Why Stay -- Part 6
First Corinthians 12 goes beyond what Ephesians 4.4-6 says about our
spiritual unity -- it discusses our physical composition. This is something
to which Mr. Armstrong draws attention in the "Why the Church" chapter of Mystery of the Ages: just as there is duality in a marriage (as we say in our WCG ceremony, "Marriage is a physical union, but a divine institution"), so is there duality in the composition of the Church. It is both a spiritual organism and a physical organization. Mr. Armstrong highlights this duality.
Organism/Organization
There is a profound difference, which I think Mr. Armstrong perceived,
between the way God places His Spirit in us and the way He governs us. Many of those who leave the WCG for the splinters say that they have not lost the Holy Spirit, and that in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is not
limited to those in any corporate body.
Well, that is partially true. For example, in the time of Elijah, God had
many converted servants, but they didn't all know one another. They weren't meeting in the same place, but they all had God's Spirit (it appears). God gives His Spirit to those whom He may! But, regardless of the giving of His Spirit, the government of God in all times is from God to men through one leader. There is not one example of a period of time in Scripture when the leadership of the Church was in ambiguity. There was always one servant through whom God led -- there were never competing leaders, through all of whom God was working. So, the message is that the giving of the Spirit of God is not limited to physical togetherness, but the administration of government always is.
One leaving the WCG is rejecting God's government, but not necessarily His Spirit. We get some insight into this from Paul. Note his phrasing in I
Corinthians 5.5 regarding the person disfellowshipped for adultery:
"deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his
spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." He is put out of the
Church in order that he can yet be saved! Being put Out of the Church does not mean that he loses the Holy Spirit -- God remains with him, helping him learn his lesson, so that he can yet be in the first resurrection.
But, Paul indicates that being thrust out of the Church exposes one to
physical danger: "the destruction of the flesh" (5.5). Some people in the
1990's have lost their fear of that danger, for they leave the Church
without regard for the portent of the decision they are making. Yes, the
Spirit of God remains with the individual, but all other bets are off. And,
how long does God's Spirit remain lively in someone who has chosen to live outside of God's government?
Consider what role Moses and Aaron played in the life of a member of the
Church in the Wilderness. Did either of them supply the manna? No, that
came from God. Did either of them teach God's Truth? Only when Israel
refused to hear God speak directly (Exodus 20.19). God wanted to have a
relationship directly with the Israelites -- and He has that with us today.
He gives us His Spirit directly, and builds character in us directly, not
dependent on the actions of another person. This is something that the
world's counterfeit Christianity fails to recognize in most cases.
So, what were Moses' and Aaron's roles in the life of the average member
of the congregation? Well, Moses sat as judge over the congregation, didn't he? (Exodus 18.13.) He governed. And we already know that Aaron was given the staff of holy leadership. So, going back to the earlier point of the three key elements represented in the Ark, the Law and the Word come from God to His people directly, but His authority/government is vested in individuals whom He prepares for that purpose, and places over us. We don't have to like them or approve of their actions, and we don't even have to think they're converted--God will use them just the same.
Again, to be converted, one need not be under that government. But God
intends for us to submit to it at some point. Some have pointed to John
10.16 to support their belief that God's people are in all sorts of
religious bodies. Jesus says that He had other sheep, not "of this fold"
(Gentiles). But what did He say that He was going to do with them in the
long run? "Them also I must bring, and they will hear my voice, and there
will be one flock and one shepherd." One. And, we see from accounts of the early Church in Acts 10 and forward, that God did just that -- He brought Gentiles and Jews together into one flock.
So, here is the principle: if an individual has never been under the
government of God, God will bring him/her under it. [FN9 -- We've seen
this happen repeatedly in the history of the Church in this century.
Examples include groups we have encountered in the l970's. 1980's and 1990's in the Philippines, Brazil, and the Ukraine.] However, if a person has been under the government of God and has left it, God does not promise protection when Satan is allowed to attack.
"Why are We Here?"
Mr. Armstrong writes in Mystery of the Ages, in the "Why the Church?"
chapter, about the issue of organization. One point which he makes refers
to the organization of the Kingdom of God (or, as he often called it, the
Government of God. [FN10 -- Do you remember how often Mr. Armstrong mentioned God's government? As we listen to his tapes now, we hear him mention it in nearly every message.] He writes that one reason for the Church to exist now is to learn to serve within the structure of a top-down physical organization.
"The Church, as initially called in this life, is not yet capable
of ruling the earth -- of sitting with Christ in the throne where God
originally placed Lucifer -- of administering the government of God."
"And that is why God has placed His government in his Church."
This is why God's Church government is theocratic instead of democratic. That is why God set ranks of government in his Church, apostles, evangelists, pastors, elders, both preaching and non- preaching,... It is not a matter of having "made it into the Kingdom" upon being baptized, but a matter of spiritual growth and development in knowledge and in righteous character. That is why it is hierarchical in form -- government from God at the top on down, not from the bottom up. Otherwise those at the bottom would be ruling God!
"It is the same government by which Christ shall rule all nations
beginning with the millennium."
We are in training, and we will be prepared for the future hierarchy which
God has prophesied only by serving in our places in His Church now. Then, when we receive "offices," in the Kingdom of God, we will execute our duties faithfully. It's quite an insightful point by Mr. Armstrong. If we
addressed the recent doctrinal and administrative problems by getting out
from under the structure, we have not learned to submit, a lesson God
requires us to learn before we serve in His government. This most
especially applies to leaders of splinter groups, such as Dr. Meredith,
John Ritenbaugh, Gerald Flurry, David Hulme, etc. ad infinitum. They have
left the place God had given them to prepare them for their future offices
in His Kingdom. That is a grievous mistake.
What is an Organization?
By the way, the phrase is said by members of splinter groups so often,
"God doesn't work exclusively in an organization/corporation/entity," that
I want to draw attention to the definition of an organization. An
organization is not some mechanical entity, some building, or some vague, mystical Thing. It is a group of people. My profession is "Organizational Development," and when I describe what I do, I discuss systems and processes for influencing humans and their activities. An organization is not a vague, abstract construct -- it is a group of people.
When individuals speak of a "corrupt organization," they are really
discussing the corrupt actions of people in positions of great influence in
that group of people. And nowhere in the Bible does God say that the
actions of individuals of influence -- which can corrupt the group of
people -- mean that God is no longer leading that group of people. Quite
the opposite, God repeatedly demonstrates His willingness to let corrupt
individuals play their hand out before "trumping" their game masterfully.
In sum, perhaps the initial question I posed in this section should be:
"Is the Kingdom of God going to be a spiritual organism or a physical
organization?" The answer is "both".
"... those who wait on the LORD shall renew strength; they shall
mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." --Isaiah 40.31
III. JUST WHAT Do You MEAN ... SUBMIT?
>So, if God works through organizations and leaders that contain corrupt
leaders, endorse sin, and teach heresy, what should us plebeians do in
response to their wayward leadership? Does God expect us to submit to them?
Is it possible to submit to someone who does not even obey the Word of
God?
Does God want us to expose ourselves to danger of that kind?
Peter's Insight
In I Peter 2.13 through 4.19, Peter discusses submission in several
specific situations, and makes some profound points about what purpose
submission and suffering accomplish.
Peter begins this section by echoing Paul's comments in Romans 13 that we should submit to secular authority. In I Peter 2.15, he explains why we are to do this: it is God's will that "by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men..." Have we considered how our actions in front of "foolish, ignorant men" in authority could accomplish God's Will? It's just the first of many statements by Peter which go at odds with intuition and common sense.
<end part 6>
