Actually, I think it does more than one time. First, the op makes the case that the choosing of the apostles was the beginning of the church because it is a called out assembly and is the time of the commissioning of the twelve apostles, though one was a devil. This logic comes, at least in part, by comparing Luke 6:13 with Ephesians 2;:20 where we have the building in it's three parts described as Jesus the cornerstone, the apostles & prophets the foundation, and the Jewish and gentile believers making up the super structure as living stones. Luke 6:13 tells us that Jesus choose 12 disciples there. The logic then says that since Jesus is the cornerstone and is present and the apostles are now chosen and both are in a local meeting, then this must be the beginning of the church, or at least the foundation of it and therefore establishes the church as always a local assembly of believers.
That logic breaks down rather quickly in light of a more thorough study. The church is not only shown to be an organization but a living organism While the building shows that Christ lives in it as the temple, the idea is that we are made alive IN HIM. This of course would include the foundation stones which were laid on the stone the builders rejected, the cornerstone of the church. Because of it's character it is called a new man in Christ and is a collective in nature. Local assemblies have unsaved members mixed in but the collective does not.
Jesus said in John 3:5 that any man entering into the kingdom of God must be born again in order to enter. I have not only showed where these apostles will be in the kingdom but they will sit upon 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. They were not born again in Lk 6 when they were chosen.
Again, with these men present Jesus said this to men of Israel in John 6:
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
We are not to that place in the scriptures yet where believers dwell in him and he in them. It will require the shedding of his blood.
He says in John chapter 7 these words of clarification.
37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified).
This tells us that salvation comes only through the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ. This will include the apostles and all OT pre-cross believers.
Paul would say 58 years later these words;
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Why does that matter?
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Somebody will say then, many people believed in Jesus before he was crucified, were they not saved. The answer is no, they were justified by faith and the Father, the judge of all the earth, counted their faith in believing what he said to them for righteousness but that did not clear them of their personal sins and save them. The blood of Jesus Christ is the only thing that can wash away our sins and when that happens we can have the Holy Spirit live in us. Without shedding of blood is no remission. He 9:22 All justified believers were declared innocent and without guilt by the Judge because they had faith and faith in the words of God is what is required for that but it takes the application of the blood of the Lamb to wash them away.
With that in mind compare these two passages to clarify:
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
We know what the renewing of the Holy Ghost is but what is this washing of regeneration? Answer;
Re 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
The apostles and the prophets received the Spirit and were regenerated on resurrection day as recorded in John 20 when Jesus breathed on them and imparted his Spirit to them. Israel, the people of God had the Spirit poured out on them in Acts 2 at Pentecost fifty days later. Ten years later the Spirit was poured out on the gentile world and since then every body in the world can open their hearts and drink him in and possess the gift of eternal life free of charge. This will be true til the end of this age.
This is wonderful truth and the church of Jesus Christ is built upon his death and burial and resurrection. and all glory to him for his wonderful grace of saving me.
