Landmark Baptist

richhamlin wrote:I want to apologize in advance for writing another lengthy post, but I thought putting the scriptures in the discussion might be helpful. What is being suggested about Ephesians 2 is something I take very seriously. If you read through the entire post, I think you’ll see why.

Brother Jerry wrote, “Just because he is speaking to people who have been saved and are members of a NT Church, doesn't mean that everything he says applies to saved people who are not members of a NT Church.”

Paul actually said this about the people in question:

Ephesians 2:11-13 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

He went on to explain how this worked:

Ephesians 2:14-18 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Then we find the “therefore”:

Ephesians 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

We see absolutely nothing in this discussion previous to verse 19 that would qualify the “therefore you all are no more strangers and foreigners but fellowcitizens with the saints and of the household of God” as something accomplished by baptism and being voted into a Baptist Church. Paul tells us what accomplished their being “no more strangers and foreigners”. It is “in Christ.” It is “by His blood.” It is through the peace we enjoy because He “has created in Himself one new man, so making peace.” It is because we are reconciled unto God “in one body by the cross.” It is because the cross has “slain the enmity”. Finally, and in closest proximity to the “therefore”, it is BECAUSE WE BOTH HAVE ACCESS TO GOD BY THE ONE SPIRIT.

Paul mentions several things that were true of them before they were in Christ. They were without Christ, outside the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. Then did he write, “BUT NOW "IN THE CHURCH" YOU WHO ONCE WERE FAR OFF ARE MADE NIGH BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.”??????

No, that isn’t what he said at all. I don’t think even Fred Stevenson would have rewritten this passage that way, although he certainly said that is what the passage means. In his commentary on Galatians and Ephesians on p. 80, he wrote of this passage saying:

“Lesson 18 discussed a mystery that was revealed to Paul. This mystery was that the Gentiles were to be made members of the same body with the Jews. This is not the body of the saved, but it is the church.” So, according to Stevenson, the “one body” in vs. 16 where the Jews and Gentiles are reconciled to God IS THE CHURCH. Strange, Paul said it was the cross. He offered more:

On page 73 he wrote, “The Gentiles were made near in Christ in the sense that Christ came and established the church covenant. Under this covenant the Gentiles could come into the special favor of God on exactly the same terms as the Jews.”

It is interesting that Stevenson did not say one word about the cross or the blood of Christ in his discussion of these passages. He conveniently left that out because if the “in Christ” in vs. 13 is the church then the blood of Christ is in the church and we are left to get to the blood through baptism and the church. Talk about Campbellite doctrine! And this stuff is sold in our bookstore in Texarkana and was once the Sunday School quarterly of the ABA.

So no, Brother Jerry, we cannot say "therefore we are no more strangers" because we have been baptized and joined a church. That is not what this text says, unless you are willing to argue as Stevenson did that the entire passage is not speaking of being "in Christ" because we are saved; because "in Christ" means the same thing as "in the church." As L.D. Capell said in the article Brother Melvin posted, that isn't Baptist thinking. More importantly, it isn't what the bible teaches.

Rich