Individual Action Versus
Church Action
Introduction: What I believe to be an
apparent problem in understanding God's authority is a failure to distinguish
between the individual and the church.
God through his word has given specific instructions to individual
Christians and He has given specific instructions to local churches.
A.
The local church is composed of individual
Christians in a particular area pooling their resources together for the
expressed purpose of doing the Lord's work.
1.
These saints must function together as a whole, if
they are to be considered a local church (1 Cor.
a.
No individual can do all the work of the local
church.
b.
He cannot go off by himself to be a church unto
himself.
2.
There are some things the Child of God can do which
the church cannot and vice versa.
a.
Just compare what can be done with their bank
accounts.
INDIVIDUAL CHURCH
Buy
food ?
Recreation ?
Clothing ?
Education ?
Entertainment ?
b.
There must be a distinction between the two.
B.
Yet there are those who say that whatever the
individual is commanded to do, the church can do.
1.
Galatians 6: 1 0 is a proof-text of
institutionalism (Context is individual)
2.
James
I.
Anything that proves too much proves nothing!
A.
According to Institutional logic the church can
produce goods and services.
1.
Ephesians
2.
If not, why not?
B. According
to Institutional logic the church can participate in orgies.
1.
1 Cor. 7:2-4 is written to the individual
2.
Sometimes must answer a fool according to his
folly (Pro. 26:25)
II.
The Scriptures make a clear distinction between
individual and church action.
A.
Matthew 18:15-17 (Read)
1.
There is a distinction between 1 saint, a few
saints and the church
2.
According to institutional logic which states when
a saint has done something the church has acted, when the individual saint went
to his brother the church went.
B. 1 Timothy 5:3-16
1.
Any saints that have widows must take care of
them.
2.
The church is not burdened and can take care of
widows indeed.
C. Compare
1 Timothy 5:3-16 with James 1:27.
1.
If James is talking to the church then the widows
there must be Christians over 60 years of age.
2.
If it is the individual, he or she is at liberty
to do good to whoever happens to be a widow.
III.
What can we conclude? (Some quote Scripture like
the devil Matt. 4)
A.
There is no authority which allows the church to
build institutions for the sake of caring for the world's poor or unfortunate.
1.
The same is said for church cooperation. The end does not justify the means.
(Situation ethics is a poison that kills the vitality of many churches)
2.
A church may support a preacher, or a church may
relieve the needs of saints.
a.
Churches may not pool their resources together to
do some work
b.
Saint can work with saint - does not justify
church working with church.
3.
Churches are authorized to work – “everyone in
their own yards” (NYC clean-up Explain)
B.
There is a distinction between what and individual
can do and the church.
C. Read
Hebrews 8:5, 2 Timothy 1:13, Philippians 3:17.
Conclusion: Iniquity is the result of not
following the pattern. There can be no fellowship in Christ with those who are
practicing unfruitful works (Eph.