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Church of God Government |
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By the Late Raymond S. Jackson Pastor, Evangelist Detroit, MI |
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Key Verse: And God hath some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 1 Cor. 12:28
Question: Are creeds and disciplines of men essential to church government?
I. Christ Himself bears the responsibility of governing God’s Church. Isaiah 9:6 Colossians 1:18
II. Some outstanding features of church of God government—Isaiah 9:6 A. Progressive B. Peaceable C. Perpetual D. Orderly E. Just
III. The constitution by which the church of God is governed. Matthew 16:18 2 Timothy 3:16-18
IV. The church shares with God in the execution of church government. A. 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 B. Some Old Testament examples: 1. Exodus 18:13-27 2. Joshua 7:24 3. Deuteronomy 1:16-18
V. Judgment must be rendered according to the nature of the offenses. A. Private offenses: 1. Matthew 18:15-18 2. Luke 17:3-5 B. Offenses against the church: 1. 1 Corinthians 5:19-13 2. Galatians 6:1 3. James 5:19-20 4. 2 Thessalonians 3:10-15 C. Offenses of a public nature 1. 1 Timothy 5:20 2. Galatians 2: 2:11-14 VI. Relevant statements concerning government A. “Men well governed should seek after no other liberty, for there can be no greater liberty than good government.” --Sir Walter Raleigh B. “The best of all government is that which teaches us to govern ourselves.” --Goethe C. “Government is not mere advice; it is authority, with power to enforce its laws.” --George Washington D. “All good government must begin in the home, for it is useless to make good laws for bad people.” --H. R. Hawers E. “Society is well governed when the people obey the leaders and the leaders obey the law.” --Salon F. “For forms of government let fools contest; that which is best administered, is best.” --Alexander Pope
The Church as an Organism
The importance of this concept. It has been mentioned previously that the church is an organism rather than an organization. . . . The basic difference in an organism and an organization is that the former has life, or lives, whereas the latter does not have life and does not live. . . .
An organism is more than an organization. Yes, an organism has organization. It does have parts that are related to one another. But it is more than an organization. Man is able to produce an artificial rose that looks identical to a rose that has life. Both roses have organization, but only the living rose is an organism. Man organized the artificial rose. He brought certain inanimate substances into a relationship with one another to produce an object closely resembling a rose. But man did not organize the real rose. It developed because of a vital force from within that naturally found expression in the beautiful flower we call the rose. Man may assist in the growth or development of a rose, but he cannot organize one. Any rose he organizes will be artificial. So it is with the church. Man can assist in the growth of the true church, but he cannot organize it. If he does organize a church, it will be an artificial representation of the real church, but artificial none the less.
The church has life: it lives. The foremost difference in an organism and an organization is that the organism has life. The life the church possesses is eternal life. Jesus was the gift of God to enable those who believe “into” (the Greek eis is properly translated “into”) Him might have everlasting (eternal) life (John 3:16) . . . .
Organization. Everything that lives has organization, but the cells and organs of a living subject have a different kind of relationship to the organization of inanimate objects. The church is divinely organized through the activity of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13). The church lives like a human body (1 Cor. 12:4-30), or like a vine (John 15:1-8).
Everett I. Carver, The Body of Christ—The Church pp. 40-42
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