All believers from the time of Adam have been participants in one of two programs. One program is that associated with Abraham and his kingdom promises. The other program is the program for the Church which is the Body of Christ.

The dispensation of the Church which is the Body of Christ was never revealed until the Apostle Paul wrote his prison epistles (Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians). Paul wrote the book of Hebrews after he wrote the prison epistles but did not mention the dispensation of the Church which is the Body of Christ. In fact, Paul returned once again to the subject of the pre-prison epistles, namely, the inheritance of the Abrahamic Covenants.

This indicates that the truths of the Church, the Body of Christ, relate to a parenthetical age between God’s offer of the New Covenant Kingdom in the Acts period and God’s offer of the New Covenant Kingdom in the tribulation period.

Some people debate the issue of when the Church began. Some say it began on the day of Pentecost with the giving of the Holy Spirit. Others say it could not begin until Paul was saved because it was revealed through Paul. Others say it could not begin until the first group of Gentiles was saved, and others say it could not begin until God set aside His offer of Israel’s New Covenant Kingdom at the end of the Acts period.

The serious Bible student needs to consider that the time the Church began may be different from the time that it was revealed. As I mentioned earlier, God did not specifically reveal the Church which is the Body of Christ until Paul revealed it in Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, but it is possible that God could have added people to the Church before it’s existence was revealed. Since faith in Jesus Christ has always been the one and only criteria for salvation, God has had the liberty to add people to which ever group of believers His perfect plan dictates, with or without their knowledge.

As we study any given text in the scriptures, our task is to base our interpretation upon our understanding of the author’s understanding. No author of scripture had the total knowledge of God, and it is reasonable to assume that God revealed to each author truth that was somewhat consistent with the author’s general understanding.

As Peter spoke on the day of Pentecost, God knew that Israel would reject Christ and the Kingdom, but we can be quite sure that Peter did not know that. It is also reasonable to assume that Peter’s words reflect his limited understanding rather than God’s infinite understanding. Accordingly, Peter spoke the following words to the Jews that day.

Acts 2:38-39
38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." (NKJ)

That promise of the King and kingdom was rejected by the nation of Israel many times throughout the Acts period and was finally set aside, but Peter did not know that was going to happen as he spoke on the day of Pentecost.

Is it possible that God added the believers of Acts 2 to the Church which is the Body of Christ even though they knew nothing about it? With man, that may seem impossible, but with God, all things are possible.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

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