The Distinction Between Church & Individual Action
(Third installment — See previous issues for preceding installments)
(Editor's note: This is the concluding section of the speech delivered by Brother Farish at the meeting of a number of preachers in Leakey, Texas, in January, who were seeking to work toward better understanding of various issues that now divide the churches.
Galatians 6:10 "So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith."
It has frequently been pointed out that this passage is specifically assigning individual duties. In response to this, the fact that the letter is addressed to "the churches of Galatia" has been presented in an effort to prove that this is church action. This, however, will not stand up. There are some "duties assigned the several members in the church" but not "accomplished as a body composite" e.g., Matt. 18:15; Acts 8:22; Eph. 6:1-9 etc. In letters addressed to churches, we find instructions for the saint to perform in his individual capacity alone. In I Cor. 7:1-17 the apostle discusses individual relationships and duties. No ingenious reasoning can identify these as church actions and yet the apostle writes, "And so ordain I in all the churches" (I Cor. 7:17). Here are duties which the apostle ordained in all the churches, but who will say that, "these verses summarize the duties assigned the several members in the church, individually apportioned but collectively accomplished as a body composite"? A number of other passages provide cumulative evidence that letters addressed to churches contain instructions for individual action or duties which are not to be collectively accomplished as a body composite. Also, in letters addressed to individuals, there are instructions for church action, e.g., I Tim. 5:16. These considerations show us the need to allow the context to distinguish between individual activities and church activity.
In Gal. 6 the individual is instructed how to act toward a brother who is overtaken in any trespass. We have already seen from Matt. 18:15 the area where the individual is to function in his individual capacity alone. Also, from Matt. 18, we have learned at what point the individual is to proceed in functioning in the "body composite" to accomplish the end. A spirit of gentleness must prevail in both areas. In verse 3, "a man" is forbidden to think more highly of himself than he ought to think. Verse 4 — "each man" is to prove his own work in order that he have his glorying in regard of himself alone. For each man shall bear his own burden.
In verse 6 "Him that is taught in the word" is required to communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." In this verse the taught individual is required to communicate as an individual in all good things. He is taught the additional duty to collectively communicate in Phil. 4:15; II Cor. 11:8. To apply this verse (Gal. 6:6) "individually rather than collectively" "does not" "relieve the church of all duty to support or pay the preacher." The activities of Gaius in setting "forward on their journey" those who "for the sake of the name went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles" did not relieve the church of all duty to support those preachers. Lydia's hospitality to Paul and his company in no way relieved the church of all duty to support the preacher. "And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Jason of Thessalonica, Acts 17:5-9, of Philip the evangelist Acts 21:8; of Mnason of Cyprus, Acts 21:17; of Onesiphorus, II Tim. 1:16; of Philemon, Phil. 22 and others. These all through faith communicated in all good things, and there is not an intimation in the Scriptures that their actions "relieved the church of all duty to support or pay the preacher." There is no reason to fear that "anything done by the church would therefore be superfluous."
Verse 10 teaches that the individual has the responsibility of doing good to all men. This, however, gives us no right to decide that this duty is to be collectively preformed by the church. We need Scripture which assigns this duty to the church or "body composite." In the words of another: "When the obligation is solely the individual's, so is the responsibility, and the duty should be individually discharged; but when the obligation is collective, the responsibility is general and should be collectively performed, which in this connection means as a body or congregation." In this connection I will add that the obligation is collective only when the Scriptures assign it to the congregation. What is needed is a passage authorizing the church to function in general benevolence. Gal. 6:10 furnishes us with no such authority.
James 1:26, 27 "If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."
This epistle is addressed "to the twelve tribes which are of the dispersion." The "twelve tribes of Israel" is used also by the Lord in Matt. 19:28 to describe the church. The apostles are, in the gospel age, on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, i.e., the whole church. True, it is not addressed to a single congregation, however, it does not follow that the activities ordained in the book are assigned to the universal church to be performed collectively by the church universal. The church universal has not been provided with organization through which to function. Any activities assigned to be collectively performed are assigned to the local church to be performed by it "moving in its congregational capacity alone."
No question but that the "twelve tribes of Israel" designates the whole church. These instructions in James were for members of the church everywhere. There are instructions pertaining to collective activity when the church is physically assembled (Jas. 2:2-9) but there are also instructions for individual activity in the individual capacity.
The first chapter of James is made up mainly of instructions for individual activities. Note verse 5, "If any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God"; verse 6, "but let him ask in faith"; verse 7, "For let not that man think..."; verse 9, "let the brother of low degree..."; verse 12, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; verse 13, "Let no man say when he is tempted; verse 19, "but let every man be swift to hear"; verse 23, "For if anyone is a hearer..."; verse 25, "But he that looketh into the perfect law of liberty"; verse 26, "If any man thinketh himself to be religious", verse 27, "Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."
Any man to be religious and undefiled before our God and Father must bridle his tongue, visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and keep himself unspotted from the world. This is activity to be performed in individual capacity.
The activities of the church, those things "collectively accomplished as a body composite" must be determined from those passages where the context clearly sets forth church obligation and action. Those activities collectively performed, to be scriptural, must be the work of a local congregation acting under its own elders. No organization through which the church universal is activated is sanctioned in the Scriptures, hence, we have no obligation to distinguish between universal church activity and the individual Christians activities. My task has been to distinguish between the activities assigned to the individual Christian and the activities assigned to the local church of Christ.
In conclusion, I must say that these things which I have set forth are matters of conviction with me. I do not consider them mere matters of opinion. Furthermore, it needs to be pointed out that compassion for the physically, socially and economically unfortunate people of the world is not held exclusively by the institutional minded. I, along with others who hold these views, recognize our duty to bridle our tongues, to visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. It is the duty of the church to "honor widows that are widows indeed" and to send relief to poor saints when the church where they are members is not able to provide for them. I also claim concern for the lost and have taught the congregations where I have labored the duty of the church to have fellowship with the preacher in the furtherance of the gospel, and also have taught the individual to "communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things."
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