HAVE MODERN CHURCHES BECOME A DEN OF THIEVES: Robbing Christ's Headship
We continue with our series on "Have Modern Churches Become A Den Of Thieves."
According to our first article, we believe that some modern churches
have become a den of thieves because, from the pulpit to the pew, they
have robbed God of His matchless glory. They have taken what rightly
and exclusively belongs to God and heaped it upon themselves or other
men, or in some cases, on their programs, their methodology, or other
aspects of their ministry. These have been accredited for their
results and success. The Scriptures speak clearly to this abominable
human thought in 2Corinthians 5:18 when it states that "ALL THINGS ARE
OF GOD" so that all of the glory will be completely His. Success is
never due to human instrumentality or ingenuity, for God alone is truly the
one that gives the increase (1Corinthians 3:7).
We also believe that many modern churches have become a den of thieves because they have robbed Christ of His headship. We firmly believe that Christ and Christ alone is the only head of all true, Biblically-constituted, divinely-ordered, doctrinally and practically sound, New Testament churches. He is the only head because He has been so designated by the heavenly Father. He is not head over some falsely-interpreted, Protestant-contrived, nebulous, universal, and invisible body called the "universal, invisible church," but rather Christ is the active, governing, overseeing, and administrative head over all of His local churches throughout the whole world. As in holy matrimony, every man is the only head over his own wife, so Christ is the only head over each one of His local, visible churches (Ephesians 5:23-24).
As head over the church, Christ is the final determinater of all that is done in a New Testament church. Christ is subject to no one. Christ's will cannot be checked or called into question. He has the final say in all matters. He is the only, absolute authority in a church. Christ is the only boss. No pastor, counsel of elders, or denominational hierarchy outside the confines of the local church are to take the place of or usurp Christ's sole headship and government in the New Testament church. All who would do so, are thieves robbing Christ of His headship.
This brings us to a sacred cow of many: namely that the church is a democracy. The idea that the church is a democracy robs Christ of His headship. In a democracy, the majority rule and their will is carried out. As Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president and author of the Declaration of Independence, stated: "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." To the outsider, yes, the internal workings of a New Testament church appear to be a democracy as each member has a vote in the church's business meeting. But to those of us who know the yoke of Christ, and His absolute and sovereign right to rule, we do not deem the church to be a democracy, but rather a theocracy....God ruling over His people by Christ and His Word. Furthermore, the late J.R. Rushdooney stated that a democracy is the enemy of theocracy, the rule of God. A New Testament church is not to be mob ruled, but Christ ruled. Christ's rule is the rule of God through the Word and a democracy form of church government is the enemy of divine headship. Let us not be found to be a den of thieves robbing Christ of His headship.
The church's business meeting is a time when the church members unite their hearts and minds to discern the will of Christ over His church. The church business meetings does not serve as a sounding board for personal opinions, personal bias, and personal preferences, but rather is a concerted, disciplined, and spiritual exercise to determine the will of the church's Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. The accompanying vote is not a vote of the expression of my personal desire or will, but rather a time to manifest my agreement with the expressed and discerned will of Christ, to promote a sense of submission to Christ, and also to solidify a sense of unity with others who heartily love Christ, His church and His perfect will.
Let's be honest, most of us know so little about this kind of humble spirit and practice. Most of us want to be heard and taken into consideration. Many of us want to have preeminence. Many of us, through pride, fight with the spirit of Diotrephes, if not with his practice. We have too long been robbers of Christ's sovereign headship in His church. In many churches, there are no business meetings to discern Christ's Word and will in church matters. If there are church business meetings, they are often dominated by schisms, disunity, and divisions. Some pastors and elder-rule assemblies do not involve the church membership in the process of church matters. How many have grossly robbed Christ of His headship in His own church. Old fashioned, God-fearing, family men do not like when someone tries to interfere with their headship in their home and their divinely-appointed responsibility to govern their family for Christ's glory. Christ is infinitely more zealous of His heavenly Father-appointed responsibility to be the head over all things in the church.
We are not against elder leadership and pastoral rule in a New Testament church. Spiritual leadership, guidance, wisdom, experience, and godly counsel is a great blessing. In the New Testament, the passages that refer to the ruling elders of the church use the Greek word "proistemi" which consistently signifies to preside over, to watch for, or to be vigilant in care of. Wise elders of a New Testament church will be diligent to watch over and care for the souls that are under their spiritual jurisdiction. Similarly, the godly husband is equally exhorted in the Scriptures that he rule his house and children, not as a Lord, master, or boss; but rather as an exemplary, spiritual guide, watching and caring for each one's needs, education, training, and spiritual instruction.
Spiritual elders, centered on Christ and His Word, will encourage Christ-centerdness in the church and a consuming passion for the glory of God through the seeking out and fulfillment of His will. This is a great need in our day: spiritually, Christ-consumed men who live the blessed motto of John the Baptist: "He must increase, but I must decrease," and promote this same spirit within their congregations so that Christ rules over His people effectually for the glory of God and is evermore recognized as the only governing Head in the New Testament church.
May the Holy Spirit grant repentance to the acknowledging of the truth in this matter of robbing Christ's headship. To God alone be all the honor and glory forevermore is my most earnest prayer!
We also believe that many modern churches have become a den of thieves because they have robbed Christ of His headship. We firmly believe that Christ and Christ alone is the only head of all true, Biblically-constituted, divinely-ordered, doctrinally and practically sound, New Testament churches. He is the only head because He has been so designated by the heavenly Father. He is not head over some falsely-interpreted, Protestant-contrived, nebulous, universal, and invisible body called the "universal, invisible church," but rather Christ is the active, governing, overseeing, and administrative head over all of His local churches throughout the whole world. As in holy matrimony, every man is the only head over his own wife, so Christ is the only head over each one of His local, visible churches (Ephesians 5:23-24).
- Ephesians 1:20-22: "Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places....and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church."
- Colossians 1:18-19: "And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell."
As head over the church, Christ is the final determinater of all that is done in a New Testament church. Christ is subject to no one. Christ's will cannot be checked or called into question. He has the final say in all matters. He is the only, absolute authority in a church. Christ is the only boss. No pastor, counsel of elders, or denominational hierarchy outside the confines of the local church are to take the place of or usurp Christ's sole headship and government in the New Testament church. All who would do so, are thieves robbing Christ of His headship.
This brings us to a sacred cow of many: namely that the church is a democracy. The idea that the church is a democracy robs Christ of His headship. In a democracy, the majority rule and their will is carried out. As Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president and author of the Declaration of Independence, stated: "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." To the outsider, yes, the internal workings of a New Testament church appear to be a democracy as each member has a vote in the church's business meeting. But to those of us who know the yoke of Christ, and His absolute and sovereign right to rule, we do not deem the church to be a democracy, but rather a theocracy....God ruling over His people by Christ and His Word. Furthermore, the late J.R. Rushdooney stated that a democracy is the enemy of theocracy, the rule of God. A New Testament church is not to be mob ruled, but Christ ruled. Christ's rule is the rule of God through the Word and a democracy form of church government is the enemy of divine headship. Let us not be found to be a den of thieves robbing Christ of His headship.
The church's business meeting is a time when the church members unite their hearts and minds to discern the will of Christ over His church. The church business meetings does not serve as a sounding board for personal opinions, personal bias, and personal preferences, but rather is a concerted, disciplined, and spiritual exercise to determine the will of the church's Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. The accompanying vote is not a vote of the expression of my personal desire or will, but rather a time to manifest my agreement with the expressed and discerned will of Christ, to promote a sense of submission to Christ, and also to solidify a sense of unity with others who heartily love Christ, His church and His perfect will.
Let's be honest, most of us know so little about this kind of humble spirit and practice. Most of us want to be heard and taken into consideration. Many of us want to have preeminence. Many of us, through pride, fight with the spirit of Diotrephes, if not with his practice. We have too long been robbers of Christ's sovereign headship in His church. In many churches, there are no business meetings to discern Christ's Word and will in church matters. If there are church business meetings, they are often dominated by schisms, disunity, and divisions. Some pastors and elder-rule assemblies do not involve the church membership in the process of church matters. How many have grossly robbed Christ of His headship in His own church. Old fashioned, God-fearing, family men do not like when someone tries to interfere with their headship in their home and their divinely-appointed responsibility to govern their family for Christ's glory. Christ is infinitely more zealous of His heavenly Father-appointed responsibility to be the head over all things in the church.
We are not against elder leadership and pastoral rule in a New Testament church. Spiritual leadership, guidance, wisdom, experience, and godly counsel is a great blessing. In the New Testament, the passages that refer to the ruling elders of the church use the Greek word "proistemi" which consistently signifies to preside over, to watch for, or to be vigilant in care of. Wise elders of a New Testament church will be diligent to watch over and care for the souls that are under their spiritual jurisdiction. Similarly, the godly husband is equally exhorted in the Scriptures that he rule his house and children, not as a Lord, master, or boss; but rather as an exemplary, spiritual guide, watching and caring for each one's needs, education, training, and spiritual instruction.
Spiritual elders, centered on Christ and His Word, will encourage Christ-centerdness in the church and a consuming passion for the glory of God through the seeking out and fulfillment of His will. This is a great need in our day: spiritually, Christ-consumed men who live the blessed motto of John the Baptist: "He must increase, but I must decrease," and promote this same spirit within their congregations so that Christ rules over His people effectually for the glory of God and is evermore recognized as the only governing Head in the New Testament church.
May the Holy Spirit grant repentance to the acknowledging of the truth in this matter of robbing Christ's headship. To God alone be all the honor and glory forevermore is my most earnest prayer!
To call a church a democracy is to be humanistic, for a democracy is man-centered. Many churches are man-centered today, sad to say, being places of religious entertainment.
A true church is a theocracy where God reigns through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ as Head of His church and is the center and life of all; Christ centered, not man-centered.
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