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 What
Did God "Establish"? World scholars
seem to agree that the church was established in Jerusalem, the
first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ. Acts 2: gives the
record, and only a few with some creed to defend offer objection.
But WHAT was established when the church was established? Foolish
question?? Well, read Acts 2: carefully.
Any "dedication" services? "Chairman" appointed? Any of the
"institutional" procedure one would expect if today's common
conception of "church" were correct? It just isn't there.
Today the emphasis is upon the party—the church is something like a
lodge, or "Royal Order of Saints"—a society, somehow related to
certain buildings. This conception is missing in God's record of
establishment.
Prophecies concerning the establishment of the church invariably
refer to the relationship, or the basis for the relationship,
between God and individuals. Isaiah says, "the mountain of Jehovah's
house shall be established on the top of the mountains---" referring
to the establishment of God's law for all nations. (Isa. 2:1-f.) The
promised kingdom was a promise of peace according to divine
government. (Isa.9:1-f) The ransomed of Jehovah would walk in "The
Way of Holiness." (Isa. 35:8ff)
Little Red Wagon
It seems many think of the church as something like a little red
wagon. "Established on Pentecost" -- it stood ready to roll, and
people could jump in and ride to heaven. But somewhere along the
line a side-rail broke, an axle was bent, the tongue came loose, and
finally a wheel fell away. Luther tried to put the wheel back on,
but further bent the axle in his effort. Others replaced the tongue
with a new but different instrument -- unsuited to the purpose and
function of the original tongue. Alas, the church was broken down
and out of service.
Then A. Campbell and Barton Stone determined to restore the church.
They straightened the axle, replaced the tongue with an original
model, repaired the side-rail and put the wheel back in place. Now
people could again ride home to heaven.
Have I stretched the picture? Perhaps—but only to emphasize what I
believe to be an entirely erroneous conception of the church
established on Pentecost. This is a denominational concept. It
glorifies the "party" and does not properly distinguish between
faithful and unfaithful people.
WHO are The Church??
The word "church" is a collective noun, and it "collects" people.
But not just any people. Christ's church consists of "Saints and
faithful brethren," "a people for God's own possession." (Col. 1:2 1
Pet. 2:9) Of all the multitude gathered in Jerusalem, only those who
"gladly received his word" and "were baptized" became members of the
church. (Acts 2:41)
Members of the church do sin, but they are expected to repent and
pray God for forgiveness. Failing to do this, they are denied the
fellowship of Christians. (1 Cor. 5:) A congregation of Christians
who, collectively, no longer act in keeping with God's will is
unworthy of a name and place among the churches of Christ. (Rev. 2)
The Lord's church consists of people identified with the truth --
not just a people identified with a party.
God's Establishment Unchanged
What God established -- truth -- the New Covenant -- never changes.
(1 Pet. 1:23-f) But the party -- the people could fall away. (1 Tim.
4:1-f) First their attitude toward divine authority is altered, then
their practices, then, usually many years later, their terminology.
Because the rule is one thing, and the people who supposedly follow
the rule is another, Paul said we must not measure ourselves by our
selves. (2 Cor. 10:12-f)
One may "stay with the building" "stay with the preacher" "stay with
the elders" "stay with 90% of the people" -- and yet leave the
church which God established. In fact, this is precisely the history
of denominationalism with its creed-bound people.
Christians today need to restudy their conception of Christ's
church. We must rededicate ourselves, not to some "party" but to the
Christ, and to His cause. I must know the truth, and obey it,
regardless of the action of others---"in the church" or out of it. I
must remember that it is the purified and cleansed church-- not the
"party"-- that Christ promises to save eternally. (Eph. 5:26-27)
What God really established is firm and sure, and cannot be shaken.
Heb. 10:28 ~
Robert F. Turner, Plain Talk, vol. 1, p. 4—January, 1964
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Psalm 71: An Old Man's
Prayer
When The American Standard Version Of The Bible attached summary
statements to individual Psalms, the translators entitled Psalm 71:
"Prayer of an Old Man for Deliverance." The content of the Psalm
shows that its writer had every reason to speak of the
"righteousness of God all day long" (vs. 24). The Lord had in his
lifetime put to shame his enemies and confounded those who sought to
do him harm. He now writes a hymn that combines a call for
deliverance and rescue with the promise to sing praises to God and
to continue to proclaim His righteousness.
Trust And Hope: -- The Psalm is, first of all, a hymn of trust and
hope. The writer's trust is not in the shifting sands of his own
strength or wisdom, but in the secure and invincible power and
faithfulness of Jehovah. "In Thee, O Jehovah, do I take refuge," he
begins. "Thou art my rock and my fortress," he adds. It is his faith
that speaks to God for ongoing security: "Be Thou to me a rock of
habitation, whereunto I may continually resort." His confidence
rests on a lifetime of help from God: "For Thou art my hope, O Lord
Jehovah: Thou art my trust from my youth" (vss. 1-5).
The psalmist, undoubtedly, recalls the stability of Jehovah, as the
"Rock of Israel" that had delivered his nation from Egyptian
bondage, had borne them on eagles' wings in the wilderness of Sinai,
and had led the warring nation into the land that He had promised to
their father, Abraham (2 Sam. 23:3; Exo. 19:1-6; Jos. 21:43-45).
This is the immutable God who had supported the psalmist from the
time he was taken from his mother's womb (vs. 6). Jehovah had always
been there for him and he now trusts Him to be his refuge in his
present danger.
Wicked And Cruel Men: -- The words of the psalm are set in a time
when the writer faced his latter days -- the days "when I am old and
gray headed" (vss. 9,18). In these waning days "the hand of the
wicked and the hand of the unrighteous and cruel men threaten him" (
vs. 4). Israel had been called by God and was separated from "the
nations" to be a special people -- a holy nation and a kingdom of
priests devoted to God. Conquering and occupying the land of heathen
nations was fraught with challenges from adversarial and evil men.
It wasn't unusual for the heathen to taunt them for their devotion
to God and the very God in whom they trusted.
The aging songwriter now faced those circumstances: "For mine
enemies speak concerning me; And they that watch for my soul take
counsel together, saying, God hath forsaken him: Pursue and take
him; for there is none to deliver" (vss. 10,11). His adversaries see
him as weak and helpless before His God. They are ready to pounce
and the psalmist makes no pretence of securing victory by his own
strength.
Plea And Cry: -- The plea of the troubled writer is a cry for help:
"Deliver me in Thy righteousness, and rescue me: Bow down thine ear
unto me, and save me" (vs. 2). "Rescue me, O my God," he pleads. "Be
Thou to me a rock of habitation"; "Cast me not off in the time of my
old age"; "Forsake me not when my strength faileth"; "O, my God,
make haste to help me"; "Let them be put to shame and consumed that
are adversaries to my soul"; "Let them be covered with reproach and
dishonor that seek my hurt" (vss. 3,4,9,12,13).
"There stands a rock," in the words of the modern lyricist, is a
common metaphor among Israelites to denote safety and stability. To
dwell in the "clefts of the rock" is to possess the security of a
fortress -- and impenetrable place of refuge. "Who can bring me down
from thence?" the Edomites challenged from their setting in the rock
city of Petra, where they had mounted on high as eagles (Obad. 3).
"Jehovah" is the answer to Edom's challenge. He will bring them
down, but by that same power He is the rock of security that the
psalmist trusts and exalts.
Praise And Joy: -- The psalmist promises to praise Jehovah "yet more
amd more," to declare his "strength to the next generation" and His
"might to everyone that is to come." "I will praise Thee with the
psaltery," he writes; "unto Thee will I sing praises with the harp";
"My lips shall shout for joy when I sing praises to Thee"; "My
tongue also shall talk of Thy righteousness all the day long" (vss.
14-16,18,22-24). All of this the writer promises because of the
greatness and righteousness and goodness of Jehovah -- his fortress
when evil and wicked men attack.
We of modern cities, far from the rocky hills of Palestine, may not
fully appreciate the meaningful image of "rocky hills" and "clefts"
and "caves" in rocks. But they served as secure strongholds when
ancient people were forced to flee from their homes and cities
before marauding armies.
Jehovah, the "Rock of Israel," is also the citadel of protection in
whom we place our trust and hope. It is He that promises: "I will in
no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee" (Heb.
13:5) -- the promise He offered Israel on the plains of Moab before
Joshua led them into the land of promise (Deut. 31:6).
As the biblical fathers of faith, men today who honor, trust, and
serve God never stand alone in the presence of evil. Noah and his
family, amidst a perverse world of evil men, were empowered by faith
to persevere and, as a result, found protection and security in God
(Gen. 6-9; Heb. 11:7).
Daniel and his fellow Hebrews, alone in the palace of a king
surrounded by envious and evil men, found the safety of refuge in
the overruling power of Jehovah (Dan. 1-6). Paul, though forsaken by
men at his trial before the emperor of Rome, found strength in the
Lord who stood by to grant him boldness and deliverance (2 Tim.
4:16,17). God, the Rock of Israel, is not dead. His power has not
weakened through the ages, and His gracious and merciful gift of
help is now offered to His people in Christ Jesus (Heb. 4:16-18).
As the songwriter, S.S. Journal, so eloquently put it:
Some build their hopes on the ever-drifting sand, Some on their
treasure or their land;
Mine's on the Rock that forever shall stand, Jesus the "Rock of
Ages."
In conclusion he writes:
That Rock's a tower, whose lofty heights, Illumed with heav'n's
unclouded light,
Ope's wide its gates beneath the dome, Where saints find rest in
Christ at home. ~
L.A. Stauffer in Biblical Insights, Vol. 8, No. 1, Jan. 2008
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