An exchange with a Baptist.
Some Scriptural reasons why the Church was not established on the day of Pentecost, but rather, was established during the lifetime of Jesus.
- It had a rule of discipline before Pentecost. Matthew 18:17.
- We read that Jesus sang in the church. Heb. 2:12. The only time that Jesus ever sang, so far as we have any record of it, was at the institution of the Lord’s Supper. Mark 14:26. This was before Pentecost.
- They had a business meeting before the day of Pentecost and elected a successor to take the place of Judas. Acts 1:15-26.
- The apostles were in the church before the day of Pentecost. 1 Cor. 12:28. The first ones who were put in the church were the apostles, and this was at least three years before the day of Pentecost.
- The church had its commission to preach before Pentecost. Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15.
- The church had its authority to baptize before Pentecost. John 4:2.
- The church had the Lord’s Supper before Pentecost. Matthew 26:30.
- The keys of the kingdom were given to it before Pentecost. Matthew 16:19.
- It had a church roll before Pentecost with names on the roll. Acts 1:15.
- To this church there were about 3,000 additions on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:42. If I were to tell you I was going to add $200 to my bank account, this would imply that I have a bank account to begin with. In view of the fact that 3,000 were added to the church on the day of Pentecost then we are led to believe that the church was in existence before Pentecost.
Let any other man who believes that the church was founded on the day of Pentecost, answer these ten reasons. Until such an answer is forthcoming, accept only the Word of God, and not the words of men.
Answer
Keith Sharp
These are the kind of “gotcha” debaters’ questions that give debating a bad name. They do not proceed from a serious effort to understand and explain Scripture but to trap an opponent. Nonetheless, I will answer each one.
- The Master used the terms “church” and “kingdom” interchangeably (Matthew 16:18-19). The primary purpose of His teaching while on earth was to prepare the way for the then future kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15). Matthew 18:15-17 is part of this preparatory preaching.
- The Lord’s singing is “among the Gentiles” (Romans 15:9). There were no Gentiles among His disciples in Mark 14:26. So neither Mark 14:26 nor any other event while Jesus was on earth fulfills Psalm 22:22 or Psalm 18:49.
- They were making preparation for the establishment of the church, which took place in Acts 2.
- Apostles existed as early as Matthew ten, but nothing is said about them being “in the church.”
- The apostles were given the Great Commission (no mention of the church) after Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. If the church existed before this, it had no commission. But the Lord forbade the apostles to carry out the commission until they received the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:47; Acts 1:1-8). They received the Holy Spirit and began carrying out the Great Commission on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ (Acts 2). If the church existed before Acts 2, it could not carry out its commission.
- John 4 says nothing about authority for the church to baptize. John the Baptist was also baptizing at this time (John 1:26). His disciples were separate from the Lord’s (Luke 5:33). What church were they? Whatever it was, it wasn’t the Lord Jesus Christ’s.
- And this was when the Lord’s Supper was first instituted (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). If the church existed before the night of the betrayal, it did not observe the Lord’s Supper. Once again, this was in preparation for the establishment of the church.
- No they weren’t. They were given to Peter (Matthew 16:18-19). And he didn’t use them or even possess them until the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 2).
- Acts 1:15 doesn’t mention or imply the church. This is begging the question, argument by assume and assert.
- You mean Acts 2:41. “Unto them” is italicized, meaning the phrase was added by the translators, an interpolation. There is no Greek word or phrase in the original manuscript that it translates. The New American Standard Bible correctly and literally translates this, “So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.” It doesn’t say they were added to anything. The word “church” is used for the first time in the chapter in verse 47 (Textus Receptus Greek text, the basis of the King James Version and New King James Version). This is the first mention of the church as an historical reality, and it’s after Pentecost.
Now, I’ve answered all ten “reasons.” for believing the church existed before Pentecost. These ten reasons are used by Baptist debaters to try to prove the church began during the personal ministry of Christ and was the Baptist Church (cf. The Baptist Examiner, The Origin and Perpetuity of the Church). Baptists would have us believe that, since Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, Jesus was a Baptist. The word “Baptist” (“baptistes”) means “the one who baptizes” (Mounce. 52). It designates John from the standpoint of what John did, not what he was religiously. If I get my hair cut by Elmo the barber (and he’ll first have to find some to cut), that doesn’t make me a barber. John wasn’t A Baptist; he was THE Baptist, the one and only. And, by John’s own testimony, in relation to Christ, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). There was just one Baptist, and he had to decrease. How many does that leave? No one in the Bible was ever called “A Baptist,” and the Bible never mentions the Baptist Church. The baptism of John, though once from God (Luke 7:29-30), is no longer valid (Acts 19:1-5).
Now here are some alternate facts for Baptists to consider. If the church of Christ existed before Pentecost:
- It was under law to two husbands, Moses and Christ (Romans 7:1-4).
- It had no power from the Holy Spirit (John 7:38-39; Mark 9:1; Luke 24:49; Acts 2:1-4).
- It did not have the New Testament (Hebrews 9:15-17).
- It was guided by the law of Moses (Matthew 23:1-3; Colossians 2:14).
- It did not have Christ as its High Priest (Hebrews 7:28; 8:4).
- It had no prayer in the name of Jesus (John 16:24; Colossians 3:17).
- It did not have the atonement of Christ (Matthew 20:28; 26:28).
- It had no Head (Ephesians 1:18-23).
- It could not preach the gospel by which we are saved (Matthew 16:20; 17:9; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
- It had not been purchased by Christ (Acts 20:28).
- It had not been organized (Ephesians 4:8-16).
- It accepted only Jews as members (Matthew 10:5-6; Ephesians 2:14-16).
How do we know the church began on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of the Lord? Isaiah prophesied:
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the LORD’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
Many people shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-3).
The “mountain” (great rule) “of the Lord’s house” is His church with Christ as its Ruler (Hebrews 12:22-24). It was to be established “in the latter days,” the age when God speaks through His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). It’s establishment is connected with “the law” going forth “out of Zion,” “the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” This happened on the first Pentecost after Jesus’ resurrection (Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:6-8; 2:1-4,38-39). Only after this does the book of Acts refer to the church as an historical reality (Acts 5:11; 8:1,3; 9:31; 11:22,26; 12:1,5; 13:1; 14;23,27; 15:3,4,22; 18:22; 20:17,28). The church Jesus built began on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of the Lord from the dead.
