Not in name, of course, but yes, if we understand properly what the word “Christians” stands for. Prior to New Testament times, nobody was called a “Christian,” per se. We read, in Acts 11:26, that “the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” Subsequently, the term became known as a description for Christ’s followers, and was used both by unconverted people (Acts 26:28) and by converted disciples (1 Peter 4:16).

A Christian, in the true sense of the word, is one in whom Jesus Christ lives — through the Holy Spirit. Paul said that Christ was living in him (Galatians 2:20), and that we are only true Christians, if His Spirit dwells in us: “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9). Paul even adds the thought that we will only enter the kingdom of God by a resurrection from the dead, if the Holy Spirit dwells in us at the time of our death (Romans 8:11).

The substantial conditions based upon which we enter the Kingdom of God and inherit the promise of eternal life, are the same for every human being — regardless of whether he or she lived and died before or after Christ’s First Coming.

We know that Old Testament followers of God will be in the Kingdom of God. Christ said in Matthew 8:11: “And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” We read that king David will be ruling, as king, in the Kingdom of God. Jeremiah 30:9 points out: “But they shall serve the LORD their God, And David their king, Whom I will raise up for them.” Hosea 3:5 states: “Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king.” We also read: “My servant David shall be their prince forever” (Ezekiel 37:25).

We also read about a vision of the Kingdom of God, which was given to some of Christ’s disciples. In that vision, Moses and Elijah appeared in a glorified state, showing that they, too, will be in the Kingdom, once Christ establishes it here on earth (Matthew 16:28-17:9; Luke 9:27-36).

In addition, we find a rather long list of God’s Old Testament servants in the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews. The list includes people like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Verses 39-40 explicitly state: “And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise [of eternal life and of entering the Kingdom of God], God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect APART FROM us.”

So, they will be made perfect, in the first or better resurrection (compare verse 35), TOGETHER with us. In order to be resurrected, they must, however, “sleep in Jesus” (Compare 1 Thessalonians 4:14). That is, they must have believed in, and accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, as there is none other than Jesus, through Whom we can be saved (compare Acts 4:12).

The Bible reveals that Christ was the Personage within the Family of God Who actually dealt directly with mankind. God the Father created everything, including man, through Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:16). Christ talked with Abraham (John 8:56-58). He was the God being Who led Israel out of Egypt (1 Corinthians 10:1-4). It was Christ Who was tried by disobedient Israel (verse 9). And, most importantly, it was the Spirit of CHRIST which dwelled in the prophets of old, as 1 Peter 1:10-11 clearly proves: “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST [WHICH] WAS IN THEM was indicating when [it] testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.”

We also read that, after Samuel anointed David, “the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 16:13). Later, David prayed to God not to take His Holy Spirit away from him (Psalm 51: 11). Moses, too, had received God’s Holy Spirit. God took a portion of the Holy Spirit, dwelling in Moses, and gave it to seventy elders (compare Numbers 11:16-17, 25, 29). Later, Moses laid his hands on Joshua, In whom was already the Spirit of God (compare Numbers 27:18), and then “Joshua the son of Nun was FULL of the spirit of wisdom”
(Deuteronomy 34:9), that is, he received an extra portion of the wisdom of God, through God’s Spirit. Elisha asked for and received “a double portion” of Elijah’s Holy Spirit — which was, of course, IN Elijah (compare 2 Kings 2:9).

We read, too, that king Saul received the Holy Spirit, but he subsequently lost it again — showing that it IS possible to lose the gift of the Holy Spirit.

There is, however, one difference in regard to the receipt of the Holy Spirit in New Testament times, after the New Testament Church was founded. That is, that we receive the Holy Spirit today, after we are properly baptized. Today, baptism as an adult, after repentance and belief, is commanded and is the only guarantee that we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (barring extraordinary circumstances). Our free booklet, “Baptism – A Requirement for Salvation?,” explains this truth in detail. When reviewing the Old Testament record, we don’t read that the ancients, in Old Testament times, were baptized prior to the receipt of the Holy Spirit, but we DO read that some had, within them, the Holy Sprit of God the Father and Jesus Christ.

We also read that the gospel of the Kingdom was preached to Abraham (Galatians 3:8) and to ancient Israel (Hebrews 4:2). This message included the announcement of man’s potential for his entrance in the Kingdom of God, through Christ, and the rule of Christ, as King of kings, over all the earth, in the future (compare Isaiah 8:6-7).

In order to be able to enter the Kingdom of God, we must repent of our sins and obtain forgiveness, by accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We do so, today, by looking to the past — what Christ did for us, when He died for us. The ancients of old, who had been called by God, looked forward to this event, believing that Christ would accomplish it. In a sense, this even required more faith, and we can understand why Abraham, for example, is called “the father of all those who believe” (Romans 4:11). Paul gives a remarkable testimony about Abraham’s faith, in Romans 4:13-21. Abraham believed God who “calls those things which do not exist [yet] as though they did” (verse 17). Abraham was “fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform” (verse 21). God had promised that Christ would become the Savior of mankind (compare Matthew 1:21; John 1:29). He was the One “slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). Although it was certainly possible for Christ, when He was in the flesh, to sin, God the Father and Jesus Christ had the utmost confidence that Christ would not sin.

The ancients of old had to have that same faith, as well, believing in Christ as their Savior, BEFORE He had even died for them. Only the Spirit of Christ within them could have given them that kind of faith.

In conclusion, although the holy saints of God, living in Old Testament times, were not specifically referred to as “Christians,” they were, indeed, Christians, as we understand this expression today.

The concept of “Church Eras” is derived from the book of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, reporting messages of Jesus Christ to the “seven angels” of the “seven churches.” Although these churches were quite literal congregations, they have also been understood as representing seven Church eras, beginning at the time of the early apostles and leading to the time of the return of Jesus Christ.

Note, for example, the following comments from the Ryrie Study Bible: “The 7 churches addressed in chapters 2 and 3 were actual churches of John’s day. But they also represent types of churches in all generations. This idea is supported… by the statement at the close of each letter that the Spirit was speaking to the churches.” This means, that all seven letters are warnings to every church in every age.

In addition, the Nelson Study Bible states: “The seven churches were congregations in Asia Minor in John’s day. Sometimes they are interpreted as representing seven stages of church history.” This commentary continues to state that this interpretation is “unlikely, since there is disagreement among interpreters about what part of Revelation represents which period in history.” It should be obvious, however, that this uncertainty cannot negate the possibility, per se, that those seven churches represent seven stages of history, or “Church Eras.”

The Church, under the direction of Herbert W. Armstrong, has been consistent in its teaching on this subject. Mr. Armstrong wrote in the Pastor’s Report, volume 2, number 23, dated June 26, 1978: “Let me tell you what I have always said for fifty years. Fifty years ago I was writing that the message to the seven angels of the seven churches in the 2nd and 3rd chapters of Revelation has a dual interpretation and meaning. Number one, it is telling of the seven successive eras or stages of time in the 1900-2000 year existence of the church. And number two, it is telling of the spiritual condition in the church during those eras. The account starts out with the Church of Ephesus and the predominant situation in the first and second century during and right after the days of the original Apostles.

“Laodicea had what will be the prevailing condition in the final church era: drowsy or asleep and lukewarm. And Christ is going to spue most of them out of His mouth.”

Later in this article, Mr. Armstrong said: “…I have said that the spiritual condition of which Laodicea is a type will dominate at the tail end, but I have also said that all of these conditions — all the way from Ephesus up to Laodicea, all seven — are present at all times in the church. But now [at the time he is writing this article] we in the Philadelphia era have the Laodicean condition… but we’re not Laodicea…”

“We also have the condition of Ephesus — we have lost our first love, and it’s time to get back to it. Every one of these conditions are in this church…”

“You know that this church (Philadelphia) is the only one of the seven that God doesn’t attribute any fault to. And yet, we are full of faults.”

Five full lessons of the 58 lesson Bible Correspondence Course were devoted to this subject of church eras. And in 1985, Mr. Armstrong published the book entitled “Mystery of the Ages.” In chapter 6, covering the “Mystery of the Church,” beginning on page 282, he begins the discussion of Revelation 2 & 3 relative to the seven church eras, and after discussing, briefly, the seven churches that existed in Asia Minor toward the end of the first century A.D., he begins showing that these seven messages to the churches were intended for a much wider audience than just the people of that day.

Mr. Armstrong then takes the next ten pages, from page 283 to the end of the chapter, discussing church history relative to the first six of the seven church eras, describing their history in some detail. In this chapter, Mr. Armstrong gives the name of the man God had put over each of these eras of the Church, and describes the weaknesses, the strengths, the accomplishments, and the failures of each era, in light of the prophecies of Revelation 2 & 3, as revealed by Jesus Christ to John, one of Christ’s apostles.

He explains that the Sabbath, the Holy Days, the name of the Church and the gospel of the Kingdom would be recognizable by those God is dealing with as these doctrines are handed down through the ages from one era to the next; beginning with the time of Christ right down to the time of the end.

He shows, in the time of the end, it is the Philadelphia era, primarily, and all who have the attitude of Philadelphia, that will be supernaturally protected during the time of the tribulation. And he shows that the Laodicean era, and all who have the attitude of Laodicea will have to suffer the wrath of Satan during that time period.

Mr. Armstrong pointed out in the Pastor’s Report noted above, on page 6, that “The Laodicean Church will be keeping the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus or they couldn’t be the Church of God. But they will be lukewarm and asleep.” It is for this reason that God will spew them out of His mouth, unless they repent!

This condition is also the condition we find in the world, today, relative to the Truth of God. That is one reason why God is going to intervene in the affairs of men. He is going to remove Satan as the ruler of this world and put Jesus Christ at the Head for one thousand years; and the Church at that time will be incorporated into and become a part of the very Government of God on the earth. It will literally become a part of the Family of God. And today, God is calling whom He will to be a part of the Family.

Interestingly, we know that those who have been called to this Way, who have been faithful, and who held fast to what was given to them until death, have been chosen by God to be in that Family. But the Scriptures in Revelation, chapters 2 & 3; particularly, Revelation 2:25 (“But hold fast what you have till I come”); Revelation 3:3 (“… you will not know what hour I will come upon you”); Revelation 3:10 (“I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world”); and Revelation 3:20 (“I stand at the door and knock.”) indicate that some members of these four eras will still be living on the earth at the time of Christ’s return. They must continue to “hold fast” till He comes. This too was taught in the Church under Mr. Armstrong’s leadership.

It is our understanding that the messages to the seven angels of the seven churches, in Revelation 2 and 3, address literal churches at the time of John; seven successive Church Eras, leading to the return of Christ; and spiritual attitudes and conditions in existence in the church at all times, and especially during those Church Eras.

Let us read, first, the passage referred to above, in context. Christ said to Peter, beginning in Matthew 16:18: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

The word “Peter,” i.e., “petros” in Greek, means “a little stone.” The “rock,” on which Christ would build His church, is “petra” in Greek, meaning a solid rock. Christ was not saying here that Christ would build the church on “Peter,” but on THE ROCK — Christ Himself. It is CHRIST who is identified as “THE ROCK” in passages such as 1 Corinthians 10:4. Peter, as well as the other apostles, in addition to the prophets, are part of the foundation, but Christ is the CHIEF cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). The Church is built on Christ, who is the LIVING Head of the Church (Ephesians 4:15). That is why the “gates of Hades” or “Death” cannot overcome or defeat it. Christ, as the LIVING Head of the Church — as the foundation of the Church — has overcome death, having the “key of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:18). Paul explains that no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is laid, which is Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).

Unger’s Bible Handbook agrees, as follows: “”Thou art Peter [petros, a stone] and upon this rock [petra, great ledge of rock] I will build my church (cf. 1 Pet 2:4-6, where the apostle made it clear he was never to be thought of as ‘the rock’).”

The Broadman Bible commentary points out:

“In the Greek text, two forms appear in ‘you are Peter’ [Petros], and ‘on this rock’ [petra]… The masculine form, Petros [and]… the feminine form, petra… If [Peter] is the rock, it is strange that the impersonal ‘this rock’ follows the personal ‘you are.’… Although Peter and all the apostles (Eph. 2:20; Rev. 21:14) were in some sense the foundation upon which the church was built, the New Testament never allows this in an absolute sense. Jesus Himself is ‘the rock’ upon which the church is built… there could be a church without Peter, none without Christ. Peter is neither the head nor the foundation of the church. Jesus founded it; it stands or falls with him; and he is yet its living Lord and head.”

It is important to understand this background, if we want to understand correctly the “power to bind and loose.” We are told in Matthew 16:19, that Christ gave Peter the “keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Our recent Q&A in Update # 121 on the “key of David” explained the meaning of the “keys of the kingdom of heaven.” We pointed out that “the context shows that He was revealing to Peter and the other disciples the KNOWLEDGE as to how to enter the Kingdom of God…”

In Matthew 16:19, Christ continues to say that whatever “thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Authorized Version). So, Christ addresses Peter in this passage, as the word “thou,” a singular word, shows.

However, in Matthew 18:18, Christ does not only speak to Peter, when He says: “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever YE shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever YE shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Authorized Version).” While the word “thou” (in Matthew 16:19) refers to just one person, the word “ye” (in Matthew 18:18) refers to more than one person. In Matthew 18:15-17, Christ had just explained the proper procedure regarding an unrepentant brother or sister. If he or she does not hear “the church,” that is, the ministry, “let him be unto THEE as an heathen man and a publican.” It is the church, through its ministry, which will make the decision to disassociate from such a person. Such a decision involves, of course, a judgment whether or not the person is repentant and whether or not the sins of the person are forgiven. And so, we read in John 20:22-23 (Authorized Version): “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive YE the Holy [Spirit]: Whose soever sins YE remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins YE retain, they are retained.”

The ministry has been given the authority from God, to “bind and loose,” and to “remit” and “retain” sin. It is critical that we understand correctly the scope of this authority.

When returning to Matthew 16:19, we find, in the New King James Bible, the following annotation in the margin: “Or, ‘will have been bound… will have been loosed.'”

The Ryrie Study Bible explains: “Lit., ‘shall have been bound… shall have been loosed.’ Heaven, not the apostles, initiates all binding and loosing, while the apostles announce these things. In John 20:22-23 sins are in view; here, things (i.e., practices). An example of the apostles’ binding practices on people is found in Acts 15:20.”

The New American Standard Bible translates Matthew 16:19, as follows: “…and whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

Similarly the New Testament by Charles Williams: “… and whatever you forbid on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven.”

The Broadman Bible Commentary points out:

“‘Shall be bound’ (estai dedemenon) and ‘shall be loosed’ (estai lelumenon) may not be precise translations of the Greek tenses behind them. In each case the Greek tense is a periphrastic form of the future perfect passive. Possibly they should be rendered ‘shall have been bound’ and ‘shall have been loosed,’ although many grammarians would call this pedantic. If the force of the future perfect tense holds here, the meaning would be somewhat altered. This would suggest not that the action on earth would be ratified in heaven but that it is anticipated in heaven. In other words, earth follows heaven, not the reverse.”

Regarding John 20:23, the Ryrie Study Bible states: “Since only God can forgive sins (Mark 2:7), the disciples and the Church are here given the authority to declare what God does when a man either accepts or rejects His Son.” We might also add that Christ had announced to them that they would soon receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and discernment, and enables especially the ministry, when used correctly, to ascertain whether a person is repentant or not.

Although Christ was talking, at that time, to Peter and the other apostles, it is clear that His statements were not just limited to them. Christ stated in Matthew 28:20 that the early apostles were to teach all the disciples “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world [or better: end of this age or civilization].” Christ included with His statement the church throughout the ages, until the very time of His return. Therefore, He did not restrict the authority to “bind and loose” just to His apostles of the very first century.

The Nelson Study Bible comments on Matthew 16:19 and on Matthew 18:18: “In rabbinical literature, binding and loosing refers to what was permitted or not permitted. So this passage may refer to judgments that Peter [and the other apostles] would make about what would be permitted or forbidden in the church… As in [Matthew] 16:19, the tenses [in Matthew 18:18] imply that what is loosed or bound on earth will have been determined already in heaven. In other words, this is a promise of divine direction…”

Jamiesson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary on the Whole Bible, states regarding Matthew 18:18: “Here, what had been granted but a short time before to Peter only… is plainly extended to all the Twelve; so that… it means nothing peculiar to Peter, far less to his pretended successors at Rome. It has to do with admission and rejection from the membership of the Church.”

The New Bible Commentary: Revised, agrees and adds the following remarks: “The promise does not of course mean that God will be bound by anything that Peter says (cf. Gal. 2:11), but that things done according to the will of Christ will have binding validity…. Judicial rulings, like the promulgation of rules of conduct, are binding.”

Eerdman’s Handbook to the Bible elaborates: “The authority given to Peter is given equally to the others (see [Matthew]18:18)… God is not bound by whatever Peter may say. But anything done by the disciple in accordance with Christ’s will is to have permanent validity.”

The Broadman Bible Commentary, commenting on Matthew 18:18, explains the meaning and scope of “binding and loosing,” as follows:

“The authority to bind and loose, given to Peter in [Matthew] 16:19, is here extended to the whole church [that is, its ministry]. In [Matthew] 16:19 it seems to relate primarily to instruction, what conduct is permitted and what not [We might insert here that this would include conduct that is not clearly defined in Scripture. The Church is not permitted, however, to do away with any of God’s commandments, judgments or statutes, compare Matthew 5:17-19; James 2:10; Mark 7:6-13. Likewise, the Church is not to add prohibitions regarding conduct that the Bible permits, compare Revelation 22:18; Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:5-6]. Here [in Matthew 18:18] it relates primarily to church discipline. The periphrastic future perfect passive tense is used for bind and loose as in [Matthew] 16:19… Agreement between heaven and church is pictured. This, of course, presupposes that in undertaking the discipline of a member the church has been governed by the motive and spirit prescribed.”

In summary, Christ empowered the leadership of the Church, throughout the Church’s history and existence, to discern God’s Will regarding binding Church decisions as to what God permits and prohibits, based on His law, and who is to be excommunicated and reinstated, based on the Church leadership’s discernment of the person’s repentance and God’s forgiveness. This is not to say that Church decisions are to be considered infallible. God does not bind in heaven a Church decision which is against His Will and His Law. We are told that all of us have to GROW in the KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST (2 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:13). Therefore, when God, through the power and wisdom of His Holy Spirit, clearly reveals to the Church leadership that a wrong decision was made in the past, perhaps by not fully submitting to, or understanding the Will of God, such a wrong decision must be corrected immediately.