APPENDIX A: THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE CHURCH

EXTRACT ONE

“A connection exists between kingdom and church, but they are not identical, even in the present age.  The kingdom is the whole of God’s redeeming activity in Christ in this world; the church is the assembly of those who belong to Jesus Christ.  Perhaps one could speak in terms of two concentric circles, of which the church is the smaller and the kingdom the larger, while Christ is the centre of both. 

The church is the assembly of those who have accepted the gospel of the kingdom in faith, who participate in the salvation of the kingdom, which includes the forgiveness of sins, adoption by God, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the possession of eternal life.  They are also those in whose life the kingdom takes visible form.  They are the light of the world, the salt of the earth; those who have taken on themselves the yoke of the kingdom, who live by their King’s commandments and learn from him (Mt. 11:28-30).

The church, as the organ of the kingdom, is called to confess Jesus as the Christ, to the missionary task of preaching the gospel in the world; she is also the community of those who wait for the coming of the kingdom in glory, the servants who have received their Lord’s talents in prospect of his return.  The church receives her whole constitution from the kingdom, on all sides she is beset and directed by the revelation, the progress, the future coming of the kingdom of God, without at any time being the kingdom herself or even being identified with it.” [1]

EXTRACT TWO

“The kingdom is not the church.  The apostles went about preaching the kingdom of God (Acts 8:12; 19:8; 28:23); it is impossible to substitute “church” for “kingdom” in such passages.  However, there is an inseparable relationship.  The church is the fellowship of men who have accepted his offer of the kingdom, submitted to its rule, and entered into its blessings. 

Thus we may say that the kingdom of God creates the church.  Individually the kingdom means either salvation or judgment (Matt 3:11); historically the activity of the kingdom of God effected the creation of the church and the destruction of Israel (Matt 23:37-38).  Within the lifetime of the disciples the kingdom of God would be seen manifesting its power in bringing a historical judgment upon Jerusalem and in creating the new people, the church.  Paul announced the rejection of Israel and the salvation of the Gentiles (1 Thess. 2:16; Acts 28:26-28).  However, the rejection of Israel is not permanent.  After God has visited the Gentiles, he will re-graft Israel into the people of God, and “so all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:24-26), receive the kingdom of God, and enter into its blessings (see Matt 23:39; Acts 3:19-20).

The kingdom has come into the world in Christ; it works in the world through the church.  When the church has proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom in the world as witness to all nations, Christ will return (Matt 24:14) and bring the kingdom in glory.” [2]

In summary, the kingdom of God is present in the Church, but the Church is not the kingdom.  The Church is the community of believers, the body of Christ, who have responded to the rule of God in Christ.  While salvation is offered only through the gospel of Christ, it is offered to a world over which God is already Creator and Lord.  Christ is at work both within and without the Church.

APPENDIX B: THE PARABLE OF THE VILLAGE GIRLS; IT IS IMPORTANT TO GUARD AGAINST ALLEGORIZING

The term “virgins” (NIV) or “maidens” (Moffatt) is not significant.  They were young unmarried girls who were probably teenage village girls and not bridesmaids.  Bridesmaids would have been with the bride and not on the road, and as bridesmaids they would not have been excluded from the wedding ceremony.  Some argue that the girls (either as virgins or as bridesmaids) represent born-again believers but the NT likens the Church to the Bride of Christ.  How can the girls be both the bridesmaids and the bride at the same time?

The parable of the Ten Pounds or Minas, in Luke chapter 19, indicates that the number ten is commonly used as a round number, or a symbol of completeness, while the girls do not represent any group of people in particular.  For example, if we allegorize the two sets of girls into true and false believers, or into holy and less holy believers, we have to reckon with the fact that they all fell asleep.  The contrast between the two groups lies in the foresight of the prudent and the carelessness of the foolish.  It is their unreadiness that is the folly of the foolish girls.

And if we allegorize the oil to mean the Holy Spirit, or true faith, or righteousness, we have to reckon with the fact that the foolish girls had oil to begin with as well as the wise, and that when it ran out they managed to buy some more.  However, the Holy Spirit is not for sale and neither is faith or righteousness or works.  If it is argued that the oil symbolizes a believer’s works, then it has to be decided if the foolish girls were saved or not.  If they were not saved, then their lack of works (or oil) proved that they were not saved, and not getting into the banquet meant not getting into heaven.  If you argue that the foolish girls were saved, then it follows that they lost their rewards (and not their salvation), and that the banquet represents rewards, or something like reigning with Christ.

The sudden arrival of the bridegroom has its counterpart in the sudden flood judgment of Genesis (Matthew 24:39), in the surprise entry of the thief (24:43), and in the surprise return of the householder from a journey (24:50).  The suddenness of these catastrophes represents a crisis and parallels the climax of history at the end of the age and the following judgment of Christ.  The foolish girls were not ready when the bridegroom arrived.  The point of the parable is: “Don’t be careless like those foolish girls; keep alert and be prepared, for you do not know when a crisis (like the return of Christ) will come.”  It is an encouragement to believers in any age to remain spiritually alert and prepared.

APPENDIX C: PROPHETIC INTERPRETATIONS RELATED TO THE PARABLE OF THE VILLAGE GIRLS

Passages of prophecy are always difficult and problematic so it is not surprising that expositors disagree among themselves.  Often a passage of prophecy has both a primary and a secondary meaning.  As in the accounts of Mark and Luke, the threatened judgment on Jerusalem in Matthew is interwoven with the judgment of Christ at the climax of history at the end of this present age.

1. An Immediate Prophetic Meaning
   This view says the story was directed against the nation of Israel as their entire history was intended to be a preparation for the coming of Jesus.  Instead the chosen people were unprepared and as a result of their rejection of the Messiah, Israel was rejected by God as a favoured nation.  Jesus had warned in a previous parable, “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” (Matthew 21:43).  While the judgment was not total as the apostles were Jews, it was nevertheless disastrous.  The early Christians understood the foolish girls as a reference to Israel, and the wise girls as a reference to the Gentiles.

Jesus predicted that the Gentiles were to be included in the kingdom of God while many Jews for whom the kingdom was originally intended would find themselves excluded: “I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.  But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8:11-12).  A future Messianic banquet was a picture of God’s kingdom, and fellowship at a table indicated relationship.  Gentiles did not usually eat with Jewish people.

2. An End-Time Prophetic Meaning
   Some expositors apply this parable to this present age.  Others favour a futurist interpretation and apply the parable to an end-time period of tribulation when genuine believers have been raptured.  According to this view, the parable is directed specifically toward a remnant of Jewish people in the period of tribulation. [3]
   

APPENDIX D: (Romans 11:25-32 NIV)

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NATION OF ISRAEL AND THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH

25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” [Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33,34]
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,
29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience,
31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you.
32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

1. There are two opposing interpretations regarding the future of Israel.  Some commentators believe that Israel continues to have a place in God’s plan of salvation since Romans 11: 26 states “All Israel will be saved”.  This view allows for the national restoration of Israel at the end of this age, the literal fulfillment of some Old Testament prophecies in the future, and individual Jewish believers belonging to the Church through faith in Christ.  However, other scholars believe that Israel has lost her special relationship with God through failure to accept Jesus as the Messiah and the Church as the new Israel, or the true Israel, has finally and forever replaced ancient Israel as the people of God.  It is argued that while individual Jews may belong to the Church by faith in Christ, Israel no longer has a national calling with God.

Both sides interpret some passages literally and other passages spiritually.  Both interpretations would do well to remember that Jesus Christ, rather than a particular group of people, is the centre of God’s purposes.

2. In Romans chapters 9 to 11 Paul discussed Israel’s past election (9:6-29), her present rejection of the gospel (9:30-10:21), and her future salvation (11:1-36).  He agonized over the refusal of most of Israel to recognize Jesus as the Messiah.  Only a “remnant” (11:5) of Jews, including Paul himself, became Christians by the grace of God.  Paul says: “Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. (11:6).  Paul argued that a “remnant” exists as a spiritual Israel within the nation of Israel and that physical descent from Abraham does not mean a place within the people of God: “It is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring.” (11:8).  While Paul acknowledged that God is the sovereign ruler of history who is free to act as he chooses, he also allowed for personal responsibility.  Individuals make choices for or against the gospel of Christ.

5.      Christians are divided on the meaning of the term “all Israel.”  Some argue it means all believers in Christ, both Jew and Gentile, throughout the ages.  Others suggest that it refers to either the total number of saved Jews only, or the saved Jews of the final end-time generation.  However, the term should be understood in the same sense as “the full number of the Gentiles” and refers to the nation Israel as a collective whole.  “All Israel” stands in contrast to “in part”.  It does not mean that every single Israelite will be saved, but that Israel as a nation, in a collective sense, will be saved.  In contrast to the present “remnant”, it will be a number of Jews large enough to represent the nation as a whole.

8.      Israel’s national conversion, not the general conversion of the world to Christ, is expected when “the full number of the Gentiles has come in”.  F. F. Bruce has “by this means” [7] , the NEB has “when that has happened”, and the Jerusalem Bible has “and then after this.”  This statement is confirmed by quotations from Isaiah 59:20, 21 and 27:9.  Paul described an event that will take place at the end of this age, when Christ returns in glory.  The salvation of Israel is directly related to the Deliverer, Jesus the Messiah. 

9.      This event is described in spiritual terms [8] as “turning godlessness away from Jacob” and the “taking away their sins” by the new covenant of Jeremiah 32:31-34.  The context of Isaiah 59:20 focuses on the repentance of Israel: “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins”.  Compare Zechariah 12:10-14 and Matthew 23:37-39.  The salvation of “all Israel” will take place as individual Israelites place their faith in Christ (“if they do not persist in unbelief” verse 23).  Faith in Christ is the only means of salvation, for Jew as well as Gentile (Romans 1:16–17; 10:11–13). 

10.  Jesus Christ is the new perfect temple, as John implies: “Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’  The Jews replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’  But the temple he had spoken of was his body.” (2:19-21).  The inclusive Church, as an international family, reconciles Jews and Gentiles in Christ (Ephesians 2:14-18; 3:5-6) as the first installment of the ultimate coming together of “all things” (Ephesians 1:10)

11.  God's promises to Israel are “irrevocable” [9] or “never cancelled, never rescinded” (The Message).  Although the Church is a continuation of God’s work with Israel, the Church has not replaced Israel.  God rejected the generation that rejected Christ but the nation of Israel still has a place in God’s purposes.  There is a parallel as well as a contrast between “enemies” and “loved”.  There is also a parallel between “gospel” and “election” or “God’s sovereign choice” (F. F. Bruce). 

12.  At this stage in the history of the gospel Israel is God’s enemy because it rejects the gospel, but because Israel was sovereignly chosen through promises given to “the patriarchs” [Abraham, Isaac and Jacob] Israel will yet be saved.  Israel’s election was based on God’s sovereign call and not on racial favouritism.  God’s election of Israel remains valid.  “God’s gifts” are the privileges of Israel (Romans 9:4-5) who retains a special place in the plan of God. (Matthew 19:28)

13.  The Christian Church is capable of the same failures as Israel’s leaders were in Christ’s day.  God’s judgments continue at work in history on, all churches and all believers, especially top leaders.  Like Israel, we also may have a fine show of religion that offers God no genuine fruit.  Any Christian organization that fails to serve God’s purpose of discipling the world through Jesus Christ will likewise fall under judgment.  How does this speak to you?  Pray for the integrity of the leaders of your church and your nation. 

FOR REFLECTION