Should Biblical Churches Be Marked by Signs & Wonders?

A good friend and brother in the Lord has recently asked some great questions which I’ve tried to answer in previous posts. Lem has just made the following comments and I’m adding my responses to his in blue…..

You've presented the picture of an ekklesia clear enough for me to understand. As I mentioned, I would love to visit one, not so much to see the people, but to see God's work among the people. There is another consideration I wish to address. Since you refer to the Book of Acts for an example of ekklesia, it would therefore follow that if such a church existed today, we would see the fruits of such a church. I'm specifically referring to the miracles (signs and wonders) that "follow them that believe".

Many have told me not to focus on miracles because even the devil can counterfeit them or miracles don't change a person's heart, or some other excuse like that. However if we are to believe the Word of God, then it specifically says that "these signs will follow them that believe" (casting out demons, healing the sick,...etc), not the counterfeit ones, but the genuine ones.

Lem, do you remember that we observed before that apostolic traditions are not established by practices or events among first century Christians but rather by apostolic teachings – i.e. commands of the Lord Jesus to the apostles which have been passed down to us to be obeyed? It is very true that the Lord Jesus gave the apostles a command and a number of promises in Mark 16:15-18. Let’s take a look at His words.  Verse 15 is his command which establishes the tradition which is passed down to us by the apostles…”And he said unto them,  Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” This was the responsibility of the apostles and is still our responsibility today. Biblical Churches will be actively involved in the proclamation of the Gospel at home and abroad!

Then the next three verses (16-18) are the promises of the Lord Jesus, that is, these are His responsibilities.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.(v.16)  Is the Lord Jesus fulfilling His responsibilities here?  Have  all who have believed to date been saved? Have all those who have not believed been damned?    Yes! This is very clear in John 3:16-18… For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

A number of important questions might well be asked and answered as we consider the Lord Jesus’ promises in verses 17 and 18:

Q. Is He the same faithful God who made the promises in verse 16?  A. Yes! Absolutely!

Q. Did He place any conditions upon these promises?  i.e. Would any unfaithfulness on man’s part nullify or disqualify these promises of His?  A. None whatsoever!         

(Here is the general promise.)And these signs shall follow them that believe;

(Then the following are the five specific signs which He promised would follow them that believe.)  

(1) In my name shall they cast out devils; 

      The Lord kept His promise and on at least 3 occasions evil spirits were cast out by the hands of the apostles who had seen the resurrected Christ and had been personally sent out by Him.  (a) by the hands of the apostles Acts 5:12-16; (b) by the apostle Philip 8:5-8  ; (c) by the hands of the apostle Paul 19:11,12

  

(2) they shall speak with new tongues; (The Lord kept His promise and there are 4 recorded examples of the genuine article and one example of counterfeit tongues.)

       (a) the 120 disciples gathered on the Day of Pentecost, including the apostles Acts 2:4-11 (these were all believers and followers of the Lord Jesus BEFORE that day.)

       (b) The members of Cornelius’ household (new converts who had just been listening to the apostle Peter preach the Gospel), Acts 10:44-47

       (c) about 12 disciples of John the baptizer spoke in tongues after they had believed on the Lord Jesus, had been baptized and Paul had laid his hands on them. Acts 19:1-7 

        (d) The apostle Paul spoke in tongues more than all the Corinthian saints, I Cor.14:18

        (e) The Corinthians had been speaking in tongues in ways that were not guided by the Spirit of God and thus were not edifying. Paul reproved and instructed them that if tongues were spoken in the ekklesia it had to be done in an orderly manner: i.e. one speaker at a time so all could hear and be edified, thus no tongues speaking in the ekklesia unless what was spoken was interpreted, and no more than 2 or 3 tongues speakers.  I Cor.14 

  

(3) They shall take up serpents;  The Lord kept His promise. There is just one recorded instance of this, Paul’s experience on the island of Malta in Acts 28:1-10

        

(4) if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them;  As far as I know there is no scriptural record of a believer being protected from this sort of harm, but there are many accounts in our own time of believers being persecuted and poisoned by their own families and being miraculously preserved by God. I might add that there are also many accounts of believers who were faithful to God who have been killed by poisoning! This is no reflection on their faith or their obedience to God. Hebrews 11 is clear that through faith many have conquered and been victorious over persecution (11:1-35a) but the same chapter is just as clear that others with the very same faith have been vanquished! (11:35b-40)

(5) they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.  There are two recorded instances in scripture after the promise of Mark 16 in which people were healed through the laying on of someone’s hands. In the first instance, Saul (later called Paul) is the recipient of that healing and in the second instance he is the one through whom healing comes to another.

     (a) Ananias lays hands on Saul and he is healed of blindness (Acts 9:17,18)

     (b) Paul laid hands on the father of Publius and he was healed of a fever and a bloody flux (Acts 28:8)

There are many misconceptions which have been derived from the Lord Jesus’ promises in Mark 16. So I would like to point out a couple of things which He  did NOT say…

The Lord Jesus did NOT say “All these signs shall follow them that believe.” 

-There is not one person nor any ekklesia mentioned in the historical accounts of the early church which was marked by  all of these signs! So it is a false assumption to think that the lack of any these signs in any Christian’s life is clear evidence of unbelief or disobedience!  Scripture never teaches that any obedient Christian or any ekklesia, can expect to be marked by all these signs!

-Secondly, the Lord Jesus never promised,  “These signs shall follow ALL them that believe.” Nowhere in scripture do we find any basis for the assumption that every obedient, Spirit-filled believer or ekklesia would be followed by some of these signs and therefore if the signs are lacking the believer or the ekklesia is at fault! But many who have been taught this idea have been brought under false guilt by such erroneous teaching!

What the Lord Jesus did promise, (“These signs shall follow them that believe.”) has been faithfully and entirely fulfilled and nothing is lacking! He has kept His promise for He has been absolutely faithful to His Word!

To judge any believer or any ekklesia who lacks any or all of these signs in their own experience is to make such a judgment entirely apart from any scriptural authority!

The words of the Lord Jesus, Himself, and the writings of the apostles make very clear that such signs were never guaranteed to any or to all believers if they met some standard or requirement of God!

Rather such are given and distributed according to the will of God:

1 Corinthians 12:11)  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

1 Corinthians 12:18)  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

1 Corinthians 12:27-30)  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?  (The obvious answer to all the above questions is “No!”  Not all believers are given these gifts. They are given according to the will of God.)

Lem, Thank you so much for sharing your questions and comments. Your sharing has certainly addressed questions that others have considered but have not asked.  I’ve not addressed all of your comments in this post but this is already too long! I’ll stop for now and continue in the next post.

To all: like Lem, you too are encouraged to comment, question or challenge anything I write here. Lets exhort one another and search for answers in the Word of God!

Churches According to the Traditions of Men vs. Apostolic Traditions:

As the word “church” is used and understood by most Christians today, it is something that men can build, something that anyone can attend if they wish to or something to which you can belong if you meet the proper criteria and hold to the right doctrines!

But the churches (ekklesias) of which we read throughout the NT scriptures are vastly different from those which have become so encumbered with the traditions of men!

Think with me on the three main ways in which the word “church” is commonly used and understood today:

1. A building to which you can go for religious services–such a building is designed and constructed by the hands of men.  “Where did you go to church last Sunday?”

2. A service or meeting  which you can attend– such a service is convened and controlled by men.   “I’m sorry I wasn’t home when you called. I was at church.”

3. A denomination/fellowship to which you can belong –such churches extend membership/fellowship  privileges based on terms determined by men. Men are fallible so they inevitably include some who are not saints at all. But because men desire control and will not give Christ His rightful place as Head, they also exclude many saints of God whom Christ has received!  “To what church do you belong?”

But the church which the Lord Jesus is building and the churches which the apostles established were quite different from those which are bound to our religious traditions. Churches which God owns are not made with hands. The Lord Jesus builds his church (the church which is His body). While men are involved in the building up of churches in houses and churches in cities, these churches are also not made with hands but are called out companies of saints (people who have been set apart/made holy by God).

If you trace the word “ekklesia” (translated “church”) through the NT, as it is used in connection with believers and their gatherings, you will find that this word:

(1) as used by the Lord Jesus,

(2) as used in historical accounts and references in Acts and the epistles and

(3) as used in the actual teachings of the apostles ….is always used to designate a called out company of saints and is not used even once of a building of brick and stained glass windows,  of a “worship service”, or of a denomination/ fellowship! 

But don’t take my word for it!

(1) How did the Lord Jesus use the word? (You decide from the 4 meanings we have considered above…)

Matthew 16:18)  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church (my church building), (my church service/meeting), (my denomination/fellowship) or (my called out company of saints); and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

(2) How is the word used in the historical records in the Book of Acts? (You decide from the 4 meanings we have considered above…)

Acts 13:1)  Now there were in the church (in the church building), (in the church service/meeting), (in the denomination/fellowship)  or (in the called out company of saints) that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

(3) How is the word used in the teachings of the apostles? (You decide from the 4 meanings we have considered above…)

(a) In the teachings of the apostle Paul:

1 Corinthians 4:17)  For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church (in every church building), (in every church service/meeting), (in every denomination/fellowship), or (in every called out company of saints).

(b) In the teachings of the apostle James:

James 5:14)  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church (the elders of the church building), (the elders of the church service/meeting), (the elders of the denomination/fellowship) or (the elders of the called out company of saints); and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

(c) In the teachings of the apostle Peter:

1 Peter 5:13)  The church that is at Babylon (the church building that is at Babylon), (the church service/meeting that is at Babylon), (the denomination/fellowship that is at Babylon) or (the called out company of saints that is at Babylon), elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.

(d) In the teachings of the apostle John:

Revelation 3:1)  And unto the angel of the church in Sardis (the church building in Sardis), (the church service/meeting in Sardis), (the denomination/ fellowship in Sardis) or (the called out company of saints in Sardis) write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

I have listed only 6 out of 112)  texts which use the words “church” or “churches” in the NT.  Are you aware of even one such text which uses the word “ekklesia/church”  in any of the three ways that the word is commonly understood in the current religious world? 

In what ways do you think your relationship with the church would change if you recognized “your church”  simply as the “called out company of saints”  who live near you? 

-What if you stopped “going to a church building” (for which there is no scriptural warrant)?

-What if you stopped attending “church services” (events unknown to first century Christians)?

-What if you withdrew your “membership” from your denomination or fellowship (institutions foreign to the New Covenant scriptures)?  and

-What if you started having company with the called out saints in your community who share the same desire to return to the original church practices which the Lord Jesus and the apostles taught?

Your answers to the above questions or any comments relating to this post are welcomed in the comments section below or by way of a personal email to me at bwood4d@gmail.com

Lem asks some more great questions!

My good friend, Lem just posted a few more great questions on an earlier post and I'd like to address them here as a great practical way to "flesh out" how biblical apostolic traditions can be applied and really do work even when the people who compose the ekklesia are far from perfect!

Lem wrote:
I'm getting a clearer picture of what you mean. Thinking over it more, I realize now that the biblical model for ekklesia would be ideal, because in this way, everyone is accountable to God. This would lead to less blame or accusation.

You are absolutely right, brother!  Every believer is accountable to God (i.e gets their assignments from Him and also receives from Him the evaluation of their tasks.)  We have messed up so often by seeking to get our assignments and evaluation from someone other than our real Master!  Worse though, is when we seek to make others accountable to ourselves and thus we assign tasks to others which the Head has never assigned and seek to usurp the place of the Head (Christ) by giving our (supposedly superior!) evaluation of some other Christian's service!  Scripture says, "To his own master he stands or falls!"

What happens if there are differences? I think the dynamics of communication between saints coming from all different sorts of backgrounds, cultures, temperaments,...etc. is much more complex than what you have described.

This question gets right down to where "the rubber meets the road", Lem! But if simple divinely given instructions do not work practically, they are of no value whatsoever!  Truly, it seems, if we had no differences and everyone was amiable and agreeable and everyone thought the same we might just get along without too many problems!  (If only everyone thought like me!!!)  But that is NOT the way that God made us! He has made us of different genders (male and female), different ethnic backgrounds (Jews and Gentiles), has placed us in different families, where we have learned different perspectives, embraced different values, have widely differing needs (physical, emotional, financial, spiritual etc).  All of those differences were designed by God NOT the enemy!!!  But God has placed believers (every one of us unique and thus different from all of our brothers and sisters) all together in one Body!   Even in small gatherings of saints in homes, all six. sixteen or twenty six will all be different from the rest!  So God did not design His ekklesias to function well in situations where all are the same, agree on everything and have no difference of opinion!  he designed the Body of Christ with an infinite variety of different members who are vitally linked to Christ, our Head.  It is the vital (life-giving) nature of that union which makes it possible for a wide variety of body members to work together in unity and to be of one mind!  (It is NOT a matter of you "caving in" and having MY mind, or me unhappily conforming to YOUR mind because MOST of the others also think that way. Rather it is a matter of each member of the body having the mind of the Head, i.e the mind of Christ!

A couple of practical first century "church problems/potential church splits" to consider:
(1) In Acts 6, the Grecian believers were upset that their widows were being neglected in the daily ministration.  Ethnic, religious, cultural and financial differences were all involved in this situation. But read the account there and see how it was dealt with openly (before the whole church), lead by the apostles who voiced the problem and made a suggestion for a solution, but not monopolized by leaders (the actual decisions were made by the whole church as to who would be appointed to deal with the situation) and the resolution was by consensus (not by majority rule which always leaves a silent but fuming minority!!!)

(2) In Acts 15 a far more volatile problem was faced squarely and resolved happily even though there was tremendous potential for alienation and division to occur!  Jewish believers, who had been divinely instructed as God's chosen people to practie circumcision of all their males for ever.  Now Gentile believers (uncircumcised!!!!) were coming into the church, the Body of Christ  (shameful!!!)  Many of the Jewish believers, not yet fully appreciating the grace of God, felt that such Gentile believers should be required to be circumcised. So a "church split" was inevitable..Right?  WRONG! 

Again the apostles and elders met with the whole church to hash out the problem openly. Paul and Barnabas addressed the gathering telling how God had worked among many Gentiles who had believed even as the Jews had. James addressed the gathering and suggested a solution and suggested that the church at Jerusalem write a letter to the Gentile believers in other cities. Again, the decision was reached by consensus, the letter was written by the church and all, both Jews and Gentiles were happy with the outcome!   Such solutions are made abolutely impossible when you begin with the mindset that the church is a democracy!!!   (World politics has gone wrong ever since Israel rejected THEOCRACY(rule by God) and substituted a monarchy, like all the nations!

Monarchy (thinking that one man, like us, will be a better king than God) was rooted in man's rebellion against God.  But democracy (thinking that the majority of us knows better than God) is far worse!!!  The majority is almost always wrong!  But the ekklesia, the Body of Christ is neither a monarchy nor a democracy. It is a theocracy, for Christ is the Head, He is the Lord, He is the King. We are the members in His Body, we are the servants of our Lord and we are the subjects of the King!   So do you see how our learned traditions have all mitgated against a proper understanding of how God has designed for relationships to function in His ekklesia?

I'm not saying such a ekklesia cannot exist. It's just that I cannot see it happening, unless every member is surrendered to God (which I find rare in my opinion). You are right again brother! And that's where it comes back to each bel;iever's accountability to God! But think of the alternatives which we have so commonly adopted....we assume it is not "normal" for each believer to hear God's voice and be guided by Him, and have thus appointed our own rulers, on our terms, so this whole system can work quite fine without anyone hearing from God. The result is a corporate church which functions just like any other corporation like "Bell",  "Mc Donalds" or "The Bay". We have asked for what we wanted and God has granted us our desire (just as God granted Israel's request for a king to judge them like all the nations) and we have suffered "leanness in our souls" as a direct result!

But what I am appealing for is a direct parallel to the time in Israel's history when Israel was reaping what they had sown in asking for a King....they had gotten Saul. Saul was hunting down David, (God's appointed King).  The true King was rejected by the majority while the nation had their king like all the nations but was suffering the sad consequences of their choice!  In the midst of that situation we read of David who was hiding out in a cave at Adullam, and a little band of "nobodies"..."Everyone that was in distress and every one that was in debt and everyone that was discontented gathered themselves unto him and He became a captain over them."

I believe that that is a prophectis description of what God is doing today as He gathers out a little remnant of nobodies (distressed, indebted, discontents!) who will gather around God's appointed KING, the Lord Jesus, and make Him their captain!   You can't have Him as Captain and still retain a democracy! I can't have Him as King and still have it "my way"!

 However, you said that you know of a few in S. Ontario. You got me curious now. I would at least like to personally attend a few of these churches. Lemuel

Lem, as noted above, all such gatherings will have lots of "warts and bumps and blemishes. But the central One is the One who has won our hearts, the Lord Jesus. If you drop me an e at bwood4d@gmail.com I'd be happy to give you contact info for a few such simple gatherings here in S Ontario with which I am familiar.  May their Lord and His simple gatherings increase! To enjoy His increase, I must be willing to decrease!

Apostolic Traditions (Continued): God’s assemblies characterized by active participation of the saints.

The apostles taught by their inspired instructions in scripture that gatherings of the saints were to be marked by the ministry of many not by the ministry of one or a select few.

-Hebrews 10:24,25 teaches us clearly what is on God’s agenda when His people gather together, i.e. - considering one another to provoke or stir up unto love and good works and – exhorting one another.

- In I Cor.5:4-13 and I Timothy 5:19-21, the apostle Paul clearly teaches that when it becomes necessary to put away a sinning brother or sister in the church or even to rebuke a sinning elder, it is not a matter that is dealt with “behind closed doors” by a select group of leaders, elders or “pastoral staff”. Rather it is to be dealt with when the assembly is gathered together.

- In I Cor.11:20-34 and 14:23-40 Paul gives clear teaching on what is to happen when the whole church (the church in the city) comes together into one place:

- This kind of gathering is not for eating the Lord’s supper (11:20),

-eating is to be done in believers’ houses (11:21,33,34)

–in such a gathering any brother may give a psalm, a doctrine, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation but all must be the edification of all (14:26),

-tongues speaking is limited to 2 or 3 speakers, one is to interpret and if there is no interpreter there is to be no tongues speaking (again, so that all may be edified 14:27,28),

- 2 or 3 prophets may speak, if something is revealed to another who sits by, the first is to hold his peace, and whatever is spoken by prophets is also to be judged or discerned by the other prophets(14:29-33), and, in such whole church gatherings, women are to be silent and, if they have questions, to ask their own husbands at home. (14:34,35)

What the apostles taught by their spoken and written instructions we also see put into practice, modeled by the apostles and the early churches of which they formed a part.  Normal church gatherings in homes were marked by free participation of any of the believers, including sisters. See Acts 1:12-2:47; 4:23-37; 12:11-17; 13:1-3; 18:24-26; 21:8,9; 20:7-12.)  All gatherings of the while church, such as Acts 6:1-6 and 15:4-32 were conducted in accordance with the regulations of I Cor.14:23-40.

 “Preaching” among the saints was always by dialogue and discussion rather than lecturing. Paul’s preaching in Acts 20 was the Greek word “dialegomai” or dialogue. Current religious tradition has taught us that “homilies” are “sermons” and that “homiletics” is the art of sermon preparation and delivery, yet the truth of the matter is that scriptural homilies are always conversations among a number of people! The Greek word HOMILEO is found 4 times in the NT and is translated “talked together”, “communed together”, “talked” and “communed” in Luke 24:14,15; Acts 20:11 and 24:26. Thus it is clear that sermonizing to assemblies of saints is an activity that is totally foreign to the NT!  This is one major reason why the apostles never taught the early saints to buy, own, rent or acquire special church buildings but most often gathered in homes. (Acts 2:46, 20:20; Rom 16:3-5; 1 Cor. 16:19; Col 4:15 & Philemon 1:2).  Even when the whole church in a city gathered together into one place “sermonizing” was never on the agenda  nor was their venue on such occasions owned by the church! (Acts 2:46; 5:12; 19:9; 20:20 I Cor.11:20; 14:23 KJV)

The Lord Jesus and the apostles knew that monologue lecturing was the least effective means of communication and that conversations in which one is personally involved are remembered far more readily than lectures at which one was simply a passive listener.  So too, believers today remember and retain far more of what is spoken in conversations in which they participate than they do from pulpit ministry.

Have you ever wondered why pulpit ministry and monologue lecturing has become the central and principal feature of the vast majority of church gatherings regardless of denomination?  As far as the scriptures go, there is not one NT example of divine truth being communicated to believers by way of monologue sermonizing! And did you know that there is just one OT example of a monologue from a pulpit? That one instance which is the sole scriptural basis for pulpit ministry was in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah when the Israelites, just recently returned from captivity, did not have the scriptures available in their own hands and the scriptures were being read to them publicly! See Nehemiah 8:4.

How much more effectively the Word of God is communicated among the people of God when we listen to and obey apostolic traditions! And those who are regular participants in gatherings of saints characterized by “one anothering” can testify that such gatherings are far more interesting and edifying than gatherings in which they are silent spectators.

Have you ever participated in church gatherings where “one anothering” was the expected norm?  Have you ever desired to be part of such gatherings of saints? Have you ever heard others express fears about the “dangers” of obeying such an apostolic tradition?

What are your thoughts, comments or responses to the above?

APOSTOLIC TRADITION: NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN CLERGY AND LAITY

Probably the most prevalent and damaging tradition of men among churches of the Lord’s people today is the distinction between groups called “the clergy” and “the laity”. According to this tradition “the clergy” are those normally referred to as “the ministers”, “servants of the Lord” those who are “ordained”, those who are in “full-time Christian work” and who are normally paid for their ministry or service and many are given titles such as “Reverend” or “Father”.

By way of contrast “the laity”, according to this tradition of men, are those who are “ministered to”, “served” by the clergy, “unordained”, employed in “secular work”, and if they do any service in the church it is usually as unpaid volunteers.

But such a tradition was not passed down by the Lord Jesus or the apostles! Rather they clearly taught that the laity (The Greek word LAOS) or “the people” of God and the clergy (the Greek word KLEROS) or God’s  “inheritance”, “heritage” or “appointed lot” were one and the same group of people!!!

The following are just a few examples where God, through His apostles and prophets, refers to believers as “my people” (LAOS) or “the people (LAOS) of God”:

Romans 9:25)  As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people (LAOS), which were not my people (LAOS); and her beloved, which was not beloved. 26)  And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people (LAOS); there shall they be called the children of the living God.

2 Corinthians 6:16)  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people (LAOS).

1 Peter 2:9)  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people (LAOS); that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10)  Which in time past were not a people (LAOS), but are now the people (LAOS) of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

All believers are not only called God’s people or LAOS, they are also included in His inheritance or KLEROS!

The Lord Jesus, speaking to the apostle Paul told him that believers would not only receive forgiveness of sins but also inheritance (KLEROS) among them which are sanctified by faith! (Acts 26:15-18

The apostle Paul, writing to the church at Colosse, told them that the Father had made them partakers of the inheritance (KLEROS) of the saints in light.  (Colossians 1:9-17)

And the apostle Peter, writing to elders of the churches in I Peter 5:1-3, clearly instructed them that they were not to be “lords over God's heritage (KLEROS)”, but rather to be “examples to the flock.”   Thus we see that, according to the scriptures and apostolic tradition, the laity and the clergy are not two different groups of people but are two terms used of all believers!

Not only are all believers both laity and clergy, but all are ordained of God! The Lord Jesus, in John 15:16 said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.”

Not only are we all clergy which have been ordained by the Lord Jesus but we also are gifted by God for ministry! Every believer is equipped for ministry to others in the Body and have thus been made stewards of the manifold grace of God. “As every man (each one) hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”  (I Peter 4:10,11)

The apostles not only taught that all believers are God’s clergy, that they are ordained, that they are ministers but they taught that all believers are also holy and royal priests! See I Peter 2:5&9

The main reason why “burnout” among Christian “pastors/clergymen” has reached epidemic proportions is because this tradition of men has placed such a heavy burden on such leaders which God never intended that they should carry! Ministry is designed by God to be shared by all the members in the body, not just one!

According to apostolic tradition, church leaders were never to be hired by the flock, saddled with all the responsibilities of ministry and fired when they did not meet the high expectations placed upon them!

Rather elders (a plurality of men who are “home-grown” rather than called from elsewhere) are to be recognized by God-given qualifications (I Timothy 3 and Titus 1) and are to serve together as they oversee the flock,  to work with their own hands to meet their own needs and minister to the weak among the flock. (Acts 20:28-35)

When ever God’s simple instructions for His flock are obeyed, both sheep and shepherds flourish. But when traditions of men replace apostolic traditions great damage is done to the shepherds and great havoc is worked among the sheep!  Oh may we have courage to repent of traditions of men and return to the simplicity of apostolic traditions for all of our church practices!

You are invited to comment below or email me at bwood4d@gmail.com