The Autonomous Church
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The Autonomous Church
In order for the Church to be autonomous, its overseers must be a self-governing body under the authority of Christ. This is what it meant to be in the world, but not of it. The Church, overseen by an ordered network of such men of separation, benevolence, and service, not only does not need to apply for special identification or numbers from the world, but are actually barred from doing so by laws and regulations. This is covered in the position statements and other documents of or given to the Church. It is enough to say here that the status of the ordained ministers, as a body of overseers not of the world, is critical in the natural order of law to maintain the autonomy of the Church established by Jesus Christ.1
The Poor Overseers of a Free Church
In the Bible we see the Greek word ‘episkopos’ meaning overseer.2 It is often translated as bishop. In the early Church, an archbishop was merely an overseer of overseers. This was a part of the network of the Church ordering itself in groups of tens. Ten families and one minister, ten ministers and their minister or overseer. The early Church used this pattern. But the church of Constantine did not.
On the 30th of April, 311, the emperor Galerius had posted an Edict of Tolerance at Nicomedia making provisions for the Christians, who had “followed such a caprice and had fallen into such a folly that they would not obey the institutes of antiquity” which had been established for the welfare of the people. The Edict of Milan commanded that the “places where they were previously accustomed to assemble” “the same shall be restored to the Christians” including restitution of the value of property taken from the Christians, “without payment or any claim of recompense and without any kind of fraud or deception.”
Constantine was not the first to grant tolerance or restitution, but he was the first to grant favor. His instant converts were often required to get baptized, but not to repent. In 325, a small portion of the Church3 was about to take a big turn down a new path, from which they have not yet returned.
The First Council of Nicaea endorsed the new Christianity of Constantine, the “Bishop of Bishops.” The vast majority of Christians opposed many of his precepts, but he did end violent persecution. However, a new threat loomed in the complacency of his Pax Romana. The Emperor bestowed gifts from the spoils of war and heavy taxation, winning favor with some, bringing in a seed of corruption until finally, Theodosius I made Christianity the “state religion” or could call the state religion Christianity.
These new Christians came to believe without repentance. They were enticed by the favor and grace of emperors, not Christ. These bribes for their faith included millions of dollars in land, gold, and silver, given out of the treasury of Rome. These royal grants were given to bishops who came to his councils and remained, or to those who were appointed by his own permission and authority. These new bishops were soon issuing edicts and commands, even calling for the persecution of pagans or Christians who did not bow down to the thinking of this new church.
The citizens of Milan were truly instant Christians. They eventually elected Ambrose the Bishop of Milan. Ambrose a roman lawyer and governor had tortured prisoners and entertained prostitutes. At first he refused the election, knowing little of Christianity or the ways of Christ. But with popular support and the emperor’s encouragement he relented and within a week he was baptized with water.
Except for words and names there was little alteration of the spirit of these new Christians. Ambrose did take a leave of absence from his employment with the empire to study some of the basic requirements for the ministers of Christ. As bishop of the Church he knew he could own no property in his own name and apportioned his money to the poor, donating his lands, except for provision for his sister Marcellina, and committing some of his property to the care of his family by his brother.
All the ordained ministers of the Church gave up any personal estate or wealth to follow in the service of God. This had been true for Christ,4 the apostles,5 and new ministers6 of the Church the same as it had been for the Levites7 called out by Moses to serve the tents of the congregations. This was necessary to maintain a government of service as was the network of small intimate congregations..
The true overseers of the Church remained faithful, refusing Faith-Based initiative of the emperor not only for the Church, but for themselves. They were not masters of those they served, but servants of Christ by serving those they ministered unto. The highest overseer is servant of servants.
The true overseer was an ordained minister meeting the qualifications of Christ, being in the world but not of it. Their full faith and fidelity must belong totally to God. They could not apply on behalf of the Church or themselves for gifts or grace of any sovereign or government. Christ was their king and they were His bondservant alone. No minister following Christ could apply to Rome for protection because God’s kingdom is not of their “world”, their “apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government.” To maintain an autonomous church the same continues to be true for its ordained ministers.
The ministers of Israel held a similar status even before kings began to appoint them without meeting these requirements of God given to Moses concerning the called out Levites. In those days when there was no king in Israel,8 it had been the election by the courts of the people9 that chose the ministers of God’s kingdom. They were paid according to their service10 by the offerings of the people of a free nation under God. This peculiar and separate status of the overseers and ordained ministers of the government of God might be called today a vow of poverty.
This is one of the more controversial subjects concerning the nature of the early Church established by Christ. Like so many things from those ancient days the meaning and purpose has been shrouded in rituals and ceremonies. Few understand the full significance of that unique status or how it applies today.
We ask no one to accept anything because it is written. We encourage everyone to study out the truth in other sources and their own hearts and minds, praying to the Father for guidance and understanding.
In The Free Church Report we have tried to shed a new light of understanding on how these ancient precepts and requirements can play an essential role in the free church and free congregations of the people. How without the implementation of these precepts upon precepts of Christ and the prophets the Church becomes vulnerable to the powers and spirit of the “world”. There are multiple concepts centering around the proper application of the biblical doctrine of “no inheritance” or a “vow of poverty” and it is important that we have a clear understanding rather than a blind faith in these matters.
Because words and phrases are defined in many ways according to their context and usage we will need to define terms used in this work according to the message and doctrines of Christ. Titles like Bishop or Overseer and Minister or Elder must be defined within the context of the time of Christ, limiting those positions to His instructions, and not merely accept the definition of modern churches simply because they are common in today’s thinking or religious circles and institutions.
12 Peter 1:11 “For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
2Episkopos. a man charged with the duty of seeing that things to be done by others are done rightly, a bishop.
3Constantine invited all 1800 bishops (about 1000 in the east and 800 in the west), but like. Eusebius of Caesarea counted more than 250. Many walked out.
42 Corinthians 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
5Matthew 13:44, 19:2;Mark 10:21; Luke 12:33, 18:22, 14:33 “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”
6 Acts 4:36... 5:11. “... Joses ...a Levite, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.... But a certain man named Ananias... kept back part of the price... fell down, and gave up the ghost”
7Numbers 18:20, 24; 26:62. Deuteronomy 18:2
8Judges 17:6 “In those days [there was] no king in Israel, [but] every man did [that which was] right in his own eyes.”
91 Chronicles 9:22 “All these [which were] chosen to be porters in the gates [were] two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office. The word villages is far more often translated courts from the Hebrew word chatser and the word genealogy is from yachas which had to do with their family group.”
10Numbers 7:5 “Take [it] of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.”
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The Free Church Report
The Free Church Report presents a unique path for the modern Church according to the nature of the first century Church by explaining the duty and purposes of that institution appointed by Christ. While Rome declined under runaway inflation, corrupt government, martial law, and endless threats of war, the Christians found an alternative to the men who “called themselves benefactors but exercised authority one over the other.”
The early Christian knew rights and responsibilities were indivisible. They sought the right to be ruled by God by taking back their responsibility, through the service of “called out” ministers who lived in the world, but were not of it. Their government benefits came through a divine network instituted in their hearts and minds by faith, hope, and charity under the perfect law of liberty as their Qorban of the unrighteous mammon failed the Roman society. Order
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