in our government which affect both saint and sinner. Both are affected by our national affairs since both have a share in national interests. Our country must make treaties; there must be taxation and military protection and laws governing busi ness and property. So it is in the church. There are many affairs which affect all the members; I speak now only of people who are saved by grace and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. They must have guides who will take care of the work of the church. Someone must look after the building, the property, the purchases, the music, and other phases of the work. One of the most important needs is to teach the saints the Word. Therefore, those who are able and wise should be se lected for this work. Those who ad minister the Word of God must be those who know and love it. They are the teachers and God has ap pointed some to this ministry. G od ’ s C hurch H as A P lan H eb . 11:10 It is revealed in the Bible that God’s plan for every Christian is for him to become a useful servant of God in the church. Each Christian should develop the gifts given by the Spirit. Each should grow in grace, learn how to teach others so that they may be won to Christ, and learn how to live for God. The church is to have elders and deacons, pastors, evangelists and teachers. Thus the church is self-sustained through those appointed by God, and the ungodly should not be invited to participate in its operation in any way. They should be asked to hear the Word that they may be saved. We do not request people of other countries to rule the affairs of our country. We do not look for our president in England or China. We select one of our own men, a citizen of our country. So it must be in the church. Only" Christians, known for their godliness and their knowledge of God’s ways and their love for Him and His Word, should direct the af fairs of the church. This is God’s plan. T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
July 7, 1947 PR O T E S TAN T ROOTS O F D EM O CR A C Y M ic a h 4:3-7
The' Scripture teaches that all be lievers are God’s children and that all are equal in His family. There is a difference in gifts, but not a dif ference in power. No place in His Word does God give any Christian the right to rule or regulate the life of another believer, or to punish him for any reason. God’s church is an autocracy in which Christ Jesus is the Lord and Sovereign Head, and in the affairs of which the Holy Spirit operates actively. Believers should see to it that in all of their meet ings there are no bosses, or masters, but only leaders and guides to direct them in the work of the Lord. Some who know far more about God’s Word than others should counsel the younger members and the babes in Christ. God’s church consists of His children alone, and does not in clude the unsaved, who are the devil’s children. G od ’ s C hurch I s A n A utocracy L uke 6:46 God has always had an autocracy. The word of Moses and Joshua who led the people of God was final. So also David was God’s appointed leader for the people of Israel and as such was their authority. Paul too was a leader in the church with regard to its doctrines and practices and his word was final. Discipline in the church is necessary, but it should always be of a healing and constructive nature for the purpose of recovering the soul for God. Those who know the will of God from His Word should be selected by the church to be the counselors and guides in the affairs of the church. Christians will find it most difficult to direct the lives of those who are unsaved, who have no fear of God before their eyes, and who have no regard for the Word of God. The Lord Jesus and the apostles never in terfered in any way with the opera tion of the government, nor did they engage in clean-up campaigns to compel the unsaved to live right. They were too busy preaching the gospel to engage In reforms. P* 3 « Thirty
G od ’ s C hurch H as S hepherds A cts 20:28 All flocks of sheep need some one to take care 6f them. They do not need someone to beat them or to
DR. W ILSON fleece them but rather to guard them, to lead them into green pas tures, to furnish shelter for them from the storm, and to provide pro tection from their enemies. So it must be in every group; even in our national affairs we must elect and select men of ability, vision, and re sourcefulness who will direct the af fairs of our country safely and wise ly. This is the principle of democ racy. This principle does not exist in the Roman Catholic Church. The members have no word whatever in the affairs of that world-wide power. In the true church, God has raised up many shepherds for His people who care for them spiritually but do not lord it over them. G od ’ s C hurch H as T eachers E ph . 4:11 Our government does not have a course in statesmanship as some countries have, but some of our schools do offer courses in govern ment for those who aspire to such leadership. There are many things
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs