The Last ReformationSmith, F. G. (Frederick George)
Religion
The Last Reformation
Smith, F. G. (Frederick George)
Church -- Biblical teaching; Mission of the church
The presbytery, to whom was given particular oversight and government
of the church, was set apart by the Holy Ghost for this special work.
Different terms, such as "elder" and "bishop," were used to designate
this office. The term "bishop," which literally means _overseer_,
implies the duties of the office, while "elder" denotes its rank. That
these terms were used interchangeably and applied to the same order
of persons is proved by Acts 20:28 (cf. 17); Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:1, 8;
Tit. 1:5, 7; 1 Pet. 5:1, 2. This was admitted by many early writers,
as Jerome, Augustine, Urban II, Petrus Lombardus, Chrysostom,
Theodoret, and others.
From the general classification already given, let us proceed to the
specific. This body was made up of elders or bishops. The fact that
the terms "elder" and "bishop" were applied to all the presbyters
shows equality of rank; that the office was one. We find, however,
that these elders as individuals were diversified in their gifts and
callings in accordance with the specific work which the Holy Ghost
designed them to perform. Under one classification there were, broadly
speaking, two kinds of elders--local and general; that is, those whose
sphere of operation was particularly local and those whose influence,
work, and responsibility extended beyond any congregational
limitation. This distinction was not made arbitrarily, however; for
it was essential to the performance of the twofold class of work to be
done and was the inevitable result of that operation of the Spirit
in individual ministers which fitted them particularly for these
distinctive lines of activity.
[Sidenote: Divine gifts]
To be still more specific, we must go a step farther and consider the
reason why and the process by which ministers became differentiated
from other saints. In this we shall find the inner secret, both of
particular spiritual organization and of divine church government. The
apostle says, "By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body" and
"God hath set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath
pleased him" (1 Cor. 12:13, 18). These texts suggest more than a mere
attachment to the body: they imply _functional activity in the body_.
The functions of the body as described by Paul means the exercise of
spiritual gifts. "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same
Spirit ... there are diversities of operations, but it is the same
God _which worketh all in all_. But the manifestation of the Spirit is
given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit
the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same
Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of
healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to
another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers
kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues; but all
these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man
severally as he will" (1 Cor. 12: 4-11).
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