In the church there are not only elders who are God’s deputy authorities, but there are also many older brothers and sisters who are authorities over us. This is similar to the relationship among the members of the body. Consider my hand for example. Above the five fingers is the palm, which has authority over the fingers. However, above the palm is the lower arm, and above the lower arm is the upper arm, and above the upper arm is still the head. There is authority all the way down the line. If one day my little finger were to say to my palm, “I am not happy with you,” this would be troublesome. If the fingers were to say, “We are good friends with the palm, but we are enemies with the arm,” this would also not be acceptable.
In the church there is authority and also order. Due to Satan’s rebellion, the order in the universe has been thrown into confusion. Due to man’s rebellion and sin, the earth is also full of confusion. In today’s families, schools, businesses, and factories, in entire societies and nations, and even over the whole globe, there is quarreling and contention. This is because no one is willing to submit to authority, and as a result, no one keeps the order or maintains the arrangement.
As those who have been saved by God and who are living in the church, we need to be the lampstands of Christ and the vessels of God’s glory shining for God on the earth. How could we be like the worldly people, not submitting to authority or keeping the order and always quarreling? Today in the world people talk about being democratic and free, but it must not be so in the church. In the church there should be a peaceful, orderly situation. Whenever the brothers and sisters are together, each one should keep the order and take his proper place, whether he is above or below others or on the right or the left. When such a situation exists, then there will be the church and the expression of Christ, the expression of God.
One time someone told me that a certain worldly organization was unable to successfully hold business meetings. Then some of their leaders came to our service meetings to observe us. They saw that the number of people in our meetings was about the same as the number in theirs but that our meetings were very simple. There was no one shouting and no one maintaining the order. The brothers simply stood up one by one to speak without arguing or contending. The business leaders studied us for a while and then told us, “Now we have learned how to hold a meeting.” I asked them, “What have you learned?” They replied, “First, we will sing two songs, then we will keep silent for two minutes, and then we will start our discussion. In this way we will be the same as you.” I thought to myself, “Go ahead and sing. Even after singing twenty-eight songs, you still will not be the same as us. On the contrary, I am afraid that the more you sing, the more you will quarrel.”
Why is it that in the proper local churches there is peace and order? We have to admit that first it is because Christ, the Head of the church, is reigning among us. Thus, the Holy Spirit can freely operate among us and fully be with us. Second, it is because of the fact that the deputy authorities, the elders, whom God has established in the local churches are able to administer and lead the congregation in the Holy Spirit. Third, it is because all of God’s children in the churches keep the order. Each one takes his position and submits to one another. No one is proud or conspicuous, nor is anyone self-depreciating or withdrawn. Each one knows what kind of member he is in the Body of Christ, and each one learns in the grace of God to coordinate with others and to be built together. No one acts disorderly or recklessly.
Some might say, “Is this not too authoritarian? Is this not undemocratic?” In God’s house there is never the question of whether this is authoritarian or democratic. In God’s house there is only the question of God’s authority and order. This is the same as the situation in a family. In a family the father and mother are above the children, and the brothers and sisters are in their order, each one knowing his or her position. There is no need for anyone to fight for his or her place. It is not a matter of the elder brother or sister being authoritarian or of the younger siblings losing their freedom. It is altogether not such a matter.