The Church Jesus Built: Part 3

Part 3: The Pattern of the Saving Body

Introduction: Patterns in God’s Plan

When someone says, “It doesn’t matter if you go to church, or where you go to church. What matters if you have a personal relationship with Jesus,” they are misinformed. Christians do have a relationship with Jesus, and the Bible teaches that the relationship we seek is found within the saving body of the church. The Bible says, “the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47b).

A person is added to the church by God when he or she is saved. No one can be saved with being a part of the church because it is God who brings us into the saving body of Christ. God has repeatedly used the example of a saving body to contrast those who were safe inside God's provision and those who were left outside. The apostle Paul says:

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope (Romans 15:4).

Foreshadowing in the Bible is called a type, and fulfillment is called an antitype (e.g. 1 Peter 3:18-21).  There are several types in the Old Testament that God used to foreshadow the "saving body" nature of the church.

Examples of a “Saving Body”

Noah’s Ark

God commanded Noah to build an Ark for his family and earth’s animals (see Genesis 6). A global flood would then wash away evil and restart humanity. How does this foreshadow the church?

There is one entrance. The ark had but one door (Genesis 6:16). There was only one way to get into the Ark of safety! There is also only one way into the church: Jesus Christ, the door. Jesus declares, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture,” (John 10:9).

There is one family inside. Only Noah and his family lived past this disaster (Genesis 7:1-7). Inside the church, there is but one family: those who have obeyed the gospel. “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,” (Ephesians 2:19). The church is a family that transcends skin color, culture, social status, and language. We are one in Christ (see Galatians 3:26-27)!

There is one “vessel.” Noah built a completely unique “vessel” of safety as God instructed (Genesis 6:14). What other men tried to use to save themselves did not work. Likewise, there is no other “vessel” for the saved besides the Lord’s church.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Ephesians 4:4-6).

The Tabernacle 

When Israel received the Law of Moses, part of law included directions for building a tabernacle (see Exodus 25-30). This was the dwelling place for God's glory as well as the place where sacrifices were performed.

The Courtyard. Here we observe the altar of burnt offering and the bronze laver (Exodus 27:1-8, 29:38-46, 30:17-21). The Israelites sought forgiveness of sin through burnt animal sacrifices on the altar. Priests washed at the laver before entering the tabernacle. 

The Holy Place. When entering the Holy Place, a priest might use: a golden lampstand, an altar of incense, a table of showbread. The lampstand provided light for the Holy Place, the altar of incense burned as a continual offering before the Lord God, and the table of showbread was an example of the presence, sustenance, and communion of God (Exodus 25:23-40, 30:1-10).

The Most Holy Place. Between the Holy and Most Holy Place was a beautiful veil (or curtain, Exodus 26:31-33). Inside the Most Holy Place was the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:10-22; 26:34). This special ark was the symbolic place of direct fellowship with God.

While this was a special covenant for Israel, it is also an opportunity to see God’s pattern for the church. As the tabernacle had certain items as a connection to God, the spiritual tabernacle offers the Christian a similar connection. The New Testament book of Hebrews says:

... For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, (9:1-3) ... But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption, (9:11-12).

The Spiritual Courtyard. Here, all mankind can approach the altar of burnt offering. Jesus serves as the great high priest and as the sacrifice (Hebrews 1:3; 4:14-15; 9”11-15). The spiritual laver for washing is baptism into the body of Christ. Salvation comes, “through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:5).

The Spiritual Holy Place.  In the spiritual tabernacle, the church is the Holy Place. The spiritual golden lampstand is the word of God (e.g. Psalm 119:105; 1 Corinthians 13:12). The spiritual altar of incense are our prayers and obedient lifestyle (Romans 12:1-2; Revelation 8:3-4). The spiritual table of showbread is God’s presence, sustenance, and communion (John 6:32). It is worth mentioning that we shouldn’t use real lavers, altars, or incense as those were only types or foreshadowing of a greater covenant.

The Spiritual Most Holy Place. When Jesus was crucified, some of His last words were, “It is finished,” (John 19:30). When He cried out in a loud voice, the veil of the physical tabernacle was torn completely from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51), thus ending the time of the physical tabernacle and beginning the time of the spiritual one, which is heaven. We cannot see this spiritual most holy place. This situation will not change until Jesus’ return. The antitype to the Ark of the Covenant is our fellowship with God in heaven.

The Nation of Israel 

      God’s special people of the Old Testament enjoyed a privilege that other nations did not have (Romans 9:1-5). They had a covenant with God. They were given a Law, fellowship, and direct access to God. They were saved by grace through faith and were held accountable to live faithfully (Romans 1:16-17). Likewise, since the resurrection of Jesus and the beginning of the Christian Age, there is a spiritual nation that is the antitype of Israel: the church.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). 

All the world over, the churches of Christ are a holy people, a royal priesthood, and set apart. We were given a new covenant, a law, fellowship, and have direct access to God. We too are saved by grace through faith and are held accountably to live faithfully for God (e.g. Ephesians 2:8-10).

In Review: The Pattern of the Saving Body

Noah’s Ark offers a glimpse of the refuge that the church provides. The tabernacle offers a picture of the salvation and fellowship found in the church. Like the nation of Israel, the church is holy and set apart. The church was not an accident, nor did it come into existence on a whim. God has crafted a way for the church to be the saving body to which Christians are added upon being saved.

*This article was taken from The Church Series, a fourteen-part study written by Jonathan Edwards. This study is available for free PDF download at www.pureandsimplebible.com