In many ways the name "church" is misleading, partly because of a certain historical but
unscriptural meaning attached to it, and partly because the word is used in so many different ways.
For instance, a building where religious meetings are held is called a church; the persons meeting
there form a church; the denomination with which they are connected is a church. It is necessary,
as well as refreshing, to turn from these discordant definitions to the simple Word of God and
gather from it the truths as to this important subject.

The word "church" in our ordinary versions is a translation of the Greek word ecclesia, the word
used in the New Testament. "Assembly" or "gathering" would give us the meaning, which is at
once seen to be a very general term. In fact, it is used not only for the New Testament thought
of the assembly but, in Acts 7:38, for the congregation of Israel; and later, in the same book, for
a heathen mob at Ephesus (Acts 19:32,39,41).

We must therefore look for some passage in Scripture to settle the meaning and use of the word
"assembly." We find one which has all the clearness of a definition:"And hath made Him head
over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all" (Eph.
1:22,23). We are in this part of Ephesians occupied with a risen and glorified Christ. He has been
raised from the dead in proof of an accomplished redemption and exalted to the right hand of God,
all things being put beneath His feet. He occupies that position not merely as the witness of eternal
redemption, but He is there as Head of the Church, which is His body. This is figurative
language, no doubt, but clear none the less. It suggests not only Lordship over His people, but
declares for them the closest connection, the same life, the same interests, and the same prospects
as His own. "The fulness of Him that filleth all in all" shows that through grace the Church is the
complement of Christ. As at the beginning, when God said, "It is not good that the man should
be alone; I will make him a help meet for him" (Gen. 2:18), so God now likens the Church in its
relation to Christ to a wife in relation to the husband_the complement, the rounding out (amazing
thought!) of the second Adam (Eph. 5:22-33). We would not for a moment hint that our adorable
Lord needed the Church to add anything to the worth, dignity, or beauty of His peerless person,
either as Son of God or Son of Man. In grace, however, He has taken her into fellowship with
Himself, and to all eternity she will be the vessel in which His grace, love, power, and blessing
will be displayed.

The Church, then, is the body of Christ. But how and of what is this body formed? Again
Scripture answers with the distinctness of a definition:"By one Spirit are we all baptized into one
body" (1 Cor. 12:13). "We all" means those who have the Spirit, and His baptism marks the
beginning of the Church. When did this take place? "This spake He of the Spirit, which they that
believe on Him should receive:for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not
yet glorified" (John 7:39). "It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the
Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you" (John 16:7). "For
John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence"
(Acts 1:5). "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:4).

These passages show us that as long as the Lord Jesus was upon earth_until He was glorified

following His death _the Holy Ghost did not come. After His resurrection He reminded His
disciples of the promise_and used this very word "baptize"_of the descent of the Spirit; and in
Acts 2, at Pentecost, we have the promised baptism. Is it not clear, then, that the Church was
begun at Pentecost, not before? and does not this agree beautifully with the definition we have
been looking at? It is the body of Christ glorified; and when glorified He sent down the Holy
Spirit to form this body.

Until God called out Israel, He dealt with His people individually and in families. After the nation
came into existence, He recognized that as the responsible body, in connection with which all
earthly blessings were promised on condition of obedience.

God does not confound His dispensational dealings. When He took up an earthly people He made
all to center about them (Deut. 32:8). He did not forsake them in spite of their sad departures from
Him, as shown in the history of the times of the Judges and the Kings, but sent them prophets and
righteous witnesses, one after another, until there was no remedy (2 Chron. 36:14-21). Even after
the world power had passed over to the Gentiles, under Nebuchadnezzar, God restored a remnant
of His people from their captivity at Babylon, and_crowning act of love and mercy-sent them His
Son. Had they but reverenced Him, received Him, all the blessings promised to the earthly people
would have come upon them. But they put the capstone upon all their former sins by rejecting
their Messiah, and delivering Him over to the Gentiles to be crucified. In that act they forfeited
all claim to be considered the people of God, and all dealings with them as such, save in grace,
ceased. This is strikingly set forth in the last part of the Gospel of Matthew (chaps. 21-26:2).

After Pentecost, God began an entirely new thing. Once more did He appeal to His beloved but
unrepentant people as a nation, only to be answered by their stoning of Stephen (Acts 7). Then
the gospel began to go out to the Gentiles, and meanwhile the dealings with His earthly people
ceased. They are "not my people" (Hos. 1:9). True, the gospel is still presented to them, but not
as a nation; and in accepting it, they cease to be Jews (Col. 3:11), though it is an exhibition of
God’s grace to the remnant of His people (Rom. 11:5). As long as the Church is being gathered,
Israel is set aside as a nation until after the taking up of the Church, when God again will begin
to deal with them, and fulfill every word of promise recorded in the Prophets.

It only remains necessary to add that all believers since Pentecost form part of the Church. For
all believers receive the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13); and we have already seen that by the Spirit we
all are baptized into one body. There is no select class of specially privileged or intelligent
believers. All who believe are "baptized into one body."

If the Church began to be formed at Pentecost, when will it be complete? We have seen (Eph. 5)
that the Church is spoken of as the bride of Christ. The marriage has not yet taken place:that will
be when Christ presents her to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such
thing. At present she is espoused as a chaste virgin to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2). In Rev. 19:7 we read
that "The marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready"; and in Rev.
21:9, etc., we have the description of the glorious Church, complete at last. This is after the
second coming of Christ and before His millennial reign. The Lord’s second coming marks the
close of the Church period. The Church, then, is composed of all believers from Pentecost till the

coming of the Lord.

We may well pause and meditate upon the mercy which has been shown to us Gentiles that God
should visit us in grace. The whole character of His dealing has been different from that with
Israel. The cross has made us strangers here and at home in heaven. The Holy Spirit has come
down to tell us of the glories of our heavenly inheritance. Israel will yet have blessing upon the
earth, for that is her inheritance. The bride of Christ has other hopes, another_ a
heavenly_destiny. Would that she realized it more fully.

(From The Church and Its Order according to Scripture.)