When did God purpose to build the church?

Some claim that Christ came to establish an earthly kingdom, but that the Jews rejected Him as king. Therefore, as an afterthought, He set up the church until He could establish an earthly kingdom at a later date. But the truth of the matter is that Jehovah God planned the church before the physical universe came into existence. The scripture states, “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:” (Ephesians 3:9-11). Rather than being an afterthought, the church is in separately related to our redemption through Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul reveals this truth in his letter to the church at Ephesus (Ephesians 1:3-14). The inspired Word of God reveals that redemption through the blood of Christ was foreordained before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:18-20). Spiritually we come in contact with the saving blood of Christ when we obey His gospel in being baptized and are added by the Lord to His church (Acts 22:16; Revelation 1:5; Acts 20:28; Acts 2:47).

Instead of the Jews rejecting Christ to be a king over an earthly-type kingdom, He rejected their effort to make Him such a king (John 6:14-15). Actually, the church is that spiritual kingdom established on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ (Acts 2; Colossians 1:12-14). Jesus Christ now reigns as head of the church and is therefore king over that institution which is made-up of the redeemed (Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 6:15).

--Dub Mowery