Introduction | Table of Contents | Chapter 20

Jesus is Lord

A local church is, firstly, a company of believers where Jesus Christ is acknowledged as Lord. This is stressed, for instance, in the opening of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, where "the church of God at Corinth" is addressed as "them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that call upon the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours." Six times in the first few verses the title "Lord" is mentioned, and it forms an outstanding feature of several parts of the Epistle. At the beginning of the twelfth chapter the acknowledgment of His authority as Lord is noted as the distinguishing mark of believers, and the Apostle terminates that section, at the end of chapter 14, by declaring that the things which he has written are "the commandment (sing. number) of the Lord." Subjection to His will, as revealed in the Scriptures is, then, to be the guiding principle in all matters.

The Holy Spirit's Perogatives

Secondly, the prerogatives of the Holy Spirit in His presiding and directing power are acknowledged. To Him it belongs, for example, to raise up, qualify and equip bishops (otherwise spoken of as overseers, or elders) in each local church. Thus to the elders of the church at Ephesus the apostle says, "the Holy Ghost hath made you bishops, to feed (or, rather, 'tend,' i.e., act as pastors in) the church of God" (Acts 20:17, 28). To Him it belongs to control the exercise of the functions of oral ministry in the assembly, "dividing to each one severally even as He will" (1 Cor. 12:8-11), and to lead the worship of the saints. They "worship by the Spirit of God" (Phil. 3:3, R.V.). If we relegate the direction of collective worship and the oral ministry of the Word of God to a presiding minister, we quench the Spirit, deny His prerogatives and hinder the free operation of His power. So is this the case, on the other hand, where, even if such ministerialism does not exist, men act in the impulse and energy of the flesh, under a sense of imagined freedom! But two wrongs do not make a right. The will of the Lord is served neither by spurious liberty nor by ministerial officialism.

The Whole Word of God

Thirdly, there is scope for the teaching and practice of the whole Word of God. A local church is spoken of as "the pillar and ground (or 'stay) of the truth" (I Tim. 3:15); that is to say, of whatsoever is taught in the Holy Scriptures, each truth being apprehended and maintained consistently with the unity of doctrine contained in the whole Volume. A church will adhere to the Word of God as such, not to a creed or set of doctrines drawn up therefrom, nor to the dictates of a Synod or ecclesiastical Council, or other form of centralized authority governing a number of churches. Guided by the Scriptures of truth, a church is the Divinely appointed medium by which the truth relating both to doctrine and godliness of life is maintained and practised. In this connection we may mention the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, which should be taught and carried out according to what is set forth in Scripture.

The Priesthood of Believers

Fourthly, the priesthood of all believers is recognized. The teaching of Christ and His Apostles is plainly contrary to the appointment of an order of human priests acting in and on behalf of a church. The Apostle Peter testifies that all believers are constituted "a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." They are likewise "a royal priesthood" (I Pet. 2:5, 9). The Apostle John testifies that Christ has "made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto His God and Father" (Rev. 1:6). That anyone should be appointed to administer the sacraments, or dispense the elements, contravenes the character of that which was instituted by Christ; it is a departure from apostolic instruction, and is the outcome of mere human tradition. There are not two orders of human priests in the Church. All believers are constituted priests "to offer up spiritual sacrifices," such as the "sacrifice of praise" and the presentation of themselves to the Lord for His service. An overseer, or bishop, is not a priest in virtue of his being a bishop. He is a priest with all the members of the church as being together set apart for this purpose.

Separation from the World

Fifthly, separation from the world is maintained. The character of the gatherings, whether in the matter of worship or in any other respect, is to be free from that which characterizes the world. Both in collective testimony and in that of individual life the exhortation applies, "Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Cor. 6:14-18). In this passage the relationship of believers to God as Father receives special stress, as that which is made good in the experience of believers, in the fulfillment, on God's part, of all that He designs to be as a Father to His children. The rhetorical questions "What fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever?" (verses 14, 15) are accompanied by the following command with promise: "Wherefore come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be to you a Father, and ye shall be to Me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (verses 17, 18). This can be enjoyed only where separation from the world is maintained, and where the testimony of the assembly is not marred by worldly schemes, arrangements and methods. For the assembly, as well as for the individuals who compose it, the exhortation of the Apostle John holds good: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world" (I John 2:15, 16). Where the fear of the Lord is not realized in the fulfillment of this exhortation, there may be a form of godliness, but the power of it will be denied and wanting (2 Tim. 3:5).

Holy Love

Sixthly, the saints dwell together in holy love. This is the Divine hall mark for believers. It is what the Apostle cans the 46still more excellent way" than even the possession of "greater gifts" (I Cor. 12:31). Believers are indeed to "desire earnestly spiritual gifts," but they are to "follow after love" (14:1). "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," they will learn to walk in love even as Christ also loved them, a love that, negatively, refrains from all that is inconsistent with the claims of Christ, and, positively, is exercised in denying self and seeking the good of others.

The Power of God

Seventhly, the power of God is manifested. Only where believers dwell together in love, and where the Holy Spirit is not grieved by that which is inconsistent with the Word of God and the character of Christ, can such power actually be manifested. There may be a show of power without that real possession and exercise the effect of which will meet with approval at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Divine power is both repellent and attractive, keeping out that which is false and corrupting, and drawing sinners to the feet of Christ and restoring backsliders to repentance and acknowledgment of the truth.

Gospel Activity

Eighthly, an aggressive Gospel activity is maintained, not only in connection with the testimony of the assembly itself, but in the spread of the truth in other regions. The church of the Thessalonians is a standing example in this respect. The company had not long been formed. The assembly there was comparatively in its infancy, and yet the Apostle could say, "from you hath sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith to Godward is gone forth." To show to what extent their testimony had proceeded, the two provinces mentioned were together about the size of England. The church at Corinth does not seem to have been quite so aggressive, and the Apostle found it necessary to exhort them to cooperate in regard to his desire to preach the gospel even in the parts beyond them (2 Cor. 10:15, 16, R.V.).

The Hope

Ninethly, the saints live in constant and earnest expectation of the return of Christ. In this the church of the Thessalonians is again commended; they had "turned unto God from idols, to serve a living and true God," and "to wait for His Son from Heaven" (I Tbess. 1:10). The Lord keeps His coming before the church in Philadelphia as an incentive to their maintenance of the faith. He says, "I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown" (Rev. 3:11). The weekly remembrance of the Lord in "the breaking of bread" likewise has this in view: assemblies are commanded thus to proclaim the Lord's death "till He come" (I Cor. 11:26).

Introduction | Table of Contents | Chapter 20

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