Why didn't the body of Christ begin at Pentecost?
The body of Christ did not begin at Pentecost because Pentecost was strictly a Jewish holiday with a Jewish message. Its beginning is tied to the gospel going out to Jew and Gentile, especially at Antioch, where believers were first called Christians, and Paul preached salvation by faith alone without the law.
Les teaches that the body of Christ came on the scene sometime in the New Testament, but he is convinced it did not necessarily begin at Pentecost. He explains Pentecost was strictly a Jewish holiday with a Jewish message. The shift came when the gospel began going out to Jew and Gentile, especially at the church at Antioch in Acts 11, where believers were first called Christians. Les connects the body’s beginning to Paul’s preaching of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, and salvation by faith alone without the law. As men and women believed that message, the Holy Spirit baptized or placed them into the body of Christ.