God's Order

GOD'S ORDER

The following is intended to reflect my current understanding of God's order rather than a polished essay. God's order is reflected in His creation: gravity, day and night, the reality that the sexual union of two horses does not produce a frog but a colt. It is also reflected in God Himself: we see Jesus and the Holy Spirit praying to God the Father (Romans 8:28, 34). We don't read of the Father praying to the Son or the Spirit. His order is also to be yielded to in His kingdom. Those angels who disobeyed are “kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.” (Jude 6 ESV) And the Church is to submit to God's order also.

When one examines the epistles of Paul the apostle one finds that, excluding Hebrews as of uncertain authorship, one-third of his writings, twenty-nine of eighty-seven chapters, are written to the Corinthians. One reason for this is the unwillingness of the Corinthians to submit to God's order. Four times in 1 Corinthians, ( 4:17, 7:17, 11:16, 14:33) Paul states that what he is writing to them is his rule in all the churches. In 7:35 he says he writes to promote “good order.” At the end of a long discussion about tongues and prophecy in chapter 14 he writes, “Let all thing be done decently and in order.” Finally in Titus 1 Paul says explicitly that he has left Titus in Crete to “put what remained into order, and to appoint elders in every town...” (Titus 1:5 ESV) This shows that not having elders meant that the believers in Crete were out of God's order even as the believers in Corinth although for different reasons. So we have Paul in his apostolic role directing Titus to appoint elders who would in turn shepherd local congregations.

For many years I have advocated and taught something I referred to as “elder guided consensus.” After a lengthy time of study, prayer, discussion etc. with other believers we attempted to put this into practice. At the same time I continued to to read and study. We were hoping to avoid some of the abuses and problems that we had experienced in prior settings. I now believe that we were still missing some ingredients of the “cake.”

In God's order we see the Father as the supreme “Head.” ( 1 Cor. 11:3) Jesus submits to Him. (Cf. 1 Cor. 15:24-28) Jesus receives all authority from the Father (Matthew 28:18) and delegates some of this to the original apostolic company to establish the church. (Matt. 28:19-20, Acts 1:2) The apostles direct the affairs of the church. It is instructive to see how this is done. In Acts 1 the question arises of who should replace Judas as an apostle. Beginning in verse 15 Peter identifies the problem, references the Psalms in verse 20 and gives the solution which the church acts upon. The church of about one hundred and twenty is involved but Peter directs the process.

Similarly in Acts 6 when the problem regarding preferential treatment of the Hebrew widows arises, the twelve apostles summon the disciples, give the solution, and allow the disciples to choose the seven men indicated. Then the apostles lay hands on and pray for them. The church is involved but the apostles give direction and control the process. The apostles do not want to neglect their study of the Word. ( V. 6)

In Acts 15 the issue is one of salvation. (Verse 1) Paul and Barnabas, both apostles, and others go to Jerusalem to resolve this question. The church welcomes them but it is the apostles and the elders who gather together to discuss the matter. (V. 6) There is much debate. Peter, Paul, Barnabas and James, all apostles, are mentioned as speaking. James references the Scriptures (Amos 9:11-12) in his speech. Verse twenty-two says it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church to choose men to send back with Paul and Barnabas. The church is involved but the apostles and elders are pre-eminent, and the Scripture is the foundation for the decision as in the previous examples.

Herein lies one of the primary difficulties with “pure” consensus. It makes it far easier for things to be done without any Biblical basis. True elders are to be “able to teach,” (1 Tim. 3:2) and “holding firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and able also to rebuke those who contradict it.” (Titus 1:9) While everyone should be a workman who does not need to be ashamed (2 Tim. 2:15) that is often not the case. The examples from the book of Acts rely on apostolic direction and the Word of God rather than just a culturally acceptable view that the opinion of each individual is just as valuable as the next person's.

Many Christians today believe that there were apostles in the first century New Testament era but none since. The primary argument is that it was through the apostolic company that the NT came, with which view I concur. Since the canon of Scripture is complete there can be no more apostles or prophets. I agree that there can be none of the same order as the NT company yet I find a basis for a secondary group, who cannot add to Scriptural revelation, in Ephesians 4. Starting in verse 12 we find things that are to be done by certain gifted people- equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, building up of the body of Christ... “until” we all attain to the unity of the faith, to mature manhood, to the fullness of Christ... Have all these things happened yet? I think not. Who is to do them? Verse 11 says apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. We still believe that there are evangelists, pastors and teachers. How can we chop the verse in half and say there are no more apostles or prophets?

When I consider my past thirteen years in the house church movement, one of the greatest problems is that of isolation and inward focus. Each little independent group is relying primarily on one or two leaders to provide all the spiritual direction, teaching etc. needed for the group. I submit that we have set up our own little principalities and gotten out of God's order. In our zeal to have independence we have forsaken the input of the itinerant Ephesians 4:11 gifts, and in many cases either not established or nullified the authority of elders. As in the days of the NT we need apostolic direction and covering.

As I have been requested to write a little on the theme of “covering,” let me attempt to explain this. In Matthew 28 Jesus gives what has become known as the “Great Commission,” to make disciples. The underlying Greek word for disciple, mathetes,” means one who is a learner, which requires humility. If I am a learner it implies that someone is teaching me. I call that person a disciple-maker. I need to yield to that person's greater understanding and experience in order to grow. Do I learn everything I need to know in a few short months or even years? I don't think so.

Am I truly objective about my spiritual condition? I have run into Christians who say that they submit to Jesus only. Only the Holy Spirit tells them what to do. Based on the discussion on God's order above I question this assertion. As I have made it in the past, I believe it to be spiritual pride. I don't need anyone to tell me anything. The truth is that I do. Consider Hebrews 3:13. “Exhort one another every day as long as it is called today, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” “Aha, Rick, did you see that phrase, “one another?” That nullifies your point. I have copied out the fifty or more “one another” verses in the NT, taught on them, and attempt to practice them. I practice this with the brother whom the Lord has directed me to submit too.

Why do I submit to him? Because of the fruit I see in his life. I desire that fruit in my own life. While realizing that our gifting is different, ( 1 Cor. 12:11) I believe that there is much that God can offer me through him. I also believe that we accomplish far more if we work together in a coherent way than if each one tries to do his own thing. Take the example of a coach with a sports team. The individual players can play the game more skillfully than the coach. Yet they need his direction, ability to blend their gifts and talents together, and the vision that he sets for the team. The apostolic gifting is similar.

So the theme of covering reflects the individual disciple's relationship with someone whom he respects in the Lord, who provides direction and exhortation and even reproof and rebuke if necessary, someone who cares for him.

In summary I believe the Bible teaches God's order, which is reflected in individual discipleship, who then coalesce into churches directed by elders and overseen by apostles who work as a team with the other Ephesians 4:11 gifts.