Organization Of The Church

Tommy McClure, Paragould, Arkansas

INTRODUCTION:
1. In God's arrangements, no room left for improvement — true in BOTH:
  1. Physical realm:
    1. Artificial light never as good as sunlight.
    2. Human body — arrangement simple yet perfect!
    3. Vitamins & minerals — natural vs. synthetic.
    4. God's natural laws can't be improved — must be observed!
  2. Spiritual realm:
    1. Gospel — need same gospel, preached same way — Cf. Gal. 1:6-9
    2. Conditions of salvation — H.B.R.C.B. now as then!
    3. Promises — Acts 2:38 — as good now as then!
    4. Church — Matt. 16:18; Cf. 15:13 — Same now!
2. LIKEWISE, no room for improvement on organization Of The Church"!!!
DISCUSSION:
1. Two uses of word "church" in New Testament.
  1. Universal sense — including all the saved.
    1. Examples: Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22, 23; 3:10; 5:24.
    2. No organization in universal sense — Christ the Head — no other officers.
    3. No example of decision or action by universal church — either!
      1. Congregational — Acts 13:1-3; 15:22 OR
      2. Individual — Acts 9:36; 18:24-26.
  2. Local sense — including all God's people in one community.
    1. Examples: Acts 14:21-23; Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 1:1, 2.
    2. No examples of:
      1. Confederation of a plurality of churches into one body, to act as a body.
      2. Confederation of elders of several churches into one body, to deliberate as a body.
      3. Elders of one congregation exercising rule in another congregation.
      4. One church being the agent through which the universal church can operate.
2. The organization of the local church — Phil. 1:1
  1. Elders, overseers or pastors — Meaning of terms.
    1. Plurality of elders to each congregation:
      1. Lystra, Iconium, & ,Antioch — Acts 14:21-23.
      2. Jerusalem — Acts 16:4.
      3. Ephesus — Acts 20:17.
      4. Philippi — Phil. 1:1.
      5. Elders in every city — Titus 1:5.
    2. Duties or works of elders:
      1. Take heed to selves & flock — Acts 20:28.
      2. Feed & oversee flock-1 Pet. 5:2.
      3. Be ensamples to the flock-1 Pet. 5:3.
      4. Guard the doctrine — Titus 1:9.
      5. Rule the church — Heb. 13:7, 17 (marginal, "guide").
      6. Guard souls of members — Heb. 13:17.
    3. Perpetuity of eldership:
      1. Contention of some — eldership belonged to miraculous age of church, & passed away with the miraculously endowed members. BUT, IF SO-
      2. One of 2 conclusions must follow:
        
        Duties & works done by elders have ceased.
        
        OR such works placed upon others. BUT, Who ? Proof ?
      3. Is 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9 of no use now? ?? IF SO:
        Why given at the time? Why not 33 A.D. instead of 65 to 67?
        
        Space should have been used to teach the discontinuing of elders instead of qualifications!
    4. Authority of elders:
      1. Confined to membership of own congregation.
        Congregational autonomy — Explain.
        
        Wisdom of such.
      2. Elders not to make laws — Christ the law giver — Matt. 28:18; Eph. 1:22, 23; 1 Tim. 6:15; Cf. 1 Pet. 5:4.
      3. Elders to see that Christ's law obeyed in congregation where they are elders — Cf. 1 Pet 5:2, 3; Heb. 13:17.
    5. Qualifications of elders-1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9.
  2. Deacons — Phil. 1:1.
    1. "Deacon" equal "servant" or "special servant".
    2. Duties — to assist elders & do whatever called on to do.
    3. Qualifications of deacons-1 Tim. 3:8-13.
    4. Serving as deacon good training to qualify for elder — Cf. 1 Tim. 3:13.
  3. Saints or other members — Phil. 1:1.
    1. Duties to Christ come FIRST — Matt. 28: 18, 19; Eph. 5:24; Cf. Matt. 20:1.
    2. Duties to elders:
      1. Know (recognize & appreciate)-1 Thess. 5:12.
      2. Esteem highly in love-1 Thess. 5:13.
      3. Count worthy of double honor-1 Tim. 5:17; Verse 18.
      4. Receive no accusation except from 2 or 3 witnesses-1 Tim. 5:19.
      5. Imitate them — Heb. 13:7.
      6. Obey & submit to them — Heb. 13:17.
    3. Duties to one another — Eph. 4:32; 1 Thess. 5:11; 1 Jno. 4:7, 8.
    4. Duties to lost — Cf. Rom. 1:14. 15.
    5. Duties to families — Eph. 6:4.
3. Local church is sufficient for doing work which God requires the church to do.
  1. Only organization authorized in N. T. — hence, if not sufficient:
    1. New Testament not sufficient.
    2. God can't be relied on.
  2. Local church only medium through which early Christians worked.
    1. Apostolic churches — our models, so far as they followed the divine plan. Did they follow or deviate from the plan in doing God's work through the local church?
    2. Emphasize their success — Col. 1:23.
  3. What are the works of the church?
    1. Preaching to the lost.
    2. Self-edification.
    3. Benevolent work.
  4. Questions:
    1. Where is the scriptural authority for the church preaching the gospel through an organization other than the local church?
    2. Where is the scriptural authority for any church doing its benevolent work through any organization other than the local church?? ?
    3. If one work of the church can be done through another organization, why can't all of them be?
    4. Were these works done in the days of the apostles?
    5. What organization other than the local church did they employ to do these works? What was its name? Where was it located?
CONCLUSION:
1. We have no more right to depart from N. T. organization of the church than we have to depart from:
  1. N. T. plan of salvation.
  2. N. T. plan of worship.
  3. N. T. action or design of baptism.
2. What good will it do to hold to most of Lord's will if we depart from some of it? Cf. Jas. 2:10.