Ecclesiology
Officers in the Church
Lesson XXVII
June 28, 2007
I
Introduction
I
want to recommend three books by J. F. Strombeck, “Shall Never Perish” ,”Grace and Truth” and
“Disciplined by Grace”.
So
often we are told that the Ministry of the Church is that of “salt” and
“light”. But is this correct? I have gathered the following from Strombeck.
John 1:6-8
(6) There was a man sent from God, whose name [was] John.
(7) The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the
Light, that all [men] through him might believe.
(8) He was not that Light, but [was sent] to bear witness
of that Light.
John
was sent to bear witness of the light.
John was not the light but a witness of it (John 1:8).
John 1:9
(9) [That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man
that cometh into the world.
The
true light is Jesus Christ and Him alone.
No other issues are involved. Our
business is to hold up the light.
“He who would bear to the world witness of the Light must center his
whole message in Him by whom came grace and truth. There is no room here for moral reform or a social
betterment program.
“Under grace, man is not the light
of the world. Only the Word that was
with God and was God is the light of the world during this age of grace.
In Matthew, Jesus speaking to the
Jewish multitudes said, “Ye are the light of the world.”
Under the law, God was glorified by
the good works of men, but under grace all witness must concern the light, the
Son of God, and it is definitely cautioned that man is not the light.
“Legalism dims the true Light and
makes men shine as though they were the light.
The witness that John bore of Him should be a pattern for all who would
witness about grace.
“A multitude of ministers admonish
the Church to a world task. Thus, the
Church is bent to this hopeless task when it should be erect and alert to this
Heavenly Hope. For the Church should not
be urged into the work of reformation but unto the hope of translation. The Church is not exhorted to seek a home on
the earth but to hold a hope in the Heavenlies.
God’s purpose and plan is better than the propaganda of man.”
We
will learn much by reading Strombeck.
In
an article in TIME, March 30, 1992 we read, “During the past hundred years, we
have made almost unbelievable material and social progress. What has not changed is the nature of humanity
and our never-ending challenge.”
The
Roman Catholic Church made its liturgy accessible in the vernacular and turned
increasingly from saving souls to saving society. The major Protestant denominations also
increasingly emphasized social activism and tried to delude dogma to
accommodate 20th century rationality and diversity. But none of the reforms are arresting the
sharp decline of the mainline Churches.
Why
not?
The
answer seems to be that while orthodox religion can be stifling, liberal
religion can be empty. Our view of man
obviously depends on our view of God
What
are we seeing in this new century? Are
we not seeing the errors of Romanism being repeated in so-called Evangelical
Churches? The emphasis by many Churches
and leaders is rapidly turning from saving souls to saving society. What happened to the Old Time Methodists,
Presbyterians, Congregationalists who in 1926, formed the United Church of Canada,
is happening in many Evangelical Churches today. We are indeed thankful for the small remnant
who are resisting this trend.
The
more Evangelicals turn to a social gospel, to extending the kingdom on earth,
to the doctrine of living in the Kingdom now, the more they will of necessity
turn from the Scriptures to the psychology of men. They will become spoiled “by philosophy and
vain deceit.” They become “kingdom
builders” rather than “gospel proclaimers”.
Colossians 2: 8
(8) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and
vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and
not after Christ.
II
The Offices in the Church
“An
organism has one head. An organization
has many heads.” (Lockyer)
We
must keep in mind, the Church which is an organism, and the Church which is an
organization - or to re-word that, the One True Church and the many local
Churches.
At the
beginning, a “Church” was recognized whenever believers assembled together.
Hebrews 10:25
(25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,
as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more,
as ye see the day approaching.
Some
Churches met in homes.
1 Corinthians 16:19
(19) The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and
Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their
house.
Acts 18:1-2
(1) After these
things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
(2) And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in
Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that
Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
Philemon 1-2
(1) Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy [our]
brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,
(2) And to [our] beloved Apphia, and Archippus our
fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:
Some met
in recognized buildings.
1 Corinthians 11:17-22
(17) Now in this that I declare [unto you] I praise [you]
not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
(18) For first of all, when ye come together in the
church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
(19) For there must be also heresies among you, that they
which are approved may be made manifest among you.
(20) When ye come together therefore into one place,
[this] is not to eat the Lord's supper.
(21) For in eating every one taketh before [other] his
own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
(22) What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or
despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I
say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
These
verses, in my mind, certainly make a distinction between a church in a house
and a church in a building that is not a house.
1 Timothy 3:15
(15) But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou
oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of
the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
I
believe the verse is speaking about a building as a house of God.
They were also
identified by their location.
Acts 8:1
(1) And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that
time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem;
and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and
Samaria, except the apostles.
Romans 16:1
(1) I commend unto
you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
1 Corinthians 1:2
(2) Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to
them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called [to be] saints, with all that
in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and
ours:
Revelation 2:1,8,11,18
(1) Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write;
These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who
walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
(8) And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna
write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
(11) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second
death.
(18) And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira
write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame
of fire, and his feet [are] like fine brass;
Revelation 3:1,7,14
(1) And unto the angel of the church in Sardis
write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven
stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
(7) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia
write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the
key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man
openeth;
(14) And unto the angel of the church of the
Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true
witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
III
Church Elders.
C.H.
Spurgeon chose “Elders” (plural) to attend to spiritual matters and “Deacons”
to attend to temporal affairs. Elders
were chosen yearly, the office of a Deacon was permanent.
The
word “Elder” seems to be used to signify the character of the person bearing
the office.
1 Timothy 5:1
(1) Rebuke not an elder, but intreat [him] as a father;
[and] the younger men as brethren;
As
used in 1 Timothy 5:1, it is evident here, the ‘elder” is simply one who is
older: “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger
men as brethren.”
In
Leviticus 19:32 we
read, Thou shalt rise up
before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy
God: I [am] the Lord. So many human actions reflect one’s
relationship to God. This verse implies
that because one has reverential fear for God one then will have respect for
age.
It
seems to me that there is a general disrespect for the aged today. There is a tendency to push the aged into the
background, as those who have had their day.
Whenever I reflect on the lack of respect, I am reminded of the story of
King Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 10:8 who forsook the counsel that the old men
gave him and took the counsel with the young men that were brought up with
him. By doing so he divided the
In
1949, we had the privilege of having Walter Atkinson, our Jewish brother, stay
in our home. He became our friend. Some years later he said to me, “Lorne, why
don’t you call me, Walter?” My reply was,
“Brother Atkinson, I could no more call you, Walter, than I could call my
father, Arthur or Art.”
In
those days, respect for the elders was part of life.
The
word “Bishop” signifies the character of the office held by the Elder.
1 Timothy 3: 1-2
(1) This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office
of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
(2) A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one
wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
“Bishop”,
“presbyter”, “superintendent”, “pastor” , “overseer” are all words used to
describe “Elders.”
A
pastor therefore is an elder, but not all elders are pastors.
IV
The Duties of Elders
Acts 20:17-38 Paul’s exhortations to the Elders of the
Church at
Acts 20:17-38
(17) And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the
elders of the church.
(18) And when they were come to him, he said unto them,
Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have
been with you at all seasons,
(19) Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with
many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
(20) [And] how I kept back nothing that was profitable [unto
you], but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to
house,
(21) Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks,
repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
(22) And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto
Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
(23) Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city,
saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
(24) But none of these things move me, neither count I my
life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the
ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the
grace of God.
(25) And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I
have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
(26) Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I [am]
pure from the blood of all [men].
(27) For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the
counsel of God.
(28) Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the
flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the
church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
(29) For I know this, that after my departing shall
grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
(30) Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking
perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
(31) Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of
three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
(32) And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the
word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an
inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
(33) I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.
(34) Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have
ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
(35) I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring
ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how
he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
(36) And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and
prayed with them all.
(37) And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and
kissed him,
(38) Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake,
that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.
Acts 20:17 “And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called
the elders of the Church.”
My
first observation is that the Church had ‘elders’. The word is plural. Perhaps every church should have more than
one elder.
Acts 20:18 “And when they were come to him, he said unto
them: ye know, from the first day that I
came into
Every
church has its seasons: its springtime and harvest, summer and winter periods.
2 Timothy 4:2
(2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of
season…” It does not say “be in season and
out of season”. Rather, whatever the season is, seasonable or not, preach the
Word. Preach it when it is easy. Preach it when it is not easy. Be in season when it seems to be out of
season.
Acts 20:19 Paul
says to the Elders, “I was serving the Lord with all humility of mind…” He is telling the Elders to watch your
thinking when you are in a place of leadership.
That is good advice for today.
Psalm 36: 10-11
(10) O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know
thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
(11) Let not the foot of pride come against me,
and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
Ponder
those words!
Romans 12:3
(3) For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every
man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to
think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the
measure of faith.
Read
Romans 12:3 often. Do not think more
highly of yourself than you ought to.
James 4:6, 10
(6) But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God
resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
(10) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he
shall lift you up.
James 4:6 God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace
unto the humble.
James 4:10 Humble yourselves
therefore…
In
correspondence recently received, a brother concluded his letter with these
words: “Forgive me for any presumption
on my part for mailing these items to you.
I do question my motives at the best of times.” To me those were words of true humility.
Acts 20:19 continues “with many
tears”. Never be ashamed of your tears
unless they are tears of self-pity! “and
temptations (trials) which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews.” There had always been men who wanted to
destroy Paul and they would have if God had not intervened.
Remember
Paul is speaking to Elders. He wanted
them to know that in this office it would not be easy. There will be times of tears of joy and times
of tears of sorrow. There will be trials
and tests from many sources.
Acts 20:20 “how I kept back
nothing that was profitable unto you”.
Notice he does not say what was pleasing but only that which was for
their profit. He taught publicly and
privately “from house to house”. Always
remember that “being in the ministry” is not limited to being “in a pulpit”.
The next verse tells us more about the ministry.
Acts 20:21
“Testifying”. That is ministry. One who gives a testimony at a trial is
called a witness. One testifies
as to what one knows. To whomsoever we
are witnessing, at the same time we are also doing ministry. Paul witnessed to both Jews and Greeks, or
Gentiles.
“Repentance
towards God”. In this age of grace, God is not asking people to repent
of their sins. He is rather
asking people to repent towards God, that is, to turn to God as did the
Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians 1:9
(9) For they themselves shew of us what manner of
entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the
living and true God;
Paul
told people they needed to turn to God by having faith in Jesus Christ.
Acts 20:22 “I go not knowing the
things that shall befall me…” Is that
not true of each one of us? No man knows
what will be on the morrow.
James 4:14
(14) Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow.
For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time,
and then vanisheth away.
Proverbs 27:1
(1) Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not
what a day may bring forth.
In
the National Post, May 19, 2007, in a story about Al Gore’s stand on climate
change, I found the following, “…some of
Mr. Gore’s allies have acknowledged glowing inaccuracies in his film. Though Mr. Gore was right about getting the
message out, this professor said, “He was worried about the film overselling
our certainty
about knowing the future.” And I agree.
I
often sang the hymn: “If we could see
beyond today as God can see…but God in love a veil doth throw across our
way. We cannot see what lies before and
so we cling to Him the more…”
Acts 20:23 Paul who is also an
Elder was sharing his experience with Elders. “In every city ... bonds and
afflictions abide me.” He was teaching
them not to expect an easy path. Believer’s
have treasures in earthen vessels.
2 Corinthians 4:7
(7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that
the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
And
because of the clay in our feet, we Christians have times when we are not easy
to work with.
Acts 20:24 Paul never tried to spare himself.
1 Thessalonians 2:7,11
(7) But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse
cherisheth her children:
(11) As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged
every one of you, as a father [doth] his children,
In
1 Thessalonians 2:7, he says he was like a nursing-mother who imparts of
herself when she breast feeds her baby, and in verse 11, he says he was like a
caring father. A good mother and a good
father are prepared to give themselves for their children. And Elders are to be like that.
Paul’s
great desire was to finish his course with joy fulfilling his ministry,
received from Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. All Elders should consider such a ministry as
having top priority. No doctrine is of
greater importance to the
Acts 20:25-27 Paul sums up his ministry
as preaching the kingdom of God and as declaring all the counsel of God.
“Preach
the Word.” All of it.
Acts 20:28 First, “take heed to yourselves”. You cannot feed others if you do not feed
yourself. Then, take heed to all
the flock, not just a chosen few.
1 Thessalonians 5: 14
(14) Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are
unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all
[men].
1 Corinthians 1:27-29
(27) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world
to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to
confound the things which are mighty;
(28) And base things of the world, and things which are
despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought
things that are:
(29) That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1
Thessalonians 5:14 lists the kind of people that will be in the Church as does
1 Corinthians 1:27-29. There will be
need of patience.
Then
in this verse, in Acts 20:28, he tells the Elders that the Holy Ghost has made
them overseers. It is ours to
acknowledge not only that God has ordained Church leadership but also that only
God can make men overseers.
And
how are Elders to take heed of the flock?
1 Peter 5:2
(2) Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the
oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre,
but of a ready mind;
1 Timothy 3:5
(5) (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how
shall he take care of the church of God?)
“Feed” the flock of God and, in 1 Timothy 3:5,
“take care” of the church of God. “Feed”
and “take care” are God-given responsibilities.
If
you cannot ‘feed’, do not lead. And if
you cannot care, don’t be there! I heard
of a preacher who told the flock that they were responsible to feed themselves.
But
read what Jesus said to Peter in John 21:15-17.
John 21:15-17
(15) So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter,
Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea,
Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
(16) He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son]
of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I
love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
(17) He saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of
Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third
time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou
knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Then
read what Peter writes in 1 Peter 5:1-3.
1 Peter 5:1-3
(1) The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also
an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the
glory that shall be revealed:
(2) Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the
oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre,
but of a ready mind;
(3) Neither as being lords over [God’s] heritage, but
being ensamples to the flock.
Leaders
are to feed, lead, but not lord it over the flock.
Acts 20:29-30 Paul warns of two
dangers.
One, wolves from without who do not
care, who will not spare the sheep.
The other: men from within who will
speak perverse things in order to draw disciples after themselves.
Read
1 Corinthians 10:33 and chapter 11: 1.
1 Corinthians 10:33
(33) Even as I please all [men] in all [things], not
seeking mine own [profit], but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
1 Corinthians 11: 1
(1) Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ.
Paul
was not seeking disciples. He was
seeking those who would follow him in following Christ.
Acts 20:31 Paul had been at
Ephesus for three years. During that
time he had warned the flock and Elders, with tears, of the dangers that were
ahead. My partner in ministry, Roger
Oakland, is doing that today. Warning the Church, but few are paying any
attention. They are doing so to their
own hurt.
Acts 20:33 Paul could say “I have
coveted no man’s silver, gold or apparel.”
We fear that such men are few and far between today in places of
leadership. Paul was not looking for a
bigger Church so he could receive a better salary!
Acts 20:34 “Yourselves know that
these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were
with me.”
By
example, Paul was telling these Elders that they should be willing to work with
their hands to provide for themselves, as well as others. An Elder should never think that he is above
the members of the flock. Remember, in
Acts 28:3, when Paul had been shipwrecked, he was gathering sticks to put on
the fire. He was doing what the other
men were doing. Elders should never ask
others to do what they themselves are not willing to do. An Elder or Preacher is not worthy of support
for his teaching or preaching if he has not been willing to pay to preach.
Acts 20:35 Paul, the example of what he wrote, quoted
words of the Lord Jesus, not found elsewhere in Scripture. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
V Some other Scriptures regarding Elders
1 Timothy 3:4, 5 An elder is one who rules and cares for the
flock, as he rules and cares for the members of his own family.
“Take
care” and Paul means with real care.
1 Timothy 3:4-5
(4) One that ruleth well his own house, having his
children in subjection with all gravity;
(5) (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how
shall he take care of the church of God?)
At
the funeral of William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army) in Westminster Abbey
in London, Reader’s Digest told the following, “A prostitute from the streets
of London slipped in and sat beside the Queen (Wife of Edward VII). Not recognizing the Queen, the woman,
pointing to the casket said: ‘That man cared for the likes of us.’
People
should know that Elders care about the flock.
1 Timothy 5:17 An Elder, who labours
in teaching, is worthy of double honour, that is remuneration.
1 Timothy 5:17
(17) Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of
double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
Titus 1:9 He is to be careful to
teach sound doctrine. Build any doctrine
on a text found only in the four gospels and ignore Paul’s letters will, no
doubt, prove to be wrong.
Titus 1:9
(9) Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been
taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince
the gainsayers.
Hebrews
13:17 An Elder is one who watches over souls.
What a responsibility!
Hebrews 13:17
(17) Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit
yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that
they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for
you.