The Last Reformation | Page 9

congregation in Jerusalem did not cease to be the church of
God because two unworthy persons obtained recognition in it. This
incident gave occasion for the church to manifest its inherent life by its
ability to discern and then cast off the secret offenders just as a healthy
physical body casts off effete matter. As a result of the judgment
pronounced on Ananias and Sapphira, "great fear came upon all the
church ... and of the rest _durst no man join himself to them_; but the
people magnified them" (Acts 5:11, 13). The fiery judgments of God
put an end to formal church-joining there, as a result of which
"believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men
and women" (verse 14). "And the Lord added to them day by day those
that were being saved" (Acts 2:47, R.V.).
A clean, pure local church was the divine standard. It is evident that
such could never be obtained and maintained except by the power of
the Holy Spirit, who discerned evil and prompted its elimination. Peter
discerned the condition of the two false members in the church at
Jerusalem and removed that blemish. He also exposed the hypocrisy of

Simon at Samaria, and Paul pointed out the evil affection in the church
at Corinth and directed its removal. Chief responsibility for the
maintenance of the normal condition of the church will be considered
in our discussion of the particular features of church organization and
government.
[Sidenote: Apostasy possible]
We have shown the characteristic, spiritual features of a New
Testament congregation in its normal condition; also the possibility of
deviation from that standard. A practical question is, How far could
such a congregation lapse into an abnormal state and still be a church of
God? Or, Can a church as a body backslide? The church at Ephesus
evidently was on the verge of such an apostasy. Therefore in the special
message addressed to it in Revelation the Lord said: "I have somewhat
against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore
from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I
will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his
place" (Rev. 2: 4, 5). So also the church at Laodicea. "I know thy works,
that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then
because thou art luke warm, and neither cold nor hot, _I will spew thee
out of my mouth_" (Rev. 3: 15, 16).
[Sidenote: The line of distinction]
The physical body may experience the mutilation of some of its
members and still survive, but there is a limit beyond which death will
ensue. So also the spiritual body may survive the encumbrance of a few
false members. From the general facts and principles already adduced,
however, we may safely assert that a local church is a church of God
only so long as it is able to function properly as a body. As long as the
Spirit of God is in the ascendency, so that the people of God as a body
manifest the power of God, maintain the truth of God, are filled with
the Spirit of God, and are actually used by the Spirit in performing the
works of God, so long they are the church of God. Whenever another
spirit gains the ascendency and the divine, spiritual characteristics are
lost to view, then is brought to pass the saying that is written, "I will
spew thee out of my mouth." Beyond that time they may continue their

formal services, singing hymns, saying prayers, and making speeches;
but the real message of God describing their condition is, as was true of
Sardis, "Thou hast a name that thou livest, _and art dead_" (Rev. 3: 1).
Such dead congregations are no longer a part of the true church and are
unworthy of the recognition of spiritual congregations.


CHAPTER IV
THE ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH
[Sidenote: The fact of organization]
We have already shown that the words of Christ "I will build my
church" have a deeper meaning than the simple preaching of the
kingdom. They imply the formation of an organized structure against
which even the gates of hell should not prevail. They can signify
nothing less than the visible establishment of the church among men as
the concrete embodiment of the divine kingdom or family. The church,
then, as made up of local congregations, is an institution of divine
appointment. This is shown by the words of Christ in Matt. 18: 17,
according to which it sometimes becomes necessary in admonishing
and disciplining trespassers to "_tell it unto the church_"; and the
appellation "church of _God_" is frequently applied to individual
congregations (1 Cor.