The Ministry in Its Relation to the Church
At the eleven o'clock hour, May 16, Elder G. A. Irwin spoke upon this subject. In the course of his remarks he spoke substantially as follows:— There is more involved in ambassadorship than we many times consider. An ambassador is one who represents a government at the court of another government or nation. He does not represent himself, but the principles of the government which sent him out. And so it is in the government of God on earth; there are great underlying principles, a law upon which these principles are based, or from which they are drawn, which the ambassador must represent; for these principles lie at the foundation of the government of God, both in heaven and in earth. Behind that ambassador stands all the power and influence of that government. This is shown by the great commission as recorded in Matt. 28:18, which indicates that if we are true ambassadors of heaven, all the authority of heaven is vested in us, and our word should be law, the same as the word of the consul is in the affairs of the government he represents. This is in harmony with the thought expressed in John 20:20-23. In regard to the duty of the ambassador respecting what he is to preach, we find this statement in “Testimonies,” Vol. VIII, page 198:— “The power and glory with which the law was given reveal its importance. It is the faith once delivered to the saints by Christ our Redeemer speaking from Sinai.”
Then our faith is the law of God, so that no man can preach faith in a manner acceptable to heaven who does not preach the law of God. “The law of God is the foundation of all enduring reformation.” “The law is the gospel of Christ veiled.” “The gospel of Jesus is nothing more or less than the law defined, showing its far-reaching principles.”—Review and Herald, May 27, 1890. He who preaches a gospel that will change the heart and life of an individual, must preach the law of God, because the two are inseparable. There are four points I wish to present regarding this question: First, the minister is an ambassador to represent the government of heaven, and instead of his presenting human theory and speculation, he is to teach the binding obligation of the law of God, those great principles that should govern in our lives. Second, the relation that the minister sustains to the church is that of a watchman. This idea is clearly expressed in Eze. 3:17, 18. The duty of the watchman to give the trumpet a certain sound is fully expressed in 1 Cor. 14:7, 8. The Lord's instruction to his people anciently is given in the eleventh chapter of Numbers, which may be considered the constitution of Israel, and this shows the duty of the watchman to blow the trumpet of alarm when danger is near. Third, the minister must be an example. Paul recognized this fact, and stated the principle in such scriptures as 1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Cor. 11:1; 4:11; 16:10; 1 Thess. 2:10. There is a statement in “Gospel Workers,” page 243, bearing on this same point: “By comparing the living preacher with the divine picture, all may see whether he has the credentials of heaven. . . . What a man is, has greater influence than what he says.” Fourth, the minister must be a teacher. This thought is stated in 2 Tim. 2:2, and it shows that the minister must not only be able to teach, but he must commit these things to others, so that the truth of God will constantly widen. This idea is clearly given in 2 Tim. 4:1-5, where the ambassador is charged to preach the word,—nothing but the word; for there is nothing that will change the heart of man but the word of God, accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit; the word will then accomplish its purpose. In his manner of teaching the ambassador is to be long-suffering. An ambassador in the third angel's message must certainly teach all the phases of that message, not only to those outside of the denomination, but to the thousands of professed Adventists to whom instruction must be given in the fundamental principles that make us a separate people. Our own people must be instructed on these subjects, and it is the duty of the minister to give this instruction concerning the great pillars of our faith. The Testimonies state that “the great pillars of our faith will stand all the strain that can be placed upon them.” I wish to place before you a chart I have prepared that gives what I consider the great pillars of our faith, and I believe that any man who fails to understand and to teach these pillars of our faith is remiss in his duty. - The commandments of God.
- Righteousness by faith.
- Life only in Christ.
- The sleep of the dead.
- The sanctuary.
- The three messages.
- The second advent.
- The spirit of prophecy.
- Health reform.
- Systematic giving.
We might call attention to the fifth pillar, which, if removed, would, as in the experience of Samson, bring the entire work to ruin. But it can never be removed. The universe itself would first go to pieces. And yet this point, so essential in our doctrinal structure, is not well understood by many of our people. And another important point is the spirit of prophecy. We read that we “are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.” Therefore we are enriched just as the spirit of prophecy (which is the testimony of Jesus) is confirmed in us. If we doubt the spirit of prophecy, we can not be enriched. And I may add that those who give up this message invariably do so on the last three points I have presented,—the spirit of prophecy, health reform, and systematic giving. May God help us to be faithful ambassadors of heaven, giving the trumpet a certain sound, an example to the flock, teaching only the pure word of God to needy, perishing souls all about us.