or fundamental step in the divine act and purpose of redemption. Indeed, it was only a temporary ADDITION to a far greater provision. The history of the Chosen People did not begin at Sinai, but in the person of Abraham, with whom God entered in covenant in relation to the whole world. The covenant with Abraham was therefore a covenant of grace, and preceded by centuries the Mosaic covenant of works. It is for this reason that having considered the righteousness of faith in relation to the law of Moses, the Apostle is compelled to go much further back and discuss the history of God’s dealings with Abraham (St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, A Devotional Commentary). Scripture unmistakably illustrates that faith is the foundation of the church, the corner stone of those who are ‘called out’. Paul again makes this connection of faith between the New and Old economies in Galatians 3:6-9 “Consider Abraham: ‘he believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ (Genesis 15:6), Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’ (Genesis 12:18; 18:18; 22:18).”

Everlasting obedience
(Exemplified in the Tabernacle)

Nothing illustrates the similarities between the New and Old Testament church more than the Tabernacle. From the gate of the courtyard, to the Holy of Holies, the steps are the same for all who come to believe in the name of the Most High God. Is this to say that the modern day believer is lacking because we do not have an altar to sacrifice our offerings upon, or because we do not have a “Tent of Meeting” to go to and serve the Lord? Not at all, actually, the similarities are found in the individuals who participate in the workings of the Tabernacle rather than the structure of the Tabernacle. These workings are Invitation, Resignation, Purification, and Consecration.

1         Invitation

The initial effect of obedience

“For the entrance to the courtyard, provide a curtain twenty cubits long, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen – the work of an embroiderer – with four posts and four bases (Exodus 27:16).” There was only one way to get to the Tabernacle, and that was through the eastern gate. The first thing noticeable when studying this is that the gate is distinct from the rest of the courtyard material. It was multi-colored while the rest of the outer courtyard was white. It was embroidered while the rest of the outer courtyard was plain, and it was the only place where there was a break in the continuity of the courtyard. James Strong, in his book 'The Tabernacle of Israel' writes “From their mode of attachment it is clear that none of these curtains (not even that of the doorway, which is explicitly stated to have been a single piece) were intended to be parted or to slide for admission; entrance could therefore only be effected by lifting them at the bottom and passing under them (as they were 5 cubits, or more than 8 ½ feet high), and this moreover was not possible with and any degree of facility (on account of the tightness of the long lines) except at the doorway, where the break in the continuity of the raised, especially at the (lower) corners.” Everything about the doorway’s design screamed “This is the way!” and “No one shall go to the Tabernacle except through me.” Its invitation was “Come to me and I will lead you to cleansing waters and forgiveness of sins.” The gate welcomed all who sought to be one of the chosen of the Most High God. Every Israelite noticed the difference with this gate, and accepted its invitation. Even so, only the priest could pass. This is the same for the modern day believer; as a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:5, 9) everyone who truly seeks the forgiveness of the Father must accept the invitation given, and pass through (in faith) the only way provided, that being Jesus Christ. Jesus says in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” In addition, Luke says in Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Finally, Paul writes in Romans 5:1, 2 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” God has given us an invitation, just as He has given to the Israelites in the desert almost 4000 years ago. This is still the foundation of the church today. Nothing has changed. We must accept the invitation and come to Christ, who is the new way (Hebrews 10:19-20), into the presence of God.

2         Resignation

The rebuilding effect of obedience

The first thing the priest saw after he passed through the only provided way was the brazen altar of burnt offerings (Exodus 27:1-8). “Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance at the tabernacle, the tent of meeting… (Exodus 40:6)” After the priest acted in faith and entered through God’s provided way, they were called to act in obedience, by providing all that God had asked, that being a sacrifice. It was a sacrifice of repentance from their old way of life to a new way of life. The Hebrew word for repent is bw (shoov) and carries a very insightful meaning. Living Word Picture Ministries says regarding this word “The ancient word pictures says that repentance occurs when we ‘Destroy the house’; which is to be taken captive. The ancient conquerors wanted their captives to become a part of the conquering kingdom. This could never happen if the new captives continued to long for their old home. Therefore, to make a total break with the past, conquerors would force the captives to watch as their old home was completely destroyed. From this word for being, ‘taken captive’ comes the word for retuning, or repentance. You can tell when I have really ‘returned’ to Israel from another country (or another religion) when I have left no house behind me. Then when problems arise, as they always do, the person who has totally committed himself will walk through the difficulty. But what about the person who has left his options open? It is very easy to go back to the old way of life. (This can be seen in the Israelites when they desired to go back to Egypt when Pharaoh’s Army was behind them (Exodus 14:10-12), when they were hungry in the desert (Exodus 16:1-3), and when they feared to enter Canaan. (Numbers 13:26-14:4)) How many people have you seen who because they have not ‘burnt the bridges of their old, ungodly lifestyle, have seen their marriage or their walk with God fail during a time of hardship? Real repentance works because it is a complete break with the old life! To destroy the house is to choose which kingdom, which covenant we will follow and to totally commit ourselves to that one covenant! What would happen to our walk with God or to our marriages if we were to walk in this truth?” This is why I choose to call this Resignation. For we are called to resign from (or destroy) the old man and take part in the new. Paul wrote “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).” Christ also says in Luke 9:62 “No man who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the service in the kingdom of God.” God calls for complete obedience from His believers, and demands that we obey no other gods (or so-called gods) other than Him. Repentance and obedience are here synonymous with each other. Christ himself said “If you love me, you will obey what I command (John 14:15)”, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one that loves me (John 14:21)”, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching (John 14:23).” Again, He said “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love (John 15:10)”, and “This is love to God: to obey his commands… (1st John 14:21).” This is the paramount requirement for both New and Old Testament believers after accepting the ‘invitation; it is our Sacrifice to God. Paul writes “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:1, 2).”

3         Purification

The purging effect of obedience

In Henri Daniel-Rops’ book ‘Daily life in the times of Jesus’ he writes “one thing is certain: the Israelites were very clean. ‘Cleanliness’, says the learned rabbi A. Cohen, ‘is not merely a near neighbor to piety; it is an integral part of it, and a most important part, at that.’” This is the same in the time of Jesus as it was in the time of Moses. We can see this in Exodus 30:17-21: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘make a bronze basin with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it. Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. Whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting an offering made to the Lord by fire, they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.” The laver was to be used whenever Moses or Aaron and his descendants would approach either the Altar of Burnt offerings or the Tent of Meeting. This paints a perfect picture for us of God’s command for Holiness. He is the Holy God and nothing unclean is to enter His presence. This is the same for the modern day believer as well as the one of old. God still calls us to be clean before him. However, does God not clean us when we accept Christ into our lives? Yes, and for this reason Paul says “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of God (1st Corinthians 6:9-10).” Christ, the only one who is able, came and cleansed us so that we could stand before the Father as clean and holy beings without judgment. Even so, we are also called to cleanse ourselves. This is why Paul instructs the Church in Rome “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:1, 2).” Paul also instructs Timothy “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work (2 Timothy 2:21).” Every believer is called to, not only be cleansed with the blood of Christ, but also to continue cleansing from our own lives the impurities that associate us with the unclean. This is the purging effect of obedience, and is more cleansing than sacrifice, “But Samuel replied: ‘Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams (1st Samuel 15:22).” Christ, Himself, declares a promise in Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree Of life and may go through the gates into the city.” This is the promise for all who purge themselves in obedience. Not just for those of today, but for all peoples throughout history. Nothing has changed. There are no people cleaner than another is. All have sinned, all need cleansing, and we all have a calling to purge our lives in obedience.

4         Consecration

The relocating effect of obedience

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, Holy and pleasing to God – which is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1).” This is not just Paul’s desire, but God’s desire as well, that those who love him would set themselves apart for a Holy and pleasing work. This is not to say that we are to be completely disconnected from the world, never to associate with them. Just that we are to stand just above the world; we are to be with them, but not of them. We are to be different. All throughout the scriptures, we can see God consecrating people in a couple of ways. We can see Him consecrate people for special religious works, such as Aaron and his sons as Priests over Israel (Exodus 29; Leviticus 8:12; Numbers 3:3), and Joshua when he succeeded Moses (Numbers 27:12-23). This could also be seen in the New Testament as well. In Acts 6, we see the setting apart of the seven, and in Acts 13:1-3 we see Barnabas and Saul set apart for the Lord’s work. Old and New alike, we are all called to be set apart for a Holy and pleasing work.

Evangelism

(Exemplified throughout creation)

“The Lord had said to Abraham, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you (Genesis 12:1-3).” This is Abraham’s ‘Commission to Missions’. It is God calling for His people to evangelize. However, was this truly the first mention of evangelism? Is God Himself not an evangelizing God? This is a question I gave a lot of thought for a long time. Then some years ago, during a schooling camping trip, I found my answer. I was sitting by the fire pit just after dinner. Nobody had yet arrived for the night’s activity. As I sat there looking up at the stars I found myself in complete awe over the vastly brilliance of the never-ending expanse of starry wake. As I laid back and allowed the ocean of stellar waves to come crashing down on the captivated spheres of my entranced mind, the words “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” continually played through my thoughts. It was as if I had just had a glimpse at foreverness, as if I, for the first time, had remotely understood what it means to be unlimited and boundless. I could not even imagine a borderline for such a blissful paradise. I then remembered Psalm 19:1-4: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hand. Day after day, they pour forth speech; night after night, they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world…” My mind kept wandering; it kept fighting to grasp the reason for such eminence. Why and for whom did He create this splendor? Who was receiving this knowledge, and who heard the stars speak? Who gazed up and beheld the glory of God in the beginning? It was Adam. For before the beginning of time itself, God had foresaw the fall in the garden, and in his everlasting love and faithfulness scattered throughout the heavens a testimony of His presence and power in the universe. It was God evangelizing to mankind for all time. This has been seen of God through out all the scriptures. Repeatedly, He has been evangelizing to all His creation, showing proof of His presence and power in our world. We have seen it in nature as well as a rainbow. We have seen it in the Passover celebration and we have seen it in the Tabernacle. We have seen it in the Temple of Jerusalem and now God is setting before us a new means of evangelizing His glory; man. God’s new testimony of His power and presence in the universe is mankind. Some of the men in the Old Testament that we can see with this challenge are Abram, Amos, and Jonah. Is this the same in the New Testament? In Matthew 28:19-20 Christ says to His disciples “Therefore go and make disciples of al nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”, “And the Gospel must first be preached to all nations. (Mark 13:10)”, and “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)” To list every example of evangelism in the New Testament would be excessive and unnecessary; nevertheless, we can see that evangelism, or the call to evangelism has not changed from before the beginning of time to the present. Therefore, I now give you the same charge that Paul gave to Timothy. "Preach the word (2 Timothy 4:2)."

Final thoughts

As stated earlier, there is a real danger in not having a proper understanding of the relationships between the Old and New Testament. For “All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2nd Timothy 3:16-17).” Paul also reminds us that "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come (1 Corinthians 10:11)." The important things have never changed, for the Lord remains the same. Remember, the key in understanding the difference is found in our understanding of similarities.  [mp]

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Michael D'Urbano
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