In the preceding two issues, we spent some time discussing the nature of the church that Jesus built, which is made up of all of His disciples. We now turn our attention to the church which works and worships together in a particular location. This is often referred to as the "local church"; and, although that particular phrase is not found in scripture, the idea expressed by it most definitely is. In a previous article (Why Christians Assemble, March 1996), we noted that the gathering together of disciples in churches is integral - and even fundamental - to the gospel message. In that same article, we also noted some of the great benefits we derive from this God-given arrangement. In this present effort, we will focus more upon the organization and functioning of the local church. Before we proceed, though, it is imperative to have clearly in your mind what has been observed before: in the New Testament, the word "church" is from the Greek word ekklesia, which means "assembly". The word "church" in the Bible always refers to a group of people, and never to a building or institution.

Let us begin our inquiry into the structure of the local church in the twentieth chapter of the book of Acts. Here, in the middle of the chapter, we find the apostle Paul and his companions traveling with some urgency to Jerusalem, and they come to Miletus:

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. (Acts 20:17)

So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. (Acts 14:23)

In order to address this question, let us see what is intended by the expression, to appoint someone. This is clearly illustrated in the sixth chapter of Acts, where there is a dispute among the disciples. While the brethren in general were generous with their possessions, and gave freely to the needy disciples, the brethren from Gentile countries felt that their widows were being neglected. Here is the apostles' response:

Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business" (Acts 6:2-3).

If we turn next to the letter which the apostle Paul wrote to the evangelist (i.e. preacher) named Titus, we find this command:

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you (Titus 1:5).

But, how could Titus appoint elders? He was just a preacher, not an apostle. Well, in keeping with the pattern we saw in the dispute over the widows, Paul gave Titus a list of qualifications. Therefore, by having the church select men who fit the qualifications, Titus could appoint elders by the authority of Christ as He revealed His will through His apostle, Paul. And, since the qualifications are written, we are able to do the same today. Next month, we will look at these qualifications, and discuss the work of elders in the local church.

In our last issue, we noted that the various phenomena which are supposed to be manifestations of the Holy Spirit in our day, are completely different from the gifts of the Holy Spirit described in the New Testament. In the first century, the Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to work signs which even their enemies could not deny (Acts 4:16; 13:10-11; 19:11-20, et al.). By contrast, the miracles of our day are of such a nature that one must either be predisposed to believe in miracles, or else be worked into an emotional frenzy, in order to be convinced that a miracle has occurred. So then, we are faced with this question: If the Holy Spirit is empowering individuals with supernatural gifts today, why are they so weak and unimpressive? Has the Holy Spirit lost His power?

As indicated last month, the answer to this question lies in understanding the purposes of the various supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Obviously, gifts such as prophecy and knowledge were means by which God revealed His will. You may be surprised to know, however, that the purpose of the gift of healing was not simply to heal people. But upon reflection we realize that God must have had some other reason for giving the disciples this gift; after all, He could end all the sickness and pain and disability in the world with a word. So, what was the purpose of these miracles?

If we turn to the tenth chapter of the Gospel of John, we find the Jews were ready to stone Jesus for blasphemy, because He identified Himself as being one with God. As part of His response to them, Jesus pointed out that He had given them reasons to believe in Him:

"If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me. But if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him." (John 10:37-38)

"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves know -" (Acts 2:22).

And this is true not only of Jesus' miracles. On the very day of Pentecost mentioned above, the crowd of devout men who had gathered were moved to give heed to the apostles' teaching because the apostles were speaking in many different languages - tongues - by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4-37). In the next chapter, Peter and John heal a man who had been lame from birth, and this causes a crowd to gather and hear them preach Jesus (Acts 3:1-12). When Philip goes to Samaria, even Simon the sorcerer is moved to believe in Philip's preaching by virtue of the signs he performed (Acts 8:4-13). There are many other examples, but we can let the Hebrew writer sum it up for us:

For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? (Hebrews 2:2-4)

Interestingly, the written Gospels serve this very same purpose:

And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:30-31)

Then he said, "I beg you therefore, father, that you would send [Lazarus] to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment." Abraham said to him, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." And he said, "No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent." But he said to him, "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead." (Luke 17:27-31)

However, for those who will not submit to God, it does not matter how many miracles they see; even if they believe the miracles, they will still not accept the message. This fact was demonstrated over and over again in the lives of Jesus and His apostles: even though their enemies could not deny the fact that miracles were being done, they nonetheless stubbornly refused to believe the gospel message. And this principle still holds true. There is a wealth of objective, verifiable evidence to believe in the Bible as God's written word; nonetheless, there are many who stubbornly refuse to believe. It is not the case that they are able to refute the evidence. They simply refuse to accept it.

In the twelfth chapter of the first letter to the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul began addressing some problems the brethren had in regard to the use of the spiritual gifts. He listed several gifts of the Holy Spirit, including knowledge, prophecy, and tongues (I Corinthians 12:4-11). Continuing his discourse, he explained that love is superior to all of these supernatural gifts:

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. (I Corinthians 13:8)

For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. (verse 9)

We recognize that the Bible is God's completed revelation, as Paul wrote to Timothy:

All Scripture is inspired of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (II Timothy 3:16-17)

The Bible tells us everything we need to know to be pleasing to God. It tells us about Jesus, who He is, and what He accomplished for us. It tells us how we may have hope of everlasting life. It tells us how we can have our sins forgiven. It tells us how to lead full, rich lives on earth. What more do we need?

So then, the Bible fulfills all of the purposes of the supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit. While it may not seem as exciting to our fleshly minds as the spiritual gifts, it has the decided advantage of being complete. Moreover, it has power that the miracles never had:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

In the twelfth chapter of the book of Acts we are told that a certain Herod - who is known to secular historians as Herod Agrippa I - put the apostle James to death, and wished to do the same to Peter, but an angel appeared and released Peter from the prison. Then, near the end of the chapter, Luke gives us this account:

But when Herod had searched for [Peter] and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there. Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king's personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king's country. So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. (Acts 12:19-23)

As it happens, however, Herod Agrippa's death is also recounted by the first-century Jewish historian, Josephus. His account goes like this:

Now, when Agrippa had reigned three years over all Judea, he came to the city Cesarea, which was formerly called Strato's Tower; and there he exhibited shows in honour of Caesar, upon his being informed that there was a certain festival celebrated to make vows for his safety. At which festival, a great multitude was gotten together of the principal persons, and such as were of dignity through his province. On the second day of which shows he put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of a contexture truly wonderful, and came into the theatre early in the morning; at which time the silver of his garment being illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun's rays upon it, shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intently upon him: and presently his flatterers cried out, one from one place, and another from another, (though not for his good,) that he was a god: and they added,- "Be thou merciful to us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth own thee as superior to mortal nature." Upon this the king did neither rebuke them, nor reject their impious flattery. But, as he presently afterwards looked up, he saw an owl sitting on a certain rope over his head, and immediately understood that this bird was the messenger of ill tidings, as it had once been the messenger of good tidings to him; and fell into the deepest sorrow. A severe pain also arose in his belly, and began in a most violent manner. He therefore looked upon his friends, and said,- "I, whom you call a god, am commanded presently to depart this life; while Providence thus reproves the lying words you just now said to me; and I, who was by you called immortal, am immediately to be hurried away to death . . ." When he had said this, his pain was become violent. Accordingly he was carried into the palace; and the rumour went abroad everywhere, that he would certainly die in a little time . . . And when he had been quite worn out by the pain in his belly for five days, he departed this life (Antiquities, XIX, 7.2).

This is one example of how ancient, non-Christian sources give witness to the historical accuracy of the Bible. And it is one of many. Of course, this puts the unbelievers in a rather uncomfortable position. If the Bible is consistently accurate in depicting such events as the death of Herod, then we have no sound reason for doubting its records of the miracles. There is no sound reason to doubt Jesus' resurrection. There is no solid evidence that these things did not happen. But in the Bible we do have eyewitness testimony from writers who, in point after point, have proven themselves to be reliable. Moreover, we saw in the last issue that it is completely reasonable to conclude that God exists, merely by examining the workings of the physical universe. And surely the God who created the universe is capable of performing the miracles described in scripture. Therefore, we see again that the evidence is all in favor of accepting the Bible for what it claims to be: the word of God.