The epistles of the New Testament include many instructions to both to the church in general and to individual churches. If the kingdom of God came in the late 1st century and the church as a vehicle of God’s plan was made obsolete for that reason, what then are we do with these instructions – discard them? God forbid. Rather, we are to do with them the same thing Jesus told us to do with the Old Testament instructions to ancient Israel – which is to repurpose them.
In the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made clear that His teaching would not abolish the Old Testament but rather fulfill it (Matt 5:17). He went on to give examples, explaining that the commandment against murder was now to prohibit even animosity (Matt 5:21-26) and the commandment against adultery was now to prohibit even lustful thoughts (Matt 5:27-30). In other words, the commandments that Moses gave ancient Israel’s were to have a more permanent and useful application through Jesus Christ. The same is true for the apostles’ instructions to spiritual Israel – the 1st century church. That is, we are find uses for these instructions that are appropriate to the eternal kingdom the Lord has established.
Finding uses for the New Testament’s instructions to churches takes a slightly different path than finding uses for Old Testament’s instructions to Israel. We find ways to apply Old Testament directions like “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing” by looking for a spiritual application. Paul shows us how when he repurposes Deuteronomy 25:4 in 1 Corinthians 9:9-14 and 1 Timothy 5:17-18. New Testament directions, however, are already spiritual in nature. So that approach to extending their life doesn’t work. We have to find a different way forward if we’re going to follow them in the kingdom of God.
The primary way to obey the New Testament instructions to churches is to seek ways to apply them to the family, the nation, and the world. This is because in the kingdom of God Jesus Christ is the king of each of those domains. That is, Christ is head of the family, the nation, and the world. And we should seek these applications in just that order because
When families are right, nations will be right.
When nations are right, the world will be right.
Someone may object to this approach, saying something like, “Wait a minute, you can’t expect non-Christian men, families, and nations to care about instructions to believers!” Such an objection is based on the assumption that God’s instructions apply only to Christians, but that just not true in the kingdom of God. It’s true that in Old Testament times, commandments applied only to Israel and in New Testament times they applied only to the church, but in the kingdom of God His commandments apply to all humanity. We don’t make Jesus King of heaven and earth by accepting Him and His authority; rather, we accept Him and His authority because He is King of heaven and earth. People ignore Jesus Christ and the Bible to their own peril. Sure, they’re all going to heaven, but who wants to go through hell on earth to get there?
As an example of how to apply the apostles’ instructions to churches in the kingdom of God, consider this excerpt from Bible Study Notes (BSN) on Romans 12.
Rom 12:3-8 – This metaphor (a body with members) with its implied instruction for mutual consideration and collaboration was originally given to the church; it is now best understood and applied to the family in one sense and to the nation and the world in another since, in the kingdom of God, Christ is head of all three. Applied to the family, it calls for interactivity of all the parts; applied to the nation and the world, it calls for the healing and engagement of the dead (or paralyzed, if you prefer) parts.
Rom 12:9-21 – Instructions for the Family and the World
Rom 12:9-13 – These are instructions that can be applied within a family.
Rom 12:14-21 – These are instructions that can be applied to the nation and the world – that is, outside the family.
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