All the churches are the same in receiving the teachings of the apostles. In 1 Corinthians 4:17b Paul says, “Even as I teach everywhere in every church.” This indicates that the apostles’ teaching is the same universally, not varying in any place. In 1 Corinthians 7:17 Paul says, “Only as the Lord has allotted to each one, as God has called each one, so let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches.” This is a further indication that all the churches were the same in receiving Paul’s teachings. In 1 Corinthians 16:1 Paul goes on to say, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you do also.” Here Paul instructed the church in Corinth to do what he had directed the churches of Galatia to do. This is a further indication that all the churches under Paul’s ministry were one in the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42).
Romans 16:17 tells us that some “make divisions and causes of falling contrary to the teaching which you have learned.” “The teaching which you have learned” is the teaching of the apostles. Whatever is taught in the churches should be the teaching of the apostles. We should be cautious of anyone who teaches in a way that is contrary to the teaching of the apostles.
First Timothy 1:3 says, “Even as I urged you, when I was going into Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus in order that you might charge certain ones not to teach differently.” Paul urged Timothy to remain in Ephesus to charge certain ones not to teach differently, that is, to charge them not to teach differently from the apostles’ teaching. The apostles’ teaching is not the teaching of a particular doctrine like baptism by immersion. The main emphasis of the apostles’ teaching is God’s New Testament economy. The constituents of God’s New Testament economy are the person and redemptive work of Christ and the church as the reproduction of Christ and His work.
Some who do not realize that all the churches should be the same in receiving the apostles’ teachings may think that a certain teaching is good for one church but not for their church. To have this attitude is to be closed to the fellowship among the churches. Any teaching that is good for a particular church is good for all the churches on earth. Likewise, if a teaching is not good for a particular church, it should be rejected by all the churches. There is no thought in the New Testament that a teaching is good for one church but not for the other churches. Rather, the New Testament reveals that the churches should be the same in receiving the teachings.
The churches should be one not only in receiving the teachings but also in practicing the church life. Nevertheless, some may think that a practice is good for a certain church but not for all the churches. However, Paul charged all the churches to have the same kind of practice.
Two portions of 1 Corinthians clearly indicate this. The first concerns head covering. There are different thoughts concerning head covering, but Paul told the saints in 11:16 not to be contentious concerning this. “If anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.” The custom here is the custom of contention, disputation, and debate. Neither the apostles nor the churches tolerated any disputation concerning the apostles’ teaching. The fact that Paul here speaks of “the churches of God” indicates that all the churches should act in the same way according to the apostles’ teaching. The practice of all the churches should be uniquely one.
First Corinthians 14:33b and 34 say, “As in all the churches of the saints, let the women be silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but let them be subject, as the law also says.” This also indicates that all the local churches should be the same in practice. This prohibition of the sisters speaking in the church means that women are not permitted to teach with authority concerning the defining of doctrine (cf. 1 Cor. 11:5; Acts 2:17-18; 21:9; 1 Tim. 2:12). The two practices concerning head covering and concerning women’s ministry confirm that all the churches should be one in the same kind of unique practice.
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