Replies

Nope, I don't agree with either man's doctrine. I know what I believe and have stated such. Don't try and label me with some half baked Prot label. It will never stick.

What is the Church?

First of all, the church is not just a building.
People sometimes speak of the church downtown, etc. Of course, we understand that they are referring to the building that the church meets in. However, that is not the "the Church" at all, but the meeting place of the Church.
Secondly, the church is not a religious organization
For example the Roman Catholic Church is not the true church, but a counterfeit. It is the false church of the antichrist.
Thirdly, the true church is a spiritual body.

This body is made up of all Christians who have been born again during the Church Age and joined together by the Holy Spirit, in Christ.

"So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." — Romans 12:5

"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." —I Corinthians 12:27

"And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all."

—Ephesians 1:20-23

It is very clear from the Bible that the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the Head of the Church, and He alone has the absolute authority to rule over it.

II. What Does the Headship of Christ Mean?

In the above scriptures the New Testament church is likened to a body with Christ as its Head.

A head is necessary to a body. Cutting off the head is the surest way of ensuring the death of a body. Any so-called church without Christ as its Head is dead !
A head controls the body.

Every muscle and action of the human body is dependent upon the head. The head is the "control center," and this is exactly what Christ must be to His church.

III. What Are The Implications of the Headship of Christ?

The Lord Jesus Christ is not a figurehead; He is the living, operative, and preeminent Head over every New Testament church. What does this mean in practice? For any Baptist church, the implications of the Headship of Christ are that:

A church is executive, not legislative.
A local Baptist church administers Christ’s laws. Therefore, no local church has the right to make any resolution that is not in conformity to God’s Word. This is in contrast to the ex-Cathedra pronouncements, synods, councils, and sessions conducted by men who make rules and regulations which are then dictated to their "churches."
A church may involve itself only in the work of Christ.
When a man’s body does not respond to what his head is telling him, he is very sick. Likewise a church should not involve itself in extra-Biblical works, for its only command is to be "always abounding in the work of the Lord" (I Corinthians 15:58), "as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you" (John 20:21), and this means doing the things the Lord did on earth during His public ministry — that is, preaching, baptizing, and teaching.
Each member is answerable to Jesus Christ.
Apart from the pastor, church members do not have to answer to anyone regarding spiritual things — only to Christ. I Corinthians 3:9-17 refers to the church as a spiritual building, and tells us that we are to be judged according to how we build up our church.
Each member has a duty to seek the will of Christ.

We see therefore, that there can be only one real head of the church. On earth the Lord chooses pastors to lead the local assemblies. Nowhere is the government involved, and the church is never to go to the government for aid, but to Heaven alone.

IV. Who Established The Church?

It is Christ Himself who established this spiritual organism. Here we want to emphasize that the church (though often called an organization) is actually a living organism with a living head. One becomes part of it only by the new birth.

V. Who Has The Authority To Rule The Church?

Jesus Christ is the Head of the New Testament church.

"Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." — Ephesians 1:20-23

"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body." — Ephesians 5:23

"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

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."

— Colossians 1:13-18

In I Peter 2:25 the Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as our "Shepherd" and "Bishop." In I Peter 5:4 He is called the "Chief Shepherd" in a context which makes Him THE PASTOR of every Baptist church. While the word pastor means Shepherd, the pastors of Baptist churches are properly known as under-shepherds. Under the authority of Christ, they rule over the church.

A necessary factor in organization is leadership. This is exhibited in the many forms of worldly organizations: An army needs officers. A sporting team needs a captain. A business needs management, and so on. In each case the body concerned may function, but certainly not as well or efficiently as it would with good leadership. In the same way a church will only be able to serve God if it has God-given leadership.

In God’s chain of command, scriptural leadership brings order out of confusion. When sin first entered in, God put the man over the woman to restore order in a state of chaos, Genesis 3:16; I Corinthians 11:3. God placed parents in a position of authority over their children to ensure orderly development, Exodus 20;12; Psalm 58:3; Proverbs 22:6. God ordained human government to prevent anarchy, Judges 21:25; Romans 13:1-7. In the same way the Lord has set pastors over His churches to "set in order " things that may be wanting, Titus 1:5.

Scriptural church government places a pastor in the position of oversight (Acts 20:28), leadership (Ephesians 4:11), and rulership (Hebrews 13:7, 17) over the congregation. Pastoral leadership is an integral part of church government.

Dr. Linton Smith