Churches Of God As One Thing

by F. McCormick | Category: Churches Of God - Their Constitution And Functions | Apr 1951

In last month's issue the subject of "the first church of God" was clearly set forth, and now we wish to emphasize the importance of getting a right understanding of the constitution and position of the early churches as joined in one thing. We have to face the fact, that to-day we are surrounded by a multiplicity of sects in Christendom of all shades of belief. It is well that our readers should appreciate God's estimation of such. They are declared to be among the works of the flesh, " heresies," or sects, parties (R.V.M., Galatians 5.20). Such come into existence as the result of human choice, the setting up of the human will in opposition to the divine, choosing this, and rejecting that, formulating their doctrines and practices oftentimes to suit a man, or body of men. Whatever system of religious organisation is found outside the scope of the divine will, as revealed in the New Testament Scriptures regarding the church and churches of God, must of necessity be a sect. It could not be otherwise, for the will of God must be the scriptural standard for all without deviation. The Lord never gave discretionary powers to either apostles or prophets, much less to modern church dignitaries or councils, to alter that teaching given through the Holy Spirit relative to the collective gathering of His people. Let all children of God be guided solely by the Scriptures, and such are bound to find their place in a church of God, the pattern of which is so clearly set forth in Acts 2. 41, 42.

It is important to note that on the day of Pentecost two things were commenced in the divine purpose

(1)The building of the Church which is His Body according to Matthew 16. 18, "Upon this Rock I will build My Church." When the Lord was glorified (see John 7. 39), He poured forth the Holy Spirit (Acts 2. 33), and "in one Spirit were we all baptized into one Body" (1 Corinthians 12.13). This is a perfect and eternal oneness which nothing can destroy, and includes all believers from Pentecost to His coming again.

(2)The commencement of a divine unity of disciples on earth in testimony, acknowledging the Lordship of Christ, and subjecting themselves to His authority. Such a company of obedient disciples, together according to His will, is called the church of God.

A church of God does not come into existence by a number of believers, even baptized believers, coming together by arrangement, and formulating acceptable doctrines and church organization.

A church of God can only come into being as the result of obedience to the call of God, and simultaneously such persons are called into "the Fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (1 Corinthians 1.9). The extent of the Fellowship is governed by the numbers of Churches in the aggregate. The church of God in Jerusalem was in its commencement the extent of the Fellowship; but as the message of the gospel went forth, and churches were multiplied, we read of "The churches of God which are in Judea "(1 Thessalonians 2.14).

"The churches of Galatia" (Galatians 1.2).

"The churches of Macedonia" (2 Corinthians 8.1).

"The seven churches which are in Asia" (Revelation 1.4).

As the number of churches increased, so the Fellowship extended. There are many churches, but only ONE FELLOWSHIP, one community of persons, in one thing for God upon the earth. We never read of Fellowships (plural). The Apostle writes, "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth .... with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours."

All these in every church, everywhere, are included in the words, "God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the Fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord " (1 Corinthians 1.2, 9).

They had all received a call to "Come out" (2 Corinthians 6.17) and also a call into that partnership of (not with) His Son, wherein all are subject to "ONE LORD" (Ephesians 4.5). "Their Lord and ours." It is important to note that in Scripture there is no independency of churches. All are bound together in one Fellowship. The call of God into the Fellowship can only be effected by reception into a church of God. Consequently there is a "within" and a "without" to the Fellowship. The person "put away" from the church of God in Corinth was therefore put away from all churches of God who together formed the one Fellowship (1 Corinthians 5.12, 13, with ch. 1. 2). This pattern of teaching is entirely foreign to many claiming to be gathered as Christians. "He that hath an ear to hear let him hear."

Further, the oneness of churches acting together is seen in such scriptures as 2 Corinthians 8., 9.

(a)In regard to the contribution of the churches (8. 1).

(b)The ministry of the gospel " through all the churches (v.18).

(c)"The brother .... appointed by the churches " (v. 19).

(d)" The messengers of the churches " (v. 23).

(e)" Shew ye therefore unto them in the face of the churches (v.24).

These references breathe a unity which is of God, the oneness of the churches in fulfilling their mutual responsibilities in ONE THING.

We have seen that "the Fellowship" commenced at the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. At the command of the Lord there was found that day an obedient and waiting people. Into this unity already prepared the Spirit came, and thus it became a living, recognized entity, designed according to His purpose, that herein, His will may be done on earth, "Of His Son" as to both origin, and purpose. "The Fellowship" is therefore an active, living unity of obedient disciples of the Lord, together at the call of God, in churches of God everywhere.

ONE HOUSE.

The churches of God are further seen collectively together as "the house of God." God has not many houses on earth, but one. Never, past, present, or future, has God designed to have more than one dwelling place on earth at the same time.

In this dispensation, God's house is a spiritual house, composed of living stones, such as have tasted that the Lord is gracious. This spiritual house is not something invisible, it is a visible unity of spiritual persons together as God's dwelling place on earth. It is not an intangible, undefinable thing which some imagine. It is composed of persons who have recognized God's claims upon them and are obedient thereto. "If any man thinketh himself to be ... spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 14.87). Spiritual men are those who compare spiritual things with spiritual, accept the truth of the God-breathed Scriptures, and seek to do it, such as have purified their souls by their " obedience to the truth" (1 Peter i. 14, 22). God's house is spoken of as being "the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy a. 15).

Scattered stones cannot form a house, they need to be builded together. In the New Testament, the great Architect of the universe, and of the Tabernacle and Temple, has given the pattern of His present habitation. Each church of God is a building. "Ye are... God's building" (1 Corinthians 3.9). These churches were joined together as one temple, one house. "In whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord" (Ephesians 2.21).

Individuals find a place in God's house by addition to a church of God (Acts 2.41, 42), and the churches of God in the aggregate form the house of God. "Whose house are we if we hold fast" (Hebrews 3.6). In God's house a right standard of behaviour must be observed, and God has designed that rule, and order shall be maintained by overseers fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit for this work (Acts 20.28; 1 Timothy 3.1-7), and saints are to adopt a right attitude thereto (Hebrews 13.17). The principle of Acts 15. is important as shewing the correct way of dealing with doctrinal and practical matters which affect the whole.

ONE FLOCK.

Scattered sheep are not a flock - gathered sheep are, and such are seen as being under the care of one Shepherd. The Lord Jesus said, "They shall hear My voice ; and they shall become one flock, one Shepherd" (John 10.16). He is the Chief Shepherd, and under Him are those who are entrusted with the care of the sheep in their allotted" charges, in churches of God.

Peter, writing to the elders in the five provinces, enumerated in 1 Peter 1.1, bids them "Tend the flock of God which is among you ... willingly .... according unto God" (1 Peter 5.1-4). There is only one Flock, and the flock spoken of here includes the churches of Galatia and of Asia. The total area of these five provinces is estimated to be about 224,000 square miles, yet there is only one elderhood, Peter himself being a "fellow elder." The flock of God among them was only part of a greater whole, as may be gleaned from the words " Ye also " (1 Peter 2. 5). " Ye also " of the five provinces, along with others, are built up a spiritual house. Compare 1 Peter 1.2, " Elect unto obedience," with ch. 5.13, " Elect together with you," which indicates that they belonged to a larger thing than is seen in the five provinces. The word " tend " in 1 Peter 5.2, Acts 20.28, is the same word as "rule" in Revelation 2.27, 19.15, and involves a work of feeding, caring, tending, ruling for God among His together people. To observe these scriptures is the only way given by God for the blessing and ordering of His people. This is no human device of man's appointing. If any would refute the truth of the elderhood, let them carefully consider Acts 20. 28, 1 Thessalonians 5.12, 1 Peter 5.1-4, Hebrews 13. 7, 17, 1 Timothy 3.1-7, 5.17. "As for God, His way is perfect" (Psalm 18.80).

ONE KINGDOM.

The kingdom of God is the expression of divine rule among His together people. In a kingdom there must be a ruler, and subjects who are responsible to honour their ruler by obedience to his laws. In the past God's kingdom was entrusted to His people Israel. They failed, were disobedient, " teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men", becoming a shame and disgrace to the worthy name of Him who chose and called them, and thus brought forth no fruit for His pleasure (compare Isaiah 5.2, 4; Matthew 21.48). The kingdom of God is therefore committed to another nation, "a holy nation " (1 Peter 2.9), a nation of divine choice and constitution, responsible to respond to the laws of the kingdom. We believe the Lord Jesus had this in view, when, after His resurrection, He "appeared unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking unto them the things concerning the kingdom of God" (Acts 1. 8). These teachings were embodied in "the apostles' teaching" and became part of "the Faith " once for all delivered to the saints.

When Philip preached "good tidings concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized; both men and women" (Acts 8.12). In Acts 14.22, the disciples are exhorted "to continue in the Faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God." Obedience to "the Faith" involves a pathway of suffering; but we must press on through these sufferings to our possession and expression of the kingdom of God. It is a forward and continuous movement in the doing of the will of God upon earth.

John writes, "I, John, your brother and partaker with you in the tribulation and kingdom and patience which are in Jesus" (Revelation 1.9). He was a partaker with them in a "kingdom" and this implies that the seven churches to whom he was writing were together in a kingdom. "And He made us .... a kingdom" (verse 6).

He who is destined to be the future " Ruler of the kings of the earth" is their Ruler, and is seen as Son over God's house walking in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. While these churches had their own peculiar responsibilities in their own locality, they were all linked together in one thing, subject to one Lord, in one kingdom. One book was sent to the seven churches (verse 11). The Spirit's message to each, was the message to all the churches. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches" (Revelation 2.7, 11, 17, 29; 3.6, 18, 22).

All the churches of God everywhere are in "the kingdom" which they collectively express. One nation, One kingdom, the keynote of this kingdom is obedience. The churches of God together express that unity in their separated position, and manifest obedience to the claims of the Lordship of Christ, and they only are in that position where the power of that kingdom can operate. "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power" (1 Corinthians 4.20). That power is seen in the operation of God's law relative to immorality in the church of God in Corinth, and collective action in excommunicating such a person is enjoined upon the church (1 Corinthians 5.12, 13). From this we see that the laws of the kingdom operate in, and through, the churches of God.

We have pointed our readers to that oneness and unity of the churches of God upon earth. For this manifest unity of obedient disciples, the Lord prayed, "That they may all be one .... that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me." "That they may be perfected into one." "Sanctify them in the truth" (John 17.17-23). Let those who think lightly of these issues remember that for this oneness He prayed, and for this oneness He died, "That He might also gather together into one the children of God that are scattered abroad" (John 11.52). One Fellowship, one house, one flock, one kingdom, one baptism, one faith, one Lord.

F. McCormick | Apr 1951
Churches Of God - Their Constitution And Functions