CHURCH DISCIPLINE by John Norton Loughborough

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 29, 1861

CHURCH DISCIPLINE.

By John Norton Loughborough

“That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the church of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” 1 Tim. iii, 15.

At the present time when we are talking of, and making effective moves toward, more permanent order in the church, it is highly important for us each to obtain the knowledge spoken of by Paul in the above text, to “know how to behave ourselves in the church.” The behaviour spoken of in this text does not mean to know how to act as well-bred gentlemen and ladies, but to each know our proper sphere, and our duty; to know our position and fill it; to know how to occupy our proper place and not meddle with that which belongs to the rulers in the church.

I think I can see where we shall need as a people to mend some of our ways, if we expect to prosper in our organizations. In coming together as we have from various quarters, some have never been brought under discipline, others having thrown aside the human restraint of Babylon, we have been inclined to move on in a sort of independent manner, not seeing the force of the discipline God’s word lays down for us to follow. Some, perhaps, have moved out of their proper sphere, and dictated in, and meddled with, that which was none of their concern, all because they did not “know how to behave themselves in the church of God.”

To behave ourselves properly in the church of God, I conceive several things are necessary to be known. 1. To know our own place in the church. 2. To know what is our duty in view of the place we occupy. 3. To know the duties and privileges of those officers of the church who have the rule over us. 4. To know how we are to act in reference to those who are appointed to take charge of the temporal and spiritual affairs of the church. I think I can see that a lack of understanding on these points has led to confusion, trial, strife, and grief, in the past, and I fear will lead to worse results in the future unless each one of us study diligently to find our place and duty in the church. I venture to make a few suggestions in regard to this matter.

I would notice the position of lay members. It seems from the word of God to be their duty to listen to the counsel of those who are their rulers, and obey them. Lay members are to help them in their work, not by dictating, and finding fault with their movements, but by cheerfully submitting to their just instructions, sympathizing with them, and praying for them. It is

to be supposed when officers are chosen by a church to take the temporal or spiritual oversight of them, that great care and caution will be used, and those only chosen that are as far as possible fitted for the work of their office, and that those only will be chosen whom the church, guided by sanctified judgment, are unanimous in choosing for such office. When we thus place men in the position of spiritual and temporal overseers of the church, we make them our rulers. While they show in all their movements that their only object in discharging their official duties is to work for our good, and for our spiritual advancement in the cause of the Lord, we are under obligations to obey them. “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.” Heb. xiii, 17. “We beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their works’ sake. And be at peace among yourselves.” 1 Thess. v, 12, 13. “Remember them which have the rule over you, and have spoken unto you the word of God; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.” Heb. xiii, 7, 8. “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his reward. Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.” 1 Tim. v, 17–19.

On these points I am satisfied we as a people have lacked. Instead of looking upon those whom God has placed over this work, as our rulers, we have been too much in the habit of regarding them as equals, and some, I have thought, were tried if they saw the servants of God having even the comforts which they allow themselves to have. But the above text tells us, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor.” This is not because their persons are better than other men’s, but because God designs that all should realize that it is a move that heaven looks upon with peculiar favor for a man to go out with his life in his hand and deny himself the comforts of home and friends to talk God’s truth to his fellow-men. Such the apostle styles “ambassadors for Christ.” Literally, Ministers to a foreign people. As men do special honor to a minister of a foreign nation who should be sent to this nation, so the church are to give “double honor” to those who in truth show that they are “ambassadors for Christ,” setting before the world the claims which the government of heaven has to their attention.

I have thought as I have seen the freedom with which some have indulged in jealousies, and even allowed themselves to make evil suggestions against the messengers, especially Bro. and sister White, that they little thought of what the Scriptures say on these points.

Dear brethren, the most of you will frankly admit that God has specially called them out to take a stand at the head of this work, that he has been with and sustained them in days past, and wrought mighty deliverances for them. We have seen from time to time some start up in rebellion against them and this work, but no weapon formed against them has prospered. In every rebellion as yet the rebels have either come to nought, or returned sorrowing to find a humble place with the people of God. God has been guiding them, has thrust them out in this work, and made them “laborers in the word and doctrine.” What does the Lord tell us in regard to such? Let such “be especially counted worthy of double honor.” Brethren, have they had it? While a few have had some realizing sense of these things, and have tried to bestow the honor, with the mass it has been quite the reverse.

When God has called upon them to bear a plain, straight testimony, to reprove wrongs, many have thought it too hard, spoke evil of the testimony, sympathized with the reproved one, and done them no injury; but thereby setting at nought the judgment of Christ’s ambassadors, and in thus exalting their own judgment, have not only deprived them of the honor we are commanded to give, but frustrated the work God designed they should accomplish. And as a very natural consequence, they have been thrown under discouragement. Some have hardly needed a hint that Bro. White had done something wrong before they are off to peddle it to all open ears before stopping to learn whether it is so or not. How does this agree with the text, “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.” Those engaged in peddling such matters from one person to another, are very careful to tell all to keep it secret, and perhaps after it has gone the rounds for months, and alienated scores from the servant of God, it at last accidentally comes to his ears, and he settles with a few words what was in reality only the result of an evil imagination in the first place. There is no use to talk of coming into church fellowship and gospel order unless we make up our minds to lay such work as this entirely aside, and act with frankness and honesty. It seems to me it is one of the highest sins before God to take any course toward the servants of God that will bring discouragement upon them, or in any way hinder them in the great work to which God has called them.

I hear of some moving forward to organize churches who have never themselves been recognized by the church as evangelists. None are qualified to take hold of this important work but ordained preachers. May the Lord help us all to find our proper place and duty, so that we may “know how to behave ourselves in the house of God.”

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.