Subject: Denial of the Existance of a Universal or Invisible Church

Name: Barry Gorter

Message: I have done some reading and have exposure to those who are for lack of a better term hold to the "Baptist Bride" or "Heritage-Landmark" doctrine of the church; which in short denies the existance on a universal or invisible Church, but instead affirms that the local 'Baptist' Church is the only ecclesiastical athority sanctioned by the Bible. It's chief standard bearers are O.B. Mink and Joseph(?) Campelle in his early days (both are now dead).

Would you please give me your opinion of the subject.

Sinclerely,

Barry Gorter

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Mr. Gorter,

Thank you for your inquiry.

First of all, let me admit that I am unfamiliar with the specific terms "Baptist Bride" or "Heritage-Landmark". I grew up Roman Catholic until about 2^nd grade and then attended an Assembly of God Church until, as a teenager, I new better than to go to Church. As an Beleiever, I attended an Assembly of God spinoff (Metro Life Church) for a couple of years before the Lord called me to become a member at Fellowship Church (the sponsor of the Tzemach Institute).

I will sum up my opinion on a "universal" church by saying that it's existence seems rather insiginificant in the daily life of a Christian and that our interaction should be -- and typically is -- primarily within a local church and its missions. When the Father sends Jesus to gather His Church/Bride, and not before, His followers from all space and time will then be in one place, namely, Jerusalem; until then, the local church to which we are called as individuals is our home. In this sense of "universal", I am referring to all those who belong to Jesus from all space and time. I do not deny it but I don't give it much thought either because I am called to a particular local body -- by the Word of the Lord to me -- and am under authority to Jesus through that local body.

There is another meaning of "universal" that I not only deny but think harmful to Christians -- that is it deters them from becoming the very thing they were called out to be. That is "universal" when it means "non-national". The church -- whether the local body or the universal church as defined above -- can only fulfill its purpose as a national (non-universal) organism that is grafted into the nation of Israel. Local bodies have suffered much through their doctrinal inheritance from the Church Fathers and early Catholic Church that saw the Church as a universal entity without national identity and specifically separated from the nation of Israel. Unfortunately, for those local bodies that still labor under this false teaching the directive to be the body of Messiah remains a dream since the office of Messiah is something that only has meaning within the nation of Israel. How can a local body of believers aspire to the mystery of Messiah when they have continued to hold onto the universalism/non-nationalism that they inherited from people who separated themselves from Messiah?

As for "invisible", I wholeheartedly agree that churches should be, for the most part at least, invisible. I belive that my use of "invisible" and what you mean by it differ so I will explain. Today, Christianity and Judaism are two separate entities that compete to some degree or other for followers. As a result, churches are anything but invisible. In fact, Christianity has tried to assert itself so much in this physical world that a doctrine of amillenialism (or kingdom now) has developed to explain this. Rather than seeing themselves as a spiritual entity that is seated in the heavenlies with Messiah Jesus and that announces the multifaceted wisdom of God to principalities (Eph 3.10), Christians have typically drawn battle lines in the flesh and blood of this world. I am not saying for one moment that there is not a Godly struggle that we see in the physical in which Christians shld not be interested. I am saying that God has two vessels: with one, the visible nation of Israel, He challenges the physical nations of the world and with His second vessel, the invisible church, He challenges the spiritual principalities and powers that are the archetype or demonic forces behind these nations and that are themselves invisible. This brings me back to the importance of local churches being grafted into Israel and of being, in this sense, non-universal; else, how will they be a support to God's physical vessel?

You mention ecclesiastical authority. I see that as primarily limited to the local body but see in the Scriptures that local bodies respected the Apostles in Jerusalem enough to seek their counsel on controversial issues (Acts 15) though not on missions directives (Acts 13). If such authority existed in the earth today there might be grounds for authority extending beyond the local body to some degree at least. I do not see such authority and believe that if such authority were still in existence today that there wld not be so many factions/denominations.

I am aware that my response may have led down a different trail than the one you were expecting when you inquired. I hope it makes sense. I recommend the book Hebraic Roots (available for download or in hard copy by request) written by my Pastor, Ken Garrison. It traces the doctrinal bread crumbs that led to the separation of Christianity from Israel.

I look forward to hearing from you.

In His unfailing love,

John Hellein

P.S. (Happy Nicene Council Day! -- 25 Aug 325 AD)