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Bro. Turner:
 What
is the basis for the authority of elders in a church? M.Q.
Reply:
God
is the basis for all authority (Rom. 13:1, Jn. 19:11); but this
is not to say God selected Pilate, putting him in
authority, nor that Pilate's decisions were divine mandates. The
function of overseers among saints of a local church is
in keeping with the divine plan, and in this sense the Holy
Spirit "appoints" elders. But that does not say John
Doe is appointed by God, or that John's decisions are divine
mandates.
The
historic "church" view is that God established an
institution, placing in it an "apostolic college" or
"bishopric" of men who were endowed with
"authority" which they alone could pass to their
successors. These men occupy an "office" and in
essential essence are the church. They are thought to be
vicegerents of Christ, exercising His authority. On this
basis it is argued that they "speak for God" and
"to disobey them is to disobey God." Before you assign
this strictly to Rome you might look up Jack Pope's article in
the July 23, '74, Firm Foundation, and read his "Charge to
The Elders" whom he calls, "vicegerents of the
Lord.." Catholics claim "infallibility" and make
the church "Mother of the Bible;" but some of
"our brethren" just make the "great middle
section" the standard for determining true exegesis — and
who can see an essential difference.
But
this is an erroneous concept of authority. Deity has not
abdicated, nor does
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man exercise authority on God's behalf. The apostles were given "power" or
"authority" in the person of the Holy Spirit (Acts
1:8), "for edification" (2 Cor. 10:8 Lu. 24:48-49) but
it was the Spirit which spoke, not some self-perpetuating
"office."
The
need for oversight in a local church, and the form this rule
must take, is prescribed by God. The type of men best suited to
this work is defined, by qualifications listed in 1 Tim. 3: and
Titus 1. Other passages identify their obligations and the
respect due those who labor faithfully. But between the
divine regulations and the specific men selected, there remains
a realm of human judgment. The congregation decides
who meets the qualifications, hence specific men
"rule" by virtue of congregational appointment. The
congregation puts them in, and the congregation can take them
out. Bad men may be put in, and good men taken out-- the church
is wrong in both cases-- but this is the church's
responsibility, for which they must answer to God.
Yes,
the men appointed are responsible to God to "watch
over" that flock; but that flock is responsible to God to
keep scriptural overseers.
No
matter how "good" the elders, their decisions are not
God's word. In the realm of human judgment-- the realm assigned
them-- properly qualified men offer the best we have, and should
be followed on that basis. But no man, or group of men, stands
between an individual's conscience and that which has been
revealed in the Spirit-given Scriptures.
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