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Pilot that he would have no authority f it weren't from God, John 19:11. In the church we are set aside for the work of service by other men but our acts of service such as evangelism or leadership are not because some person gave us that authority but because Jesus Christ said "I have been given all authority." By His word we perform the duties He has assigned to us. He said in John 5:19 "truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner."
He has placed people in key positions in the church to be servant/leaders of the church. These key individuals are to build up the church by equipping their fellow servants; Eph 4:11-13, so they likewise may serve when they are prepared. Unlike the other forms of authority, the church must love the individual as much as it loves the group, I Peter 2:17 & I John 2:9-10. The overseers are to watch over the flock with great love and care, not as an overbearing foreman might, I Peter 5:23 & Ezek. 34:1-5. He is to manage the church, keeping order as a loving father does his children, I Tim. 3:4. The good father loves his children all-together and each one separately. We're not talking about what type of discipline they each get here. Although discipline in the church is important, we would not discipline an adult church member of the congregation as a father would discipline his children.
The preacher/ evangelists, similar to the apostles of old, are placed for the establishment of the church. Much as a prophet of old, he speaks teaching the truth of the word of God, leaving opinion for others as seen in II Tim. 2:23. He searches for souls who will obey the commands of Christ. The apostle Paul instructed Timothy to love others in I Timothy 1:5. Preachers are to love all and preach the gospel to all.
All Christians, and especially the leaders, should be looking for ways to do as Jesus would do because the Father in heaven would do it. There should be no oppressive form of government in the church as is often the case in many of our examples in the world. The church should not be in that kind of relationship such as a foreman to worker or as governments to their citizens. The church is the bride of Christ, Rev. 21:9. Among other things the husband and bride relationship have these qualities: 1. Jesus said, the husband and his bride are said to be "one" when they come together. Christ and His bride the church are to be one. 2. The bride usually takes the husband's name. Likewise the church, the bride, must take the name of Christ. 3. The bride is to submit to the husband's authority. The bride of Christ must also submit to the authority of Christ. 4. The husband is to love his bride and be willing to die for her. Jesus Christ has already died for His bride.
There should be no type of authority that promotes survival of the fittest. All who have obeyed have been adopted as sons and daughters of God, Gal. 4:3-5. There should be no heavy-handed government in authority over the church. We each have been given an inheritance in the Kingdom, Eph. 1:11. Heirs are usually family members that have been named in a will to inherit either a throne or some type of financial endowment from their older relative. So with those who have been adopted by God through Jesus Christ. We will inherit a kingdom with Christ.
God gave Jesus the authority because He loves us, we must, therefore, interact with each other as outlined in the word of God. Those in leadership are not out of reach of other Christian members, Mat. 18:15-17. Preachers, elders and even deacons can and should be scrutinized for any error of doctrine or personal life. We are all to be accountable to each other. No one person or small group holds the key to truth, church discipline, evangelism, unity or division. In this New Testament time there is no such thing as clergy or laity. "All are one in Christ Jesus." We all hold the keys to the salvation of the lost. It is the word of God; Acts 13:26, I Pet. 2:2. We all must use the keys (God's word) as often as we can, reaching out, with the love of Christ, to others.
There is an old saying, "Use things not people, love people not things." However you say it, the church was established to save the lost. That means we have to help the hurting. We don't use, abuse or shun those who
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