The Christadelphian February 2010, The Committee of The Christadelphian

“Ecclesial Responsibility and Individual Freedoms”

Individuals respond to the call of the Gospel by being baptized. Previously we were “alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). Once baptized, however, we are no longer separate or alone. Through being “in Christ” we are united with him, and also part of his family, sharing our great hope with “all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours” (1 Corinthians 1:2).

The decision to be baptized was made when our consciences were exercised by learning of God’s great purpose and of the Lord’s selfless sacrifice. We were persuaded to give glory to God by accepting His gracious offer of salvation and forgiveness of sins. Once we enter into Christ, our consciences continue to be exercised as daily we take up the cross and follow him: sometimes our progress along the path to the kingdom is sluggish or hesitant, and sometimes smoother and less impeded. It is a privilege and joy to be able to walk with many others who have also chosen to follow the way of life, and our journey is far more fulfilling than if we were to travel alone.

A ready-made family

In His great mercy, God provided a ready-made family, and there are enormous benefits from being fully involved with that family, which is the divinely provided support system for every new child of God. The Apostle Paul refers to this family as Christ’s body, and explains that it functions in the same way as our natural bodies: “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26).

The benefits and privilege of membership of the Christ-family also bring great responsibility, so that we are to treat other members of the body as we treat different parts of our natural bodies. If we “bite and devour” (Galatians 5:15), it is like attacking our own body. There should be consideration, especially for vulnerable and weaker members, so the scriptural advice consistently given is that brothers and sisters should submit to one another in love: “Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble’” (1 Peter 5:5).

The discipline of discipleship

This mutual submission is part of the discipline of discipleship. It is often remarked that baptism is not the end, but only the beginning of a life in Christ. No one’s lifetime is long enough to put to death completely the old man. Contact with brothers and sisters who are all undertaking the same journey is intended to assist in this process. Yet the natural man is so strong that we sometimes start to lose patience with them: we may disagree with their words or actions; we may get frustrated when they take no account of our input, or seem rudely to dismiss aspects of our service; we may even sometimes doubt if they are reading the same words of scripture! Surely, when things like this happen, we are free to cut loose and strike out on our own?

We only have to place the Lord Jesus in this scenario, to realise how unreasonable is the natural response to opposition. Many of our actions and words, and our paltry attempts to serve him, provide the Lord with every reason for despair. It must often seem as though we do not really understand what we read in his Father’s word. Yet he never abandons those he came to save. He spoke of his disciples, who all forsook him and fled, as those who had continued with him in his temptations (Luke 22:28); and we have the assurance that he will continue with us in our temptations (Hebrews 2;17,18).

We talk about “liberty in Christ”. Does this mean that we are ‘free to do our own thing’ in ecclesial matters? Paul had to counter the misuse of liberty in his day: “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13; cf. 1 Peter 2:16). We are not free to do wholly as we like. Membership of the body of Christ imposes important obligations on each disciple, for we are not our own, we were bought with a price, and the Lord’s sacrifice both frees us from our sins and creates an environment in which – in the company of our brothers and sisters – we are intended to mature and “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). While, then, we rejoice in the liberty we have in Christ, it is not a personal liberty to be indulged selfishly; it is tempered by our relationship with brothers and sisters who have equally been liberated from bondage to sin, and who are working out their salvation alongside us.

Membership of the body of Christ is realised through membership of our local ecclesia. While fellowship exists with brothers and sisters on the other side of the world whom we may never see in this life, in day-to-day practical terms our fellowship is with those we meet regularly. So, as the word of the Gospel spread and multiplied in the first century, the apostles established ecclesias wherever they went. Each ecclesia was intended to provide the environment where individual believers could come together to worship and praise God. But alongside involvement in the local ecclesia, each disciple was also aware of the wider brotherhood – the whole body of which the local ecclesia is but a part. In early days there would be great interest in the spread of the Gospel into new areas, and there was also particular concern for the poverty-stricken brothers and sisters in Judaea. In our own day, the wider brotherhood is brought home to us in similar ways. We rejoice to hear of the Gospel being preached and accepted in other lands, and we are concerned for our brothers and sisters whenever a calamity strikes, be it a natural or man-made disaster.

Ecclesial autonomy

The close relationship between local needs and consideration for the wider brotherhood is important in the organisation of ecclesias. First century examples reveal that the immediate care and support of individual members was the prime responsibility of each ecclesia – new converts joined the local ecclesia upon being baptized; they were nurtured there and supported; any problems that arose were addressed more sensitively by brothers and sisters who were conscious of their personal situation; and on the unfortunate occasions where a member no longer conformed to the message of the Gospel in belief or practice, the local ecclesia was best placed to take appropriate action.

Other ecclesias, knowing that all these actions flow from brothers and sisters who believe exactly the same fundamental Bible teachings, acknowledge that all is being done in the name and on behalf of the wider brotherhood. We therefore respect decisions taken by other ecclesias, even on the rare occasions when there may be differences of judgement about individual cases. [1]

Over the years this method of organisation has come to be described as “ecclesial autonomy”, by which is meant that each ecclesia is self-governing, yet acknowledges its responsibilities towards all other ecclesias and to the faith that it shares with them. In order to operate effectively, this also requires that individual members recognise their subjection to the ecclesia, with the constraints that this may occasionally introduce. The desire to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number sometimes means that a brother or sister is not completely free publicly to express personal views, or to engage in actions of which the ecclesia would not approve.

These restraints do not sit well in the modern climate that promotes individuals’ rights. Respect for others, and submission to the views of the greater number are unacceptable messages in a world that constantly supports and develops the cult of the individual. Ecclesial discussion has always been a very valuable moderating influence, but with the development of modern methods of communication, it is sometimes by-passed with the consequence that ill-considered thoughts receive widespread publication. The problem does not lie solely with the methods of communication, but in the failure to use them properly and with brotherly consideration.

Seeking a more comfortable environment

Sometimes individuals who find themselves at odds with their ecclesias make contact with others who share the same approach. The outcome is a loosely formed group outside the constraints of the various ecclesias where the different brothers and sisters belong. There is certainly no scriptural precedent for such arrangements, and the outcome is inclined to undermine the standing of the respective ecclesias. Technological advances in particular have led to what are in effect “cyber ecclesias” or “internet groups”, which can easily be magnets for the disaffected, and platforms for dissident views.

If we enquire why such groups are forming, it is sometimes because ecclesias will not discuss subjects of deep concern to some of their members, or because they allow decisions to be taken only by a limited number of ecclesial members who do not engage effectively with the whole membership. Resentment can build up which quickly leads to a brother or sister looking outside the ecclesia to find a more comfortable environment where the concerns can be aired. This is to be deplored – for while the ecclesia may not have been sensitive to their needs, it is also wrong for disaffected members to ignore the ecclesia and look for a forum free from ecclesial restraint.

Relationships of individual members with their ecclesias, and of each ecclesia with others both near and far, also raise other issues where the analogy of the body of Christ provides a valuable guide to conduct. These further matters will form the subject of next month’s article, God willing.

[1] As well as sharing a common doctrinal basis, ecclesias assent to scripturally based processes when disagreements arise between ecclesias over troublesome cases. These processes are very well described in The Ecclesial Guide.