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church and many little daughter
churches that have split off in dis–
agreement. Divisions splintering
off are NOT STILL IN THE CHURCH.
lt
is the CHURCH that is to marry
Christ in the resurrection at bis
coming- not disagreeing church–
es- not groups who have broken
off! Not a parent church and apos–
tate daughters. That will become
more obvious as we continue.
So notice, too, the Church con–
ducts VARIOUS OPERATIONS. For'
these in the ONE Church there are
also various ADMINISTRATIONS or
executive departments, with an
executive manager over each
department or operation (verses 4-
6). Remember, an executive ad–
ministrator DOES NOT SET POLICY
OR PROCEDURES OR DOCTRINES.
He administers-he carries out and
directs-what has been already set
from above.
Even in this world, in the United
States the President does NOT
MAKE THE LAWS. He administers
the policies as functions authorized
by Congress- enforces the laws
made by Congress. Administrators
are set in the Church merely to
supervise, direct, execute the poli–
cíes, procedures, doctrines assigned
to them from above.
The ONE Church, undivided, is
emphasized again in verse 20: "But
now are they many members, yet
BUT ONE BODY"--üNE UNDIVIDED
CHURCH! Even Goo is composed
of more than one Personage, yet
but the ONE Goo! Goo, remember,
is the divine Goo FAMILY. Those in
the Church are already begotten
sons-begotten members of that
GOD FAMILY. But not yet BORN as
GOD BEINGS!
Notice verse 25: "That there
should be no schism in the body;
but that the members should have
the same care one for another."
To administer these many opera–
tions, God-not a vote of the mem–
bers-"hath set sorne in the
church, first apostles, secondarily
prophets, thirdly teachers." Or, as
stated in more detail in Ephesians
4:11 (RSV): "And bis gifts were
that sorne should be apostles, sorne
prophets, sorne evangelists, sorne
pastors and teachers."
An apostle is "one sent forth"
with Christ's gospel message , ·
including the supervision of pro-
June
1986
claiming that message to the world
by means and persons other than
himself. Also an apostle was given
supervision over all the local con–
gregations or churches
(1
Cor.
16:1) . The apostle Paul had over–
sight over the churches of the Gen–
tile world (11 Cor. 11:28).
The prophets set in the founda–
tion of the Church are those of the
Old Testament, whose writings
were used to form a considerable
part of New Testament and gospel
teaching and function.ing. No
prophets are mentioned as having
either administrative, executive or
preaching functions in the New
Testament Church.
Evangelists were leading minis–
ters, proclaiming the gospel to the
public, even raising up local
churches and having supervision
over sorne churches under the apos–
tle. Therefore an evangelist may
hold executive functions under the
apostle in the Church headquarters
or work today. An evangelist is not
necessarily stationary. Pastors are
stationary pastors over a local
church or contingent group of local
churches. Then there were placed
in the Church teachers-not neces–
sarily preachers. Yet all ministers
and teachers are called elders in
other New Testament texts. There–
fore, in God's Church today there
are both preaching and nonpreach–
ing elders. Preaching elders pastor
local churches. Then sorne elders,
not preaching, are called local
elders in the Church today.
Temple to Whlch Chrlst Shall
Come
Now further about CHURCH ORGA–
NIZATION.
The CHURCH is the spiritual
Body of Christ- not a secular or
worldly organization, club or insti–
tution. Yet it is HIGHLY ORGA–
NIZED.
Notice how thoroughly orga–
nized: "Now therefore ye are no
more strangers and foreigners, but
fellowcitizens with the saints, and
of the household of God." Notice
the Church is a FAMILY, even as
Goo is a divine FAMILY-"the
household of God."
Continue: "And are built upon
the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself
being the chief corner stone; in
whom all the building"- the
Church is a building "fitly framed
together" (WELL ORGANIZED--all
parts joined and functioning to–
gether in harmony and team–
work)-"groweth unto an holy
temple in the Lord: in whom ye
also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spir–
it" (Eph. 2: 19-22). This scripture
plainly r_eveals the temple to which
the glorified world-ruling Christ
shall come at bis soon Second Com–
ing. There is no scripture foretell–
ing the construction of a material
temple in Jerusalem before Christ's
appearing. The 40th chapter of
Ezekiel, however, describes the
building of a temple after the
return of Christ.
The Church, then, is to grow
into a HOLY TEMPLE-the spiritual
TE-MPLE to which Christ shall
come-even as he carne to a mate–
rial temple of stone and metals and
wood the first time.
Notice further: " ... the head,
even Christ: from whom the whole
body fitly joined together"-oRGA–
NIZEo--"and compacted by that
which every joint supplieth, accord–
ing to the effectual working in the
measure of every part, maketh
increase of the body ..." (Eph.
4:15-16). Compacted means knit
together, compressed together, as
closely together as if welded
together. This shows ORGANIZED
UNITY, HARMONY! lt is commanded
that those in the Church be so
united that they "all speak the
same thing'.'
(1
Cor. 1:10).
Old Testament Israel, the Church
of the Old Testament, was also a
nation in the world- though not OF
the world as God organized it. lts
GOVERNMENT was HIERARCHICAL.
lt
was theocratic government-gov–
ernment from the top down-the
very opposite of "democracy."
The CHURCH is organized under
theocratic government, hierarchical
in form. The members do not set
officials in the Church. God sets
EVEN THE LAY MEMBERS in the
Church
(1
Cor. 12:18).
Jesus said explicitly, "No MAN
CAN come to me, except the Father
which hath sent me draw him"
(John 6:44). The world, except for
the specially called, is CUT OFF
from God!
(Continued on page 21)
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