In This Issue

• THE SILENCE OF THE LAMB
• THE AUTONOMY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH
• GOD’S PEOPLE -- THEN AND NOW
• UPCOMING GOSPEL MEETING SCHEDULE
• MORE INFORMATION...

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMB

In Matt. 27:15-26, as Jesus stood before Pilate, the Roman governor, He acknowledged Himself to be the Christ, the King of the Jews. Then He stood silently and listened as the chief priests and elders of the Jews falsely accused Him. Even when "Pilate said to Him, ‘Do You hear how many things they testify against You?" ...He answered him not one word." We recall that during the time Jesus was being questioned by the high priest, He had likewise listened silently as false witnesses spewed forth their lies. He said nothing until He was asked if He were the Christ, the Son of God. And once again, Jesus had answered in the affirmative, Matt. 26:62-64.

It is significant that 750 years earlier, the prophet Isaiah had foretold the Lord’s suffering in silence as justice was denied Him -- as the sentence of death was passed and carried out. Anyone familiar with the story of Jesus can easily recognize Him as the one Isaiah wrote about in Isaiah 53. "He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth... He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people was He stricken... He had done no violence, nor was any deceit found in His mouth" (Isa. 53:7-9).

The Ethiopian eunuch of Acts 8:27-39 was not familiar with the story of Jesus. As he was riding along in his chariot, reading from Isaiah 53 he was puzzled by the things recorded there. Philip the evangelist came up alongside the chariot and asked the eunuch if he understood what he was reading. "How can I, unless someone guides me?" he asked. "Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him." The Ethiopian responded by confessing his faith and being baptized in obedience to Christ’s gospel.

The apostle Peter also quotes from Isaiah’s marvelous prophecy, teaching Christians to learn patience, so that when we are mistreated, we may behave like our Lord before us. "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘who committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth,’ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when he suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness -- by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls" (1 Pet. 2:21-25).

--CRJ

THE AUTONOMY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

There was a time all gospel preachers at least gave lip service to the principle of congregational autonomy. For example, although I believe his practice belied his claim, Brother Lewis G. Hale wrote about 45 years ago:

We are all in agreement that each local church is separate and independent in organization from all other local churches. All of us are opposed to the destruction of autonomy. (How Churches Can Cooperate. 77)

Today many have quit even giving lip service to the principle of the independence of the local church. In a 1985 publication, How Christianity Grows In The City, Brother Alvin Jennings wrote: "To sum it up, the church, the treasury and elders will be one in the urban area. Elders will allow and encourage assemblies anywhere and everywhere that men gather in the name of Jesus. Congregational autonomy will begin to fade within the city...." (71)

(I understand Brother Jennings has now renounced this position, but this remains a correct statement of the modern International Church of Christ denomination, which began in the 70's as the "Crossroads Movement," metamorphosed to the "Boston" or "Discipling" ministry, then crystallized as the ICC.)

Although the word "autonomy" is not found in the New Testament, the principle of congregational autonomy is plainly taught there. In fact, no principle is more basic to the New Testament pattern for the organization of the church than that of the independence of the local church. The purpose of this lesson is to define congregational autonomy as taught in the New Testament.

The Word "Autonomy"

The term "autonomy" means "The quality or state of being independent, free, and self-directing; individual or group freedom."(Webster's Third New International Dictionary, unabridged, 1:148)

How Applied to Local Church

Does this principle apply to the local congregation? If so, how?

It certainly does not apply to legislative (i.e., law making) power. Christ is the only Head of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23) and its only Law Giver (James 4:12). No man or group of men may make laws and bind them on Christians as a test of fellowship, whether they act within or without the confines of the local church (cf. Galatians 2:3-5). Christians must neither draw up nor recognize human creeds or uninspired statements of faith as binding. To do so is to usurp the authority of Christ.

Rather, by "congregational autonomy" I mean that the direction of the execution of the will of Christ belongs completely within the local church and is not to be surrendered, partially or completely, to any outside control. Elders are to be appointed within each local church (Acts 14:23; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:5). These elders (also called bishops, i.e., overseers, or pastors, i.e., shepherds - Acts 20:17,28; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-2) have the oversight of the congregation of which they are members (1 Peter 5:1-2). There they rule under the authority of Christ, the Chief Shepherd (1 Timothy 5:17; 1 Peter 5:1-4). No passage of Scripture broadens their authority. The elders of the local church have no right to oversee anything other than the work of the local church where they are members. There is no authority for a congregation to allow any man, group of men, or organization outside the local church to oversee all or any part of its function.

Conclusion

I believe Brother Lewis Hale well summarized the scriptural principle of congregational autonomy: "Church autonomy includes and requires that the local church, under Christ (1) control its own resources, (2) exercise the oversight of its own work, (3) manage its own affairs, (4) discipline its own disorderly members, (5) provide for its own worthy indigent to the limit of its ability, and (6) govern itself in all matters of judgment and expediency." (Ibid)

--Keith Sharp, Meditate on These Things, Vol. 1, Number 4

GOD’S PEOPLE -- THEN AND NOW

"As for thee, son of man, the children of thy people talk of thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from Jehovah. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but do them not; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their gain. And, lo, thou are unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words, but they do them not" (Ezek. 33:30-32 A.S.V.).

When the things Ezekiel had spoken about the fall of Jerusalem came to pass (586 B.C.) the people were convinced that he was a prophet of God speaking the word of God. Thus, Ezekiel was "the talk of the town" among his people. The people praised him and encouraged others to hear him. They sat before him as God’s people and attentively heard what he had to say. His voice to them was as sweet music. They told him how much they loved him. But they went their own ways and did not do what he said.

When our Lord was upon the earth, God’s people had not changed. They treated Him just as the people had treated Ezekiel. He asked them: "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things I say?" (Luke 6:46).

Have God’s people changed? Or are they still about like they were in days gone by? It is lamentable, but nevertheless, a fact that God’s people have not made much change. Some members of the church persecute the preacher for preaching the whole truth of God unto them. But those who are usually considered to be the most faithful treat the gospel preacher about like the people treated Ezekiel and the Lord. They praise him, and sometimes even invite others to come and hear the word he preaches. They sit before him as God’s people and attentively hear what he has to say. They pat him on the back, tell him how much they love and appreciate him, and compliment him on the good sermons he is preaching. But they then go their own way and do not do what he has said.

I am sure that all gospel preachers appreciate sincere compliments, and surely all covet the love of their brethren. But to brag on the sermons preached and then make no effort to put the things taught to practice in one’s life, makes him vain and hypocritical. "Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it" (Matt. 7:26-27). "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was" (James 1:22-24).

The kind of compliment that means most to a gospel preacher, and will please the Lord, is seeing the lesson taught put into practice in the lives of his brethren. "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed" (James 1:25). Brethren, when we hear a gospel sermon preached, let us pay it the supreme compliment -- let us put it to practice in our lives.

--Jesse G. Jenkins

MORE INFORMATION...