THE CHURCH IN THE PAST AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE MYSTERY REVELATION

This is how I used to understand "rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15 KJB).

I was a Mid-Acts Dispensationalist who believed that in the present dispensation of the grace of God, there is one true Church, called the Body of Christ, which began historically with the salvation and commissioning of Paul the apostle; separate and distinct from the flock of God and the prophesied earthly kingdom of Christ. I used to believe in the dichotomy between Israel and the Church.

When I became a Full Preterist, that's still what I believed: Israel in the past and Church in the present and future.

But things have changed and my views have changed in my studies of the words of God.

I still believe in that division - i.e. "rightly dividing". But now it is no more Israel and the Church, but Church and Fellowship. Yes, because the Church is the Israel of God. The bride of Christ is the same as the body of Christ. Israel is the Church. Yes, I still believe in rightly dividing the word of truth, between "Prophecy" and "Mystery". Prophecy is about Israel and it was fulfilled already. And that is the Church of God, the Body of Christ which began at Christ's resurrection. The church is the joint-body of believing Jews and Gentiles (the house of Judah and the house of Israel). The Gentiles in the New Testament were the members of the house of Israel that became the strangers of the covenant and the scattered people among the nations. Now that the fullness of the Gentiles came in, all Israel was saved (Romans 11:25,26).. Finished. Everything about the Church is fulfilled. We are not in the age of the church. The church is already in heaven (1 Thess. 4:14-18). No one here on earth belongs to the church. Even the dispensation of the grace of God (Eph. 3:2) was fulfilled already. The "but now" (Eph. 2:10). God gave Israel a grace period and it was fulfilled. We are now in the "ages to come" (Eph. 2:7) and it is in the "world without end" (Eph. 3:21). Yes, the church is in throughout all ages, world without end, but in heaven, not on earth.

But since the fulfillment of all things, God is now working for "all men" and these men are "fellow-heirs with one another". These "all men" are members of the "Fellowship of the Mystery". It is not prophesied. This mystery is already revealed, a "Revelation". The Gentiles (all men) are of the "same body". It does not talk about the church, the body of Christ, but of the truth that we all men in Christ are joint-bodies, or fellow-bodies. All are one in Christ. Christ is all and in all.

The so-called "churches" today and church activities are simply "religions" and "institutions" of ,men. Founded by men, unauthorized by God. No one today is authorized to build a church, to form a congregation, to baptize in water, to ordain ministers, to administer Lord's supper, to do those things authorized by the Lord for the church in the past.

Because there are no more apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:20) where the church was built upon their foundation, as their duties and ministries fulfilled, the church was fulfilled. God gave the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Eph. 4:11) for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ, til "we" (Paul and the church of the first century) all come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God (unification of the revelations of God, i.e. when the Bible was completed), unto "A PERFECT MAN" (the maturity of the church, the fullness of the church), unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:12-13). That was already fulfilled. Church is finished and we have now the complete Word of God in written form, the Holy Bible, thats when Paul wrote his last epistle (Col. 1:25), to fulfill the word of God (i.e. to make complete the word of God). He wrote Colossians as the last book. And the Bible was completed. Paul was the last apostle (huling "SUGÒ"). After him, no more. To him was given the dispensation (stewardship) of "the gospel", of "the grace of God", "of the fullness of times" and "of God" (1 Corinthians 9:17; Ephesians 1:10; Ephesians 3:2; Colossians 1:25). And we today are to live according to the "pure truth" also called "pure grace" truth in the epistles of Paul the apostle (excluding those things already fulfilled).

Today, everyone is called to believe in the gospel of Christ and receive the gift of salvation in Christ (Romans 6:23). Every believer is called to be an ambassador for Christ and preach the gospel for it is God's will that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). We are not required to gather together and conduct worship services but only to "study the Scriptures" together. No tithes, no offerings, no rituals, no ceremonies, no dramas, no church activities. Not even "house church". No apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. But only fellowship around the word of God and edifying one another.

Ephesians 3: 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

2 Timothy 2: 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

2 Timothy 3: 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Timothy 4: 1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.