CHAPTER FOUR

THE NEW TESTAMENT LEADERSHIP

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:36; 5:31; Rev. 1:5; Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18; 1 Cor. 11:3; Heb. 13:24; Rom. 12:8; 1 Tim. 5:17; 3:2; 1 Pet. 5:2-3; 1 Thes. 5:12; Heb. 13:17; Gal. 2:7; Rom. 11:13; 1 Cor. 16:12; 1 Tim. 1:3-4; 2 John 9-11; 2 Cor. 13:10; 1 Cor. 4:17b-21; 7:17b; 16:1; 11:2; 2 Thes. 3:6, 9, 12, 14; 1 Cor. 1:10; 5:11-13; 11:34b; 2 Cor. 10:6; Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5; 1 Tim. 5:19-20; Exo. 28:29-30; Num. 27:15-23; 1 Sam. 3:1, 19-21; Acts 15:6, 23, 28; 2:42; 13:1

OUTLINE

1. The headship of Christ:
   1. Christ having been made Lord and Christ by God—Acts 2:36.
   2. Christ having been exalted as the Leader over all the rulers—Acts 5:31.
   3. Christ having been made the Ruler of the kings of the earth—Rev. 1:5.
   4. Christ having been appointed to be the Head over all things to the church—Eph. 1:22.
   5. Christ being the Head of the church—Col. 1:18.
   6. Christ being the Head of every man under the headship of God—1 Cor. 11:3.
2. The leadership in the church life:
   1. The elders taking the lead diligently in the church life—Heb. 13:24; Rom. 12:8.
   2. The elders laboring in teaching the saints—1 Tim. 5:17b; 3:2.
   3. The elders shepherding the church as the flock of God, overseeing it according to God, and becoming patterns of the flock, not lording it over the flock—1 Pet. 5:2-3.
   4. To be regarded, obeyed, and honored by the saints—1 Thes. 5:12; Heb. 13:17; 1 Tim. 5:17a.
3. The leadership in the ministry:
   1. Peter taking the lead in the New Testament ministry among the Jews—Gal. 2:7b.
   2. Paul taking the lead in the New Testament ministry among the Gentiles—Gal. 2:7a; Rom. 11:13.
   3. The leadership in the New Testament ministry being in the New Testament teaching more than in the leading ones of the New Testament ministry:
      1. The leading ones not being strict in directing the move of their co-workers—cf. 1 Cor. 16:12.
      2. The leading ones being strict in the teaching of the New Testament—cf. 1 Tim. 1:3-4; 2 John 9-11.
   4. God's delegated authority in the leading ones:
      1. For building up and not for overthrowing—2 Cor. 13:10.
      2. In their teaching—1 Cor. 4:17b-21; 7:17b; 16:1; 11:2; 2 Thes. 3:6, 9, 12, 14.
      3. In their dealing with the problems and affairs of the churches—1 Cor. 1:10; 5:11-13; 11:34b.
      4. In their punishing of the saints' disobedience—2 Cor. 10:6.
      5. In their appointing of and dealing with the elders—Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5; 1 Tim. 5:19-20.
4. God's government in the administration of the churches:
   1. Not autocracy nor democracy, but theocracy.
   2. The theocratic government among the people of Israel in the Old Testament:
      1. Through the priesthood with the Urim and the Thummim—Exo. 28:29-30; Num. 27:15-23.
      2. Through the coordination of the prophets—1 Sam. 3:1, 19-21.
   3. The theocratic government in the churches in the New Testament:
      1. Through the Spirit who dwells in the spirits of the apostles and the elders, both of whom are the New Testament priests, with the revelation of the New Testament teaching—Acts 15:6, 23, 28; 2:42; 1 Thes. 5:12; 1 Tim. 3:2; 5:17.
      2. Through the coordination of the New Testament prophets—Acts 13:1.