Author : Keith Sharp
For half a century churches of Christ in the U.S. have been divided over congregational benevolence and the sponsoring church organization for evangelism. Over the years, the list of divisive issues has grown to include church-sponsored social meals, recreation, medical missions, secular education and more.
Why is there disagreement? Partially because many brethren fail to make the distinction between the work of the individual Christian and that of the local church. Christians have a number of obligations and liberties the local church as a collectivity does not have.
The Scriptures plainly distinguish between the activity of the congregation and that of disciples individually. For example, Matthew 18:15-17 tells how to reconcile a brother who has wronged you. Jesus here distinguishes between the action of one disciple alone, two or three members from the church acting together, and the entire church. In First Timothy 5:16 the apostle Paul forbids the local church to do a benevolent work which he commands individual Christians to do, care for their widowed mothers.
Through the years some have contended that, since the local church is composed of individual Christians, there is no difference between the work of the Christian and that of the church; when the Christian is at work, the church is at work. This reveals a complete lack of understanding of our relationships in Christ.
When one is saved, the Lord adds him to the universal church, the body of all the saved (Acts 2:47; Ephesians 5:23). He then is to join a local church with which to work and worship (Acts 9:26-28). But this does not eliminate his individual responsibility and accountability (2 Corinthians 5:10).
You and I bear responsibilities and have liberties that do not pertain to the work of the local church. For example, we have family relationships in which the local church cannot share (e.g., 1 Corinthians 7:2-5). We have the obligation to engage in gainful employment (2 Thessalonians 3:10), but the church must not raise money this way (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). And we likewise have many social and benevolent responsibilities and liberties that in no way pertain to the local church (Matthew 5:44-45).
You see, the Christian has different relationships with varying obligations and rights. Christ is at the center of all of them and directs us in every aspect of life (Colossians 3:17). The local church is composed of people who have come together to fulfill spiritual obligations and needs (Acts 2:41-47). But we also have relationships with our fellow men (Matthew 5:16), our families (Colossians 3:18-21), the business world (Ephesians 4:28), and civil government (Romans 13:1-7). I can be a scoutmaster, have a wife, teach high school U.S. history, and join a political party; but the local church cannot sponsor a scout troop, be a husband to a wife (or vice versa, literally), support a school, or attempt to influence politics.
Whereas the Christian has various needs that are met in several relationships, the local church exists to fulfill spiritual needs. The church is people bound together in a spiritual relationship (Romans 14:17), and all it does is an expression of fellowship in Christ (Philippians 4:15-16; 2 Corinthians 8:1-4). If an activity does not pertain to fellowship in Christ, it is no part of the work of the church.
How do we determine if an activity pertains to fellowship in Christ? The only way I know is to turn to passages addressed to the local church and see what the congregation is authorized to do. It is authorized to engage in worship (Acts 20:7) and to do the works of evangelism (Philippians 4:15-16), edification (Ephesians 4:16), and benevolence for needy saints (Acts 2:44-45). It is nowhere authorized to do any other work.
