When did the Church begin?

Steven R. Cook

My estimation is that the Church began in Acts 2 for the following reasons:

1. Spirit baptism is the means by which all believers are placed into union with Christ. In 1 Corinthians 12:13 we read “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” The one body here is the Church, comprised of both Jews and Gentiles who have exercised faith alone in Christ alone. This is very important, because if we can determine when the Spirit began His baptizing ministry, we can then determine when the Church began.
2. The baptizing ministry of the Holt Spirit was first prophesied by John the Baptist in Matthew 3:11 where he stated “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Here the verb “will baptize” is future and would not refer to the dispensation of Israel, but rather the church.
3. In Acts 1:5 Jesus said to the disciples “for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” This is key, since John’s baptism was in the past and belonged only to Israel (Acts 19:1-6), and the baptism of the Holy Spirit (which brings all believers into union with Christ 1 Cor. 12:13) was only a few “days from now.” Ten days later, on the day of Pentecost, the disciples (who were saved), and all those who believed in Peter’s sermon (new believers) were “baptized with the Holy Spirit” and placed into union with Christ.

The baptizing ministry of the Holy Spirit (which places all believers into union with Christ ) began in Acts 2.

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