"For I am jealous over you with a G.o.dly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." 2 Cor. 11:2. Paul addresses this letter to the church of G.o.d at Corinth. 2 Cor. 1:1. He presents this church as a chaste virgin to her one husband, even Christ.
John in conversation with an angel from heaven was bid to "come hither,"
and he would be shown the bride the Lamb"s wife; and behold he was shown that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from G.o.d, having the glory of G.o.d: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. Rev. 21:9-11. This is beautiful descriptive language. This holy city Jerusalem, clear as crystal, is
The pure and holy virgin bride, The spotless church for which Christ died.
"I am my beloved"s, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies."
S. of Sol. 6:3.
The Foundation Of The Church.
"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 3:11. "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone." Eph.
2:20.
A quotation here from the Old Testament will only add strength and beauty to this subject: "Therefore thus saith the Lord G.o.d, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation." Isa. 28:16.
G.o.d here gives promise of establishing Zion-the church-upon a sure foundation; namely, Christ in the great salvation day.
The Kingdom Of G.o.d.
Frequent reference is made throughout the New Testament to the "kingdom of G.o.d" and the "kingdom of heaven." When the "G.o.d which is in heaven" was "revealing the deep and secret things" unto Daniel concerning Nebuchadnezzar"s dream, he also revealed unto him that in the days of those kings he would set up a kingdom which should never be destroyed, consequently would stand forever. Dan. 2:44.
When John, the swift herald of the gospel day, came preaching, he said: "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Mat. 3:2. The first words in the ministry of the Son of G.o.d were, "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Mat. 4:17. The kingdom which Daniel saw was to be set up. Great was the speculation throughout Jewry concerning the kingdom of G.o.d in John"s days. They were expecting a kingdom to excel in temporal pomp and glory the grandeur of the kingdom of the Caesars. The Savior in conversation with some Pharisees on one occasion astonished them by saying, "The kingdom of G.o.d cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of G.o.d is within you." Luke 17:20, 21.
Jesus one night explained to a ruler of the Jews how to enter this kingdom. He said, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of G.o.d." John 3:5. Again he says, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Mat. 18:3. The inspired apostle in Rom. 14:17 explains the nature of this kingdom: "For the kingdom of G.o.d is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." In the process of the mysterious birth of the Spirit the soul experiences a translation from a "power of darkness" into the kingdom of G.o.d"s dear Son. Col. 1:13.
It certainly must have dawned upon your understanding ere this that the church of G.o.d and the kingdom of heaven are the same spiritual structure.
In the twelfth chapter of Hebrews several terms are used to denote the church of G.o.d. In the twenty-second verse it is designated by "mount Zion," the "city of the living G.o.d," the "heavenly Jerusalem," and an "innumerable company of angels." In verse twenty-three it is denominated "general a.s.sembly," "the church of the first-born," etc. In the twenty-eighth verse it is called the "kingdom." By this we are made to understand that the church built by the Lord is identical with the "city of G.o.d," the "kingdom of G.o.d," the "heavenly Jerusalem," etc. With this understanding we will better comprehend the meaning of many other texts.
The Head Of The Church.
"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body." Eph. 5:23. "And he is the head of the body, the church." Col. 1:18. "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ." Eph.
4:15. See also Eph. 1:22; Col. 2:18, 19.
Christ is the head of his church, and as such he is the sole governor, or legislator. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Recapitulation In Conclusion.
The church is the body of Christ. Eph. 1:21, 22. There is but one body.
Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 10:17. Christians are this one body. 1 Cor. 12:27.
They are of one heart and soul. Acts 4:32. There are no divisions. 1 Cor.
1:10. Christ is the head of this church. Col. 1:18. He is the door. John 10: 7. He is the foundation. Eph. 2: 21. He sets the members in the body (1 Cor. 12:18), and prays that they be kept in his name. John 17:11.
Officers In The Church Of G.o.d.
G.o.d sets the members in the body of Christ, which is the church, as seemeth best according to his unbounded wisdom. All are not an eye or ear or hand or foot. That the church of G.o.d may be complete as a body it has all the different members. Christ is the head, and the saved men and women are the other members of the body according to their calling, all governed by the head and consecrated to do his will. The ministry are the feet, the burden-bearers, the servants of all. They have the care or burden of the church. They carry the glad tidings of salvation. They are not to be carried about and served, but they are the servants. "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things." Rom. 10:15.
The following officers are mentioned in the New Testament: apostles, prophets, evangelists, bishops, pastors, teachers, deacons, elders, and presbyters. Apostle is from the Greek "_apostolos_," which is one sent forth to plant. Paul was an apostle. He was sent forth by the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:4. He was sent forth to plant. 1 Cor. 3:6. Prophet is from the Greek "_prophetes_," which is one who is an expounder of prophecies and revelations and of future events. Agabus was a prophet, a teller of future events. See Acts 21:10, 11 and Acts 11: 28. Philip the evangelist had four daughters who did prophesy, or expound or explain the Scriptures. An evangelist is one who announces good tidings, while an apostle is one who plants churches or goes into new localities, and through whose preaching people are saved and a church thus planted. The mission of an evangelist is to visit those planted churches and water them. "I have planted, Apollos watered; but G.o.d gave the increase." 1 Cor. 3:6.
Bishop is from the Greek "_episkopos_," and means a superintendent or overseer. Pastor is from the Greek "_poimen_," and means shepherd or feeder or overseer, the same as bishop; consequently bishop and pastor are the same, an overseer or shepherd. The word "overseer" occurs but once in the New Testament: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of G.o.d." Acts 20:28. Overseer in this text is translated from the Greek "_episkopos_," from which same Greek word we have the word bishop.
Paul was then addressing bishops, and tells them to feed the church of G.o.d. Now a pastor is a feeder; therefore bishop and pastor are two words used to denote the same office. To note the qualifications of a bishop or pastor as set forth in the New Testament will doubtless be edifying to the reader.
What A Bishop Must Be.
A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; patient, ruling well his own house, a lover of good men, just, holy, temperate, etc. See 1 Tim.
3:2-4: t.i.tus 1:7, 8.
Blameless. This word is synonymous with spotless, faultless, irreproachable. A person or thing is blameless when it is free from fault.
The husband of one wife. No one can meet the New Testament requirements for bishop or pastor who has two wives, though one be divorced.
Vigilant. He must be so watchful as to early discover danger of any kind and use the utmost precaution to avoid it.
Sober. This word is not applied only to freedom from intoxication by spirituous liquors, but is synonymous with calmness, quietness, grave, sedate, steady, serious, solemn, etc. The Greek "_sophron_" for sober in these texts means sound mindedness.
Of good behavior. Their conduct must be free from levity, folly, or anything that tends to degrade morals.
Given to hospitality. (Lover of hospitality. t.i.tus 1:8.) He must love in his heart to receive and entertain strangers without remuneration, to be kind and pleasing in his manners.
Apt to teach. He must possess a talent or G.o.d-given ability to teach the Word to others in a simple manner.
Patient. He must be free from ill pa.s.sion and irritableness. He must be calm, and possess a tranquility and evenness of life. His composure and holy tranquilness is such that commands and quiets all strife, contentions and heated discussions.
Ruling well his own house. Unless a man has sufficient wisdom, authority, love and firmness, to govern and control his own children he certainly can not be used of G.o.d to oversee the church of G.o.d.
Lover of good men. His very heart and soul must admire and appreciate and love the good he sees in men.