The Changing Church and Women Priests

An answer to why churches change

— and whether they should

(By A. Stubbs)

PART I

1    Change in the church is not a new phenomena

1.1 Scriptural predictions of change (apostasy)

The majority of the writers of the New Testament predicted that after their decease there would occur a departure from that true faith which they themselves were preaching. Several of the epistles of Paul, Peter and John, and that of Jude together with the book of Revelation, were written especially to warn their original readers (and those who would follow them) of an apostasy (that is, a falling away) from the original truths of Christianity. In fact this tendency was in evidence in their own day. A number of quotations can be selected to bear out this statement, as set out below.

The following quotation is an address by Paul to the elders of the church at Ephesus. "I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock . . . . I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them" Acts 20:27-30. A clear prophesy here that men would be led away from the original teaching.

Next, taking the prophecies in Biblical order, Paul remarks how unstable the Corinthians were proving: "I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:3). Paul feared that they would be turned away from the true faith and so from the hope of salvation, thus leading to dire consequences that would parallel the fall in the beginning.

In Galatians, the Apostle in the strongest terms denounces those who were corrupting his gospel message in an incredibly short space of time: "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you ... unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed"  (Galatians 1:6-9).

In writing to the Thessalonians Paul insists that the day of the return of Christ WOULD NOT come unless there has been a departure from the faith: "Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day [the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ v1] shall not come, except there be a falling away first."  (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

In both epistles to Timothy, Paul foretells the coming declension: "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils."  (1 Timothy 4:1). "The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."  (2 Timothy 4:3 & 4).

Another apostle — Peter — is just as emphatic that departure from the faith would come: "But there were false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them ... and many shall follow their pernicious ways; ... through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you"  (2 Peter 2:1-3). Regrettably, false Christianity has brought a lot of gain to its leaders over the centuries, from the wealth of the established churches to the tele-evangelism of the PTL network in North Carolina whose initials stood for "Praise the Lord" but whose misspent millions would have been better described as "Pass the Loot".

The apostle John also foretells the same things: "Many false prophets are gone out into the world"  (1 John 4:1).

Jude warns his readers to "earnestly contend for the faith which was once [once-for-all] delivered unto the saints." (verse 3). Evidently the true faith does not change. It has been delivered long ago and must be earnestly contended for.

Finally, in the book of Revelation several of the seven churches of Asia are urged to "hold fast" to the things they had originally received.

A prophecy of Jesus summarises the whole matter: "Nevertheless when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find [the] faith on the earth?"  (Luke 18:8).

Doubtful, is it not?

So it is not surprising that it will be difficult to find those who hold the faith which was once delivered to the saints, those who accept the Bible and nothing else as the basis for their religious beliefs. Clearly an established church will be a changed church — one that has been corrupted.

1.2 The historical fulfilment

It is simply a matter of history that all these prophecies came true, thus enabling the course of the changing church to be easily charted. With the death of John, the last surviving apostle, the original purity of the gospel was now exposed without the weight of apostolic authority behind it. It was exposed, as the historian records, "to a conflict with a host of opponents, some of whom had already made their appearance."

1.3 An example of change:

The Christian hope of life after death

1.3.1 Basic Bible Truth:

Jesus Christ literally to return to the earth, an event to be followed by the resurrection and judgment. Those accounted worthy will receive eternal life and assist in the establishment of the Kingdom of God on the earth, which will be ruled in righteousness for 1000 years.

1.3.2 Basic popular belief:

Immortal soul, heaven a place of reward.

1.3.3 The result:

The fundamental hope of the return of Jesus held by early Christians, which can be verified from countless Bible references, cannot mix with the Platonic doctrine of immortal souls.

Historical testimony of the change can be demonstrated from the historian Gibbon. "The ancient and popular doctrine of the Millennium was intimately connected with the second coming of Christ ... succeeded by a joyful Sabbath of a thousand years; ... Christ, with the ... saints and the elect who had escaped death, or who had been miraculously revived, would reign upon earth till ... the last and general resurrection. ... Carefully inculcated by a succession of fathers ... it appears to have been the reigning sentiment of the orthodox believers ... but when the edifice of the Church was almost completed, the temporary support was laid aside. The doctrine of Christ's reign upon earth was at first treated as a profound allegory ... was at length rejected as the absurd invention of heresy and fanaticism." (Gibbon, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, chapter XV).

Mosheim writes: "This opinion [that Christ was to come and reign a thousand years among men] which had hitherto met with no opposition ... in this century its credit began to decline." (Mosheim, Century 3, Pt 2, ch 3).

1.3.4 Conclusion:

The church changed.

2    Why did the church change?

2.1 The influence of "philosophy" and the introduction of "reason" not based on the Bible

Soon after the death of the Apostles we find that the intelligentsia, following the spirit of the age, was all for philosophy. Mosheim notes in the second century the beginning of a contest between the friends of philosophy and human learning and the opposers of them: "The cultivation of philosophy by Christian teachers greatly displeased those who were attached to the ancient simple faith, as taught by Christ and his apostles; for they feared what actually happened, that the purity and excellence of Divine truth would suffer by it." Hence the Christians were divided into two parties. And what was the outcome? Mosheim records that in the third century "the cause of letters and philosophy triumphed."

In this way philosophy brought in teaching that had no Biblical foundation whatsoever. Mosheim tells us of philosophers who preferred "the sublime Plato to all other sages, and approved of most of his opinions concerning the Deity, the universe and the human soul. This new species of Platonism was embraced by such of the Alexandrian Christians as were desirous to retain with the profession of the gospel, THE TITLE, THE DIGNITY, AND THE HABIT OF PHILOSOPHERS." The new beliefs gained a stranglehold as "those initiated into the depths of philosophy were anxious that others, particularly such as aspired to the offices of bishops or doctors, should apply themselves to the study of HUMAN wisdom." (Mosheim, Century 2, Pt 2, ch 1).

2.2 The influence of the church bishops

By the fourth century the bishops were all powerful. Mosheim testifies that they "gradually subverted and changed the ancient principles of church government. For they first excluded the people altogether from having a voice in ecclesiastical affairs ... so that they now controlled everything at their discretion." Mosheim says the reason for the abandonment of the belief in the Millennium was "principally through the influence and authority of Origen, who opposed it with the greatest warmth, because it was incompatible with some of his favourite sentiments." (Mosheim, Century 2, Pt 2, ch 3).

2.3 The influence of paganism

It was in the fourth century that Christianity became openly pagan. Indeed pagan practices were encouraged, to swell the numbers. For example: "The public supplications by which the pagans were endeavoured to appease their gods, were now adopted into the Christian worship and celebrated with great pomp ... The virtues that had been formerly ascribed to the heathen temples, to their lustrations, to the statues of gods and heroes, were now attributed to Christian churches, to water consecration ... And to the images of holy men." (Mosheim, Century 4, Pt 2, ch 3).

"The rites and institutions, by which the Greeks, Romans and other nations, had formerly testified their religious veneration for fictitious deities, were now adopted ... By Christian bishops ... [It was] imagined that the nations would receive Christianity with more facility when they saw the rites and ceremonies to which they were accustomed ... Hence ... The religion of the Greeks and Romans differed little in its external appearances from the Christians... They had both ... Gorgeous robes, mitres, tiaras, wax tapers, crosiers, processions, lustrations, images, gold and silver vases ... No sooner had Constantine the Great abolished the superstitions of his ancestors, than magnificent churches were everywhere erected for the Christians, which were richly adorned with pictures and images, and bore a striking resemblance of the Pagan Temples..." (Mosheim, Century 4, Pt 2, ch 4).

Did things get any better in the 5th century? "As there were none in these times to hinder the Christians from retaining the opinions of their Pagan ancestors, concerning departed souls, heroes, demons, temples and such like matters, and even transferring them into their religious services; and as, instead of entirely abolishing the rites and institutions of ancient times, these institutions were still observed, with only some slight alterations; all this swelled of necessity the torrent of superstition, and deformed the beauty of Christian religion and worship with those corrupt remains of paganism ..." (Mosheim, Century 5, Pt 2, ch 3).

The closer one inspects the history of the church, one will be forced to the conclusion that it is no history of inevitable and desirable adaptation to changing circumstances, it is simply debasement and corruption.

3    The influence of church teaching on state legislation

3.1 The adaptation of civil law to church law

Although Christianity, as it grew and became more popular, was leavened with the Paganism of the people, the influence was not all one way. The civil laws were adapted to reflect the new Christian beliefs of the people, and civil law became moulded on church law.

3.2 Divorce and adultery

Divorce and adultery provide a case in point. When the Emperors of the Roman Empire had adopted Christianity and Christian customs had obtained supremacy amongst a large portion of the population, the laws had to be changed. So the legislation of the Roman empire became permeated with elements of Biblical teaching, both from the Old and New Testaments. For example, Constantine enacted that an adulteress and he who committed adultery with her should be put to death; Justinian punished only the man, the woman was banished to a convent. Under Constantine, restrictions were put on divorce, although these were still moderate as a large part of the population was still pagan.

Eventually, under the domination of the Roman Catholic Church two main principles were developed. The first was that there could be no divorce a vinculo matrimonii, that is, from the bonds of marriage, but only a mensa et thoro that is, separation from board and bed. The second principle was that no divorce could be had by the will of the parties, only by the sentence of an ecclesiastical court. Needless to say, contrivances existed to adapt to the reality of the way of life of the aristocracy, but by and large divorce a vinculo (which enabled remarriage) was not generally obtainable from the time that Christianity became the established religion, until the 18th century.

A writer in the Daily Telegraph commented (June 1995): "The Reformed faith enhanced the status of marriage. Protestant culture emphasised the extraordinary bond of the marriage tie and the ordered domesticity and harmonious atmosphere for children its commitment symbolised — an entire genre of Dutch painting is built on this idea."

4    Modern changes in church teaching and practice

4.1 Divorce

With the advent of the Age of (so called) Enlightenment, Roman legal ideas were revived and during the French revolution attempts were made to put some of them into practice. From the 18th century on, many States began to provide a formula by which divorce might be obtained in a small number of cases, being extended in the 19th and 20th centuries to a larger and poorer public.

In 1891, the Canadian writer on the book of Leviticus in The Expositor's Bible was prepared to declare sternly that "sins against the 7th commandment are not the comparative trifles which much over-charitable and easy going morality imagines, but crimes of the first order of heinousness." He found in Leviticus 20 a "most weighty testimony against the modern tendency to a relaxation of the laws which regulate the relations of the sexes. That such a tendency is a fact is admitted by all; by some with gratulation, by others with regret and grave concern." He cites, France, Germany and then "in some of the United States, especially, the utmost laxity has been reached, in laws which, under the name of divorce, legalise gross adultery... So it goes. Where God denounced the death penalty, man first apologises for the crime, then lightens the penalty, then abolishes it, and at last formally legalises the crime. This modern drift [1891, remember]  bodes no good; in the end it can only bring disaster alike to the well-being of the family and of the State."

In the late 19th century in Great Britain there were some 200 divorces a year, insufficient to trouble the churches and Christian denominations. However, when the civil law substantially removed the restraint against divorce, ecclesiastical practice had to continue in conflict or it had to change.

When the members of a church continue to divorce and commit adultery (and remarriage after divorce is adultery by Scripture standards), then the church is going to lose many members if it continues with the old ways. However, as a religious leadership is little different from its flock, the leadership have their own agenda to pursue. 'Reason' takes over — and the Bible is left on the shelf, the church cravenly follows where the caprices of fashion lead.

4.2 Cohabitation

But why stop at divorce? If divorce does not matter very much, why bother to get married in the first place? More people are choosing to cohabit. More "Christians" are choosing to cohabit. What should be done? Should we:- point out the sublime Biblical teaching concerning the sanctity of marriage? — show how a true Christian marriage is a figure of the relationship between Christ and his bride? — show how the Christian faith and hope is demolished? — show Paul's concern to present the believers "espoused to one husband" (engagements — how reactionary!), "espoused to one husband, to be presented as a chaste virgin to Christ"? — should we repeat Paul's words, "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body ...: glorify God in your body ..." "Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor adulterers ... shall inherit the kingdom of God."? Or should we remain non-judgmental and move yet further away from the spirit of Christ to the spirit of the age? How off-putting to people to suggest that they are sinners, living in sin — so the church, your church, must change.

4.3 Homosexuality

Homosexual behaviour is a further case in point. When the Christian beliefs prevailed there was not the slightest doubt in the mind of anyone that Scripture forbids homosexual liaisons. Because of this, Christian countries put a taboo on the subject and laws were framed against it. The practice is not new, it was rife in the cities of Canaan some 4,000 years ago. The practices of some of those in a city called Sodom, where the men were described as sinners before the LORD exceedingly, gave rise to the word sodomy.

But what happened when the civil laws were repealed? When homosexuality lost its status as a crime, it flourished openly in society, it lost its shame, pressure groups pursued any hint of discrimination, and society embraces it as a norm. Where society accepts, the church has to follow. This has all been foreseen, for Jesus declares that when he comes again, the conditions prevailing will be those of Sodom — but will your Church choose that for a campaign?

4.4 Adultery

Current science blames our genes for our actions; the Bishop of Edinburgh virtually says (1995) that we were made to commit adultery, which therefore ceases to be sinful and wrong — unkind, maybe, but not a sin.

4.5 Anything goes

Anglicanism has, we understand, derived its attitudes from three balancing principles, namely Scripture, Tradition and Reason. The voice of Reason is liable to be the voice of public opinion at the time, and once so-called reason (or more properly, opinion) takes over, Scripture merely becomes a 'factor to be taken into account', along with tradition. Now Tradition, where different from Scripture, only came along as the voice of Reason in the first place. So we see there are really two choices: we either take Scripture as it is, or we take a bit of Scripture and base everything else on human reason.

The outcome is 'Believe what you want'. A report published by the Church of England Doctrine Commission in 1981 called Believing in the Church, assesses the situation succinctly: "It may seem reasonable enough to ask: What is the position of the church (on a particular issue)? When it comes to the point it will be found again and again that the most that can be offered is a balance of opinion one way or the other."

4.6 Emancipation of women

Now we turn our attention to the subject of the emancipation of women. If society as a whole finds increasing prominence given to women in all walks of life, if feminist pressure results in the silliest of laws to ensure there is no sex discrimination, what can we expect? Can we expect the church to answer the inappropriate sociological tirade with theology? Of course not! It is too embarrassed at being thought old-fashioned and failing to move with the times.

5    The confusion which arises from rejecting the authority of the Bible

5.1 The claim to Holy Spirit guidance

If the church is divided on the issue, how can it be claimed that the Holy Spirit is leading its members to better things? The Holy Spirit is giving conflicting advice. Cynically it must be fairly obvious that those who want women priests declare the Holy Spirit wants it, and those who do not, say the opposite!

5.2 The unchanging God

In a world of change, where knowledge changes, fashion changes and all living things continually move through their life cycles, the gulf between the Creator and His creatures is great. He does not change. James says of God, (R.V.) "with whom can be no variation". He is unchanging because He does not need to change. He already possesses universal knowledge, and certain things He has promised to man will never change. His word to man, is based on unchangeable covenants, as sure as day and night (Jer 33:20-26), while through Malachi He declares: "I the LORD change not; therefore ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed" (Mal. 3:6, R.V.)

5.3 The completeness of revelation in the Scriptures

Christadelphians are not interested in opinion; everyone has opinions, and apart from disagreement they will not produce a great deal. These web pages are based on the premise that God has revealed His message to man and that it is to be found in that which we call THE Book, the Holy Bible, a book unique in design, doctrine and morality, of which it may justly be said: 'No man who would write it could, and no man who could write it would'.

We do not say that the Bible contains the word of God — we say that the Bible is the word of God. Herein of course, lies the ground of the animosity that it has evoked. Like the Word of God that was made flesh, it might say to those who persecute it, 'Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of these do ye persecute me?' And the answer of man would be, 'For a good work we persecute thee not, but for blasphemy, for thou being a book makest thyself a Divine book.' Such it claims to be. From beginning to end it ascribes glory to God. He is the first and the last. He is the beginning and the ending. Thus it constitutes a written revelation, accurate for all time and, however much the world may change, it is the same yesterday, today and for ever.

From the earliest times we find the commands given to men to write God's words in a book. God spoke to His servants and they wrote accordingly His words. Repeatedly the prophets testify of the wholly Divine authority for what they say. 'The Lord hath spoken' is the cause of all ancient Scripture, concluding at length "The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi." Thus the ancient Jewish Scriptures were completed and although the Jews may have repeatedly transgressed, they never questioned their sacred writings as being other than the complete and entire word of God to them.

As evidence of what the Jews in the time of Jesus thought, we quote Josephus, and we shall see that they considered them to be the perfect and entire word of God. "Never," says he, speaking of what we hold as the Old Testament, "never, although ages may have elapsed, has anyone dared either to take away, or to add to or transpose in these anything whatever; for it is with all the Jews, as it were, an inborn conviction from their very earliest infancy, to call them God's teachings, to abide in them, and if necessary, to die joyfully maintaining them. They are given to us by the inspiration that comes from God; but as for the other books, composed since the time of Artaxerxes, they are not thought worthy of a like faith."

Similarly with the New Testament, the last command given by Christ to his disciples, as recorded by Matthew, was that they should teach all nations "TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU." Likewise Paul commends the believers at Thessalonica because they received from the apostle "the word of God which ye heard of us, ... NOT AS THE WORD OF MEN, BUT AS IT IS IN TRUTH THE WORD OF GOD."

Although we hold a perfectly complete revelation from God from the past, yet its prophecies still speak to us today of such matters as:

— how the church would change;

— what would happen to the Jews, the people of God; how they would be scattered, how they would return;

— how Jesus will return to the earth; the signs of his coming, and how the Kingdom will be set up.

New revelation is not needed before Jesus' return. If it is claimed that there is fresh revelation today, why do we not have prophecy concerning the time of the end, why do we not have further chapters that we can add to the Bible? In the absence of anything of authority then, we come down to the simple, straightforward message of the Bible.

5.4 Not to add or to take away

Now because the Bible is the word of God, it contains prominent warnings not to tamper with it, beginning with Moses and ending with Revelation. Consider the selection below:

Deut 4:2: "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it."

Deut 12:32: "What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it."

Proverbs 30:5 & 6: "Every word of God is pure ... Add thou not to his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."

Jeremiah 23:28: "He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully."

Ezekiel 13: "Woe unto the foolish prophets ... that prophesy out of their own hearts ... behold I am against you"

Galatians 1:8 & 9: "Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."

Revelation 22:18 & 19: "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life."

This selection surely leaves us in no doubt that if we wish to hold to the original Christian beliefs and have the original Christian hope, we had better stick to the Bible. It is now our intention to investigate its teaching regarding women priests.

6    Priesthood and Laity

6.1 Priest — defined

First of all, what exactly is a priest? The English word has its roots in the Greek presbyter or presbuteros, which means someone old or an elder. However, that will not get us to the Scripture meaning and we must look at the Greek and Hebrew.

"Priest" in the New Testament translates the Greek Hiereus. This refers to one who offers sacrifice and has the charge of such things.

In the Old Testament the word translates the Hebrew Kohen — do you recognise the name Cohen? — which comes from a primary root apparently meaning "to mediate in religious services" (Strong), "one who stands up in someone's matter, one who undertakes anyone's cause" and one "supposed to intercede between the gods and men (Gesenius).

6.2 Priests in the Old Testament

From the Old Testament we can find who God ordained as His priests. Moses records God's choice: "Take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office"  (Exodus 28:1). Aaron was constituted High Priest, his remaining sons officiated as priests. In this they were assisted by the men of the tribe of Levi, the Levites.

The place where worship was carried out was initially called the Tabernacle and subsequently the permanent site of the Temple in Jerusalem. The officiating priests were exclusively male. Reference is made to the women who assembled at the door of the Tabernacle, but they were not allowed further.

However, animal sacrifice and its priestly institutions were ordained only to point forward to the one great sacrifice that would be made for mankind, that of Jesus himself.

6.3 Priests in the New Testament

References in the New Testament to priests generally refer to the old Mosaic order and to Jesus himself as a great High Priest. There is certainly no selection of individual believers as priests. All believers have only one priest who comes between them and the Almighty Creator Himself. Paul writes to Timothy: "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim 2:5). All true believers can approach the Father through Jesus in prayer, supplication and thanksgiving. The writer to the Hebrews encourages us so to do: "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need"  (Heb 4:14-16).

To be able to obtain these benefits it is necessary that Christ can acknowledge us as his. "Ye are my friends", he said, "if ye do whatsoever I command you." The New Testament teaches us that we must put ourselves into a formal relationship with him, a contractual or covenant relationship. This is effected by belief and baptism, which enables all, both men and women, rich and poor, black and white, young and old, to become collectively, as Paul describes it, 'in Christ'. God's offer of salvation by 'putting on Christ' through baptism is open to all who respond, as Paul puts it in Galatians: "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus"  (Gal 3:26-28).

This invitation is a call to a new life, a new state and nature that is called a new man, where Christ reigns supreme. "... Ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him; where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all and in all."  (Col 3:9-11).

This new 'Christ man' (which requires a much fuller and deeper consideration outside the scope of these web pages) is governed by the direction of Christ who is the head. The believers in a figure, constitute his body (Eph 4:15,16; Rom 12:4,5). The figure allows for both complete unity and for differences in the constituent parts (see 7.2 below). There are therefore both individual responsibilities and equal opportunities for salvation which arise from this work of the one great High Priest.

6.4 Believers as a priesthood

There is a sense in which this collective body of believers is styled a temple and a priesthood. The Tabernacle and Temple were ordained as a dwelling place for the glory of God. The purpose of calling out men and women from the world through the ages is to give them the hope of eternal life, and it is for them individually and collectively to be, as it were, a dwelling place for the glory of God. "Ye ... are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph 2:20-22). This edifice has been in the process of development for hundreds of years and will only be completed when the kingdom of God is established.

The apostle Peter also develops this theme. "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ"  (1 Peter 2:5). Vine in his Expository Dictionary, makes the point on this word priesthood "a body of priests, consisting of all believers, the whole church, not a special order from among them." The grammatical structure of this verse indicates, according to the Speaker's Commentary, the sense of "Be ye also built up as living stones." The true believer will allow God to mould his development and character that he may be fit to be part of this wonderful construction. The R.V, translates: "Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood." This is the hope of all true Christians, expressed in the book of Revelation that they might be kings and priests to reign on the earth.

In a limited sense now, such believers exhibit the glory of God if they walk in His ways and they offer prayer through their one true High Priest. However, there is no distinction within the body of believers, no division between clergy and laity, or priests and people. The organisation of the early church was superintended by elders, but in no sense did they mediate between any individual believer and God.

7    The organisation of the early church

7.1 Elders

Having clarified the equality that exists with regard to salvation, we can examine the directions that were given for the conduct of worship, and the differing roles that believers took in those early communities. These communities had no official buildings, no trappings, no ceremonies and no hierarchy, except for the elders. On Paul's first missionary journey, when communities were established in the country of what is modern-day Turkey, we read in Acts 14:23 that at the conclusion of their visit they "ordained elders in every church." For ordain R.V. reads "appointed". It is the Greek cheirotoneo, primarily used of voting in the Athenian legislative assembly and meaning 'to stretch forth the hand'. Some years later we find that he sent for the elders of the church at Ephesus (Acts 20:17); in verse 28 these same people are described as "overseers", a word that is elsewhere translated "bishop". The word is compounded in the Greek from epi (over) and skopeo (to look or watch), hence the word episkopos, meaning 'to watch over'.

Who then was eligible for selection as an elder or overseer? We only have to turn to Timothy to find out. In the first epistle to Timothy, Paul lays out the qualifications: "A bishop [overseer] must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity ... not a novice ... Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without ..."  (1 Tim 3:2-7). So although each member of the church had the same equal opportunity for salvation, distinctions had nevertheless to be drawn in those selected to guide its welfare and progress.

No academic qualifications required — they did not have to have attended a university, or a theological college. What marked them out was their practical good and holy living, although they must be well versed in Scripture as they were to be teachers. Further they were hold faithfully to what they had been taught, they were not to invent new doctrines but convict those who opposed them. They had to be the husband of one wife, so there is no place here for a woman, except as a wife. (No place here either for adulterers, divorcees and fornicators, we might also remark.)

Now the Scripture, where a matter is of sufficient importance, bears it on record more than once; if it is doubled then it is certain and sure. Accordingly these instructions are repeated to Titus: "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city ..." (Titus 1:5). The Greek here for "ordain" does not mean any formal ecclesiastical ordination; the word (as translated by the R.V.) is "appoint", in the sense of appointing a person to a position. "If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless ... not self willed, not soon angry, not give to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers"  (Titus 1:6-9).

So women are not eligible for appointment as elders, according to Scripture.

7.2 Differing talents of the community to be used

Although there were elders, yet all had to work out their own salvation in fear and trembling, and there was to be no respect of persons. "For if there come into your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come a poor man in vile raiment; and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say to him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?"  (James 2:2-5).

Each member of the community had different abilities, a fact recognised by Christ in one of his parables which demonstrates that it is effort based on the abilities which we have that will secure his approbation in the day of judgment.

In these early times gifts of the Holy Spirit were common and the differing gifts were to be used for the benefit of the whole, leading Paul to write to the Corinthians that "as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ... If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? ...but now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him." As we now investigate this further (in Part II) where we shall find a very clear distinction between the roles which men and women are to play in the church.