The ground on which the church should be built

[ZNPaaneah]

Everyone familiar with the LRC should be familiar with WN's seminal teaching on the "Ground of the Church". As has been pointed out something as important as this teaching should have had a clear NT teaching. Based on WN's thesis it didn't (he basically combines one verse where Paul refers to appointing elders in every church with another that says to appoint elders in every city, from these two verses he infers that "the ground of the church" is the boundary line of the city. A huge leap with no NT teachings to support this.)

However, the premise is based on the OT where the ground on which the Temple is built is critical. The piece of land has a very rich history and one in which it is very difficult if not impossible to ignore the spiritual significance. Likewise there are very many plain commands from God that they are not to build the Temple on any other land. This therefore provides two valid reasons why a Bible expositor would look for "the ground of the church" in the NT.

1. The church is the Temple of God. It is very clear in the NT that the OT temple is a type and shadow of the church.

2. The concept that you have to own the land before you can use it, build on it, bury your dead, etc. is a very strong concept in the OT law. Beginning with Abraham to the present. It is a very clear matter of righteousness. And it is closely associated with the Lord's redemption.

Therefore, although I agree that WN's teaching is seriously flawed and that the lack of a clear NT teaching to support it is it's most glaring flaw, at the same time I think we should not dismiss the concept of a "ground of the church". In brief I believe there is a very clear NT teaching as to the ground of the church, only that it is not what WN said it was.

I believe that Ephesians 4:3-6 gives us 7 ones and these are the things that all NT believers should be able to stand on. These are the things that make us one. This is the ground on which the church should be built. From this verse Paul moves to 4:12 which makes it very clear that the context of this chapter is the building up of the body of Christ.

In the LRC it is laughable the way 10 saints will go into a rented room, hold a Lord's Table meeting and declare themselves to have "taken the ground". If you look at the OT type it is very clear that the ground for the Temple was purchased by King David who had prepared everything for King Solomon to build the temple. This is a type of Jesus in His earthly ministry (typified by king David and supported by the NT where Jesus said He was the greater David) and His heavenly ministry (typified by King Solomon and supported by the NT where Jesus said He was the greater Solomon). Therefore it is not possible for 10 saints to "take the ground". The ground was purchased by Jesus.