religion

205

9 The Church: The Reign of God As Christian Community 1 Corinthians 12:27

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Matthew 16:18

And on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will

not overcome it.

Ephesians 5:25

Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

Genesis 12:1-4 Hosea 11:1-9

1 Corinthians 12, 14

Deuteronomy 7:6-11; Joel 2:28

Galatians 3:28-29

Ephesians 1-3

Ephesians 4:11-16

Revelation 12:17; 19:10 9:4-5

Matthew 16:13-19

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Isaiah 5:1-7

Matthew 21:33-43

Acts 1-15

Isaiah 49 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

206

make it different from every other The reign of God is what scholars

call an eschatological idea. This

means that it refers to last things, to

the end of time." It contains the

human group or society. Under

standing this community, its nature and purpose, is essential to an under standing of salvation.

conviction that history reaches its

climax when God's purposes are

fulfilled in human affairs. In one

SALVATION AND THE CHURCIH sense, the end of history arrived with

Jesus. His work established the reign of God in the sphere of human

existence. His teaching and his

ministry vividly displayed the nature

of God's sovereignty, and he urged

people to enter God's kingdom by accepting him as Lord of their lives.

In another sense, the reign of God still 1lies in the future. It is

The doctrine of Christ is only one part of the doctrine of salvation. It

describes God's activity in making salvation available to fallen

humanity. The other part of the doctrine describes the reception, or

the experience, of salvation. For

human beings to be saved, obviously, they must respond to God's gracious

gift in Jesus Christ. There are many ways to

obvious from the circumstances we

live in that a great deal of what God wants for human beings is not now a

reality. The forces that oppose God

still exercise considerable influence

approach the experience of salvation.

One is to concentrate on the effects

in human affairs. of salvation in individual lives. We

generally think of biblical

expressions like "new birth," So, Christians live in a time

tension-between the "already" of

present salvation and the "not yet" of "justification," and "sanctification" as

future fulfillment. Theologians some times express this by distinguishing between the present kingdom of

grace and the future kingdom of

glory. This chapter and the two that follow it deal with the reign of God

descriptions of what happens to the

individual Christian. We are accustomed to hearing about the

necessity of making a personal

response to the Gospel. Having Christian parents or grandparents

Won't do, we are told; we have to

make a definite decision for Christ as a present reality. They consider the various ways in which the work of Christ transforms human life here and now. One of its most significant results involves human relationships.

The work of Christ brings about a new form of human community, a

community based on principles that

ourselves in order to be saved.

Spiritual individualism

Nothing should detract from the

importance of personal religious experience, but a preoccupation wl

THE CHURCH: THE REIGN OF GOD AS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

207

essentially an individual matter, then the church-God's people--will

always be less important. We may urge people to attend church to receive a personal blessing or to fulfill their personal obligations, but

we will never appreciate the full

significance of the corporate life in

Christ that the New Testament

For one, it can encourage too much

elfanalysis, or introspection. It can

lead us to become overly concerned

with our attitudes or feelings at the

moment, which often results in

insecurity. People who worry unduly

about their physical health often feel

less well than they are. The same is

sometimes true of people too

concerned about their spiritual health. Another result of overempha-

sizing personal religious experience

is the tendency to lose interest in

others. The driving force of Jesus

life was ministry, or service. He did

not neglect his own relation to God,

certainly, but the good of others was

uppermost in his mind. Those whose

first priority is their own welfare may

attempt to serve others, but their

objective is often to gain personal benefit or discharge some personal

responsibility. It isn't really to en-

hance the well-being of other people.

The most serious theological consequence of spiritual individualism is the failure to

it can have

unfortuna consequences.

describes. What do you say to people who

feel closer to God by themselves than with others? Or to the family that

goes camping every weekend instead

of to worship services? Are they

really missing anything? Perhaps they are not, if salvation is essentially for

individuals. But if it isn't, if it involves unique relationships with

other people as well as with God, then they are missing a great deal.

What they need is a better

understanding of salvation and all

that it means. An adequate doctrine of

salvation, therefore, requires doctrine of the church. Accordingly, to do justice to the work of Christ in all its dimensions and to correct somne

appreciate the larger dimensions of

salvation. Such an attitude obscures prevalent misconceptions, we will

treat the experience of salvation as

part of the doctrine of the church. the fact that God's work in the world

is larger than personal salvation. His purpose is to establish his reign over all creation. This certainly includes

personal salvation, but it is not

exhausted by it. Spiritual individualism makes the

SOCial, or corporate, aspects of salvation seem secondary, even artificial. If we think of salvation as

FACETS OF THE DOCTRINE OF

THE CHURCH

In many ways the doctrine of the

church is the most complex aspect of

Christian faith, perhaps because the

REIGN OF GOD

208

the essential purpose of worshing church is the most vivid spiritual

reality we encounter, and the concrete

is often more difficult to describe

What forms should it take? What is the meaning of activities like baptism than the abstract. In discussing the

church, we must consider a number

of themes. One is its spiritual

identity. We need to explore the

relation of the church to Christ, and

and the Lord's Supper?

Finally, we cannot ignore the question of the true church. The church has taken many turns during its long history, and there are many groups today that call themselves Christian." Are they all entitled to that name? Are any of them entitled to it? Seventh-day Adventists often describe themselves as the "remnant church." What does this mean, and what does it say about the relation of Adventism to other Christian groups,

to examine his role as head of the

church and as high priest of his

people. In addition, we need to look

at the gifts of the Spirit to the church.

Another important topic is the

membership of the church. What is

the essential identity of church

members? What distinguishes Christians as a group from other

human beings? What are the

implications for their behavior? What

does "life in the Spirit" consist of? We also need to reflect on the

past and present?

THE GOsPEL AND THE CHURCH

role of the church in the world. The The church is part of the gospel. The heart of the good news is that God

acted in Jesus for human salvation, and he offers it to everyone as a gitt,

church's mission takes it into the

world, bringing it into contact with

other religions and with different

social and political structures. Just

what is the church's mission? What

sort of organization does it call for? How can Christians fulfill their

free of charge. But the good news

doesn't stop there. Christ not only

died for our sins and rose to life from

spiritual, social, and political responsibilities at the same time? These questions call for a wholistic view of the church, not unlike the wholistic doctrine of humanity proposed earlier. The church is both a spiritual reality and a visible, social- historical institution. We can't reduce

the dead; he also created a community to whom and through

whom his presence in the world

continues. In the church he fulfills his

promise, "Lo, I am with you always,

to the close of the age" (Matt 28:20).

The church is the sphere of

salvation. God is active in the churcn

to accomplish reconciliation,

and ne

adds to the church those who are it to one or the other.

The subject of Christian worship also deserves consideration. What is being saved (Acts 2:47). The churcn

THE CHURCH: THE REIGN OF GOD AS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

209

is also the means ofs salvation. Its

offer of God's power in the church The church, then, is a kind of

community which human beings cannot produce. What happens among members of the church, the

spirit of fellowship which they enjoy, is something only the unique

presence of God can explain. In the

wake of Pentecost, for example, early Christians held their possessions in

common (Acts 2:44-45). What united

them was so compelling that the

normally important distinctions

between "mine" and "yours" seemed

insignificant.

mission

is to extend the

19-20), and the plan of salvation

will not be complete until this is

salvation

to the entire world (Matt

accomplished (Matt 24:14). Thus it is

evident that the church plays an

essential

role in God's work of

salvation.

Christ in the church

The book of Acts shows how the

work of Christ continues in thee

church. Originally part of a longer

work, Luke-Acts, it JOins the Gospels

to provide a comprehensive account

of Christian beginnings. The

description of Pentecost is crucial to

the purpose of the book (Acts 2).

This miraculous display of the Holy

Spirit's power accomplished several

important things: It fulfilled the

promise of Jesus (Acts 1:8); it

assured the early Christians not only

of Christ's continuing care for them,

but of his actual presence among

them; and it empowered them to

fulfill the mission he had given them.

Peter's greatest sermon directly

followed this manifestation. In it he

proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah who

was presently alive, sitting at the

ight hand of God. The further words

Because it owes its existence to

the power of God, the church is

unlike any other group. Most

organizations arise because people

have similar interests or needs.

People who enjoy photography may

form a camera club, for example.

Students who need academic help

may form study groups. Groups like

this exist to meet the needs or

stimulate the interest of the individual

members.

Other groups arise from deeper

human needs. Families and nations,

for example, reveal a fundamental

human need for fellowship. In such

groups the interests of the community

are more important than those of the

individual. With a club it is

individuals that make the group

important, but in a community the

individual derives significance

from

the group. In addition, the community

as a whole generaly has a personality

of its own, distinct from those of the

and works of the apostles also testify

to the abiding power of the Spirit in

their midst. The story of Pentecost

underlines the fact that the church is

not a human creation, but owes its

eXIstence to the power of God. REIGN OF GOD

210

variety of ways, the New Testament also employs a host of different symbols, or metaphors, for the

individuals who make it up. Obviously the church is more

like the second kind of group than the

first. It is more important than the

individual members who comprise it, and it has a personality of its own,

derived from Christ, its head. But it

church. For example, members of the church are sometimes called "sain aints" "believers," and "slaves." The church itself is variously referred to as a kingdom," "temple," *"household is much more than the natural fulfillment of a human need. Only God could create the kind of

"vineyard," and "flock." But amon fellowship available in the community of the Spirit, and only the power of God can account for its remarkable history. The Christian church is the primary means by which God reestablishes his reign among human beings.

the many biblical descriptions of the church, two are particularly important. One is the "people of God"; the other is the "body of Christ." The first calls attention to the church's place in history, while the second emphasizes its intimate relation to Christ.

The covenant The expression "people of God" reminds us that God has been

THE CHURCH AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD)

working for human salvation ever since the Fall. He characteristically operates within the framework of a certain relationship with human beings, one the Bible calls a covenant." A covenant is like a

As it appears in the New Testament, the word "church" has several different meanings. It can refer to a group of people called together for a particular purpose; a community of Christian believers in a specific area; or to all of God's people, whenever and wherever they lived. It is never used in the Bible to refer to a

formal agreement, or a contract. It

sets down the terms of a relationship between different parties and lists the

privileges and responsibilities involved on both sides. In the Bible,

God always makes the covenant. In

doing so, he promises certain things

to people, and he indicates what he

expects of them in return.

The word itself first appears in

the story of Noah, where God tells

the patriarch to take his family into

the ark: "I will establish my covenant

building, and it never refers to one branch of Christianity as opposed to another. Early Christian

congregations typically met in private homes, and different denominations did not yet exist.

Symbols for the church Besides using the term itself in a

CHURCH: THE REIGN OF GOD AS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

211

with you; and you shall come into the

ark" (Gen 6:18). Later, God made a

A second feature of Israel's call was its distinct purpose. God was not

playing favorites when he chose Israel; he did not intend to set them apart from other people as the exclusive objects of his love. Instead, he wanted them to be the means of extending salvation to others. In other words, God didn't love Israel instead of other people; he wanted to love all

people through Israel. Israel was called to service, not elevated to a

privileged status. The prophets expressed God's

hopes for Israel in glowing terms. God saw them as "a covenant to the

covenant with Abraham and with his

descendants (Gen 17:7), promising to

bless all the families of the earth

through them (Gen 28:14). He

reaffirmed this covenant with the

people of Israel at Sinai, after he

delivered them from Egypt. Hfe

promised that Israel would be his

special people among the nations of

the earth (Exod 19:5). He promised

to give them the land of Palestine

(Deut 4:37-38), and he stipulated

obedience to his commandments as a

condition of this relationship (Exod 19:5-8; Deut 7:9, 12). people, a light to the nations, to open

the eyes that are blind, to bring out

the prisoners from the dungeon" (Isa 42:6-7). In Israel God wanted to put

the effects of his saving power on

public display so that, through Israel, salvation would reach the entire

The election of Israel

God's call to Israel has two important

features. In the first place, it was not

something Israel deserved. God

didn't select the Jews to be his world. "I will give you as a light to

the nations, that my salvation may

reach to the end of the earth'" (Isa

49:6; cf. 52:10).

special people because they were

larger or stronger than other nations

(Deut 7:7), nor because they were

spiritually superior (Deut 9:6). As a

nation they were most unimpressive:

They had been in bondage for

generations, and they were stubborn

(Deut 9:6). In short, there was

nothing about the Hebrew people that

qualified them for special consideration. Their call had its basis

entirely in God's love and faithfulness. He intended to keep the

promises he had made to their

The election of the church

The New Testament refers to the

Christian church as the "people of

God": "But you are a chosen race, a

royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's

own people" (1 Pet 2:9). The features

of the church's call are identical to

those of Israel's. There was nothing

about the members of the early

church that qualified them for special consideration: "For consider your

call, brethren; not many of you were

ancestors (Deut 7:8). Israel's election,

then, was a matter of divine grace, was totally undeserved.

REIGN OF GOD

212

wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many

were of noble birth" (1 Cor 1:26). They owed their position entirely to

the grace of God. "He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus" (v. 30).

Moreover, the church is not an exclusive group. Its purpose is to

extend salvation to the entire world.

climax of God's saving activity in human history. As a group, of course Jews do not accept these claims for Jesus. By and large, the Jews of his day rejected his mission, and the messianic branches of Judaism todav still await the coming of the Messiah,

The question of Israel today

These divergent attitudes toward Jesus raise the complex question of Jewish-Christian relations. One facet of this question concerns the present role of Israel in the divine plan of salvation. Do the Jews as a people still have a distinctive role to play in

It does this by proclamation and demonstration. The church is to preach the gospel, the good news that

God has acted in Jesus Christ for the salvation of all human beings. It is also intended to display the effects of salvation for all to see, to "declare the wonderful deeds of him who the plan of salvation, or did their

historic mission pass on to the Christian church? There are differences of opinion among Christians over this question, and the testimony of the New Testament itself is not free from ambiguity.

In a famous section of his letter

called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Pet 2:9).

Differences between the church and Israel There are things about the church, however, that distinguish it from

Israel. One of these is its international composition. The New Testament divorces the church from

to the Romans, Paul insists that God has not rejected his people. Stimu- lated by the responses of Gentiles to

all particular national, ethnic, or social groups. Ideally, it is the most inclusive society on earth. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28).

The most important characteristic of the church that distinguishes it from Israel is its attitude toward

the gospel, he believes, the Jews, too,

will accept Jesus (11:14). At the same time, Paul states that "not all who are

descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all the children of Abraham because they are his

descendants" (9:6-7). He also speaks of those who have accepted Christ as

true Israel: "If you are Christ's, then

you are Abraham's offspring, heirs

according to the promise" (Gal 3:29).

In addition, Jesus' famous parable or

Jesus. Christians regard him as the Messiah, or Christ, and look back on his life, death, and resurrection as the the wicked tenants concludes with

HE CHURCH: THE REIGN OF GOD AS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

213

vivid manifestation is the these

dramatic words to the Jewish

extermination of six million European Jews in the mid-twentieth century, but that was the culmination of a long and dismal history. For

hundreds of years Christians subjected Jews to many forms of

prejudice and persecution, including economic and social discrimination, exile, and execution.

There is nothing in the Bible that

supports such behavior, and a great deal that condemns it. The familiar

leaders of the time: "Therefore I tell

you, the kingdom of God will be

taken away from you and given to a

nation producing the fruits of it (Matt 21:43).

Coupled with the application to

the church of expressions likke

chosen race," "holy nation," and

God's own people (2 Pet 1:9-10),

such biblical statements convince

many Christians that the church is

now the principal means through which God is working in the world. Jews may join the church, of course;

but as a distinct ethnic or national

group, they no longer have a specific role in salvation history.1

In sharp contrast, other

Christians today believe that Jews

and Christians have clearly separate roles in human history and that both

groups have work yet to do. They maintain that the prophetic promises to Israel will be literally fulfilled before the end of time, and that many Jews will eventually accept Jesus as

the Messiah.2

pretext for this mistreatment, that Jews are collectively responsible for the death of Christ, will simply not stand up. While it is clear that certain Jewish leaders helped to bring about

Jesus' death, the precise role they

played is widely debated today. And the earliest Christian writings never condemn the Jews as a whole. Close inspection reveals that New

Testament texts which speak critically of "Jews" refer to specific individuals, not to an entire people. After all, the first Christians were al1 Jews themselves, and they viewed their commitment to Christ as Other Christians strongly object

to the notion that the church in any way replaces, or "supersedes," Israel. They find the very idea to be anti- Semitic.3 As they see it, Judaism and Christianity are not rival candidates for divine favor, but parallel routes to

salvation.

something that fulfilled their faith as

Jews, not as something that took

them away from it. The sharp

theological differences that emerge in

the New Testament do not point to a conflict between two distinct religions, Judaism and Christianity,

but to intra-Jewish debates over what It is impossible to discuss the

relationship between Jews and Christians without raising the horrible

it means to be Jewish and intra-

Christian debates over what it means

specter of anti-Semitism. Its most to be Christian.

REIGN OF GOD

and he can help us (4:16). Jesus position, therefore, is that of a mediator or intercessor. He is our between with God (1 John 2:1). This description of Jesus' work

The new covenant Because God acted decisively in Jesus, salvation is now a certainty. This gives members of the church

unprecedented assurance of God's love, and confidence in his acceptance of them. The neww situation which this creates is nothing less than a "new covenant," according to the book of Hebrews (8:13; 9:15). It is superior to the old covenant, and the system of worship it involved, in several ways. Its revelation of God is more vivid (1:1 2). As God's Son, Jesus revealed God more effectively than the prophets could. In contrast to animal

should not lead us to feel that God is hostile to us. After all, he is the one who provides the mediator. Instead, it gives us further assurance of God's love for us. He has done everything necessary-everything possible, in fact-to establish fellowship with us. The high priestly ministry of Jesus reminds us that God is on our side.

As high priest, Jesus is not only close to God; he is also extremely close to us. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, in fact, he is personally closer to us than he could be if he

sacrifices, Jesus' death was a sacrifice that really solved the problem of sin (Heb 7:27; 9:26; 10:4). Unlike the priests who entered the apartments of the Hebrew

sanctuary periodically, Jesus ministers constantly in the very presence of God (9:6-10, 24; 10:12). He thus provides a "new and living way" that gives us direct access to God (10:19). In view of all this, we can approach God with confidence and receive all the help we need

(4:16; 10:22).

were physically present somewhere on earth. The New Testament expressees this intimate connection between Christ and the church in several different ways. One is with the important symbol, the "body of Christ" (1 Cor 12:27).

THE CHURCH AS THE BODY OF CHRIST

Christ as Head of the church Our high priest As our high priest, Christ serves as our representative, or advocate, before God (1 John 2:1). Because he is human and knows what it is like to

The symbol of the body illuminates several important aspects of the

relation between Christ and the

church. As Christ's body, the church depends on him for its existence. He 1s the source of the church, not ony be tempted, he understands the

difficulties we face. He is able to as its founder, but as the power that

Sustains it moment by moment. The sympathize with us (Heb 2:18; 4:15), THE CHURCH: THE REIGN OF GOD AS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

church continually depends on Christ.

derives

its essential identity from

him. Individual

church members

but they do not determine what its

life shall be. It is Christ who makes

Pet 2:7). Another is the role Peter himself played in early Christianity. He was certainly a major figure, ana the Gospels consistently portray him as the leader of the disciples, but he

was by no means the single most

important authority in the church. On

one memorable occasion, the church

met in council to settle some

As Christ's body, the church also

participate in the life of the church,

the church important, not the other

way around..

As his body, the church

derives its significance from him.

The church is what it is because of

who Jesus is, not because of who its

members are.

The symbol of the body also

suggests subordination. As Christ's

body, the church is subject to his

authority. He is "the head over all

things for the church" (Eph 1:22).

Recognizing that Christ's authority in

the church is supreme prevents us

from exaggerating the importance of

any church official or organizational

structure. The church needs

important issues (Acts 15). Peter's

voice was one among several that

were heard, but it was James who

expressed the consensus of the group.

On another occasion, Paul publicly

criticized Peter for refusing to eat

with Gentiles (Gal 2:11-14).

This interpretation of Jesus statement also misunderstands the

nature of apostolic authority. What

made the apostles-and their

writings-important was their

firsthand testimony to Jesus. They

spoke out of personal experience.

They were also organizational

leaders, but it was their function as

organization, of course,

but no

organizational structure should

obscure Christ's authority. witnesses that mattered most, not the

office they occupied. Because this

function depended on a certainn

personal experience, it

could not be

passed on. Others could assume

their

organizational responsibilities, but

their witness to Christ was

Apostolic authority

Many believe that Jesus' statement

You are Peter, and on this rock I will

build my church" (Matt 16:18) gives

Peter and his presumed successors,

the bishops of Rome, supreme

authority over the church on earth.

But several things prevent us from

drawing this conclusion. One is the

fact that the New Testament

irreplaceable. In view of what really

made them apostles, then, the

conventional

notion of "apostolic

succession" is a

mistake. Doctrinal

agreement with the apostles is much

more important

than organizational

continuity. elsewhere speaks of Christ, not Peter,

as the rock, or the cornerstone, on

which the church is built (Eph 2.:20; 1 REIGN OF GE

among members of the body are. A be seriously handica without organs that have different functions (12:17-20). If we were

Members of the body The image of the body not only

illuminates the relation between

Christ and the church; it also has

powerful implications for the relation

of church members to each other. A

body is a complex unity, a single thing made of many different parts. Its oneness and its differentiation are

body would

nothing but an eye, for example, how would we hea The point is that the different members of the body need each other, none ot them can surviva alone. Finally, what the body's members experience, they experience together, as one. "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together" (12:26). "Now you are the body of Christ," he concludes, "and individually members of it."

This striking illustration emphasizes the uniqueness and the importance of each church member. At the same time, it upholds the priority of unity, for it is only togethermess that gives individual abilities their purpose.

both important--in fact, they require each other. A body is nothing without its members, but it is togetherness that makes the members important. None of them could exist, or have

any purpose, apart from the others. Paul uses these ideas to

encourage unity among the Christians at Corinth in one of the most picturesque passages in his letter (1 Cor 12:12-27). The tendency of certain individuals to emphasize their unique abilities threatened to disrupt that early congregation. Paul compared the church to a human body to remind these people of their dependence on others and to encourage those with different, perhaps less conspicuous abilities to think of themselves as essential parts of the church, too.

He begins by affirming the essential unity of the body: "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ" (12:12). Next, he asserts that each member is an

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Paul's basic concern in 1 Cor 12-14 is church unity, but he speaks specifically to the issue of the spiritual gifts (see 12:1), the presence of different abilities among members of the church. From Paul's rather extensive discussion we learn several things about this important and often perplexing topic.

integral part of the body, regardless of how it feels (12:15-16). He then shows how important differences The source of spiritual gifts To begin with, the gifts all have the same source; they all come from THE CHURCH: THE REIGN OF GOD AS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

217 God. Since our gifts did not originate spiritual gift, any more than there are useless talents or meaningless organs of the body. The fact that some gifts are less conspicuous than others is no indication that they are less

with us, we can't1 take credit for them or congratulate ourselves for having them.

or We should also recognize that

the abilities of other people likewise come rom God, so there is no basis

important. Some of the least for personal rivalry in the differences that exist among church members.

In the second place, it is God who decides which abilities we receive. He gives different abilities to different people, so it should not

surprise or discourage us to find that

others have abilities we don't.

impressive gifts, in fact, may be downright vital to the life of the church, as Paul's analogy of the organs of the body indicates. The church needs all its gifts, just as the body needs all its members.

At the same time, some gifts are more important than others-not because they are the only ones that count, of course, but because they are

The purpose of spiritual gifts

Third, the purpose of the gifts is to contribute to the good of the entire church. In a sense, the gifts are given

to the church as a whole, not to the individuals within it. This has great

practical significance. It should lead us to view people in the church who can do important things as gifts to the rest of us. If certain people have a remarkable ability to explain the

Word of God, for example, our

reaction should not be to wonder why

they can do something we can't. Instead, we should regard their ability

as God's gift to the entire

congregation. The purpose of the

spiritual gifts is to benefit the church,

not to glorify the individual

members.

more fundamental to the mission of the church, or because their influence is more extensive than that of other gifts. Paul's list suggests a certain hierarchy among spiritual gifts: "And God has appointed in the church first

apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues" (1 Cor 12:28). Apostles head the list because their witness to Christ is the

very basis of the church. The gift of

tongues comes last, some believe, because those with this gift had

created problems at Corinth by

exaggerating their importance and

making others feel inferior. So Paul

puts them in their place. He assures

them that they are part of the church,

but they have no reason for personal The importance of spiritual gifts

Fourth, as far as God is concened,

all of the gifts are important. There is

no such thing as an insignificant

pride.

REIGN OF GOD

Charismatics typically identify Love: the greatest gift of all

Paul's discussion of spiritual gifts contains two additional elements that deserve our attention here. One is the

speaking in tongues with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They believe that this phenomenon is an important indication of personal salvation,

It is not entirely clear from the New Testament just what the gift of tongues refers t0. At several points in the book of Acts, a remarkable

magnificent hymn to love, one of the most famous of all biblical passages (1 Cor 13). Its purpose in this context is to show that a spirit of self forgetful service is the most important thing anyone can have. It

will outlast every other gift (13:8) and without it, tongues, prophetic powers, understanding, and even faith are worthless (13:1-3). This relativizes the whole question of spiritual gifts by showing that the most important question is not, What have I received?, but, What am I giving? What motivates my activity?

manifestation of the Holy Spirit indicated that certain people had experienced God's saving power. This was true of the group meetingin the upper room at Pentecost (2:1-4). It occurred in Samaria following the baptism of several converts to Christianity (8:17), and it happened to Cornelius and members of his household during Peter's visit (10:44. 46). Such passages suggest that every genuine Christian should have the

experience. On the other hand, as we have

just seen, Paul describes tongues as one of several gifts of the Spirit to

the church. Since different members

The gift of tongues Paul also makes a series of suggestions about the appropriate exercise of the gift of tongues. He does not discourage the manifestation of this gift, but he doesn't want it to

disrupt worship services; and he indicates that other gifts, such as

prophecy, are more beneficial to the

congregation. The important thing to

keep in mind, he says, is that "all

things should be done decently and in order" (1 Cor 14:40).

The gift of tongues is a widely discussed religious issue today. The charismatic movement, as it is often called, has many followers, not only within various Pentecostal groups, but among Catholic and mainline Protestant churches, too.

have different gifts, it isn't something everyone should expect to receive. We shouldn't view this particular gift as an essential part of everyone's experience of salvation.

There is a further difference of

opinion as to what "speaking in

tongues" involved. In Acts 2 it

evidently enabled 1listeners from

different countries to hear what the

apostles had to say in their own

languages (2:6), so it facilitated the

communication of the gospel. In

Cor 12-14, however, it seems to be

THE CHURCH: THE REIGN OF GOD AS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

219 an ecstatic phenomenon rather than

gift is one of the identifying marks of God's people in the last days (Rev 12:17; 19:10), and they regard the ministry of Ellen G. White as a manifestation of this gift within their history.6

intelligible speech, and it doesn't articularly benefit other people (14:2-5, 9, 11, 19). To further complicate the situation, some

cholars believe that Pentecost was

an example of ecstatic utterance, while others maintain that the gift of

tongues at Corinth consisted off of

speaking different human languages.4 We may never know exactly

what speaking in tongues originally involved. It may be significant that

the Gospels never mention the phenomenon and that Jesus never

instructed his disciples on the matter. This, coupled with Paul's diseussion

of spiritual gifts, prevents us from concluding that everyone should seek

the experience. In addition, linguistic studies of contemporary glossolalia have failed to find the characteristics

Ellen White's life The general features of Ellen White's life are well known.7 She was born in 1827, one of eight children of Robert and Eunice Harmon. At the age of twelve, she accepted William Miller's message, along with her family, and looked forward to the soon return of Jesus. She was among the "little flock" of believers who survived the devastating disappointment of October 22, 1844, still believing that the Lord had led them.

Two years later she married James White, a young Adventist preacher some six years her senior. They had four children, all boys, of whom only two survived to

of a genuine language.5 We are therefore justified in being cautious about the phenomenon. At the same

time, we should not be eager to discredit the experience out of hand.

We must be open to different manifestations of the Spirit's power. God may have some surprises for us,

Just as he did for his people in

apostolic times.

adulthood. She and James labored tirelessly during the formative years of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. After his death in 1881, her work not

only continued, but expanded. She

spent two years in Europe in the mid-

1880s and lived in Australia from

1890 to the turm of the century.

Returning to the United States, she

made her home in California, where

she died in 1915 at the age of eighty-ELLEN G. WHITE AND THE GIFT OF PROPHECY

seven.

The gift of prophecy is particularly important to Seventh-day Adventists.

They believe that the presence of this

Ellen White regarded public

speaking as her particular talent,8 but

she is best known today as a prolific

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220

The doctrine of spiritual gifts, including the gift of prophecy, is One of the teachings of Scripture, 10

writer. During her lifetime, she

contributed well over four thousand

articles to various denominational

publications. She authored several

dozen books on a wide range of topics, and she conducted a vigorous

correspondence with people all over

the world.

one

The Biblical Tests of a Prophet The New Testament encourages believers to examine purported prophetic claims in at least two different passages. Paul urges his readers to avoid skepticism (1 Thess 5:19-23); John urges his to avoid being gullible (1 John 4:1). They both recommend testing a person's messages to see if they are from God

Ellen White's visions The most remarkable aspect of her life consisted in the unusual experiences to which she attributed her messages. She typically referred to them as "visions." The first occurred in December 1844, a few weeks after the Great

Disappointment, when she was barely seventeen years old. There were

hundreds in the years that followed. During these experiences she received spiritual instruction or

messages of practical religious value in the form of vivid sensory impressions. She was instructed to communicate their contents to certain

Faithfulness to the Bible

Assuming that the Bible is divinely authoritative, Seventh-day Adventists have traditionally applied several different biblical tests to the work of Ellen White.11 Perhaps the most important is agreement with Scripture (see Isa 8:20). If the Holy Spirit lies behind a person's work, his or her teaching will harmonize with the teachings of the Bible, because God will not contradict himself. He will

individuals, in some cases, and to the church at large, in others. Ellen White never assumed the

not say one thing in the Bible and another through a later prophet. title "prophet" for herself", but she did not object when others applied it to her. She did claim that divine A biblical view of Christ The second test is really an extension of the first. It consists of agreement with the biblical doctrine of the

authority lay behind her instruction. Seventh-day Adventists believe that her ministry is a manifestation of the gift of prophecy described in the New Testament. In fact, Adventists often assert that they believe in Ellen White's prophetic status precisely because they believe in the Bible.

incarnation. "Every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God" (1 John 4:2). A true prophet will affirm the genuine humanity of Jesus.

THE CHURCH: THE REIGN OF GOD AS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

221

A beneficial ministry predicted something remarkable that

The third test involves the effects offa came to pass (Deut 13:1-3). Per

against false prophets, saying, "You

person's ministry. Jesus warmed

against fal

will know them y their fruits" (Matt

7:16, 20). A divinely authorized ministry will yield positive results; an

On the other hand, unfulfilled predictions do not necessarily discredit a prophet. A message borne from God may not always come to pass. Jonah, for example, had God's command to forecast Nineveh's destruction, but the city was not destroyed. This doesn't mean that

Adventists, one of the most

convincing features of Ellen White's

imposter's ministry will not. To early

ministry was the fact that the work of Jonah was not a true prophet. God

the church prospered when they

followed her advice and suffered

when they ignored it. 12

When you consider most of the

decided to preserve Nineveh because its inhabitants repented.

The principle involved here is

that of "conditional prophecy,"which things that Seventh-day Adventists are we mentioned in the doctrine of God.

known for, her influence is clearly There are predictions, both promises visible. She urged her husband to start and threats, whose fulfillment depends a publishing work, she strongly

encouraged the development of work

in other countries of the world, and

she led out in health reform and in

on the response of human beings. If,

supported denominational schools, she as in Jonah's case, people turn from

their sins, threats of destruction will

not be fulfilled. Similarly, turning

away from God will thwart his desire

establishing medical training facilities.13

to bless (see Jer 18:1-11). Seventh-day Adventists have

applied these different tests to Ellen

White's life and work for over a

Fulfilled prophecies Last, and probably least in

importance, is the test of fulfilled pre-

dictions. According to certain biblical directly involved in her ministry, and

passages, the predictions of a true pro- that she deserves to be regarded as a

phet will come to pass (see Jer 28:9),

while those of a false prophet will not. her status in the church has always

There are important qualifications for

this test, however. On the one hand,

rulfilled predictions do not always

guarantee the reliability of a prophet's have refused to make belief in her

ministry. The Israelites were

instructed to ignore any suggestion to

follow other gods, even if its author

century and a half. The process has

strengthened their belief that God was

prophet. At the same time, however,

been widely discussed and carefully

qualified. From the beginning, for

example, Seventh-day Adventists

prophetic gift a formal "test of fellow

ship," although the Statement of

Fundamental Beliefs voted in 1980

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222

we seem to undermine her prophetic may represent a departure from this

practice14 Of the various questions conceming Ellen White's prophetic

status, two in particular have stimu-

lated widespread discussion among

Seventh-day Adventists in recent

years. One is the relation of her

writings to the Bible; the other is the

nature of her inspiration.

status.16 Is it possible to accept th Bible as supremely authoritative : also to regard Ellen White as a and

prophet? What, precisely, is her relation to Scripture?

Ellen G. White's view of the Bible Ellen White's own comments are helpful on this point. She has a great deal to say about the Bible and its relation to her writings. To begin with, she strongly supports the importance of the Bible and asserts that the Bible is indispensable as a source of knowledge about God. It contains

They accept the Reformation principle everything we need to know for

salvation.17 It is the supreme religious authority; nothing will ever replace or

as the authoritative guide for Christian supersede it. It is the test of all other manifestations of the Spirit. 18

Ellen White also spoke about the appropriate interpretation of the Bible. She urged Christians to engage in per- sonal Bible study;19 in fact, she de- scribed this as the highest duty of every rational being,20 According to her, the meaning of the Bible is available to every honest student. We must lay aside our preconceptions Adventists regard Ellen G. White as a and allow the Bible to be its own

ELLEN G. WHITE AND BIBLICAL AUTHORITY

Seventh-day Adventists have always identified themselves as Protestants.

of sola Scriptura, as it is sometimes

called, which affirms the Bible alone

faith and practice. The first of the

church's Fundamental Beliefs, for example, asserts, "The Holy

Scriptures are the infallible revelation of His [God's] will. They are the

standard of character, the test of experience, the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God's acts in history."15

At the same time, Seventh-day

prophet. They believe that the Spirit who inspired the writings of the Bible

interpreter.22 was also responsible for her messages. Ellen White's view of herself This creates an apparent dilemma. If When it comes to her own writings, we hold that Ellen White's inspiration Ellen White maintained that she was identical to that of the Bible, we seem to compromise the Protestant principle of the Bible only. If we subordinate her writings to Scripture,

received her messages from God and

that they deserve to be carefully studied. But she clearly subordinated them to the Bible. Their essential

THE CHURCH: THE REIGN OF GOD AS CHRISTIAN cOMMUNITY

223

purpose, she said, is to emphasize

what we find in the Bible. "Th writ-

light," in her words, "but to impress

Bible to a position of supreme authority for the first time, nor, for that matter, does it imply that the Bible is the only thing of religious

ten testimonies are not to give new

vividly upon the heart the truths of

inspiration already revealed."23 In

fact, they would not even be needed

if Deople had paid enough attention to

the Bible itself to start with.24

We can summarize Ellen White's

interest that Christians should ever read. What it really did was remove

everything standing between the Bible and the church in the way of an authoritative guide or interpreter. The prevalent position of the day acknow-

ledged the supreme authority of the Bible, but it insisted that the Bible

own position, then, by saying that the

Bible is the supreme and

comprehensive source of religious

knowledge. The purpose of her writings is to enhance our appre-

ciation of the Bible by emphasizing,

explaining, and applying its contents.

must be interpreted by the church. In so doing, it interposed tradition, or church doctrine, between believers and the Bible. The principle of sola

Scriptura removes this intermediary. It insists on direct contact with the

The supremacy of biblical

authority If we are faithful to Ellen White's

Bible. If Seventh-day Adventists adhere

to this important principle, they will not treat Ellen White as an infallible own position, we will avoid placingg

her on a level with Scripture. In

practice, as well as theory, we will

give the Bible the first and last word

in religious matters. It is not enough to assert that we judge Ellen White

by the Bible, and not the Bible by Ellen White. If the authority of the

Bible is truly supreme for us, it will

do more than establish Ellen White's

prophetic status. It will continue to

serve as our primary object of study, and we will support our doctrinal

positions by direct appeals to Scripture.

interpreter of the Bible. They will not allow her writings to distract them

from the study of the Seriptures, or

regard them as a shorteut to their

meaning. They will insist that every

biblical interpretation, including those that appear in Ellen White's

writings, be supported by direct

appeals to the Bible.

ELLEN G. WHITE AND

PROPHETIC INSPIRATION

This will keep us faithful to the classical Protestant position. The Reformation emphasis on the pri- macy of Scripture did not elevate the

A question of equal importance to

Seventh-day Adventists concerns the

nature of Ellen White's inspiration.

Since the early 1970s students of her

REIGN OF GOD

224

Adventists to accept the familiar view that she received the contene

Writings have

discovered that her

literary indebtedness is a more

complicated phenomenon

than most

people ever realized.

her writings in vision and turmedto of

other sources for occasional

assistance in expressing herself,29 There are those who believe tho

have largely misunderstood the nature of Ellen White's work, and a few have lost confidence in her

prophetic ministry.30 Many believe however, that we can modify our

understanding of inspiration to

accommodate the available data,

There are several possible

we Ellen White's literary

indebtedness For years it was general knowledge

that she employed various historical

works in writing The Great

Controversy. The 1911 edition, in

fact, gave credit to her sources. We

know that she used published

materials extensively in composingg

many of her other books, too. Her

writings on health, for example,

closely resemble views held by others in her time.25 Some have

approaches.

Proposed solutions: The guidance

of the Holy Spirit

suggested that a few of her best-loved A familiar suggestion is that she used

devotional books, such as The Desire

of Ages, are more like compilations of material than or+ginal

compositions,26 There is even

evidence that she sometimes

sources under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit not only

imparted a message to her, but directed her to select material that would aid her in expressing it effectively. This is possible. It is also

possible that the content of some of

her visions coincided with material

employed words she had previously read somewhere in transcribing what

she received in vision.27

In addition, the role of her

literary assistants, such as Marian Davis, now appears larger than before. They did not merely proofread her manuscripts for grammatical errors and transpose paragraphs. They collected material for her books, and sometimes they deleted large portions of what she herself had written (though not without her approval).28

These discoveries make it

already familiar to her. There is

nothing about the simple idea of

inspiration that requires total

originality. But this approach requires us to abandon a familiar argument tor

her inspiration. We can no longer

regard her as an uneducated woman

who couldn't possibly have

developed her material by any tural

means.

There is also a problem with the

view that the Spirit guided in her

selection of sources. Historians impossible for many Seventh-day THE CHURCH: THE REIGN OF GOD AS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

225

her use of sources obscures. generally regard some of The Great

Controversy S Sources as rather p0or

history. In the opinion of many

scholars, for example, Wylie and

d'Aubigne are not reliable historians

and they were not the best historians

available in Ellen White's time.31

Unconscious indebtedness One striking proposal is that Ellen White did not realize the extent of her dependence on other writers. We often meet some of our "original" ideas in books we have read and

Others' words, her ideas

A similar suggestion is that Ellen

White incorporated the words of others to express ideas she received

in vision. So, although much of the

material was derived, the overarching them her own. Besides, Ellen White framework of thought was her own.

One problem with this is the difficulty of separating Ellen White's own concepts from the ideas

presented in some of the works she

employed. In many cases, she seems

to include the ideas as well as the

forgotten about. Ellen White may have had similar experiences. Perhaps she expressed, as her own, ideas which she first encountered in other writings, because she had made

was primarily concermed with the

content of ideas, rather than their

source. She believed that God was the ultimate author of all truth. Accordingly, when she read something that impressed her, she naturally attributed it to God.33

verbal formulations of her sources. The note of divine authority There is another response to the

similarity between much of Ellen White's writings and other material. This is to emphasize the tone, rather than the content, of her messages.

According to this suggestion, we see

inspiration primarily in the note of

divine authority with which she

wrote. Others may have said similar

things; but when she spoke, the

church listened and obeyed.34

This response shifts the focus of

attention from the production of Ellen

White's messages to her role in the

community. In the final analysis, this

may be where the question of her

inspiration must be decided. Each

On the other hand, there is an

important precedent for such a

distinction in the Bible itself. The consensus among biblical scholars is

that Matthew and Luke copied

extensively from Mark.32 They follow Mark's overall outline of Jesus' ministry, and they reproduce many of its passages virtually word for word. Yet in spite of their

Similarities, each of the so-called ynoptic Gospels has its distinctive perspective on the life of Jesus. Literary dependence does not exclude Considerable originality. Perhaps urther literary analysis will reveal an

originality in Ellen White's works That the current preoccupation with

REIGN OF GOD

226

person evaluates the impact of her ministry on his or her own life, and the community as a whole reaches a

consensus as to her prophetic status. One merit of this approach is its

concem with the larger question of

revelation. Instead of concentrating narrowly on the production of her writings, its perspective takes into account her role in the larger cycle of God's communication with his

ourselves, we tend to feel, what sets us apart from other people, is the

most authentic expression of our personal identity, the highest fulfillment of our significance. But the portrait of the church we find in the New Testament clashes sharply with this perspective.

According to the apostles, the church is the primary sphere of salvation. Naturally, many people will say, in the normal course of things those who are saved will join the church. Most Christians

people. The nature of Ellen White's

ministry is one of those areas where the church's thinking is currently developing. What we have learned requires us to reexamine our concept of prophetic inspiration. But those for whom her writings have been of great spiritual benefit are hardly inclined to discard them. Clearly, this is an area where more theological work needs to be done, and where the community

eventually do. But this concession barely touches the meaning of the statement. As the earliest Christians discovered-to their considerable amazement-salvation not only happens within human beings; it is also something that happens between human beings. It transforms relationships, not just individual attitudes and behavior.

needs to be sensitive to the views of all its members.

To be sure, salvation brings about an inner change, a dramatic reordering of our priorities, the establishment of a new relationship with God (topics to be discussed in future chapters of this book). But it does much more. It brings into existence a community of people whose openness to one another, whose afirmation of one another, whose care for one another, whose

COMMUNITY OF THE SPIRIT

The use Paul makes of "body" language in describing the church clearly establishes the priority of the community to the individual. As we noted earlier, our modern preoccupation with the individual makes it difficult for many of us to accept this idea. We are inclined to regard the individual as the primary unit of human reality and the ultimate object of value. What we are by

commitment to one another's welfare transcend anything of which human beings are naturally capable. So important is this kind of relationship that John describes its existence as THE CHURCH: THE REIGN OF GOD AS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

227

the acid test or a true Christian. "We mutuality within the church-for the openness and care that Christians show toward each other. Since we are

know that know thar we have passed from death

one another(1 John 3:14 [NRSV]). to

life,"1 he writes, pecause we love

all members of Christ's body (1 Cor 12:27), we all have similar privileges and responsibilities, whatever our distinctive spiritual gift. No Christian Occupies a higher spiritual plane than another. The Reformers

Created by the power of the Holy

Spirit, then, the church is a

community characterized by

inclusiveness and mutuality. This

means that church membership is

open to all people, whatever their race, sex, nationality, social status, and financial condition. None of the things that typically isolate people from each other are barriers to

participation. It came as a surprise to the earliest Christian leaders, who

were predominantly Jewish males, that women, Gentiles, and slaves could be full-fledged members of the church. But this is what makes the

acknowledged this with their concept of the priesthood of all believers. There is no privileged class within the church. The work of ministry belongs to the whole people of God.

In terms of our guiding theme, the church manifests the reign of God in human history. The power of the

Spirit creates a community whose members love for one another reflects and communicates the love of

church unique. It is open to everyone. This equality is the basis for

God for all humankind.

STUDY HELPS

Questions for review

. What is the relation between personal salvation and church membership?

What makes the church unique among human groups and organizations? 2.

What are the primary symbols the New Testament applies to the church?

How is the church like the nation of Israel? How is it different?

5 What are the nature and source of authority in the church?

6. What are the characteristics of spiritual gits?

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228

What do the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy, respecsi. 7. ively, involve? 8. What biblical tests do Seventh-day Adventists apply to Ellen

ministry?

oly to Ellen G. White's

9. What are some of the recent questions concerning Ellen Whitel.

Questions for discussion

get more out of worshiping God by themselves than being with other Christians. How do you respond to this attitude?

can 10. Certain people insist that they don't need the church. They

11. Sometimes a group of people with modest abilities can accomplish moe than an equal number of more talented individuals. (You can probahl think of examples in areas like sports and music.) Why is this so? What does this imply about the Christian church?

nore

12. In apostolic times, the Christian church thrived in the face of intense opposition. In contrast, there is little interest in religion in much of the so- called "Christian" world today. When is adversity spiritually beneficial? Why?

13. Of all ancient peoples, only the Jews survive today, and modern Israel has a remarkable history. Is there a religious explanation for these phenomena Are there other explanations?

14. How can a person find out what his or her spiritual gifts are?

15. How would you go about explaining the ministry of Ellen G. White to

someone for the first time?

Suggestions for Bible study

l6. What do we learn about the church from the following biblical symD0 bols?

Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:2; Eph 1:1; Phil 1:1; Col 1:2 b. 2 Cor 4:5; Gal 5:13 c. 1 Pet 2:4-5; Col 1:13; Matt 5:3; 2 Cor 6:16

a.

26 d. m 3:15; Eph 2:19; Matt 23:8: 1 Cor 6:5: 1 Pet 2:17; Rom7.4 THE CHURCH: THE REIGN OF GOD AS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

229

Eph 5:25-27

Cor 3:5-9; Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 5:2; John 10:16

. 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 2:15

17 People sometimes think of the apostolic church as relatively free from internal difficulties. But what do the following passages indicate about

some of the problems early Christians faced? How do their dificulties compare with those of Christians today?

Acts 6:1; Acts 15:36-40; 1 Cor 1:10-12 b. Acts 11:1-3; Gal 2:11-16; Phil 3:2-3

2 Cor 11:2-5; Gal 1:6-9; 1 John 4:1

d. 1 Cor 5:1-2; 1 Tim 1:19-20

18. Read through the first twelve chapters of Acts. List the ways in which the

Holy Spirit operated in the life of the earliest Christian community.

19. Some people make a sharp distinction between the gift of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Acts (e.g., 2:38; 8:17; 10:44-47) and the spiritual gifts referred to in Paul's letters (e.g., 1 Cor 12:4-11, 28; Eph 4:11). In your

view, how are these related?

20. How do you reconcile the equality among church members presented in

texts such as Gal 3:28 with the apparent affirmation of social and sexual

differences within the church in texts such as Eph 5:22-23; 6:5-9; 1 Tim

2:11-15?

21. Rom 9-11 is one of the most important New Testament passages dealing

with the spiritual destiny of the people of Israel. From your study of these

chapters, what is the relation between Israel and the church?

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING

From Adventist writers

doctrine of the church remains one of the least-developed aspects of Seventh-day

aventist theology. But although Adventist writers have devoted relatively little attention to

dOctrine as such, certain aspects of it have received a good deal of study.

en G. White discusses the nature of the church in several important passages,

pecially in some of her later works, She describes the purpose of God's call to Israel and

alion between Israel and the church in Prophets and Kings, pp. 15-22, 703-721. She

eTS the origin and destiny of the church in The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 9-16, 593-602.

AOW of no book-length discussion of the doctrine of the church by an Adventist

REIGN OF GOD