An “Organized” Church

An “Organized” Church

Among the religious denominations it is said that a church has to be organized and have a membership list if any church discipline is to be carried out. This is the same “reasonable” system that every temperance society and every other human organization uses. However, all this has nothing to do with the body of Christ (the church), because Christ is not divided.

Denominations and membership lists cannot be justified by a true Christian. These things are and remain works of the flesh, which are manifest sin. Gal. 5:19-20; 2 Cor. 3:3; John 17:20-23.

These organized denominations set aside God’s perfect law and institute human rules and regulations instead. However, the natural man has to do this, because he cannot comprehend the things that belong to the kingdom of God.

Christ and the church are a great mystery of godliness. A church cannot be manufactured; it has to be born. Each member must be born again, receive God’s Spirit, and be led by this Spirit. Some are born to be evangelists, others to be shepherds, teachers, prophets, apostles, etc. It is impossible, on a human level, to “study” yourself to be any one of these. The church is the height of God’s work of creation.

We are not equipped for the work of ministry in one day. However, because of the great liberty that rules in the church of the living God, we are increasingly grounded in our calling and election through the fear of God and faithfulness in small things.

Christ is the head and leader of the church, and He has a living interest in each individual. He loves each and every one and desires that each one of them could partake of a constantly deepening salvation; and whomever the Lord loves He chastens. He scourges every son whom He receives. Heb. 12:6. Christ looks not only at outward things, as people do, but He looks into the most hidden recesses of the heart and chastens us for each single violation of the most sensitive laws of God. He Himself executes this perfect church discipline, and the result is a blessed order in the church.

It almost never happens that someone has to be put out of the church of the living God. God’s fire burns in the church, and every sinner will become aware of the fact that he has to get converted quickly or else leave. False prophets and savage wolves find nothing of interest in the church, since there are no human advantages to remaining in the church—all they meet is sacrifice. This is a wonderful safety valve against all that is impure. However, sin will sneak in wherever salaries are paid, or where there are other advantages according to the flesh.

It is extremely dangerous to exercise church discipline in a human way. In this way one can kill souls that should not die and keep souls alive that should not live. Ezek. 13:19.

If someone has fallen in a sin that brings shame over his denomination, he stands a good chance of being put out, even though he regrets his sin and wants to turn away from it; whereas those who live a far worse life in finer forms are considered to be members in good standing.

It is also pointless to chastise all the outward things if the Lord cannot do a work in the depths of the heart. The sword of the Spirit must be used. God’s Word must be proclaimed in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that it pierces even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb. 4:12. Then God’s judgments will pour forth like water and have the effect of an uninterrupted “church discipline” in the lives of all those who transgress God’s most sensitive laws. This chastening touches everyone; it is both just and without partiality, because the Lord Himself chastens with His Word of truth. The upright love chastisement because it results in life and salvation, but for the others it becomes unbearable. This is how the church of God blossoms and flourishes in purity, without membership lists and human organization.

It is a great folly to have an election in the church with the majority having the final say. This betrays a total ignorance of all spiritual understanding. Titus was given the task of ordaining elders, because he was sufficiently spiritual and God-fearing to know whom God had really ordained as elders in that place. It is quite possible that some completely different people would have been “ordained” if he had called the church together for the purpose of holding an election. The church in Corinth had the gift of tongues, of prophecy, of healing, and other gifts; nevertheless, they were carnal and babes in Christ without any spiritual understanding. They even considered Paul’s speech to be contemptible.

If these people had come together to hold an election, it is doubtful if Paul would have been entrusted with a single office. The false apostles, deceitful workers, and fools whom they so willingly tolerated would undoubtedly have been chosen as shepherds, evangelists, teachers, apostles, elder brethren, etc. If they would have set up church by-laws and a membership list next, they could have exercised “church discipline” too, and then the entire church would have been organized according to a “Biblical pattern.” Unfortunately, we have many such churches today that have been organized according to a “Biblical pattern.” This is great folly, and people have drifted far from God’s way. They have lost faith in God’s guidance and sovereignty and have taken the leadership into their own hands. Jesus says, “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

The time is short, and Christ is coming soon, so there is no longer any time to play church.

God be praised that many in these last days are getting their eyes opened—in both town and country—to this folly of denominationalism. They are waking up to their exalted calling and are beginning to realize what the church of the living God really is.