The Church and Societies

By. J.C. McQuiddy

       The following article is an excerpt from a more complete study of “Church Government,” one of many lessons collected by A. B. Lipscomb and published under the title, The Profitable Word (1925). This article and others “portray (the) matured thoughts and most wholesome teaching” of J. C. McQuiddy, for 42 years the editor of the Gospel Advocate. — The editor.

The Correct Vision

       The church in its most comprehensive sense includes all believers of what-ever age, sex, race, nationality, or color. Christ is the Head of the church in this broad sense. It has no organization and no officers, save that Jesus Christ is its Leader. Its union is like that of the vine and the branches. The bond of union is faith in Jesus Christ. Whoever does the will of God as laid down in the Scriptures is a member of the church in this comprehensive sense. There is another sense in which the word “church” is used in the New Testament. I speak of the local church, which is much more limited than the church universal. In the New Testament we read, “The churches of Christ salute you;” we read also of “all the churches of the Gentiles,” “all the churches of the saints,” and “the churches of God which are in Judea.” This local association of disciples, with elders to oversee and serve, is the only church organization — if I may use that word — in the New Testament. Neither were these local churches associated together in any organic sense. They were entirely independent of each other, save that the members of all of them were spiritually under one Head, the Lord Jesus Christ, united by the bonds of common faith, hope, and love. The various societies and ecclesiasticisms of the present time are all younger than the church of Christ. No one who is a member of the church of Christ in its broad sense and is also a member of the church of Christ in its local sense should belong to any other religious organization for the purpose of serving God. There is no good work which one can do in the service of God that he cannot do in the church of Christ. Not a sigh can be heaved, not a prayer can be offered, not a good deed can be done, not a kind word can be spoken, not a cup of cold water can be given to a disciple that it cannot be done in the church and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is sometimes argued that these institutions or aids are step-ping stones to the church. It would be better to stay in the church to worship God rather than to get outside on a stepping-stone. As Noah did not need aids or little life-boats in order to make the ark a success, so we do not need aids in order to do the work that God has ordained that we should do through the church. We are admonished by the Holy Spirit: “And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through Him.” (Col. 3:17.) We should be careful in all of our religious work and in all acts of service to God to give glory to Christ through the church: “Unto him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations forever and ever.” (Eph. 3:21.)

Human Societies

       People in their mad craze to form human societies for doing the work which God has ordained the church to do should be careful lest they reflect on the wisdom and power of God. The formation of societies for doing the work that God has ordained his church to do belittles the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, belittles the work of the church, and reflects on the wisdom of God in unmistakable terms. If such societies had been essential to the efficient work of the church, God would have ordained them for such purposes; but as the Bible does not furnish us one syllable of information concerning such societies, we are led to believe that the church is effective and complete in itself and that the man of God who has faith in Christ and works through it is thoroughly furnished unto every good work. “Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16, 17.) Turning to human organizations to do the work of the church is a reflection on the efficacy of the blood of Christ. Christ certainly would not have died to establish his church, if that church was to be a failure and not to be sufficiently complete and efficient to save all the obedient for all time after its establishment. Christ spoke the truth when he said to Peter: “And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18.) The church is sufficient for the redemption of all men, provided they will only accept the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and bow in meek, humble submission to it. Followers of the Lord Jesus Christ should never be-little the work of the church and its mission in the world by intimating that human organizations do more good in the, world than the church. The man who does this reflects on his own Christianity and the wisdom of God. No humble, devout believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, who acknowledges Christ as supreme, will ever make any such insinuations. Of course the church cannot work itself without humble, faithful subjects; but if Christians will be careful to do nothing which is out of harmony with the word of God, if they will work as he directs and follow in his steps, they will find that the church is complete and effective for the salvation of the world. Instead of seeking to glorify ourselves and human organizations, let us give God the glory through the church and cling to him by working through the only divine organization that we have for the salvation of a lost and ruined race. How great and how wonderful will be the work accomplished, if we only cling to the Christ and work through him, giving the glory to our Heavenly Father!

Gospel Anchor (August 1982)