The words of Christ must ever be our guide.
They cannot be too often repeated. Again we quote: "Ye know
that
the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion
over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great
among you, let him be your minister: and whosoever
will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister, and to give His life a ransom for
many." Matthew 20:25-28
It should be understood that the word "minister,"
in the above text, does not necessarily mean "preacher."
A
minister is a servant, one who ministers or
serves. In the text just quoted, the word "servant"
indicates a more
complete and humble servitude than the word
"minister." The difference is shown in the margin of
the Revised
Version, where we have "servant"
given as the equivalent of "minister," and "bondservant"
as the equivalent of
"servant." The word rendered "minister"
is the ordinary word for servant, while that rendered "servant"
is the
usual word for slave. Now note the gradation
in which they are used by the Lord. He who will be great in the
church, must be a servant; but he who will
be chief, must be a bondservant. That is, the degree of greatness
depends upon the completeness of the service
and the giving up of self to Christ.
So we learn from the words of the Saviour,
that there is to be no such thing in the church of Christ as the
exercise
of authority such as is known in civil government.
The church is on an entirely different plane from the State.
There is no likeness whatever between them.
The kingdom of Christ is a thing entirely different from human
ideas
of government. He said, "My kingdom
is not of this world." John 18:36. They who think to understand
the
working of Christ's kingdom by studying earthly
models, are proceeding in the wrong way, and are working in the
dark.
We have read in 1 Corinthians 12:28 that
"governments" are among the gifts that God has bestowed
upon the
church; but we shall come more closely to God's
idea of government if we note that the Revised Version gives the
alternative reading, "wise counsels."
One of the titles of Christ, as the one upon whose shoulder the
government
is laid, is "Counselor"; He is "wonderful
in counsel," and so He provides wise counsels for the government
of
His church, said counsel to be derived solely
from Him, who alone is the Source of wisdom. He governs by love.
His counsel is "the counsel of peace."
Recall again the words of 1 Peter 5:3. The
elders or bishops he exhorts not to be "lords over God's
heritage, but being ensamples to the flock." There can therefore
be in the true church of Christ no such thing as a "Lord
Bishop." That is one of the fruits of
the unlawful connection of the church with the world. Christ is
the only Lord; but here again we shall grievously err if we think
of Him as occupying the "lordly" position of earthly
lords. He is "meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29),
and all men have to learn humility from Him who is "Lord
over all." He calls upon them to humble themselves to walk
with Him. Micah 6:8, margin The
church of Christ, as directed by the Lord Himself, is the only
place on earth where "liberty, equality, and fraternity"
can be fully realized. The apostle Peter proceeds, "Likewise,
ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you
be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God
resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." 1 Peter
5:5. The trouble with earthly associations formed for the purpose
of promoting liberty and equality on earth, is that they are only
human organizations, directed only by human wisdom and human power,
and among men self is bound to predominate. Only the Spirit of
Christ is unselfish.
"Rank," as known among men, is
unknown to the church of Christ. There is no such thing as one
setting himself
up above another, or allowing himself to be
so placed or considered. That pertains to the princes of this
world,
but the words of Christ are, "It shall
not be so among you." Christ "emptied Himself,"
and therefore self has no place in His body, the church. To the
Jews He said, "How can ye believe, which receive honor one
of another,
and seek not the honor that cometh from God?"
John 5:44. Through the apostle Paul He said, "Be kindly
affectioned one to another with brotherly love;
in honor preferring one another." Romans 12:10. Again, "Let
nothing be done through strife or vainglory;
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than
themselves." Philippians 2:3. Love "seeketh
not her own." 1 Corinthians 13:5. "Be not ye called
Rabbi: for one is
your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren."
Matthew 23:8
