QUESTION: Why does Paul say, "I have laid the foundation" if it began at Pentecost?
ANSWER: If you had asked Peter on the day of Pentecost, "Is this the birthday of the Church?" he would not have known what you were talking about. I suppose those baptized on the day of Pentecost would have formed the nucleus of restored Israel had the nation repented. In the third chapter of Acts, Peter preaches and tells them that God would send Jesus Christ to set up the kingdom according to the Old Testament prophets if they had repented of the crucifixion of Christ. The stoning of Stephen sets aside the nation, and the raising of Saul of Tarsus is thus the opening out of the blessed truth that the day of Pentecost was really to become the nucleus of the Church, but it was not known until God gave it to Paul by revelation. It was not until Paul got the truth of it by revelation that we have the truth established that Pentecost was the birthday of the Church.
No one can understand what the Church is apart from Paul's ministry; he is the only one who gives us the truth of the Church. Satan's work in the hearts of God's people turns them aside from that truth. Paul's ministry is a most neglected ministry.
Sometimes you see Bibles where the gospels and the Psalms are almost worn out, but the epistles are neglected. The heavenly calling is not known and you find many Christians, dear children of God who know their sins are forgiven, mixed up in the world and the world's politics, and there is no testimony as to the truth of separation from the ungodly world.
Two truths recovered in the middle of the last century were these: the truth of the one body and the truth of the heavenly calling of the Church. These truths God brought to light—a remarkable recovery. Without question, it was a work of the Spirit of God.
Go back to the beginning and you will always find a clean path for your feet. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came down and united 120 believers into one body. It was not the apostles forming a new group or system, but the Spirit uniting them to Christ in glory and thus they were bound together as one by the Holy Spirit.
Suppose one of those 120 should take a little offense and rent another hall in Jerusalem and put a loaf and a cup on the table. We will say that they hold no evil doctrine, but they are disgruntled with the rest. That other table is an independent table. The simple test is, how did the group originate? How did the group originate where I remember the Lord? Was it the Spirit of Christ gathering to Christ, or was it an independent group? To my own soul that has helped me through many a difficulty that has taken place. Keep a large heart for all the saints of God everywhere, but always keep your feet in the way of truth.