ORGANISATION OF THE CHURCH The church is important because it fulfils God’s eternal purpose and has high calling. In this discussion a study will be made of the organisation of the church both universally and locally. THE ORGANISATION OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH The Bible often speaks of the church in a universal, worldwide sense (Matt 16:18; Eph. 3:10; 5:23). Note that the universal church is composed of all saved people who serve, worship and live according to God’s law in the New Testament. CHRIST IS THE ONLY HEAD OF THE CHURCH Every organisation needs a central authority to give unity, purpose and direction to the whole. Does the church have such an authority or head? God has seen fit to make Jesus Christ “the head over all things to the church, which is his body” (Eph. 1:222-23). As the function of the physical body is to obey the dictates of its head, so also the universal church, as Christ’s body, must obediently serve its head, Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:24). The Bible says, “There is one body, and … one Lord” (Eph. 4:4-5). More than one head or Lord for Christ’s body would be as confusing as a physical body with more than one head. Further, the church needs only one head. Christ supplies His church, or body, with all things necessary for life (2Pet 1:3). He knows the joys and sorrows of His church (Rev. 2:1-2, 9), hears its prayers (Heb. 4:14-16; 7:25), perfects and spiritually matures it (Eph. 4:13-16). Christ, the head, provided the church with an infallible and complete religious guide, not another head, but the Scriptures (2Tim. 3:16-17). Since Christ was given “to be the head over all things to the church” (Eph. 1:22), no one else can be head over anything to the church. Although the Bible explicitly states that Jesus is the only head, some claim that Christ founded His church upon the apostle, Peter, and that this same apostle has a living successor today who continues to be the head of the church on earth. Jesus’ statement to Peter in Matthew 16:18-19 is often cited to support this doctrine: “Upon this rock I will build my church … and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom” to “bind” and “loose.” However, a close examination of the biblical and historical evidence does not confirm such a conclusion. The Biblical Evidence The “rock” upon which Christ built His church is not petros, the Greek word from which the apostle’s name is derived, but petra, another word. Petros is masculine and means “a detached stone or boulder;” petra is feminine and means “a mass of live rock.” Christ’s reference is not to Peter (petros), but to petra, something far more substantial. In the context of Matthew 16:13-18, the primary subject under discussion is Christ’s identity as the Son of God. Thus, the rock is not Peter, but more likely the confession of Peter, the bedrock of faith in Jesus as the “Christ, the Son of the living God.” Peter himself confirmed this conclusion later by stating plainly that Christ is the “stone … which is become the head of the corner” (Acts 4:11) and the “chief corner stone” (1Pet 2:6-8). Paul agrees: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ” (1Cor. 3:11). While no Scripture refers to Peter as the rock upon which the church is built, Peter, along with all Christians, became one of the “living stones” of God’s spiritual house (1Pet. 2:5). Of course, as an apostle, Peter helped found the church and in this sense shares in the church’s foundation equally with all of the “apostles and prophets” (Eph. 2:19-20). Further, Christ’s promise to give Peter the keys to bind and loose on earth what Christ has already bound or loosed in Heaven (Matt. 16:19) was given also to the other disciples (Matt 18:18). By preaching the gospel, the disciples loosed and bound Christ’s will, opening the doors of the kingdom to the world (Acts 2:14-41; 8:4). That Peter had no more authority than any other apostle is confirmed by the emphatic affirmation that Paul was inferior to no other apostle (2Cor. 12:11-12). In fact, Jesus directed Peter’s apostleship not to the whole church but specifically to the Jews or “circumcised” (Gal. 2:7-8). Thus, the Bible negates rather than affirms that Peter was the head of the church. And as to Peter’s successors and of the office of Pope, the Bible is significantly silent. The Historical Evidence Although the biblical evidence is final and conclusive, it is interesting to compare the historical evidence. Surely, if Peter were the “rock” of Matthew 16:18, the early church would have universally taught it. Yet, many outstanding leaders of the early church taught just the opposite. For example, in the East, Origen, an outstanding church scholar from Alexandria (182 to 251 A.D.), declared in his commentary on Matthew, “But if you suppose that upon that one Peter only the whole church was built by God, what would you say about John, the son of thunder, or each one of the apostles?” The famous Chrysostom of Constantinople (370-430 A.D.) said in his homily on Matthew 16:13-19 that the rock is the “faith of his confession.” In the West, Hilary of Poitiers (France) (died 367 A.D.), wrote in his De Trinitate (Book VI), “This is the rock of confession whereon the church is built … This faith it is which is the foundation of the church.” Augustine (354-430 A.D.), considered one of the greatest Catholic minds, declares in his homily on Matthew 16:18 that Christ said: “Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock, which thou hast confessed, upon this Rock thou has recognised, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, I will build my church. Upon me I will build thee, not me upon thee. For men who wished to be built upon men said, ‘I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas,’ who is Peter. But others who did not wish to be built on Peter, but upon the Rock, said, ‘But I am of Christ.’ And when the apostle Paul ascertained that he was chosen and Christ despised, he said, ‘Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptised in the name of Paul?’ And, as not in the name of Paul, so neither in the name of Peter; but in the name of Christ, that Peter might be built upon the Rock, not the Rock upon Peter.” Therefore, both biblical and historical evidence maintain that Christ is the only head of the church. But how does He exercise His authority? THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS OF THE CHURCH Christ exercises His authority in His church through His divinely empowered apostles and prophets. Among the listed officers of the New Testament church the apostles and prophets figure prominently (1Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11). In fact, the “household of God,” or the church, is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Eph. 2:19-20). In order to reveal Christ’s will and help to found His church (Eph. 4:11-15), the apostles and prophets were given the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and other miraculous powers. Miracles confirmed or gave divine evidence that their preaching was from God (Mark 16:20; Acts 1:8; Heb. 2:4). The prophets could reveal God’s will by inspiration (2Pet. 1:20-21), but the apostles were the only men who could transmit miraculous powers to other men (Acts 8:18; 2Tim. 1:1-6; Rom. 1:11). Philip performed great miracles in Samaria, but the apostles had to come down from Jerusalem to give his converts miraculous gifts (Acts 8:5-18). After the apostles died, therefore, men no longer received miraculous gifts. This cessation of miracles in the church is in accord with Paul’s prediction, “prophecies … shall fail,” “tongues shall cease” (1Cor. 13:8-10). Nor are modern day miracles necessary since the early apostles and prophets by their God-given powers revealed, recorded, confirmed and delivered the complete knowledge of faith once and for all (Jude 3; Heb. 2:4; 2Tim. 3:16-17; Mark 16:20). The original apostles, prophets and miracle workers completed their purpose, leaving no need for new apostles, new prophets, or new miracle workers. Consequently, the apostles made no effort to appoint successors except for Judas, and only then because they were specifically authorised by Scripture in that one case (Acts 1:20; Ps 109:8). After their day no one could meet the qualification requiring that an apostle be an eye witness to Christ’s resurrection (Acts 1:21-22). Mindful of their approaching death, the apostles commended Christians, not to apostolic successors, but to the authority of the written word (Acts 20:32; 2Tim. 3:16-17; 2Pet 1:12-21). Thus, just as Christ is head of the universal church, though present only in spirit (Eph. 1:22-23; Matt. 18:20), so also Matthew, John, Peter and the others occupy the office of the apostles and prophets though they passed away long ago. Through the living word of God, the Scriptures, they still hold their position in the very foundation of the church just as Christ holds His as Christ holds His as the chief corner stone (Rev. 21:14). The apostles still sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of spiritual “Israel” (Matt. 19:28). Today’s universal church has the same prophets, the same apostles and the same head as the first century church. The Bible speaks of no other church offices that function on a universal or even area-wide basis. THE ORGANISATION OF THE LOCAL CHURCH The universal church is subdivided into many local churches or congregations. For instance, it is in the local, limited, congregational sense that Paul mentioned “the churches of Christ salute you” (Rom. 16:16), referring to many local congregations in a particular area. Paul addressed the group of Christians in Corinth as “the church of God” (1Cor. 1:2). Each local church is autonomous, or self-ruling, and is subject only to the one authority of Christ through His divinely inspired apostles and prophets by following their infallible guide the Scriptures (2Tim 3:16-17). No other organisation exists which binds the churches together, or exercises any authority over them. No central earthly headquarters or super organisation rules the local churches. However, all of the local churches are bound together by unity of faith, love and cooperation (Eph. 4:1-6; 2Cor. 8:24; Rom. 15:26). They are identical in name, doctrine and practice; division among them is sinful (1Cor. 1:10-13; 3:3). This perfect unity and cooperation is possible without an earthly headquarters because each local church follows the same head, Christ (Col. 1:18), is founded upon the same foundation, Christ (1Cor. 3:11), and adheres to the same standard of authority, the will of Christ revealed in the New Testament (2Tim 3:16-17). The wisdom of God is seen in such an arrangement. For example, if one church becomes corrupted in doctrine or evil practices, other churches will not be so affected. If a window is made of one large pane, a break damages the entire pane; but if it be made of several panes, a break does not spread and weaken the entire window. Thus, each local church is protected by being independent in government from other local churches. Within the local church there is a divinely authorised organisation, composed of elders or bishops, deacons, evangelists, teachers and members. We shall now briefly study each of these offices, noting their functions, names and qualifications. The Elders – In the New Testament times each local congregation selected its own leaders, who were called elders (Acts 14:23) or bishops (Philippians 1:1) or pastors (Eph. 4:11). All of these names referred to the same office. For example, Paul addresses the leaders of the church at Ephesus as “elders” (Acts 20:17), as “bishops” (Acts 20:28), and as those who “pastor” or shepherd the church (Acts 20:28). See also Titus 1:5-7 and 1Peter 5:1-4. The word, elder, means “older man” referring to the older age and maturity required of these leaders (1Tim. 3:6). Bishop means “an overseer or supervisor,” indicating the leaders’ work of ruling and caring for the church, not as “lords” but as examples (1Tim. 3:5; 1Pet. 5:2-3). The term pastor means “a shepherd,” and describes the work of feeding the church spiritually and guarding it from error (Acts 20:28-31; 1Pet. 5:1-2). Thus, as one man may be called father, husband and son to denote different phases of his responsibilities, so the names elder, bishop and pastor refer to the same church office but denote different phases of the work. Elders must meet strict qualifications before taking office. (Read carefully 1Tim. 3:2-7; Tit. 1:6-9). Each must be spiritually mature and of blameless conduct, able teachers, and a husband of one wife (1Tim. 3:1-3). To prove he can govern the church, he must first demonstrate his ability to rule his own wife and children (1Tim. 3:4-5). In the Bible each local church had more than one elder or bishop (Acts 14:23; 20:17; Tit. 1:5; Phil. 1:1). Never does the Bible mention one bishop over many churches but always many bishops over one church. Bishops had authority only in the church where they were appointed (1Pet. 5:2). Thus, the Bible never speaks of “degrees” or “levels” of bishops, such as “archbishop.” The only reference to a higher bishop is to Christ, the “chief Shepherd” (1Pet. 5:4). The Deacons – Working under the elders are “deacons,” who must first fulfil certain qualifications (1Tim. 3:8-13). Deacon means “servant.” These men perform special services for the church such as that in Acts 6:1-6. That the early church had a plurality of deacons in each congregation is evidenced by Paul’s greeting, “To all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons” (Phil. 1:1). The Evangelists – The name evangelist means “proclaimer of good news.” These men publicly and privately preach the gospel of Christ (2Tim. 4:2-5). Sometimes people erroneously call every evangelist “pastor,” but we have already learned that the word “pastor” refers to elders. An evangelist must live an exemplary life (1Tim. 5:22; 2Tim. 2:15-16; 2:22-26; 3:14-17). The Teachers – The final office listed by Paul in Eph. 4:11 is the office of teacher. Although explicit qualifications are not laid down in any one passage of the New Testament, it is clearly implied that the teacher must have a deep knowledge of Scripture and a good character (James 3:1, 13-18; Heb. 5:12). Members – All Christians become members of the local church and a part of its organisation by obeying the gospel (Acts 2:38, 47; 1Cor. 12:12-22). Every member should obey the elders (Heb. 13:17), diligently grow and work in the local church (Eph. 4:15-16), and remain faithful to Christ throughout life (Rev. 2:10). Look out for a submission on “The Unity Of The Church,” which deals with the details of how the many independent congregations form one united body without hierarchical structure or central headquarters.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 05:04:45 +0000
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