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 Bro.
Turner:
Rom.
10:15 teaches that a preacher must be sent by a church. If
several churches supported him, would it not follow that they
should send this support through the "sending" church?
HJ
Reply:
Rom.
10:15 teaches no such thing!! Paul's own explanation of his
statement is to cite Isa. 52:7, part of a prophecy basically
Messianic. He is contending that the gospel, not the Law of
Moses, is God's power unto salvation; and that this is to
Gentile as well as Jew.
"Whosoever"
(Jew or Gentile) shall call on the name of the Lord shall be
saved (vs.28). But to hear, believe, and obey the gospel, the
gospel must be made available
-- to both Jew and Gentile. By citing the Messianic prophecy,
Paul argues that God sent His message to both Jew
and Gentile. (Note vs.19-21) Rom. 10:15 has no reference to
"a church" "sending" out a present-day
preacher; but refers to the Divine "sending" of
Spirit-Inspired Apostles, messengers of Christ.
"Sent"
in this passage, is from "apostello." Vine says this
means "to send forth, akin to "apostlos" -- an
apostle; denotes to send on service, or with a commission."
In
Acts 13:1-4, often used to prove(?) the church in Antioch
"sent" Paul and Barnabas, the word "apostello"
("sent" of Rom. 10:) is not used at all. The H.S. said
"separate" Barnabas and Saul -- meaning, "limit
off,
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sever," (as cut out of herd) from
the Greek "aphoridzo." Then, "whereunto I called
them" -- from "proskeklemai" to "call to
oneself, summon, appoint." The Holy Spirit did all of this.
Then the church "sent away" -- from "apoluo"
"to loose away, cut off." They simply did what the H.S.
instructed them to do. If there was any "official" sending
at this time, it was by the H.S. Verse 4 reads, "So they,
being sent forth by the Holy Ghost….." (From "ekpempo"
"to send out, away.")
The
idea that "a church" must send (officially sanction,
oversee, stamp with approval) a preacher before he can carry the
gospel to the world, is gross error, whole
cloth. It is rooted in errors -- those of an official clergy,
church authority, creedalism, and perhaps many more. By it truth
is opposed, and its proclaimers bound. Not only is there no
authority for such an idea in God's word, but history so
completely validates these charges against it, I am amazed that
the idea continues to claim an honorable place among brethren.
The
conclusion of the querist follows neither scripture nor logic.
Paul received wages from churches, (2 Cor. 11:8) with no
evidence of a so-called "sending" church.
John
Dart, in LOS ANGELES TIMES quotes Dr.J.D. Thomas (ACC) as
saying, But without "one boss to oversee your operations
and see you through" it is a tenuous existence for a
missionary. Here bro. Thomas inadvertently confirms our
appraisal of the "sponsoring" "sending"
church. It is a "boss", not a church in need (2
Cor) and as such goes beyond God's plan for scriptural
cooperation.
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