We are considering N. T. Wright’s newly released Paul and the Faithfulness of God (Christian Origins and the Question of God)
We been considering Wright’s review of the various symbols at the heart of the worldview of the Jews of Paul’s day: Temple, Torah, Prayer, Land, Family, Battle, and Scripture. We finish the series by talking about Paul’s view of the Scriptures.
The Jews of Paul’s day were deeply committed to the Old Testament (or Hebrew Scriptures or Tanakh). It’s likely that many Jews had memorized the Torah. Paul, as a rabbi trained under Gamaliel, surely had.
Of course, in the First Century, the scriptures were written on scrolls. The text had to be handwritten by a scribe. As a result, the scriptures were extremely expensive and far too bulky to carry around on one’s person.
Therefore, for most Jews, the only copy of the scriptures they ever saw or read was the copy in the synagogue. And this is why so many Jews would have memorized as much of the Old Testament as possible — the only way to have scriptures at hand was to have them memorized.
During Paul’s day, the Jewish interpretation of the scriptures was that everything pointed toward a conclusion that had not yet happened. God had promised to send his Messiah, to pour out the Spirit on all his children, to establish the Kingdom, and to bring the Jews out of exile and back to the Promised Land, where they would be safe and protected by the arm of God.
In short, to the Jews, the scriptures told a story that had not yet reached climax.
It had been nearly 500 years since some — a minority — of the Jews had returned from Babylon to rebuild the Temple. God’s presence did not fill the new Temple built under Ezra and Nehemiah, nor did God enter the opulent replacement built by Herod.
But amazingly, the Jews maintained their distinct identity and continued to pray for the Messiah to come for over half a millenium. And their national identity and hope for the Kingdom were built on faith in the scriptures and God to be faithful to his promises.
The change in symbols and worldview that Paul experienced is simply this: The story has reached its climax; God has sent his Messiah, poured out his Spirit, and established his Kingdom! Jesus is the Messiah — and he has been crucified and resurrected.
The resurrection, which is nowhere prophesied in the Old Testament (as understood by the Jews of Paul’s day) and so was not anticipated by the Jewish people at all, means that the story told by the scriptures has not only come to its climax, it has done so in a most unexpected, surprising way. The Messiah was crucified but defeated the Jewish and Roman authorities — and all the cosmic powers arrayed against him — by rising from the grave.
Moreover, the resurrected Jesus had a new kind of body — a body given by the Spirit — which could walk through locked doors, be unrecognizable to his best friends, travel surprising distances, and even ascend into the clouds.
Jesus’ new body, Paul concluded, is proof that we’ll be resurrected, too, and we’ll receive new bodies just as Jesus did.
(Phi 3:20-21 ESV) 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
The result is a kind of already/not-yet fulfillment of the prophecies. The Messiah has come, but he has returned to heaven and will return at the end of the age to reign over his people. He’s both come and not yet come.
The Kingdom has been established and the nations are being invited in, but the Kingdom is not yet here in its fullness.
(Act 3:19-21 ESV) 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.
The restoration of all things — the promised Kingdom — will not fully occur until Jesus returns.
Wright and other theologians call this view of the scriptures “inaugurated eschatology,” which is a fancy way of saying that the Kingdom/new heavens and new earth/afterlife that we anticipate enjoying when Jesus returns is already partly here but not in its fullness. That’s right, church is a foretaste of heaven. (I know it often doesn’t seem that way, but that’s how it really ought to be.)
In other words, the end times will be the completion of what God is already doing in this age. As we work with God to evangelize the nations and our neighbors and to redeem the brokenness of the world, we are participating in the completion of the work begun by Jesus to make all things new, to free the creation from its bondage to decay, and to bring the Kingdom in its fullness.
This, of course, was a radical change of thinking for Saul of Tarsus, who was busily and violently persecuting the church, believing that his purification efforts would honor God. But when he was called up into heaven to meet the resurrected Jesus, everything changed.
The resurrection, to Paul, is not merely a “Christian evidence” that Jesus is divine. It was, rather, the “firstfruits” of the general resurrection, proving that God can and will resurrect all who are a part of Jesus, the Messiah. Faith in Jesus, therefore, becomes the only path to salvation.
The church can easily be seen as a foretaste of heaven if the modern church is engaged in real, awe inspiring worship of God where members are deeply humbled and moved as they read scriptures on God’s glory, as they bow down in humility, and as they sing songs that magnify His glory. The foretaste is also experienced when the members deeply love and support each other and that love is real and felt. It is all a reminder of the perfect family in heaven…..
Unfortunately, the modern church often engages in arguments over doctrine, in splits, in condemning other groups, and in haranguing over minutia. Thus many modern churches have no foretaste of heaven and might even run the risk of never seeing it.
If the restoration movement means anything, it should mean that restoration never stops and thus restoration means the restoration of worship, family, and love.
All I’ve known is the now/not yet concept of the Kingdom of God. Then a couple months ago I had an older woman in a Bible class say that the church is the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God. Huh? It caught me off guard! The church is far from perfected; sin, evil, and pain still exist in the world; and the Messiah hasn’t physically come back a second time. If the church really is the completed Kingdom of God, I’m very disappointed in God! I’d hoped He had something better up His sleeve than what we have right now.
Can someone please explain to me how the CofC came to believe the Kingdom of God is already fulfilled in the church?
Skip said,
“Unfortunately, the modern church often engages in arguments over doctrine, in splits, in condemning other groups, and in haranguing over minutia”
Sometimes arguments are made and should be made over “doctrine.” Sound doctrine is something that should be argued over, or, if not argued, then debated. It must be contended for. Satan, surely, would love nothing more than to pervert sound doctrine. He’s already done a pretty decent job of it and he’s still at work.
We certainly can’t have an anything goes mentality. The problem, seems to me, is in knowing how to “rightly divide the word,” in knowing what should be argued over and what is merely opinion. Most arguments are over minutia and not the sound teachings of scripture. However, Liberalism swept over most institutions of higher Biblical learning a century ago. Where were those who could rightly divide the word back then? Maybe they were swatting at flies instead of noticing the rotting carcass in the room.
Sound doctrine is currently at risk in being swept aside by the “homosexuality is good” movement. Perhaps, we’re still swatting flies.
Monty, Obviously doctrine is important and must be addressed (and has been addressed ad-nauseum for over 100 years). However, if the church is only and always battling over doctrine then the church has massively missed the point. Jesus did not come and die on the cross for us to be doctrinally pure. He died for us to be cleansed and to be morally pure. I think the CoC sorted out the subjects of baptism, church leadership, etc… long ago. Let us move on to building healthy, vibrant fellowships where we go about the most important issues in the Bible: Namely loving God first and then loving and serving others (the first and second commandments).
“That’s right, church is a foretaste of heaven.” This is exactly why I feel called to ordained ministry in a nutshell–getting to be a part of that myself and hopefully to spread that to others as much as possible.
“The church can easily be seen as a foretaste of heaven”
I don’t know what church you guys are members of, but as I see it Jesus’ church consists of believers in, and followers of Jesus Christ. I also believe Jesus said it would not be “a rose garden”, if you chose his path. I believe it went something like this, “pick up your cross and follow me”
I believe the description of heaven in Revelations is a little different than the hard life predicted for Christians on earth. If you are acting like you already have a mansion reserved, you just might not ever see it.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Laymond, I am afraid you totally missed our points. No one said the church on earth is perfect. Nor did we say the Christian life is struggle free.
Well Skip, if you did not say church is a small sample of heaven, just what did you say.?
Laymond,
I don’t appreciate your lack of tact, warmth, or your bluntness. Nonetheless, the Church is a small “SAMPLE” of heaven in that we can experience unconditional love, grace, forgiveness, mercy, worship, fellowship, etc… No one ever has implied that a “Sample” of heaven meant perfection. Perhaps you don’t see glimpses of heaven in your church but I certainly see it in mine.
Laymond and Skip,
One of best analogies to church is, of course, family. Families, like church, have the ability to be a slice of heaven. But because of the intensity of the love and, well, the inescapability of your kin, families also have the ability to create hell on earth when people you love hurt you. Just like church.
Sadly, you can’t have one without the other. But the delights of family and church are a sure pointer toward what heaven will be like.
And the pain of separation and disappointment that so often comes from both, that may well be a portent of what hell is really going to be like.
Jay, Amen! I agree and thanks.
Jay, are you saying we will have these same disagreements/ arguments in the presents of God.
I believe the saying goes, “if there are three Christians talking, you a least have three opinions, and most likely four.
I fully disagree that “church” was ever intended to be a glimpse of heaven, it surely did not start out that way. and I personally have never seen one that resembled what is described in the book.
I know that preachers and elders wish they were presiding over a band of angels, but they don’t, they preside over a bunch of sinners. I think the more money we spend on ourselves to make “church” like heaven, instead of using that money to make other’s life bearable, we become more likely never to learn what heaven is actually like.
I believe “Christ’s Church” is referred to as “The body of Christ” well have we forgotten what his body suffered here ? I believe Jesus said we would suffer what he has suffered first.
I’m just saying maybe we have forgotten what “church” is supposed to be about. I suspect that when we whittle salvation down to “grace and faith” we begin to believe we are the spoiled rich kid in school and everything is all about us. We should be chosen, because our father is rich.
Laymond, Sorry for your bad past church experiences that have jaded your perspective. Contrary to your thoughts, the church in Acts 2 was blissful. Everyone joyfully shared everything in common. If the Church today is filled with gossip, backbiting, division, and bitterness, then it is nothing like God intends. Visitors should see more love, joy, and grace than they have ever seen in the world…or it isn’t God’s church. Our Church is filled with many happy members who love coming and serving. In this sense we are a glimpse of heaven and I am very thankful.
Setting our numerous petty foibles aside, the flaw I see in the church as “slice o’ heaven” or “preview of heaven” is that what revelation we have of the heavenly city does not vaguely resemble what we have built here on earth. If one is able to really find the worship pictured in Revelation 4-5 in what we are currently doing as “church”, his imagination is greater than mine. “Church” as we know it is undeniably believer-centric, and this is not really wrong. We are called to love one another as a way to discover the love of Christ for us. The body is communal because God intends here to often meet our needs in one another. That does not appear to be the Lamb-lighted reality of the Holy City. While there may be some sort of “community” in the afterlife, it appears that it is a side-effect of the centrality of Christ in individual hearts. While it is valid here to value “we are Israel” or “we are the church”, the chorus there is “Holy is the Lord God Almighty!”
Charles wrote,
I’m sorry that your experiences have not let you see this. Let me try to explain it another way.
(Rev 21:1-2 ESV) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
The bride is surely the church of the previously dead — Christians dead at the time of the great resurrection. God and the dead in Christ descend to earth.
(Rev 21:3 ESV) 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
This language is borrowed from Exodus and refers particularly to God’s presence in the Tabernacle, around which the Israelites often gathered. When they were so gathered, the LXX refers to them as the ekklesia.
If God and Jesus and the Spirit are present in our assemblies, then we are at the time most especially the ekklesia of the Messiah.
(Rev 21:4 ESV) 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Is there no mourning in church? Of course, not. But when it’s time to mourn, where do we turn? Invariably, believers turn to their churches and their ministers and their other brothers and sisters in Jesus — because there they find comfort.
(Rev 21:24-26 ESV) 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day– and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.
The Messiah’s church spans the globe. The sun never sets on the church. And the nations have been invited in and are entering by the tens of thousands. Worldwide, Christianity is by far the world’s fastest growing religion (our own denomination notwithstanding).
Of course, there’s really no night because God will shine on his people, and this is happening even now.
(Rev 22:5 ESV) 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
What I’m describing is called “inaugurated eschatology,” which is simply the idea that the Kingdom has come but not yet in its fullness. If the new heavens and new earth are the full realization of what has already begun, then surely today’s church must have something in common with the Kingdom as it will be when fully here.
For example, covered dish dinners. The end of Acts 2 describes the first congregation of the Messiah’s church eating together on the top of Mt. Zion, just as the prophets had predicted for the end of this age. The fellowship of the saints is a preview of the heavenly banquet we’ll enjoy together when the Groom returns.
Jay,
I had come to envision the this message in Revelation to be relating to the present church of today. The one difference that I find most men not able to understand is the difference between our physical lives and the born again spirit in our bodies. The description that you have shown from scriptures is very hard to see applied in the physical world. I am not sure that it could ever be applied to the physical world or our present bodies.
But, when we through faith can see it in our present spiritual lives, it is easy to understand how nothing in this physical world can touch us or do us any harm to our spirit unless we allow it to happen. Applied to the new born again spirit within us every portion of this message is applicable.