The Ohio Independent Baptist, April 1958

THE 0 1110 INDEPENDENT BAPTIST - ~~~~~~~~~~~~ April 1958 THE CHURCH IN ITS 1'WO-FOLD ASPECT Ji, l ' Ii . . J. IJ{ \ .. I ~ <: l{ I 1 : I 1 :N I~ l)i1· rC' t or l1' pl }~),, ~I1i 1) <>f l~cl} )l is · ~ f<> r I l <)111 ~li ·.· i,>11 CHAPTER IV THE LOCAL ASPECT · · , '<J te e ,·c tl1<' c/11trc l1< ~ :lrc11 r;tl1 c11 ccl i I tl1r J'r11! l1. lt>zcl i11c1·er1.·crl i 11 111t 111 b( 1· rlail .lJ · (. c: t" l l5· ,->) . ·· J! 1tl i.t' I l <1 rr .lJ loJt [/ , f hc,t l /10 1t JJICf.lJCSt '1·11(; 11 1 l1 ou Jl ll Jl rJ 1 ylz t to br - 11,tl '< f/1c111,c!.1 ·(s i,1 171 < l10 1c .·l <J.t' (Joel , icliic/1 i: tlz c c/1 rrc /1 rJf t l1 e livi11g (Joel tl1 c pil l c11· (l]i(l [)1'61l l l(! u!' lr1t f l1 . ' ' ( rf i111otl1~r :3:17 ) It i, tli ffi tl tlt t o 1111(lr r~ta11Ll 11t),,. n11.,~011c 1·e,1 cli11g· t l1e X(:1 ,,· Test<l- 111(\11t vo11 lcl 111i"', tl1 ') Il ol)· ~1 irit '. ,tro11g c1 11d C't)11 ti1111al p11111l1a~i. l l ['011 tl1t) loe,11 n"~t\111111,· of J.,cli '),·cr . ... \ 11 l () \ .t 1 r - )1111 l1a~i..;; 0 11 tl1 c l1111· c l1 1111i- , ·t) r .. nl ,111cl ,111 ,1l111o"t cl i ·co1111t i11Q of tl1 e ·11l1rcl1 loeal J1a. lecl t o --e , ·er ,11 otl1e1· g·r t), ·ioll e r1·01· of Ol11· t l ci ) · . {) 11 r of t11e e is: t l1e . tro11g· t :l J 1 t l e 11 e ~ · to i 11 c ] 11 de a 11 J) r of e · o 1-.· t1 f il11·i tic111 it,· i11 tl1e bo11cl. of • l)1·ot 1 er l1oocl . 011 t l1 r g1·01111c1. t l1a t ,111 a re 111e111l-e r of ··tl1e 1 ht11·el1 ' reg·ar l le. ~ 110,,· the~· liffe1· in cloc– t ri11e. , , ... c li,,.e i11 a11 ext1--e111el,., • loo e la,. a .. f a1-- a. 1 h1-- i tia11 • fe llo,,· l1i1) · · i t o11ce1·11ec1 a1 c1 h e1·e i 011e of tJ1 e c:a11 e. . ...\11 ec1l1all~.. ~eriot1 "' e1--ro1-- .·t e111n1ing f 1·on1 t l1e a111e 1·oot i tl1 e 1)} "" -JJa . i11g a11d tl1e oft e11 OJ)e11l3" .·lig·hti11g· the loeal r h111·c 11 i11 01·cl e1-- t o 1)ro1 1ote g;1·ea t 1110, ·e111e11t ., a11d tl1e 111ag11etic lec1 1- L er of t l1e. e sa111e 1110,·e111ent. . The loeal a. e11l l,· i t1·eated al1no. t • with t·o11t e1111)t i11 .-on1e 1t1a1 .. t er . l)~· tl10 ·e "~ 110 l)l"OC lai111 1011 l l~r t ]1e fc.1 il11rr . acco1·di11g t o tl1e1n of the cl1111·c:h to 111eet the cl1alle11ge of t l1e l1011r 01· t o ca1·1·, ... 011t t l1e 0·1·eat . . .., 0 c:01111111 10 11 . ~ ... t1r11ri. i11glJ'" , too, , 0111e 11otec1 . (·l1ola1· l1a,Te ,,T1·itte11 a. t l1011irl1 t l1e loc:al cl1t1rr l1 \'{a. of 111,11 -111acle orig·i11- l1 11111 a11l,... eo11- c·ei ,·e 1. t l1a t n1ig·l1 t 1 e t1·ea t~<l a a tl1i1 ~: of . 111all i1n1)orta11ce i11 the t l1e111 of Goel f 0 1· t l1i · ... -\g·e. ....\. c· a 11 - cl icla te £01· or li11a tio11, ,,,,e 11 c1 l1 - ta tecl b11t t1·ai11ecl l111cl e1-- a fa - 111ol1 t eac· her 11otal>l~... ,,·ea le 01 tl1 c cloet ri11e of t l1e e h11rc 11 . n1acl e s Ll lJ- ta 1 tiall>· tl1e ·t a t e111e11 t g·i \ '"e1 i11 t l1e J)1·e,~iot1~ e1 t eu ee. II o,,T cli,.. c1· e £1·0 111 tl1i i the J)la ·e a.. ig11ec1 the local cl1l1r t l1 i11 > ·e1·i1)tt11·e ! The " :01·cl eh'·h·lc:ir! i. , a. " ·c l1a,..e p1·e– , · 1011 l~· 111e11t 1011ecl, 11 eel 1] 9 t in1e. i11 t h Xe,,. T e~ta11 e11t a11c1 a t lea. t 93 of t he~e r efer to t he local ·l111r ·11. Tlze locr,l cl i1 t1·cll i.· tlie 011ly sc1·i7Jiltrr1! 1J1a 1zifc.-tat io11 of tlz C' cl111i~cJ, 1111i, ·cr.-r1l i,z t l,is age. The c l1 i11~c }1 1111i,·e1· ,11 i 11ot . een l )v lof>l{i11° at t l1e 1na . r. <Jf l1umanit , , 3 l lC1 })iel{iuo· Oll t he a,re(l f1·01;1 a1no11g t l1e t111~a,1'ecl . Yol1 cl o not . ee t 1 e cl1l11·cl1 1na11ife t 0 11 the ~treet, t l1e 1·ail1·0,lcl , l) tl , or other 1' l,1 t·r of J) 11bl ie eo11co111\ e. Tl1e1·e i~ 11 0 13i1 le 1 a: i ·, e, ·e11, fo1· ,',l )"i11g 1 ~1at t l1(:) < l1t1rC' l1 i. 11eces:aril ·v· 111a11- ~ i f c t ,,. 11 r 1·e t,,·o 01· t l11·ee Belie,Te1-- c1 re 111et t o2.etl1e1-- ,,·itl1 th e Lor cl in t }1e 111icl t . Tl1e local chl1rch i11 t l1P ~Te,,. Te. ta111e11t l1a tl1e ame cl1c11·a<'te1·i ·ti e-. a. the c l1l1rc h 1111i– ,·e1·. ·al, a · a .... r,,. Te ta1ne1 t local t l1111·c:]1 i..: a ·0111p a11J'" of l)elie,re1--. i11 .. J e.· l1s c~1 r· i~t a. ~a,·iol11· . calle l Ollt £1~0111 t l1e ,,·01--I cl a1 cl i11 lwel t lJ3'" the I IolJ" k 1 J) i1·it , . c1-- ipt111·all}~ lJ<11 tize(l, 111ee t i11~; fo1· ,,.,,01--. h ip f el– lo,,·. J1i 1 • a 11 cl e,·a 11 g e li. r11 of ,, l1icl1 1 l1ri. t is t l1e Ileac1 an c1 the Ilol,r ... N1)irit tlJ e I)i1·ec·to1~. ( Art. 2 :41- ± T ; -! ::2.J:-:3:3; 1 :3 :1 -14 : I 1 01~. :9-11 · 11 ::23 -:3-! · :.. ( '01·. 6 :1-! ) ~ 11cl1 a l1l11·e l1 i . cP11 t l11·ol1g·hot1t t l1e ... Te,,,,. '"I' esta111e1 t a.· t l1e 111a11ife. ·tatio11 of t l1e t l1 l1r e 11 l111 i ,·er . ,1 l. °'\\ 7 11e11 t h e cl a,~ of 1~ P11 t eC' o ·t ,,·a. f t1ll,· ·0111e a11cl 'tl1c,.. ,ve1·e all f i]le.l " ·it ]1 • t h e II ol}"' ~ 1 J>ir i t, · ' the i11fa11t el111· h l)eg·c111 t o 111a11ife.· t i t . elf i11 ·hl11·ch– e8- at "\11tioC' l1, clt P et\Q.a . clt Dr 1·l1e, at IJ)". ·t r a. at 1 eo11it1111 c11 l .r\11 t ioch of Jli,icl ic1, t l1P C' l1111·el1e.· i11c1--ea. e 1 i11 1111111l1er clail,T. ' ._ T /1 e locrtl cl, 1t1·cl i co11tai11. t l1C' 01·– gc111izc1/io,1 rJ.t' tl1 c 1t,1i1 ·c1·. ·c11 clzzt rc l i . 1 1 l1er c i" a ,·er .,T (•0111111 011 . a3·i11 g· i11 1t. c tocl ,l~"' 1 l1a t . ·01111 cl ~ , ·er }" J)at ,111cl J) i c)11: it i.· ' Tl1e 1 l1l11· ·11 i 11ot a1J Ol'g·a11 izat. io11 it i. a1 or – ga11 is111.' T-1rt ll o·i, re t l1i t l1011g·h t f 01· a 1110111r 11 t. ""'\ 1·0 t ]1 e1·e a 111r or - . ~ g·,1111 : 111 · t l1c1t ,11·e ,,.. it ho11t 01·o·a11- . . b 1z<tt1011 .> ~ \ f1·i r 11c1 of 111i11 i. a . , ·i r 11C'e t r ac: l1er i11 l1ig·l1 ._ chool. 1 e l cl)'" , ,,· 11 r 11 I ,va: hi: J)a. t or 11e ~J)Ol{C' ll10"t Pllt]111-, i,1~t iC' all, ,. 0 111C c1l )o11t a 1)1·oj ert i11 ,,Tl1i ·11 i1i cla. : l1a t1 r eee11t l)" 11g·ag·ec1. Tl1e,T hacl cl j~ ·ret r cl <111 f ,11·tJ1,,· 0 1·111 a11'c1 1n, r fri e11 1 exC'itec11),. exclain1ecl 1 a.' - t or, [ \'ti 1 t ll<lt ' 'Oll COlll l h a, ,.e lool,r 1 clt t J1at " "01·1;1. I . a i 1 to t he ela. -' , 1) 01 ' t tc1 l l< to 111e al)o11t evo– l11tio11, , , ·h e 11 11 e1·e i. p er~fe ·t evi– cle11c·r c)f cl e. ig·11 ! L t 111e a lr ~"011, 111)· 1·ea 1er , if a1 ea1--t l1wo1·111 011 r of t l1r 1o""Te t £01·111 of 01--()'a11- i:111 l1a s11e 11 or g·c111izat io1 a to ,l r o11s(l t l1r e11tl1 t1. ·ia --111 of thi.- t ea ·11- r r, clo ) "Oll 1 ot 'llpJ)O·e t hat t he Bocl)" of ( 1 J11·i:t " ?'Ol1lc1 l1a,...e 1·frani- 7a t io11 ? I : I I i Bocl}"' j ti. ·t a11 01·g:a11 - i 111 " ·it l1ot1t 01·ga1 izat io11 ? The l3ocl3· ha... c1--iptl11-- al 01·o·a11izatio11 a follJ1cl i11 t he lo al hl11·ch lJut n ot a ,,... orlcl -\\Ti 1 O\"e r -lo1·cl . hip 01~ o·an– izatio1 a tl1e Ro1na11 . , .. t e1n cle- .. 111a11cl a11c1 a · the r11r1--e11t ecu- 111e11i ·al n10, ·e111e11t e1 , "'i ion . '\'\' h er e a1 .. e the officer . of the •hl11--cl1 ? In the local a e1nbly ( et 6 :1-6 · 1-1: 21-23 : Tit u 1 :5 ) . "\"\11 1·e a1--e t he men1be1~hip r oll ? X ot 011~~ i11 hea, re11 ( Il e 1). 12 :33 ) l1l1t al. o i11 t he loral ·l1l11·cl1e. ( A. e t . 1 :1.5 -:..6 ) ; 1 l '01· . - :1-13: I I I -J oh11 9 :10 ) . To ,,·ho111 i com- 111.ittecl t l1e l i cipli11arJ" worl< of tl1e chl11· 11? To th e local elckle– . i a ( :\ Ia t t . 1 : 1 t- -17 ; I o 1·. 5 : 1-9 \,·it h I I or .... :6) . Tli e locrt l cl i 1t1'cl i i. tlz e c11 f ocl irr,i ot' t l ze doct ri11e. of tl1 e clz1t1·cl i l l>li- . . l ' er . r,l . Th f i1'. t ma j o1~ cli p l1te o,·e1~ t l1 cloct1--i11e ,,Ta ettlecl b,T .., c·o1 fe1·1·i11g· -n?i t1 t he f i1· t local <: ll lll' ·11. rfl1e '0l111Cil l'CCOr cled i11 ..c \ c·t · 1-- i ofte11 i11 ·01--1" e ,t }, ... r e– f 1 1·1· cl to a. ' t he f i1 .. t b.l11,ch c·o1111cil ,,~i t l1 t l1e in1 plie l thol1gh t tl1clt it ,,·a a g·ath e1"i11g of offi cial 1·e1 r e. e1 tati,"e. · f1,0111 all the ch 11 r · 11 . a11 1 . o a co11ncil of t l1e ·h111·ch 1111 i,"e1·.·al... cr i1)tt1r e cl oe 11 ot s111111ort t hi t heor3,. : I 11 t h e f irst t,,·o , ,,e1-.. e of t l1e h apte1, ,, e a1·e t ol 1 t l1at e1 ..t ai11 n1e11 ' t'a11r f r o111 .J t1 l ,1ea e,ricl e11tl}'" claim– j 11 ~ t o ·p ealz f 01· t l1e J erl1 alem <: l1t1r <·l1. ,,T1e11 the r·e 11lt i11g li - 111,tP eot1lcl 11ot l)e .. ettle l oth e1--– ,,·i ' P, it \\ 1 a. . lete1·111i11ed t hat Pa11l a11 c1 Bar11,1lJa , an c.1 cer t ain othe1· c)f t l1e111 . l1ol1l l go t111 to tJ e1·l1 alem , 1111 to tl1e a l)O ·t le a11d elder· abol1t t l1e (f t1e .. :tio11 . ' ' Tl1 e cl1 l11·ch at J e1"ll – s ,l I e11 , a · t he 111othe1"' cl1l11· 1 ancl sti ll co11 tcl i11i11g· it it 111e111be1· h ip t lie aJ)O. t le-, ,,·a. 1·ecoo·11izecl a the e 11 "to l ia11 of 1 J1ri tia1 1oct1,i11e an c1 I o] ie~·. , , ...11 11 the Ilol)'" ~ pirit ,,ol1ld 11101·e f t1ll, ,. i11 l o ·t 1·i11a t t he h 111 .. ch .. Il e r a i. ed 111 l}a11] to ,,Trite l1i l)i... t le: t o t l1 e ch 111"C' he . '\-:'\rhen tl1e 1·isc11 Lo1·cl ,,·ol11cl .·e1 c1 a me ao·e of t eae11i11g· en ·0111·ag·en1ent a11d 1· e1 l tl l<e to t l1i c hlll" ·11-age He di r – tcltr 1 let te1'." t o . , ,.e11 r e1)r e e11ta– t i,?c c.: 11111· ·1 . . \\-rhe11 t l1 e nominal ,