Christians Say The Strangest Things

 

One of the strangest things I hear Christians say is that there was no Church in the Old Testament. 

Stephen, who was full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom indicating we should listen to him, certainly did not agree. He said in Acts 7:37-38 - 

"37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.

38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:..."

There it is right there in black and white. Some Bibles translate this assembly or congregation, but we all know that's what Ekklesia (Church) means. To show that the KJV readers were not interpreting it wrong, Paul calls Moses and other Israelites our church fathers, 

"1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness" (1 Cor. 10:1-5). 

Paul here is speaking to the Church in Corinth and refers to Moses and the Israelites as our fathers. Therefore, they are the Church fathers. And they were saved by Jesus just like us. Moses testified to Jesus. Paul agrees with Stephen. Which makes sense as they are both Israelites and Church leaders. In the Church Jew and Gentile are one. 

This idea that there is no Church in the Old Testament is a foundation stone of the erroneous teaching that there is no Church in the Tribulation. However, in Rev 7, we see people who believe Jesus is Lord, dying for their testimony of him, who are washed by the blood of Jesus, that means they are Christians, and they are from every nation (Rev. 7:9-14). What else do you call people who praise Jesus and suffer for their faith in him but Christians. 

Tribulation Saints? 

If you go to the book of Numbers or Deuteronomy and word search congregation you'll see how often it is used to refer to a gathering of people, called together, to hear the word of God and worship. Hence why Stephen says Moses went to Church, because he did. But some say the word is only used in a different way when referring to Israel. So check this out in Psalms. Every use of congregation there is synonymous with what we mean by Church: 

Psalm 1:5

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

Psalm 22:22

I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

Psalm 22:25

From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him.

Psalm 35:18

I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.

Psalm 40:9

I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord.

Psalm 40:10

I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

Psalm 68:26

“Bless God in the great congregation, the Lord, O you who are of Israel's fountain!”

Psalm 74:2

Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.

Psalm 107:32

Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Psalm 111:1

Great Are the Lord's Works

Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

This is why Paul told us to use Psalms in worship, they connect use with the worship practices of our ancient congregation or Church members. Our fellow brethren who were redeemed by the Lord. Maybe if we used more Psalms in worship people would not make the very silly error of saying the Church did not exist before the New Testament. No bible teacher should make this sort of basic error. 

Also if you read the Psalms regularly you'll see tribulation Saints is a good description of believers in all generations, after all, Acts also tells us: 

"21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:21-22).

No one who takes in the whole sweep of the Bible carefully can say there is one group of Christians called tribulation Saints. Tribulation is promised to us all in varying degrees.