I am not Preterist. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is power for service. The disciples were born again of the Spirit before Pentecost. Check John 3. I have showed multiple proof that the "Church" has been ongoing for centuries even before the first Advent. You have no rebuttal for that. That is because it is a fact.
My go to scholars:
"The Christian Church originated in Roman Judea in the first century AD/CE, and the date of Pentecost is considered the 'Birthday of the Church'".
RC Sproul
Acts 2. “
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly, there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves. And they rested on each one of them.”
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That is the phenomena that God designed to inaugurate the birth of the church. We are the church. This is our story. This is our history. Now remember, in the first chapter of the Book of Acts, we saw the preparation for the birth of the church. Now as we come into chapter 2, we will experience through the lens of Holy Scripture the actual beginning of the church. In chapter 1, the disciples were waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit. In chapter 2, He arrives.
In chapter 1, the disciples were equipped for their ministry. In chapter 2, they are empowered for their ministry. In chapter 1, the believers are held back. In chapter 2, they are sent out. Their full resources to declare the gospel message to the ends of the earth are put in place by the arrival of the Holy Spirit, and it is the fulfillment of
Acts 1:8. “But you shall receive power. After that, the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the outermost part of the earth.”
John MacArthur
Technically, we can say God's Plan for the redemption of billions that are now in the Body of Christ started in Eden. We will see Adam and Eve and many of their children in heaven; Noah, his sons and many of their decendants too.Then the Chosen Nation, beginning with Abraham and forward all those who lived by faith in the coming Messiah. They all died and went to Paradise and Abraham was waiting for them, greeted them with a hug (Abraham's bosom). These certainly were "branches of the Vine". But not until Jesus came, died and rose; and not until Pentecost came were the Gentiles grafted into that Vine.
Prior to that, it was never referred to as the Body of Christ (the Church) and until Christ baptized them with the Holy Spirit. Yes, John referenced the Bride and Bridegroom in John 3, but it was a prophetic utterance of what was coming.
Jesus stated clearly that they did not have the Holy Spirit living in them, that he must leave and then He would send Him on Pentecost: "
Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. JOHN 16:7