Show DIVINE ecclesiasticism IN an article I 1 which appears in the north ansern american review for april a very common and growing opinion is thus expressed 4 christ established no church neither catholic nor congregational nor any uy church between toe the two all eccle ecclesiasticism 4 S is ot of human origin I 1 neither one church nor another therefore can caa be justified in claiming to be the or ordinal ginal hurch church ot Christ 11 this is advanced as a plea for what to is known as Congregational ismor that system of worship and church government that gives the name of inde tiel tf to its followers ja in many parts of europe ind and america numbers of people in other sects entertain similar notions and thus the erroneous idea gains ground that membership in ia any church is not essential to a christian life in this world or to salvation in the world to come that no ecclesiastical organization now extant acan can be justified in clat claiming M to be the original church of christ is a fact that cannot be successfully disputed but that this is so because became e there was no original church of carist is I 1 capable of complete refutation it i is because of general apostasy apo stacy from the original church that none of the churches of modern modem times can be justified in claiming to be the original body comparison of any or all of the existing sects with the church described and alluded to itt in the new testament will demons demonstrate this neither in form spirit doctrine or ordinances do any of the churches which have been set up by human authority bear even a fair resemblance to the primitive church of christ nor is this surprising if th the theory laid down in the article in the review is correct A church is but a voluntary assembly of et believers united by their beliet belief 71 under such a definition there cannot be any true church of christ there may be catholic episcopal presbyterian fian methodist baptist congregational and nume numerous other churches but none of them has a any right to the title of I 1 the church chuoc ill ot of jesus christs christ because he has no voice or authority in ia their establishment they are nothing more nor less than the creations of men they are sot not divine they are only human no wonder that hat there should be such sucha a diversity of doctrine among theland them and so little real union of sentiment and spirit within each one of them it is surprising with the bible as the recognized standard and only guide of these churches that any of them can take the position that christ established no church and that man and not god has always been the oria originator lua of ecclesiasticism true religion ell glon must come from god TO 0 man and correct forms of worship and church government must be divinely ordained it is the duty of man to obey ond and the right of god to accept or reject the creature must not dictate to the creator I 1 but the greater must command and nd direct the less and the true believer exclaims with the great master 1 I come not to do my own will but toe tae will of him that sent me 10 the Cli church in the wilderness 17 composed of the tribes of israel received all the ordinances and rites covenants and commandments order of worship and every ceremonial direct from god by revelation all things were to be done as shown to moses in IB the mount when jesus the greater prophet came he by divine command took a 4 step in advance of that system revealed aled through moses and after fUl fulfilling tilling all that the older church required established a higher form with a greater manifestation of the divine spirit he commenced the establishment of his church when he chobe the twelve Ai postles and sent beut them out to pro and officiate lit in his naine lie then called the seventy for similar purposes he tang taught them the doctrines alues adlich which tl they ie Y W wore ore to baptism IM and other 0 cec which they were bere to tb administer he instructed them in many things which do not appear in the meagre ab accounts counts preserved of ills his life and aad ministry and when he departed sent the spirit of truth to teach them all things and guide them into all truth we learn from such of their writings writing come down to us that christ dw establish a church and that it was one body wherever its members might be all the different branches or churches or organizations of church members were parts of the theone one organ ism imbued with the one spirit and having the one form of doctrine paul wrote to the church of dod od at corinth 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 teacher sp after that miracles then gifts of healings helps governments evern ments diversities of tongues I 1 I 1 cor xii 27 2728 28 see also eph aph iva iv 1116 11 16 the church of christ was the church of ef god because the son did nothing of himself but everything as commanded by the father who gave him to be head over all things to the church eph 1 22 2 2 11 the term church of god is used all through the writings of the apostles as an organization under the direction of the lord having authority to discipline its members prescribe rules ler for their conduct and cast them out for desobe di 1 ce it was not established by a vo voluntary allu association of believers as their notions or whims a might suggest but was a divine like the body of a man and derived its life as well as its existence fro frona deity affer jesus had commence commenced the organization of his church he gave authority to its wix ministers asters to regulate its affairs in explain im how bow contending members shoud be dusci disciplined 11 d it i they could not be reconciled NIEL he said but it he be will not hear bear thee then t take ake with thee ome oe or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established and if he shall neglect to bear thee then tell it to the church but it if te he neglect to te hear the church let lafr him oe e unto unco thee as a heathen man and a publican verily I 1 say unto you whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on oa earth shall be loosed hogsed in heaven it if jesus established no church what did he mean when referring to t the revelation ot of god to peter that he was the christ he be said on this rock will I 1 build my church and the gates of bell shall not prevail against it matth xvi 18 paul says he la Is the head bead of th the e body the church and lie he to is the savior of the body it and a christ also loved the church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the wash baet daf water by the word that he mii cresent present it to hian himself self a glorious chierek Chil rek 1 etc eph v 2527 25 27 when the apostles were sent into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature they b up p bran branches ches of the church composed of people who believed repented and were baptized for the remission remis Bion of sins and were confirmed with the gift of the holy ghost by the laying on OB of bands in this way the lord added to the church daily such as should be saved acts 11 22 abud abid the apostles ordained elders in every city who were a appointed I 1 overseers overseer sv to feed tee the church ol of god and bishops to take church of god all of which was done by commandment and revelation by the will of god and not according to the notions or precepts of men there then was cism that was not lot ol 01 of human origin it is because of ecclesiasticism a complete departure from divine ecclesiastic C ism that human ecclesiasticism has been resorted to and hence the multiplicity of ef jarring sects throughout divided christendom divine ecclesiasticism is ONIC ONE and harmonious I 1 human mcclel is diverse and huan c 0 one has hag a settled orders order ordinances a fixed standard aind authoritative government the other is shifting and unstable the creature of opinion and without a common criterion or controversial finality independent thinkers lukers th who are believers in the divine mission of jesus of nazareth finding defects in all the organizations claiming to be the church pt christ ano and tracing their origin to U human sources have concluded that an ecclesiastical system is nut not essential or that it is not a divine appointment bat biblical history snows with each new dispensation god has appointed persons to act by his authority ant hority and that ruf ru believers in thu the ha heavenly message have always caroe under a system directed by those divinely delegated and aad if no such organization and a authority have existed for many centuries there is all the more need need for a new dispensation a restoration of the church of god cheh repentant repeat ant believers were baptized under apostolic administration they were by that means initiated into the church of christ they were ere baptized into barist and became part 0 tile the one body of which he is ib the head T they e were then under th the guidance of th those Y e apostles prophets evangelists pastors teachers teachers etc who were placed in the afie church lor for the work of the ministry the perfecting of the saints and the ane edifying of the body of christ until all should agul come into the unity ot of the th MO A church of christ is essential then its authority ordinances and government are essential and without it eherd theres th ereis is no good reason lor for believing that the services is assemblies and or organized systems 0 or worship of professing christians are r any intire more acceptable to god than those of the beathena it Is claimed in the article in the review that the saying of jesus where two or three are gathered Ka together la in ray my name there am I 1 in the midst of them 29 is a warrant for independent co congregationalism ano and is against the idea des of a general burch church but exam national natio nol the context shows that this referred directly to the members of the church under the direction direct ien of the apostles having power to discipline them to cast them out for transgression and to bied biad on earth and it should be bound in IB heaven and to loose on earth and it be Ioos loosed ed in ia heaven see matthew we are thankful to know beyond doubt that while the church ot jesus christ 01 01 latter day saints cannot claim to tel be dathe the original church of christ because that ceased to be on OB earth when the great apostasy became gen eral it is a restoration of the church of christ with all its original ordinal doctrines discipline officers ordinances spirit gifts power and authority it lisone is ONE BODY with christ chrict for its LIVING HEAD directing guiding inspiring and communicating with it for the consummation of ef all things in ia this 6 dispensation of the falness of times and it ultima ultimately tel gather in one all things that are in him him from all con gregat ions all sects all nations tribes and tongues and the church and kingdom of god will yet extend over all the oarth and all nations will serve and obey him in the way that he himself has appointed |