SONGS: CLOSE:

YeAretheBodyofChrist
Theme TEXT: 1 Cor. 12:27 AIM: INTRODUCTION: TheC.I.Scofield'sReferenceBiblehasbeenprobablythesinglemostinfluentialpublication inFundamentalism'shistory.Assuchithashelpedshapethetheologicalexpressionsof fundamentalists,evenBaptistfundamentalists,withregardtocertainsocalled "fundamentals."ThetwomajortheologicalpositionsinwhichScofieldhasinfluenced fundamentalists:1]socalled"Gap"orrestitutiontheoryand2]theuniversal,invisible churchtheory.Althoughmostfundamentalistsdonotinterpretateorteacha"gap"between Gen.1:1and1:2toallowforthemillionsofyearsof"geologicalages,"thisisnotthecase withtheuniversal,invisiblechurchtheory.ScofieldpopularizedtheProtestantnotionofan invisiblechurchormysticalbodyofChrist. ThePresbyterian,andthereforeProtestant,WestminsterConfessionstates:
The catholic or universal Church, which is invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.1

Scofieldsteachinghasbecomea"fundamental"tenetwithinfundamentalism.Infact,the term"fundamentalism"insomeChristiancirclesissynonymouswiththemovementofthe mysticalbodyofChrist. Scofieldexpressedthispopulartheoryasfollows:

The Church was clearly prophesied by Him in Mt. 16:18and constituted as the Church after His resurrection and ascension at Pentecost when, in accordance with His promise (Acts 1:5), individual believers were for the first time baptized with the Holy Spirit into a unified spiritual organism, likened to a body of which Christ, is the Head (I Cor. 12:12-13; Col. 2:19)As those saved individuals who compose Christ's true Church fulfill their Lord's command to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth (Mk. 16:15; Lk. 24:46-48; Acts 1:8)"2

Neoevangelical theologians, who often influence fundamentalist theology, continue to promotethisProtestanttheory: LewisSperryChafer,speaksoftheredeemedintheNewTestamentbeingintheChurch and she is a temple for the habitation of God through the Spirit. She is regenerated, baptized,andsealedbytheSpirit.3 CharlesRyriemaintainsthenecessityoftheSpirittobaptizeallNTbelieversinthemystical bodyofChrist,saying,"Theinstrumentthatplacesthebelieverintothatsphereoftherisen bodyofChrististheHolySpirit,andthisiswhatistaughtinbothActs1:5andICorinthians

The Westminster Confession of Faith, (Philadelphia: Great Commission Publications, n.d.), p. 15. C.I. Scofield, ed., The New Scofield Reference Bible (NY: Oxford Univ. Press, 1967), p. 1162. 3 Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. IV (Dallas: Dallas Seminary Press, 1980), p. 45.
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YeAretheBodyofChrist

12:13."4 FundamentalisttheologianRollandMcCunewholeheartedlypromotesandconciselydefines thisProtestantviewofthebodyofChrist,stating:

The Body of Christ is the whole spiritual body of believers of this age (the Church Age) regardless of location or circumstances. More particularly, it is the total number of Spirit-baptized believers, or all of those saved between the Day of Pentecost and the Rapture, whether they be in Heaven or on earththe baptism of the Holy Spirit is the building agent of the Body, and this began at Pentecost and will terminate at the Rapture.5

All of these theological expressions are based on the interpretation that the Holy Spirit baptizes all believers in the mystical, invisible, body of Christ on or since the Day of Pentecost. Thispositionassumes thatSpiritBaptismoccurred/occurs simultaneous with regeneration and that the body of Christ is identical with the universal, invisible, and mysticalChurch. I. THE HISTORY OF THE POPULAR VIEW A. The Apostle Paul addressed the Corinthian believers as a church. "NowyearethebodyofChrist,andmembersinparticular"(1Cor.12:27). 1. 2. 3. Paul'sinspiredwordsareaddressedtoanassemblyofbaptizedbelievers TURN>>Acts18:1,4,8,11. TodaythereisgreathesitancyanddenialtoaddressoneoftheLord'sassemblies as"thebodyofChrist."Fromwhencehasthisresistancecome? ThepopularviewthatthebodyofChristreferstoalltheredeemedinthe "church"dispensationfromPentecosttotheRapture,isbasedonProtestant theologywhichisessentiallyreformedRomanism. FollowingontheheelsoftheinspiredChristianScripturescamethewritingsof "church"bishopswhomhistorianscategorizeasanteNicene(beforeAD325) "churchfathers"orPatristics. a. ManyofthesewritingsexisttodayandindicatethattheseChurchfathers embracedPlatonicphilosophy(i.e.theyembracedideasfromtheGreek philosoperPlato).

4.

b. Thealsopracticedafaultymethodortheoryofinterpretation (hermeneutical),resultinginRomanCatholictheology. c. ThewellknownGreekphilosophersoftheancientworldinfluencedthe GrecoRomanworldintowhichChristianitycame. 1) SuchmenasPythagoras,Socrates,PlatoandAristotlecontributedtothe ancientworld'sknowledgeinmath,ethics,government,science,and religion. 2) Itwasreligionthatconstitutedtheworldviewofthephilosopherand wasfoundationaltoallotherdisciplines.Allthephilosophersmentioned embracedpantheism(GodisallandallisGod).
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Charles C. Ryrie, The Holy Spirit (Chicago: Moody Press, 1965), p. 78. Rolland McCune, "The Body of Christ," Frontline, May-June, 1991: 35-37.

YeAretheBodyofChrist

3) Satanofferedhisalternativetheologicaltenetsofdeification"yeshallbe asgods"andimmortality"yeshallnotdie"toAdamandEveinthe garden;initiatingpantheisticgnosticism(Gen.3:45).

4) Gnosticdoctrinetaughtthattheworldwascreatedandruledbyalesser
divinitythedemiurge.Satantoldman,asgods,theywerethe controllersofthematerialworldthathecouldruleandgovernhimself. B. Platonic Philosophy 1. Plato(429347BC)determinedthatrealitywasintheuniversal,orOversoul,and thatitwasimperfectlymanifestedinthephysicalworldasshadowsonacave wall. a. Inhisthinking,eachmanhada"soul,"whichwaspartoftheuniversal "Oversoul."Thegoaloflifewastobefreefromthephysicalrealmandto reuniteone'ssoulwiththeOversoul.

b. Plato'semphasisontheuniversal,ledtouniversalismor"catholicity." Permeatingalloflife,catholicitywasthewarpandwoofoftheGrecoRoman world.Catholicitycorrespondedtothatwhichwasabsolute,ideal,perfect;6 itwastherationaloutworkingofpantheism("GodisallandallisGod"). c. TheChurchfathers,alongwiththerestoftheGrecoRomanworld,embraced andappliedPlatoniccatholicity.SeveralexamplesoftheChurchfathers' Platoniceisegesisareinstructive.

2.

Thefirstwritertocombine"catholic"with"church"wasnotaNTwriter,butit wasIgnatius(AD30107),whostated"whereverJesusChristis,thereisthe CatholicChurch."7 Cyprian(AD200258)advancedthenecessityofthisexternal,catholicinstitution withhisfamousexpressionextranullasalusecclesiam("outsidethechurchthereis nosalvation"). Augustine(AD354430)wasaneoPlatonistwhosework"representstheclimax ofPlatonicspirituality."8 a. Augustine'scontroversywiththeDontatistshelpedshapecatholic ecclesiologyforcenturiestocome.

3.

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b. TheDonatistscriticizedAugustine's"visiblechurch"becauseofitslackofa puremembership,i.e.immorality,askingifthechurchwasactuallysplitinto twochurches,themixedchurchofthepresentandthepurechurchofthe future.9 c. InseeingtheDonatists'legitimatecriticismoftheimpure"visiblechurch," AugustinewasforcedtoattachhisconceptoftheelectwithhisCyprianic conceptofthecatholicChurch("outsidethechurchthereisnosalvation").

d. ThesumofAugustine'spositionis"therealunityofthesaintsandtherefore
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Francis A. Schaeffer, How Should We Then Live? (Old Tappan, NJ: F. H. Revell Co., 1976), pp. 52-55. A. Cleveland Coxe, ed., The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publ. Co., 1981), p. 90. 8 Edward G. Selwyn, ed., A Short History of Christian Thought (London: Geoffrey Bles, 1949), p. 58. 9 Reinhold Seeberg, Text-Book of the History of Doctrines, trans. Charles E. Hay, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977), I, p. 325.

YeAretheBodyofChrist

ofthechurchisaninvisibleone.Atthesametimeitexistsonlywithinthe (visible)catholicChurch,foritisthereonlythattheSpiritworksandthat truelovedwells."10 e. ThetheologicalingenuityofthebishopofHippohadatwofoldeffect. 1) ItnotonlyhelpedAugustinetosidestepneatlytheDonatists'objections, butitalsowasthesourceforlaterecclesiologicalerror. 2) AlthoughAugustinedidnotusetheterm"invisible"withcatholic Church,hedidoriginatetheconceptofthe"invisiblecatholicchurch"out oftheologicalnecessity. 3) Sobythe5thcenturytherewereatleasttwodifferentconceptsfor "church. a) TotheAugustinianCatholic,thetruechurchwaswithinthevisible, catholicinstitution,marriedtotheRomanstatebyConstantine(after AD313),enteredintobyinfantbaptism,andmaintainedbythe implementationofthesacraments. b. TotheDonatists,thetruechurchwastheassemblyofimmersed believersinaparticularlocale,maintainingtheirpuritythrough strongpreachingandchurchdiscipline. APPLICATION TheLord'simmersionistcandlestickshadnobiblicalmandateorpracticalnecessitytoseek ecclesiasticalunitybeyondthelocalchurch,especiallyintimesofgrievouspersecution.This tendencyheldtrueforthemostpartuntiltheTolerationActin1689,whichpermitted tolerationtodissidentreligiousgroupsincludingBaptistsinEngland.AsBaptistsbeganto beacceptedbyProtestantstheyreciprocatedandtoleratedProtestantfellowshipand doctrine(includingtheuniversalchurchandCalvinism).EventuallyBaptistleadersreceived theologicaleducationfromProtestantinstitutionsandcompromisedtheirNTdoctrine. C. Faulty Hermeneutics AlthoughtheApostolicFathersstoodneartheApostles,thischronologicalproximity mayhavecausedthemtobeunabletodiscerndistinctiveNTtruth.Berkhopoffersseveral characteristicsoftheChurchfatherstheologicalwritings.Theirwritingsreflectedthelackof originality, depth, clearness and definiteness.11 TheChurch fathers, mostofwhom were unregenerate,12 considered the NT Scriptures to be the continuation of the OT with no distinctionsconcerningthepeopleofGodorHisagencythroughwhichHeministers(i.e.,the assemblyofimmersedbelievers;cf.Mt.28:1920;ITim.3:15).Infailingtousethehistorical grammatical (dispensational) hermeneutic to interpret Scripture, the Church fathers superimposed the sacral society concept upon the NT. They looked to the OT for the antiquityofchurchleadershipandforthemeaningandmodeofbaptism.13Thesacralsociety conceptisthestatereligioninacertainregion,headedupbyoneleader,enteredintobyone means for all inhabitants, and defended by exterminating all dissidents. Constantine
Louis Berkhof, The History of Christian Doctrines (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1975), p 229. 11 Berkhof, p. 38-39. 12 The writings of the following men indicate their dim awareness of soteriological truth. Ignatius taught baptismal regeneration, Cyprian believed in purgatory, Irenaeus maintained salvation by works, and Augustine held to prayers for the dead. 13 Coxe, pp. 16; 144, respectively.
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YeAretheBodyofChrist

embracedthePlatoniccatholicityoftheChurchfatherstoformtheRomanCatholicChurch (RCC),withitsoneheadinthebishopofRome,withitsentrancethroughthebaptismal regeneration of infants, and with its persecution of all dissidents. This visible catholic ecclesiology, initiated by Ignatius and his ilk, propagated by Irenaeus and Cyprian, and popularized by Augustine, became the orthodox position for Christendom until the Reformation. In 1521, the Augustiniantrained monk named Martin Luther was faced with an ecclesiastical conundrum upon his excommunication from the visible Roman Catholic Church. Luther, likealllaterReformers, considered theRCCthe"goodmovement gone bad,"needingreform.UponbeingforcedoutofthevisibleRCC,Lutherharkedbacktothe ecclesiology of Augustine and found himself in the invisible catholic churchthe "true" church of the elect. Luther, who died as a baptized Roman Catholic, believed the true invisible church was within the visible RCC.14 Nevertheless, under the protection of FrederickofSaxony,Lutherestablishedhisversionofvisiblecatholicitywithitsinvisible "reality,"inGermany.OtherReformersfollowed,establishingtheirrespectivesacralsociety ecclesiologyuponvariouslocalesinEurope. Forinstance,HenryVIIIbecameheadofthe AnglicanChurchin1534,ZwingliestablishedZurichashiscatholicempireinthe1520's,and CalvinmadeGenevahis"holycity"by1541. Calvinexpandedtheconceptoftheinvisible churchtoincludealloftheelect,whetherinthevisiblecatholicmovementornot.Calvin's view became foundational fortheWestminsterConfessionandforalmostall subsequent theologicalexpressionsofecclesiology,includingFundamentalBaptists.15 Mosthistorians wouldagreewiththispresentationofthedevelopmentofthedoctrineofthechurch,arguing thatCalvinrightlyunderstoodanddelineatedPaulineecclesiology.

CONCLUSION:

DateRiverValleyBCLeixlip,Co.Kildare

Luther popularized Augustine's novel view, and according to Berkhof, "stressed the oneness of the Church, but distinguished between two aspects of it, the one visible and the other invisible," p. 236. 15 Almost all non-Baptist and most Baptist historians and theologians attempt to defend the notion that Baptists came out of the Reformation, especially out of the Separatist/Congregational movement within the Anglican Church. Cf. H. Leon McBeth, The Baptist Heritage: Four Centuries of Baptist Witness (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1987), pp. 21 ff.
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