Acts 15:1-6; 19,20,22&23a; 1 And some
men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you
are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2
And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the
brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others
of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning
this issue. 3 Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, . .
4 . . . they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church
and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done
with them. 5 But certain ones of the sect of the Pharisees who had
believed, stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to
direct them to observe the Law of Moses.” 6
And the apostles and the elders came together to look into this
matter. 19 “Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble
those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but that
we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and
from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. 22 Then
it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to
choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas
called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, 23a
and they sent this letter by them, . . .”
There are those who may question the value of this study suggesting
that it has little to do with the Gospel. Yet, history teaches us that
Biblical church government is inseparably linked to maintaining the purity
of the Gospel. As goes the church; so goes the its message. Local Church
Autonomy is:
A. Predicated upon the Headship of Christ
Jesus Christ is Lord of all and is the Head of the church.
Ephesians 4:15,16; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to
grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, 16 from
whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every
joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part,
causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
That rules out any other authority over the church including Popes,
Bishops, Priests, Elders or anyone else. It is Christ and His Word alone
that is authoritative in all matters of faith and conduct. Cf Colossians
1:17,18; 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold
together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the
beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to
have first place in everything. No church is made
responsible for another — each is an autonomous unit.
B. It is Necessitated by Christ’s Teaching
Matthew 15:17a “And if he refuses to listen
to them, tell it to the church; . . .”
Matthew 15:17b “ . . . and if he refuses to
listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a
tax-gatherer.”
Matthew 15:18 “Truly I say to you, whatever
you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose
on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
C. It is Demonstrated by Apostolic Practice
The Church ascertains . . .
- Its Own Organization Acts 6:3 “But select
from among you brethren, seven
men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may
put in charge of this task.
- Its Own Propagation Acts 13:1a-4; 1a
“Now
there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and
teachers . . .” 2 And while they were ministering to the Lord
and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, when they
had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to
Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus.” This is God’s
Missionary Program! It originated by a local church and it culminated in
planting a local church. Acts 19:23 And when they had appointed
elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they
commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”
- Its Own Defense Acts 15:1-23
This
portion of Scripture is known as the Jerusalem Council. Note that the
messengers were sent by the Antioch Church and received by the Jerusalem
Church. Never did they rule over the churches — but rather conferred
together in settling doctrinal disputes. The Apostles could have “ruled”
on the matter but God had them teach the churches how to interact while
preserving the autonomy of each church.
- Messenger were sent by the church in Antioch
vs. 2 & 3 "the brethren determined
that Paul and Barnabas and certain others
of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders
concerning this issue. 3 Therefore, being sent on their way
by the church, . ."
- Messengers were received by the church in Jerusalem
vs. 4 " . . . they arrived at Jerusalem, they were
received by the church and the apostles and the elders, "
- The Church in Jerusalem accepted the Report of the
Messengers vs. 22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and
the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to
send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas called Barsabbas, and
Silas, leading men among the brethren,
What a blessing to be a part of one of God’s local churches here at GFBC.
What about you, my friend?
God has provided the
means for you to be saved, baptized and be a part of His New Testament
Local Church ministry -- He gave His Son to intercede; all we have to do is confess our sin, ask for His forgiveness
and call upon Him to save us from the guilt and penalty of sin.
2nd Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin
on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
If you have never entrusted your life to Him, why not come to Him today
for Salvation. That's the first order of business.
"And
there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven
that has been given among men, by which we must be
saved." Acts
4:12
Please contact
us if you sense your need to come to Him. We can help. (Just
click on "contact us.")
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