The Church, Its Ministry, and the Doctrines Taught
We have seen in the Acts that the Church, or assembly of God, as distinct from the Jew and the Gentile, and yet composed of both, began on the day of Pentecost by the descent of the Holy Spirit; and that all through the Acts, all that were converted were added to that one and only Church. Every local assembly, as Jerusalem, Antioch, Thessalonica, etc., formed the one assembly of God. These were gathered out of the world from Judaism or heathenism—they were not of the world, but formed a new company, by the Holy Spirit. And there never had been such a company before. There had been individual believers, as Noah, Abraham, etc. There had been a nation in a certain relation to Jehovah, as Israel. But the Church was not a nation, but all the saved ones out of the nations.
What then is this new company thus formed by the Holy Spirit? In the Romans there is very little said on this; the Church is not its theme, but the righteousness of God is the great subject of that epistle—man before God, and how God is righteous in justifying them that believe. We do however learn this, that “as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another” (Rom. 12:4-54For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. (Romans 12:4‑5)). And then all gifts, service, and work is in accord with this entirely new position. This “one body” is IN Christ—every member of the one body is in Christ.
Now this could not be, as He tells us, until the grain of wheat had died. Until His death and resurrection He must remain alone (John 12:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)). The believer is in Christ who has died and forever put away his sins, and condemned his sin, and is now risen from the dead and ascended on high. The ONE BODY of Christ is in Christ as risen from the dead. We are to minister to one another as members of the glorified Christ in heaven. We are to walk on earth as those who are risen with and now in Christ on high. We shall see more of this ONE BODY in other epistles. What a subject! And yet men can despise and even deride it. Such seem to be given up to judicial blindness.
We are also told that the mystery was kept secret since the world began (Rom. 16:2525Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, (Romans 16:25)). And this is a fact, that there is not one word in the Old Testament about this “one body in Christ.” Now that it is revealed in the New Testament scriptures, we may see figures of it in the Old, as Eve was the one wife of Adam. And it would seem that since the first days of the Church until these last days, the mystery of the “one body in Christ” has been almost lost. And many believers even now have no idea what the Church, the one body, is.
Many have a strange thought, that all sects form the one true Church. But are all sects in Christ? Are all the millions of the Greek, Roman, and Protestant sects in Christ, risen from the dead and glorified? Are all these without condemnation, in Christ? No man would venture to say so.
But may there not be some individuals in all sects or divisions of Christendom, in Christ? Surely this may be so.
Then are not those individuals, if in Christ, justified from all things? Do not they form the one body in Christ? They do; that is the very thing I want to show clearer. Thus, if the reader is in Christ, risen from the dead, he is a member of the one body, in Christ. But though he may be a pope, cardinal, archbishop, clergyman, or minister of any so-called church, yet if he is not in Christ risen, he has no more to say to the one body of Christ, or the true Church of God, than a Mohammedan. But if that be so, it is of very little value to belong to any of the so-called churches — Greek, Roman, etc. Just so. The question is this, not are you in the church of Rome, or the church of England, but are you in Christ?
And it does seem to me an important question, Does the Lord approve of my belonging to any division of Christendom? We shall find an answer to that question in 1 Corinthians 1-3. You will notice this epistle is addressed to the true Church of God, and also shows the responsibility of all who profess the name of Christ. And do not forget the test —the only test—in Christ.
“Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints [or, saints by calling], with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” 1 Cor. 1:22Unto 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: (1 Corinthians 1:2). The Church of God is composed then of those who are separated from the world, sanctified IN CHRIST JESUS; and all who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus are responsible to hear. If then you are not sanctified in Christ Jesus, if you are not holy as in Him by calling, you have no part in the Church of God, the one body, in Christ.
God permitted sectarianism to begin in those first years, so that He might speak His mind by the Holy Spirit on the subject. “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions [or schisms] among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.... And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal even as unto babes in Christ.... For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (1 Cor. 1:10; 3:1, 310Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (1 Corinthians 1:10)
1And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:1)
3For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (1 Corinthians 3:3). See the whole context). Thus we may even boast that we do the very thing that God in His Word condemns. Did you never meet a man that boasted that he belonged to the Church of Rome, or of England, or some other division? God says, I beseech you that you do not.
If we really know what the one body of Christ is, and that we are in Christ, in the one body, we really could not belong to any other body, be it Roman, or Protestant. The Lord restore this great truth to our souls more clearly. If the fact of divisions proves even Christians to be in a carnal or natural state, acting as men of the world, and forming schools of philosophy, and, as we have seen, all this is thoroughly disapproved of by the Holy Spirit, then, for the comfort of every believer in Christ, does the same Word of God settle the question—that each and all believers in Christ form the one body of Christ. To put it still a little plainer, as God disapproves of all divisions, they cannot, as supposed, form the true Church, or one body in Christ. Can I then, if I am in the risen Christ, be assured that I am a member of the one only true body of Christ?
Let us hear the answer. “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit ARE WE ALL baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:1212For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12) to end). If then you are in Christ risen and glorified, you are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the one body of Christ. This is a stupendous truth, and if known, error will drop off like autumn leaves.
Let us now pass on to the Epistle to the Ephesians. In chapter 1:1-18 we have the purpose of God; chapter 1:19 to end, and chapter 2, how that purpose has been accomplished. In chapter 3, the administration of that ministry committed to Paul; chapter 4, the Church, the body of Christ; chapter 5, the Church as the bride of Christ.
But mark again how all this is limited to those only in Christ, to the faithful in Christ (chap. 1:1). They are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. They were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world (vs. 4). God predestinated them unto the adoption of children unto Himself. It was His good pleasure, His delight, to have them to Himself. In Christ the Beloved, they are brought into favor. God said, as it were, I will have them in the same favor as My beloved Son. In Him they have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Yes, this was our God's eternal purpose, and such is every saint in Christ. God accomplished this purpose by raising up His beloved Son from among the dead, and set Him, as Son of man, the new risen Man, at His own right hand in the heavenlies, not now as Messiah on earth, but far above all principality and power. And all this as Head over all things to the Church, which is His body, “the fullness of Him that filleth all in all” (chap: 1:18-23).
Then is revealed to us the riches of His grace in taking us poor sinners, dead in trespasses and sins, and, in pure love, grace, free favor, giving to us, whether Jews or Gentiles, the very same place as His beloved Son, “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” All this is far beyond anything ever made known or promised before. Thus in the Church, all distinction between Jew and Gentile was broken down; peace was made by the blood of the cross, and peace preached to all both far and near. Oh, the depths of His mercy, the riches of His grace!
The assembly—all who are in Christ—are the true saints of God, “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.” Have we been raised from the dead with Christ? If not, we are not stones in this heavenly building. Thus it is nothing to be members of man's churches, but everything to be in Christ.
Now the administration and revelation of this mystery was given to Paul (chap. 3). It was hid from ages, and never made known: “That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel.”
This did sorely perplex the Jews, and fill them with hatred to Paul. It perplexed them, because every promise in the Old Testament, the Word of God, gave them a distinct place in the time of the kingdom—the coming time of the earth's blessedness. They knew not of this period of mystery while their Messiah is cut off and has nothing.
Every word to them as a nation shall surely be fulfilled, but in its time, not now. It wounded their pride to hear that there was no distinction—that in the boundless grace of God, beyond all thought, Jew and Gentile formed the one new joint body of Christ. “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church [assembly] the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” What must the Church be in the sight of God, and in the sight of all angelic hosts! Is there any wonder that Satan should seek to deface it with all the divisions of Christendom?
Now Paul had very fully put before them what it is to be in Christ risen from the dead. Without this no soul is a member of the “one body in Christ.” But there is another thing equally important, and without which we cannot comprehend this wondrous purpose of God. For this he prays.
Our being in Christ is evidently all of God. And it is to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ that Paul prays in Ephesians 1:1717That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: (Ephesians 1:17). Now he bows his knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He longs that we may comprehend the subject before us; therefore he prays unto the Father, knowing the delight that the Father has in Christ and in us. He prays “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory.” The glory given unto His Son, and unto us (see John 17:2222And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: (John 17:22)). According to this glory, that we might be “strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height.”
So great is this mystery, this eternal purpose of God as to the Church, that it is not enough to know what Christ has done for us, and what it is to be in Him risen from the dead; we need also to be strengthened with the Spirit, that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith. We are lost in the infinity of the purpose of God. “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Oh, think of this amazing place of privilege! the risen Man in the glory of God. “And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence.”
Colossians 1:1818And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18). It pleased the fullness to dwell in Him. “For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power” (Col. 2:9-109For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Colossians 2:9‑10)). And we are in Him, and He dwells in our hearts by faith. And all is grounded in love, the love of Christ, unclouded and unchanging, filled with all the fullness of God. Well might the Apostle bend the knee to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that we might comprehend all this. “Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages”—to the ages of ages.
Such was and is the Church. “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” Yes, every believer in Christ, in every land. He may be down in some dark mine, or in some ship far away at sea, on a distant island, or in the center of a continent; he may know it or not, yet it is true. “So we, being many, are one body in Christ.” And just as with the human body, if members of the body joined to the head, we are members one of another. What a strange mistake to suppose that all sects compose this one body. We must see that it is only those who are in Christ. And mark, Christ is in heaven; the Church, then, His body, is not an earthly society, but joined to Him in heaven, though as to our persons, we are on earth. A heavenly people on earth, but our politics are in heaven; and we are waiting for Him to come and take us there. Paul was a prisoner of the Lord for this very truth; had he circumcised the heathen who believed, and thus incorporated them with the national system of Israel, the offense of the cross would have ceased.
But according to the eternal purpose of God, the Church is separated from every worldly thing unto Himself. It is one, and its absolute unity excludes every imitation or competition. Is it a light matter to be treated with indifference? Paul says, “I...beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love.” Mark, it is not a question of mere agreement in opinion, but the entire state of soul-lowliness, meekness, long-suffering, forbearance. Lord, give us more of this. It is not a human organization, but “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” How important then to be quite sure that the unity we are seeking to keep is the unity of the Spirit. How am I to know this? What are the marks, the facts? These are the facts, the marks, the circles of unity:
“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling” (Eph. 4:44There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:4)). One body excludes the idea of many Christian bodies, just as one Spirit excludes the idea of many Holy Spirits. The idea is repugnant in either case to Scripture. There is one body; we have not to make it; it is formed; it exists. How this has been forgotten! This one body is the first circle. “One body in Christ,” as we have seen.
Then, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” “One Lord” excludes the many lords of the heathen. “One faith” excludes all schools of mere human thought. “One baptism” excludes the many baptisms of the law. The believer professed discipleship to the one Lord by one baptism.
“One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” The unity of the Godhead excludes all idolatry. One Father excludes all so-called holy fathers, and what need of them? How Satan has sought, by the help of men, to deface and to deny the unity during the dark ages of departure from the truth as held in the first years of the Church. But does not the truth remain the same? Do not the facts remain the same? We must remember that these three circles of unity refer to the true Church of God as seen in the beginning.
Can the eternal purpose of God fail or change, as to the Church? Can the love of Christ cease to His Church? “Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:25-2725Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25‑27)). If you are in Christ, all this is certain to you as a member of His body, the Church. Is it not most blessed? Though all unworthy in yourself, yet in Christ you are the object of the Father's love, even as Christ—the unchanging object also of the love of Christ.
Just think, you are part of Himself, member of His body, the Church, for which He gave Himself to die, ever applying the water of the word. He says, “I come quickly.” As Eve was presented to Adam, the figure of Him that was to come, so surely shall the Church, the heavenly Eve, be presented to Christ.
We will now inquire a little more fully as to what was the Christian ministry in the first years of the Church. We know how men are educated and ordained by men now for the various churches of men. Was it so in the beginning? Assuredly not, for there were no such churches then. There was the one body of Christ, the Church. And we may now look at Ephesians 4, as to the ministry Christ gave for HIS Church. Verse 8 is a quotation from Psalm 68:1818Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. (Psalm 68:18). And this is the ascension of Christ as man, victorious over the enemy. Hence, in the psalm it is, “Thou hast received gifts in the man” (margin). That is, Christ has received gifts as man, having accomplished redemption and ascended up on high, so that true Christian ministry dates from the ascension of Christ. That poor rebellious sinners can thus be used of Christ, is a proof of the complete efficacy of His redemption work. As man on this earth, He descended into death and the grave for us; and now, as ascended in victory over Satan and sin and death, He gave gifts in men.
Individuals are His gifts. “And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” These are not the sign-gifts of the Holy Spirit, but permanent gifts for the growth and edification of the body, the Church. The apostles and prophets remain in their inspired writings, and, revelation being completed, we need no more.
There are two distinct gifts which remain and are needed: the evangelist for the conversion of sinners, and adding to the building; and the pastor and teacher, which would mostly be the same gift, for building up, feeding, and nurturing the body of Christ as here below. These are the abiding gifts of Christ, but not for any denomination or national organization, but “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” And not only this ministry, but that ministry was so exercised that we “speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
Such then was ministry in the beginning. If a man was a gift from the ascended Christ, he was a gift for the body of Christ wherever he was. This did not hinder, but help, and give opportunity for the manifestation of the Spirit to be given to every man in the assembly used by Him. “Dividing to every man severally as He will.” (Read 1 Cor. 12.) The Spirit does not now work by the gifts of healing and miracles, which were for signs and witness in the beginning; but all that is needed for the increase and edifying of the body of Christ remains. We have seen the specimen of Church order and ministry in Acts 13. Let us then remember that the same Holy Spirit still remains to the end. He is as really present now as then, but we do not own Him—imperceptibly man takes His place, and some Christians are not ashamed to elect a president to take the very place of the Lord and of the Holy Spirit. Who can conceive the loss this is to modern Christendom. Some are so ignorant of His real presence on earth, that they pray for Him to come; others regard Him only as an influence. But how few own Him as acting here for the Lord, who is as truly present and acting by the Spirit, as if we saw Him?
It may be asked, But if confusion comes in, and many are found to speak to no profit, must we not have order, and appoint a minister over the local assembly, so as to avoid confusion? Is not all this fully anticipated? What will not man abuse? Very early in the first years, this very confusion did actually come in at Corinth. Did the Holy Spirit appoint a minister over that assembly to correct the confusion? Never. No, the same order that we see in Acts 13:1-41Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. (Acts 13:1‑4) is directed to be carried out: “Let the prophets [such as speak to edification] speak two or three, and let the other judge....For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted” (1 Cor. 14:29-3129Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. 30If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 31For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. (1 Corinthians 14:29‑31)). And Paul regards these things which he thus writes, as “the commandments of the Lord.” Now if this was the order of ministry and worship alone pleasing to the Lord, the very order He set up by the Holy Spirit in the first years, has He ever altered His mind for the Church?
We must admit that episcopacy, or a man-elected minister over an assembly, is the very opposite of the order of ministry here described in the beginning. Then when afterward did Christ set up that episcopacy, or one-man ministry? Can a single text be found for it in the New Testament? Is it not a great mistake? Is there any wonder then that much of what men call the Christian ministry is leading the Church to idolatry and infidelity? Can that be Christian ministry which is not of Christ? The Lord lead us back to His Word!