The Truth In Print Vol. 18 Issue
2, March 2012
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)
Website Address ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
Should “Grass Roots”
Political Movements Address Local Churches of Christ
Christians Only
It seems like
forever in this nation that we have been telling others that we are “Christians
only” --- nothing more or less than what they were in the first century church
of Christ. Our plea is to go back to the New Testament as Christ’s standard of
authority for His church, as regards initial obedience and the collective work
and function of the local church.
Are the true
Christians in the U.S. just Republicans? Are they just Democrats? Well now, are
they just the Independents or perhaps those not even registered.
Consider the interrogation in light of the New Testament scriptures.
Christ’s Kingdom is a Spiritual Kingdom,
Col. 1:13.
I have yet to
see one baptized into Christ and His body the church (I Cor. 12:13) where
indication was ever other than what it shoud be – of
a spiritual nature. At this point they belong to Christ’s kingdom, with Christ
as the head of the church and savior of the body (Eph. 5:23; I Cor. 12:13).
Speaking of a spiritual birth Paul said the Father “...hath delivered us
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: (Col. 1:13-14).
This goes with: “And ye are complete in
him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are
circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body
of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in
baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation
of God, who hath raised him from the dead” (Col. 2:10-12).
Many are
baptized into Christ after becoming a citizen of a nation and belonging to a
political party. “Natural born citizen” doesn’t equate with the new birth
through obedience to the Word of Christ (I Pet. 1:22-23, 3:21). The command to
preach the Gospel applies to all men of all nations regardless of their religious
or political beliefs (Mk. 16:15-16; Matt. 28:18-20). The Gospel is for all the world. It is not like the Constitution of the United
States which belongs to our nation alone. Becoming a citizen of the U.S.A.
doesn’t make one a Christian and put one into the Kingdom of Christ. The U.S.
is not the Kingdom of God on earth. Being a political conservative doesn’t make
one a Christian.
The mention of
Christ being the head of all principality and authority (Col. 2:10) cannot be
understated --- Jesus is God and this position is given to Him by the Father
(cf. I Cor. 15:27). Most importantly then, one should never be so presumptuous
to think that ruling over the world and the kingdoms of men belongs strictly to
Christians who make up Christ’s church here when He never gave them that work.
He is the King and being a member of His kingdom you do not get to make up your
own rules — nor does any particular local church!
The Local Church With
it’s Own Oversight & Collective Work
The
organization given to Christians for their collective work in salvation is the
“local church” found in the New Testament scriptures (Philippi an example,
Phil. 1:1,27). The structure is local church oversight
by its own elders using the Word in spiritual things (Acts 14:23; Ephesus, Acts
20:17, 28-31; I
Tim. 3:2-7). Each local church had its own oversight and work being independent
of all other local churches as regards that work ( I
Pet. 5:1-3). Peter told elders in the churches to “feed the flock of God among
you exercising the oversight”
— The only thing “elders” in the New Testament oversaw as elders
was the local church they themselves were members of.
Thus
organizational structure with oversight for the collective work of Christians
is “local” and not “district,” “regional,” “national,” “inter-national” or
“world.” This simply makes it impossible to think of Christians in terms of
thinking they must rule the world —- like some religious organizations having a
pyramid hierarchal structure with the Prophet or Council at the top claiming
that one day they’ll rule the world, or rule over some of the nations of the
world, or perhaps over one nation in the world. You may well take all of the
religions in this earth today who think it is God’s will for them to rule the
nation(s) and lump them together as being false.
Assemblies Are the Collective Function of
the Particular Local “Body” as an Organization
You will find
regulations for assemblies of the local churches in such places as I Cor.
11:17-34; I Cor. 14:1-40; Acts 20:7; Heb. 10:23-25, etc. In other words Christ
specified in the New Testament the works or actions of the church required as
being acceptable to Him.
Misapplying the Posting of the Ten
Commandments in Public
Christ’s New
Testament, unlike the Old Covenant, is not a law for a Theocracy such as Israel
once had (Matt. 26:28; Heb. 9:15; 8:13).
Posting the Ten Commandments up to show influence of the Bible in the
formation of our nation, upon Western civilization, etc. is a far cry from putting
into effect Old Testament worship along with the penalties for violating those
commandments before the Law of Moses was done away with. The U.S. is not under
the “Sabbath” law of the O.T. --- you can travel beyond the “Sabbath mile” on
Saturdays! When citizens of the U.S. agree on Political Issues that is not the
same as members of a local church under the New Testament agreeing to contend
earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3; Phil. 1:27).
Scripturally Authorized Purposes for the
Assemblies of the Local Church
Space doesn’t
permit an extensive presentation of what the local churches were commanded to
do in their assemblies. Consider these: (1) Preaching the Word (Acts 20:7; I
Cor. 14). This command, of course, includes the N.T. teaching regarding all the
topics of Christ’s spiritual kingdom (cf. Acts 20:25-27). It included such
topics as marriage, divorce, naming false teachers and religions, the sinful
and damning works of the flesh such lying, murder, drunkenness, adultery,
fornication; (2) the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7; I Cor. 11:17-34); (3) other acts
of worship included praying, singing, giving (I Cor. 14:15, 23-24, 26 “all
things done for edification”; I Cor. 16:1-2, benevolence for needy saints.);
(4) withdrawal from one who walks disorderly and will not repent (I Cor.
5:1-5).
The local
church is simply not a religious-political organization.
Christians as Individuals Participated in
Government
Christians may participate in government
on an “individual” basis. Jesus said, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things
which are Caesar's; and unto God the
things
that are God's” (Matt. 22:21). Erastus
was the city treasurer in Corinth (Rom. 16:23). Cornelious
was a soldier (Acts 10). The Jailor was converted in Acts 16.
Sergius Pauls at Phaphos was a Roman
deputy (Acts13:7). Paul used civil authority when deemed necessary (Acts
25:10-11). He took advantage of its protection
having
done no wrong (Acts 23:16ff.).
God did not Give the Gospel to Civil
Government
God did not
give preaching the Gospel to civil government. The local church sounded out the
word (I Th. 1:1,8). Christ did not give His church the
works of building schools for secular education, business enterprises of
various kinds, the work of politics for running governments, sports,
entertainment and an innumerable host of other things. Are churches with their
members cowards when they don’t allow such?
Actually, the mess that you see today that man has made of the work of
the church, and so called worship, is what came from cowards. Cowards being
ashamed of the simplicity of the Gospel added secular works to the church’s
function to please themselves and man — both old and young.
A Civil or State Religion
At this very
moment some of the most deficient governments in the world are those that try
to enforce a “civil religion” or “state religion.” Rome had a state religion
and Christians were put to death for not complying (Rev. 13:15).
Here in the
U.S. when citizens agree on government issues to “restore” America that is not
the “church” doing its work. Civil government is secular — it doesn’t accomplish salvation. It
takes the Gospel to do that! There is just “one” church of Christ – it is not a
democracy for He is the head with all authority (Matt. 16:18, Matt. 28:18-20;
Eph. 5:23, 1:18-23). The Government should not be telling churches what to
preach or practice, or define “who” can be recognized as a preacher --- and the
churches functioning as a collectivity (an organization, Phil. 1:1,27) should not make Politics a part of their assembling.
Should the government seek to impose upon Christians what they cannot do then
they will follow the Lord (Acts 4:19-20). Rome reached that point!
Concerning Political Movements &
Organizations
Various
movements and organizations seek inactive voters, educate in citizenship,
register to vote, inform as to political-government issues, and even deal with
a few moral issues. This falls way short of wanting to enforce against all the works
of flesh, which the local church must not tolerate and thus must effect
withdrawal when one shows no repentance (Rom. 1:29ff; Gal. 5:19-21; I Cor.
5:1-13, 2 Th. 3:6).
Citizens as
strictly citizens of a civil state answer to civil law as regards codes of
conduct with disciplinary measures. Unlike “fellowship” in the church their
measures remain “secular” or “civil” i.e. not the church’s.
Paul commands Christians to obey civil law before God for conscience sake (Rom.
13:5). Some citizens don’t even believe in God. Moreover, Christians do not
refuse to obey civil law just because their political party is not in control.
Paul explains
that immoral conduct may bring the corresponding use of civil punishment as
God’s own discipline in Rom. 13. God is over all things and He implemented
civil government to punish evil doers (Rom. 13:1ff) --- this doesn’t mean He approves of all that
civil governments do. Just because the civil state enacts punishment for some
of the works of the flesh that does not equate with it being on the same level
as the church of which Christ is the Savior. The church doesn’t cast into
prison!
Man’s Ways are not God’s Ways (Isa. 55:8-9)
Here are a few of “man’s ways” that are not Christ’s way:
1. Assemblies of the local church called to be addressed
for the purpose of promoting Political Parties, Party Candidates for Elections,
Candidate Sponsored Events, Informative Presentations by Political Grass Roots
Movements of various kinds, etc.
2. Assemblies of the local church wherein they are
Collecting Signatures for Civil Petitions, Registering to Vote, etc.
3. “Well I think that members of a local church are
cowards if they don’t let our grass roots movement come and explain our agenda
to them.”
It is not a Matter of Just Losing One’s Tax
Exempt Status
“If your
pastor doesn’t let us come and speak to your church you need to get one who is
not a coward,” is coming from members of grass roots movements. A pastor (the
denominational usage) is afraid if he doesn’t allow his church to have a
requested political presentation from us, some say. Such seem to think the fear
is that of the church losing its tax exempt status. Since the church (a
collectivity striving together for the faith of the Gospel, Phil. 1:27) doesn’t
allow such, this view would present all other members who likewise object on a
scriptural basis as being afraid of losing the church’s tax exempt status. Its
members are cowards and its elders, teachers and preachers lack substantial
authority and influence when they agree such is not allowed, some think.
This is not a
matter of keeping one’s tax exempt status but one of Scriptural Authority ---
knowing the difference between the work of Salvation belonging to the local
church which involves its assemblies (collective work) and the Political
governing of a nation.
It never
dawned on them that a church of Christ would be in agreement that they have no
business in their assemblies!
Where did
personal conscience suddenly go? What happened to religious liberty?
Who is the
coward? The coward is one who would impose politics upon the local church to
please man. If the shoe fits wear it! We make no apologies as Christians for
respecting the authorized work of the assemblies of the local church.
By Bob Lovelace
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