THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH

         

  Ephesians 2:19  Paul was explaining to the Gentile Ephesians that through Christ they had been made fellow citizens with the saints and are members of GODS church.

In Ephesians 2:20   This church was built on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles with Jesus as the chief cornerstone.

In Ephesians 2:21  in Christ the whole church is fitted together , including the foundation, and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. Hebrews 11:40 

In Ephesians 2:22   In Christ the Gentiles also being built with them into a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit of GOD. (TO BE IN-DWELT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT)

Notice that the prophets are part of the foundation of the church along with the Apostles.  The prophets were in the church just like the Apostles.  All members of this holy temple are a dwelling place of the spirit of GOD.  They are all in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit. The whole building including the foundation is to grow into that holy temple.

There is a belief among the vast majority of people that somehow the prophets were inferior to the Apostles.  That the spirit of GOD in-dwelt the Apostles but not the prophets .  That with the prophets the Spirit of GOD would come and go but never be permanent.  I disagree with this assumption.  The scriptures above from Ephesians, I believe, supports my view that the prophets were part of the church before Jesus , were Christians and had the in dwelling of the Holy Spirit.  I read nowhere in scripture that the Holy Spirit, FOR THE PURPOSE OF SALVATION/CONVERSION , comes and goes and isn’t in-dwelt.  A case where the Spirit of GOD was not used for conversion to salvation is in Exodus  31:1,2,3,4,5   Certain gifts were given that had to do with physical things like in Exodus, and weather or not they remain for life I do not know.  The spirit of GOD given for spiritual reasons  is not transient, it is for life.  Men like Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses and David were genuinely converted and in-dwelt with the Holy Spirit.  These men are part of the foundation of the church as are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.  They are all part of the 144,000 of spiritual Israel.  GOD used these men to be coworkers in building HIS holy temple and the temple isn’t stone and wood, but flesh and blood.  We are the temple, all the saints before and after Christ are the church, the saints, the elect and yes they are all Christians.  In other articles I show the remarkable similarities between the after Christ Christians and the before Christ Christians. 

 In Hebrews 1:1  GOD was not limited in using Jesus to work with, HE worked with whoever HE wanted.  It is just that in THESE LAST DAYS that GOD now only works with HIS son to achieve HIS will.  Before these last days GOD worked through the prophets many times and in various ways.  GOD gave the new covenant to Abraham and preached the gospel to Abraham.  Abraham was a prophet and believer in the messiah and follower of GOD , will be in the first resurrection with all the saints.  Abrahams faith is the same faith as ours and just like us he was imputed righteousness because of it.  Combine everything I have given in this article and it comes to an undeniable conclusion, Abraham and all the ancient saints were Christians.  Instead of trying to demote them we should honor them.  None of these ancient saints saw Jesus but neither did we, but we all had faith in Jesus.  If this article fails to undo the damage caused by false teaching then I honestly don’t know what else will.