OUR CHURCH ORDER

As it is proper that there be good order in a family, so also in the Church of God. God is a God of order, and therefore his creatures, also, should accustom themselves to good order. Applicable here are the words: “Acquaint now thyself with God, and be at peace.” Where everything is done without regard to order, as in some families and congregations, God cannot and will not make his abode, nor work savingly, because it is contrary to his Word. Paul declares: “Let all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Cor. 14:40).

God has established definite laws of nature, so that there would also be order and regularity in the works of nature. “He hath made a decree which shall not pass.” (Psalm 148:6.)

The Lord, as the Supreme Lawgiver, gave his laws to Israel so that there would be order and regularity in their social and church life. When Israel adhered to the order established by God, he blessed their land and the people but when they departed from the established order, and everyone did as they pleased, things did not go well with Israel, for God departed from them. (See the Book of Judges.)

As the Christian Church extended its boundaries after the descent of the Holy Ghost, the Apostles were active, under the guidance of the Spirit, in establishing order and regularity in the Church of God. “For this cause,” writes Paul to Titus, “I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting.” To this end the first Synod was very early convened to come to a decision regarding a weighty matter, and to determine upon certain rules for the order of the church. (Acts 15.)

When the blessed Reformation of the 16th century increasingly gained in extent and power, our fathers, the servants of God, also felt the need of being active in the same spirit and with the same end in view.

Long before 1618-19, from which time our Church Order of Dort antedates, many large church-convocations or Synods were held, as is evident from the History of the Church. In the years 1618 and 1619 the great Synod of Dort was held. Undoubtedly we know what occasioned the convening of this Synod. It was a time of great unrest in the religious world. At this Church-gathering, so richly blessed by the Lord, the rules of the church were revised, altered, augmented, or decreased, according to what was considered to be most profitable for the church. Thus our fathers certainly did not consider their work as though it could not be improved upon. Times and circumstances sometimes necessitate changes being made in a Church Order.

The Church Order of Dort was adopted by the Established Church in the Netherlands as their standard for ecclesiastical government.

Under the reign of King William I it was set aside, and certain By-Laws substituted and prescribed as the church-law for all the churches in the Kingdom. Now that the civil authorities wanted to rule over the church it is not to be wondered at that the good Church Order of Dort had to give way.

When the ejections and the Secession commenced in 1834, the Church Order of Dort was soon restored to its place of honor. And the Reformed Congregations in the Netherlands and America still possess this Church Order as their standard for regulating their church affairs, although it is impossible to still adhere to every single article.

The rulers of the Church of God received from Christ not only authority to minister to the church, but also to administer or have the charge or direction of the affairs of the church, in virtue of which they are warranted to draw up rules for the regulation of matters pertaining to the church. However, these rules may not be contrary to the Holy Scriptures.

This authoritative power is clearly evident from the Acts of the Apostles and from their various epistles; also from such Scripture passages as these: “He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me.” “Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven.” “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us.”

How needful and profitable it is that church members and officers submit themselves voluntarily to a good order in the Church of the Lord. A certain writer says regarding this: “As children owe obedience to their parents, (Eph. 6:1-3; Col. 3:20); and subjects owe obedience to the higher powers, (Rom. 13:1-7); so the Lord also requires obedience to the authorities of the church, as is evident from Matth. 16:19; 18:18; John 20:21, 23; Acts 15: 27-29; and especialy from Hebrews 13:7 and 17: “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account; that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.” This power, however, is not of a binding nature to the conscience, but bears an ecclesiastical character. These ecclesiastical rules bear a regulatory character, and bind the conscience only insofar as they are derived from the Scriptures. They are of a binding nature within the sphere of the Church, the members and office-bearers of the church being under an obligation to be obedient to them.”

We hope to continue with Article One next month.

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