The Autonomy of the Local Church

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

If you'd like more information, visit our website morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. The New Testament teaches the autonomy of the local church. The local church should be self-governing.

The whole idea of a hierarchy where you have bishops who act as a regional supervisor over a diocese or archbishops, I guess they're supposed to be really important, right? I mean, if nothing else, their tall hats and their flowing robes let you know they're very important.

Even though Jesus said, beware of those who go around in long rows, but that's another story. But all of that with the bishops and regional directors and that's all tradition. You realize that's not in the Bible.

It's all tradition that was created and formed over time. The Bible teaches that each church, including this one, each church is accountable to the head of the church, which is Jesus Christ. This church is accountable to Jesus Christ, not some guy off somewhere who doesn't even know you.

People in the church, the church is not accountable to some guy in Rome who wears a white suit. The church is not accountable to a board in Missouri. Again, people who have no earthly idea who you are.

We just read in Matthew chapter 18 that it is the local assembly that is supposed to handle these matters in regard to church discipline and basically everything else. Even with the Corinthians, Paul, you can tell by the way he's writing, he's irritated about this.

He doesn't want to have to step in. He wants them to handle it themselves. The fact that Paul has to step in, he's a little upset that he has to get involved. Now you say, well, why is Paul involved? I thought they're supposed to be accountable to Christ and not some guy off somewhere.

All right, we'll touch on that in a second. But when writing to Timothy and Titus, Paul gives them instruction. Do you remember how to behave in the house of God? You guys are autonomous. Here's the principles.

You follow Christ.

They're accountable to Christ. If they're accountable to someone else, guess what? Then that guy is the head of the church and not Jesus. He has usurped the authority that only Christ has. Now, the argument might be, and this is perhaps what some of the people in Corinth were saying, that, OK, yes, Paul established the church.

We understand that. But who does he think he is? He's writing like he has this authority over us. And Paul talks like he has authority. Because he does.

Why?

Because he's an apostle. It's that clear. He is an apostle. Paul, as an apostle, a man who proved he was an apostle by working miracles, the signs of an apostle, Paul had the authority of Jesus. Jesus gave the apostles his authority.

So being accountable to Paul is essentially the same as being accountable to Christ. Because Christ delegated his authority to the apostles. He didn't delegate his authority to me. He didn't delegate his authority to you or to somebody else.

He delegated that authority to the apostles. Like Moses with the children of Israel. Moses spoke for God. He was the clear leader. Everybody, well, except Korah and a few rebels, but they recognized that Moses spoke for God.

Same with Paul. Paul spoke for the Lord. So he did have that authority to speak for Christ. There's the Jerusalem Council in Acts chapter 15, which convened to decide on some very important matters. Does that mean the Jerusalem church had authority over all other churches?

No.

Why did they meet in Jerusalem? Because that's where the apostles were. So all of that to say this, Paul has this authority because it was given to him directly by Jesus. Paul is Christ's official representative, and he proved it through the working of miracles.

So the church, you say, well, okay, how does that apply to us today? Well, it's the same thing today. The church in the 21st century, like the church in the first century, in this sense, nothing has changed.

We are still accountable to Christ above all, but we are still accountable to the apostles.

Right.

In other words, we are accountable to the word of God written in this book. Acts chapter two, verse 42, the early church on the day of Pentecost, it says, and they continue steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in prayers.

So Paul is writing scripture and it is authoritative over the church of Corinth and it's authoritative for us.

Amen.

All right.

So turn back to second Corinthians 13 and leading up to our final point. What is Paul doing? He's turning the tables on his critics who were questioning him. And since Paul is an author of scripture, we could say in a very real sense, they were questioning the Bible.

Right.

Paul is writing scripture. Second Corinthians is part of the Bible. Obviously, they wouldn't have had that terminology of the Bible, but they were in a very real sense questioning, not just Paul, but the word of God.

They were questioning the authority of Christ because Christ gave Paul this authority. So when people question the teachings of an apostle of Jesus Christ, they are questioning Christ's authority. So Paul's response to that is, you're going to question me.

You better examine yourselves. You better test yourselves. Now, I want to read verses three and four from a different translation. OK, I just think it makes it a little more clear. Verses three and four say, I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me.

Christ is not weak when he deals with you. He is powerful among you. Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was. But when we deal with you, we will be alive with him and we will have God's power.

And this is where he says in verse five, examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless indeed you're disqualified, but I trust that you will know that we're not disqualified.

So point number three is self-examination. Why did they have to do that? Well, their sin, their rebellion. Paul's given them opportunity after opportunity. At some point he says, all right, now I'm wondering about your salvation.

You need to examine yourselves. So I want to ask this question. I think we get why he's saying this to the rebels in the church. But is this something that should apply to every believer? Should every believer examine themselves?

And if we do, couldn't that lead to having doubts? I mean, if you know you're saved and you just know it, why do you have to examine yourselves? I think that's the attitude a lot of people have. Well, Paul, obviously, can we agree with this?

He doesn't want people who are saved doubting their salvation. That's not what's happening. That is certainly not what Paul wants. Rather, if anyone or if anything, he wants people to move away from them and their doubts.

Let's face it. If there was somebody who I think I'm a Christian, but they are really lost, Paul does want them to have doubts because it's not real.

Right.

So self-examination could bring a person to realize, hey, I, you know, I say I'm a Christian. I tell people I am, but I'm really not. So that would be a positive thing to have doubts because you don't possess salvation.

You know, I've talked to and I know enough pastors have talked to enough pastors to know that this is a universal concern. This is across the board. This is universal among pastors that there are multitudes of people who call themselves Christians that the evidence it's lacking, to say the least.

I've encountered many times people who will hear something from God's word and their first reaction is to get angry. They hear a Bible verse that's true that may have even come from the Lord himself or come from an apostle and they get mad.

That's not a good sign. I've seen that enough. And then there's many Christians who not only listen to false prophets, they will defend false prophets. And you simply cannot tell them anything. There are many people.

We're all sinners.

We've all made mistakes. We're, we're cleansed and made righteous by the blood of Christ. But we're, we still have that sinful flesh. I say and do things that sometimes I regret. So do you. You know, I'm not beyond correction.

Neither are you. But there are some people who think they're beyond correction. You can show them something from God's word. They just won't listen. You can show them chapter and verse as plain as day and they refuse to accept it.

Well, what are you supposed to do in a situation like that? Someone would say, be patient, be kind, pray for them. And that's all fine and good. But at least in Corinth, after much prayer and patience and kindness, I'm sure Paul is about had it up to here.

And he says, you guys need to examine yourselves as to whether or not you're even saved is what he's saying. Now, Paul, as an apostle, as many church leaders have done throughout the ages, what do they do?

Preach the gospel, share the teachings of Christ, present the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to speak in a person's heart. How do you examine yourselves? You take all of this from the scripture and you compare it to your beliefs.

What does the scripture say? What do you believe? What does the scripture say and how you are to live? How do you live? And you are to compare the two.

All right.

Turn to First Corinthians chapter 11. First Corinthians 11. And this is the final passage we'll look at. Obviously, the rebellious holdouts, Paul says, examine yourselves.

That's clear.

But what about every believer, me, you, all of us? Should we all examine ourselves? We all need a spiritual checkup once in a while.

We do.

We're going to see that here. Look at First Corinthians 11, verse 26. Speaking about the Lord's Supper, where we remember what Christ did, but we also are to remember why Christ did it. He says, for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till he comes.

Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man what? Examine himself. That's the same language, obviously.

Which tells you self-examination isn't just for the rebels. It's for the whole body. We should all examine ourselves. He says, let a man examine himself. And so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Verse 29, for he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. What does it mean to eat in an unworthy manner? Well, certainly if you're an unbeliever, you shouldn't be partaking in the Lord's Supper.

Or if you know that you're living in rebellion to Christ, you should not eat of the Lord's Supper before making that right. And he says, for this reason, many are weak and sick among you and many sleep.

And here's the point.

For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. Isn't this what Paul is saying in 2 Corinthians 13? If you deal with these things yourselves, then you're not going to be judged. You don't have anything to worry about.

Why?

You say that is Christ that is within you. Be sure of it. Test yourselves. Because if you fail that test, Christ is in me. I'm a believer. And you examine yourself. What does the word teach? Why disagree?

What does the word say I'm supposed to do? Well, I'm not doing it. Now you have a clear path forward. So I need to repent. I either need to repent and be saved, or I need to get right with God, one or the other.

Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Morris Cornick Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message, or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website, MorrisCornickChurch .com.

And we'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett. Until next time, with the grace of God be with you.