Apr 1950 - Editorial

by G Prasher | Category: Editorial | Apr 1950

The truth of. the Lordship of Christ riiust ever be prominent in the Partnership which belongs to Him that is the Fellowship of His (God's) Son Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Cormthians 1 9)

Men have their fellowships or partnerships wherein if can4idates are to be admitted, or membership maintained, there must be ~ standard of attainment, and a subsequent submission to the qualifying conditions of the particular fellowship..

The Commonwealth of Israel was similar in nature. The law of the LORD had to be acknowledged and obeyed if the benefits 9f that community were to be enjoyed Rejection of His will imphed r~jection of the LORD Himself and in certam specified matters involved excision, as in the instance of eating that which was leavened duririg the Passover feast (Exodus 12 19)

As Lord our blessed Redeemer owns US, we are His bondservants, and we are responsible to learn what is His good and perfect will, and seek to give effect to it. Submission to His will will bring us among His gathered saints.

This theme is dealt with by a beloved contributor in the following article, "Fellowship and Unity: One Lord." Profitably is pointed out the f'itility of mere lip service, without doing the will of God. But accepting Christ as Saviour, thereafter bowing to His claims as Lord, we should be baptized and added to the local church of God, which expresses in its location the doctrine of the Lord.

We mention the locality because it is needful to grasp that no one assembly (save in the instance of the church in Jerusalem for a short period) comprises the House of God. It requires "each several building, fitly framed together," to grow "into a holy temple in the Lord" (Ephesians 2.21). Some write as if the local assembly were the temple, but another contributor this month shews that the local company is part of the whol~" every building groweth into a holy temple in the Lord."

Were this precious truth of the temple or house of God grasped it would certainly alter the outlook of many of God's dear children, who plead for assembly autonomy and independence. There is such a thing as judging God's house and keeping His courts, as God said to Joshua the high priest in remnant days of old: "If thou wilt walk

in My ways, and if thou wilt keep My charge, then thou also shalt judge My house, and shalt also keep My courts, and I will give thee a place of access among these that stand by" (Zechariah 3.7).

Our attention has been drawn to a pamphlet wherein a writer refers to the Churches of God as having a system of assembly government which sets aside the Lordship of Christ in the local assemblies. They have, says he, an inter-assembly system of government not unlike the bishops and archbishops of the Church of England. To this we reply in the words of Nehemiah to Sanballat,

"There are no such things 'none as thou sayest" (6.8).

In the Scriptures, however, we see that the Holy Spirit revcals that among elders there is variety of gift, of growth and of development, and we seek to recognise such ability as is given from God to His people; for,

"A man shall be commended according to his wisdom" (Proverbs i2. 8). and,

"A man's gift maketh room for Mm" (Proverbs i8. 18).

Thus in connexion with gift and growth we read of a man having the care of one church of God (1 Timothy 3.5), and of Paul having the care of all the churches (2 Corinthians 11.28). So also we read of "chief men among the brethren" (Acts 15.22), and of " James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars" (Galatians

2.9).

In the Scriptural pattern, instead of having a bishop over a diocese, there are bishops or overseers in each assembly (see Philippians 1.1), and there are neither archbishops nor pope. We seek to follow closely the Holy Spirit's pattern which finds elders or overseers conferring firstly in the local sphere, then in their district, and in their country or countries, such conference being in keeping with that seen in Acts 15. where the principle is disclosed, not of independence or autonomy, but of subjection one to another in the fear of God.

If God's house is to be judged and His courts kept there must be those with God-given ability to judge and give counsel. We thank our God that He has given us the pattern of His house both in connexion with its structure, and its administration, and it is surely by ~onformity to this pattern tbat the Lordship of Christ is really acknowledged. Autonomous companies by their independent actions grievously deny the place the Lord should have in the rule and government of God's house.

G Prasher | Apr 1950
Editorial