The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy so that he would know “how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and base [Gk.] of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). If Timothy needed such instruction, how much more do we! Let us answer some questions before we consider together our behavior in the house of God, which is the church.
How can I have a proper regard for the headship of Christ in dealing with my husband? I have been in the recovery for only six months and am not clear about the right relationships between brothers and sisters in the church.
In ordinary times, the wife must follow her husband. However, if a robber breaks into the house, you don’t have to wait for your husband to phone the police. If your house is on fire, you don’t have to submit to your husband to the extent of letting him stay asleep. To wake him up and to call the fire department is not overstepping your place. If someone in the church stands up and preaches that we should worship Satan, everyone, even the youngest sister, should rise up to protest.
Even if we read the Bible over and over, I don’t think we would ever come up with what you have shared with us regarding leadership among the saints [see Life Message Fifteen]. How can we as young people get into the Word and really get the meat, or the divine concept, out of it?
As I have said before, we first approach the Word not to understand it, but to get into God’s presence, to breathe Him in and be washed by Him. As for seeing the light in the Word, this requires much labor. I have been clear for many years that God does not want human leadership in His service, but it is only in these last two years that I have put the various Scripture references together that prove this point (Matt. 23:8, 10; 1 Pet. 5:3; 1 Cor. 12:28; and the cases of Peter and Paul. All this we covered in Life Message Fifteen, “Leadership among the Saints.”) It takes time for the understanding to come on these matters. In the house of God we have the prophets and teachers (Eph. 4:11). It is a family with both older and younger ones. Gradually you will have more understanding, not by the mere passage of time, but by accumulating the knowledge of the Bible as you contact the Lord in its pages.
I have heard it said that when we come into the church life, we are getting into a boat, and that we should all stay in the boat, even if it means going over the cliff together. This has made us feel that even if we sense an objection within us to something, we must not disturb the oneness but all stay together and let the Lord rescue us.
Such talk, I am sorry to say, is foolish and superstitious. It is true that we do not want to be rebellious and disobedient; we are not out to make trouble or cause turmoil. However, our obedience is based upon the logical truth and the proper knowledge. Suppose I tell you that Satan is God and that you must worship him. Will you stay in such a boat to keep the oneness?
I have also heard of the saints’ being told not to try to discern others, that if they discern they are not showing love. Does not the Bible say, “Let the other discern” (1 Cor. 14:29, Gk.)? In Philippians 1:9 the Apostle Paul prayed, “That your love may abound in knowledge and in all judgment.” Love should not abound in foolishness; we should not love blindly. A love which abounds in knowledge is the proper love.
The truth about leadership among the saints has two sides; we must keep the balance. On the one hand, there is no permanent leadership in the New Testament economy. On the other hand, the younger are to submit themselves to the elder (1 Pet. 5:5). While we practice the truth of not recognizing human leadership, we must also practice the subduing of our flesh by learning to submit humbly to others.
Could you explain more specifically what the truth is that Paul wrote about in 1 Timothy 3?
The word truth means what is real. In actuality only God is real; thus in the Bible truth refers to God Himself. “The law was given through Moses; grace and reality came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). When Jesus came, God came to be our enjoyment. When Jesus came, God came to be the reality. All the truths in the Bible refer to God Himself, not to doctrines. In the Bible there are many doctrines which contain the truth. The truth is not mere doctrine. There is a distinction between doctrine and truth, though many Christians confuse them.
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