The most matchless wonder in human history was the Incarnation. Surpassing all things else in human experience in importance was this transcendent event. In the person of Christ "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth." In him God was manifest in the flesh. As the forces of this vast and stupendous universe declare the glory of God, his creative energy, his omnipotence, his omniscience; so in the face of Jesus Christ is portrayed the personal character of Almighty God. Here are mirrored Divine love, Divine forgiveness, Divine fatherhood. In the universal language of our flesh and our nature are spelled out for our illumination and our comfort the true heart and character of the great Father-Spirit of the Universe.

      Here, too, in the person of the matchless Nazarene is presented to us the ideal man, the utmost reach of human nature as it yearns for him who made us in his own likeness. In him man has reached the fulness, the richness, the splendor of his powers. As on the bosom of yon black storm-cloud rests the rainbow in its sevenfold gorgeous splendor--that strange child of sunshine and mist--so on the dark background of sinful humanity shines the radiant rainbow of Divine character, magnificent in its beauty and colorings. Jesus was the perfect embodiment of his Father's will. In not one single instance of his life was there an infraction of his Divine law. He struck no discordant note in the eternal symphonies of the universe. His soul-searching prayer was, "Thy will be done."

      In the very nature of our fragile humanity this vision of Divine beauty must be evanescent. Like that child of mystery, the flashing cornet in its flaming glory that sweeps athwart the horizon, filling our hearts with wonder and amazement, and is as soon gone as it came, so came Jesus into human vision, filling our hearts with wonder and worship only to pass again into the source whence he came. It is no marvel that his disciples stood gazing into the upper deep, whither he had disappeared from their adoring eyes.

A Church Prepared.

      That man should come into possession of the blessings of this visitation, that this incarnation should be continued in human hearts, the church of Jesus Christ was born into the world. As Jesus was begotten in the bosom of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, and was born in the habitation of lowliness and humility with the beasts in the stall, while angels swept their harps with heavenly music on the starlit hills of Judea, where wandering shepherds kept watch over their flocks by night; so on Pentecost, amid the throngs of Jews who had gathered into Jerusalem from every country whither providence had led their wandering feet, the church of Christ, begotten by the Holy Spirit, was born amid the wonder and acclamations of men and angels.

      And as the frail body of the Christ-child was woven in the mysterious loom of life as a habitation for the Divine Spirit, and as his body grew in stature that it might be the organ on which the Divine Father could play heavenly strains in human ears, and as this body was the instrument by which Jesus was to perform his wonderful works, and through which he was to bring his matchless message to men; so was fashioned by the same Spirit another body that was to be the habitation of the same Spirit and by which the regeneration of man and the salvation of the race were to be brought about. And as high and holy as were the character and service of the Master of men, so ideal was the standard of conduct and character in and through the church of Christ.

The Unity of the Church.

      As there was one body, all-sufficient for the Divine indwelling and work, so there was organized the one church, which was designed to be all-sufficient for the world's evangelization, which was [23] the task assigned this new aspirant for serving the race in the widest possible manner. During his life, and long before the church had a beginning, Jesus was greatly desirous that its unity should be preserved that it might bring all men to believe that he was the Son of God and Saviour of the world.

      Directly bearing upon this unity, hear the words of Jesus in that wonderful intercessory prayer, John 17:20, 21: "Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me."

      You will observe that the burden upon the heart of our Lord in this petition was that, because of the unity of his followers, the world would believe that he was sent of God. The succeeding ages have proved all too well that the greatest hindrance to the conversion of the world is the unfortunate divisions among the followers of our Christ.

      The great apostle to the Gentiles recognized this unity, which in his mind rested upon a sevenfold unity. Hear his words as recorded in Eph. 4:4: "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all, and through all, and in all." This unity of the church he further confirms in this language in I Cor. 12:12: "For as the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body." Language expressive of the unity of the Apostolic Church could not be stronger.

      Not only was this oneness of the church everywhere recognized, and taught and practiced, but the apostle Paul, in I Cor. 1:10-13 says, in stern rebuke of a tendency toward division in the Church: "I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no division among you; but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been signified unto me concerning you, my brethren, by them that are of the household of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. No, this I mean, that each one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos: and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?"

      Again Paul says, in I Cor. 3:3-6: "Ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal and do ye not walk after the manner of men? For when one saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not men? What then is Apollos', and what is Paul? Ministers through whom ye believed; and each as the Lord gave to him. I planted; Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." Upon no one doctrine are the Scriptures clearer and more explicit than that Jesus Christ organized through his followers the one church, and meant that his work should be done through it. It is equally evident that this essential oneness of the church has long since been lost, and cannot be recovered until we return to the original unity of Christ's body.

The Church's Relation to Jesus.

      The chief significance of the church arises from its relation to Jesus Christ. It is his earthly body, the organ through which his life finds expression and operation in the world.

      The church rests upon the Christ as its foundation. Long before its beginning Jesus said to Peter, who had confessed that Jesus was the Son of God: "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church." This rock meant, unquestionably, the great truth that Peter had confessed, namely, that Jesus was the Son of God. Till this great and fundamental truth was evident, from all the words and works of Jesus, and was finally confirmed by his resurrection from the dead, the church was never established. Upon this sublime truth that Jesus was the Son of God, the Church was divinely founded. This fact gives it stability, dignity, power. Resting upon such a foundation, the gates of Hades will never overthrow it. Any organization claiming to be a church, and denying the Sonship of Jesus, by that very fact unchurches itself and ignores the true nature and character of the great Head of the church.

      This Church has Jesus as its supreme authority. It was he who said, with surpassing, dignity, "All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me." These are the words of one having Divine power or are the ravings of a fool. Where Jesus has clearly spoken it is becoming in us to keep silent, and to give earnest heed to the Divine message. Where he is silent [24] we may venture to express an opinion. These words of the Master are recorded upon the pages of the Holy Scriptures. Herein men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, and he who would find the words of the great Teacher must faithfully con these sacred pages; for, properly understood and interpreted, this book is the ultimate expression of the authority of Jesus.

      "The personality of Jesus is the chief attraction and power in the church, and especially is he the charm in the public presentation of the gospel of Christ. Most of the great doctrines of the Christian religion, such as the incarnation, the thought of God's dwelling on earth, the making of expiatory offerings to placate a supposedly offended deity, were in the world before the coming of Christ. When these great truths became incarnated in him, when the Divine power and beauty found expression on human lips, when God became manifest in human flesh--when these facts are preached, then men's hearts are stirred and they soon become obedient to the faith. "Christ and him crucified" constitute the Divine evangel. Were Christianity, even with its great doctrines, shorn of the personality of Jesus, it would be as lifeless as some of the other great religious systems of the World.

      Jesus is the great central luminary of the church, out from whom go the radiant light and power of God as the rays of the sun reach out to bless the whole planetary system. And as the planets move round the sun as their common center, and are held in their orbits by the invisible laws of gravitation, each one "forever singing as they shine, the hand that made its is Divine," so all the apostles and powers in the church move round the Christ and reflect his glory and are obedient to the invisible force of spiritual gravitation.

Baptism in the Church.

      It is surely worthy of its Divine origin. Baptism is a transitional act. According to Paul, baptism is the transitional act by which we are brought into Christ. Paul declares that we are baptized into Christ (Rom. 6:3); that we are baptized into his death (Rom. 6:3), and also that we are baptized into his body (I Cor. 12:13). Surely the whole beauty and significance of this ordinance center upon Jesus Christ.

The Lord's Supper in the Church.

      The same statement may be made with reference to the Lord's Supper. This ordinance has a fourfold significance: It is a memorial, "This do in remembrance of me;" it is a communion, "Is it not a communion of the blood of Christ?" It is a sacrifice, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto the remission of sins;" it is a type, "For as often as ye eat this bread and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he come." It will thus be seen that the whole institution centers about the Master. From the spirit of this ordinance and from the example of the apostolic church (Acts 20:7), many believers meet upon the first day of the week to observe this Divine ordinance.

The Lord's Day in the Church.

      The Lord's Day stands in about the same relation to Jesus, as we hold a weekly observance in memory of the resurrection of our Lord. The New Testament Church never observed the Jewish Sabbath as a day of worship. From the very beginning of the church the disciples kept the Lord's Day, thus honoring the Christ (Jno. 20:19, 26; Acts 2:1, 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:2).

      Separate these two ordinances and the Lord's Day from their relation to Jesus, and they have no meaning. Properly [25] relate them to the Master and they are profoundly meaningful institutions.

The Holy Spirit in the Church.

      As I have already said, the church was begotten in the world by the Holy Spirit. This was in accord with the promise of Jesus to His disciples, to whom he gave this promise: "It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will Send him [Into you. And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment.--I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all truth" (John 16:7-12). Following this promise, the Lord said to his disciples, just previous to his ascension: "But ye shall receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

      It was following upon this promise that the apostles and other disciples were gathered in one place, and there came upon them the fulfillment of the promise and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, who enabled them to speak with tongues which they had never learned, and to have that understanding of the true nature of Jesus which empowered them to preach him as the world's Redeemer and Saviour. Thus was the church of Christ divinely begotten, and thus began the reign of the Holy Spirit in the church which he holds to-day. Through the preaching of Spirit-guided men the church was established in Jerusalem and carried to the uttermost part of the earth.

      Much emphasis in this church was laid upon the Holy Spirit in his work upon the hearts and lives of the followers of the lowly Nazarene. The New Testament Scriptures were not yet written, and they were dependent upon the Holy Spirit for their guidance in all their teaching and work. Great recognition was given the Divine Spirit by all the New Testament writers.

      The presence and power of the Holy Spirit were recognized all through the Acts of Apostles and the other New Testament Scriptures. The Holy Spirit was not only a factor in man's regeneration, but was present and was a power in man's sanctification. Paul declares that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit.

      Everywhere in the New Testament Scriptures there is abundant recognition of the fact that Christianity is a spiritual religion, and that a man's religion that is not begun and carried on by the Spirit of the living God has little value. As life always finds habitation and expression, whether in the vegetable or animal kingdom, so the Holy Spirit, in the mysteries of his own being, works out for himself an abiding place in and through the spiritual nature of man.

Missions in the Church.

      The supreme purpose for which the church was organized was that it might embody the Christ in the world and become the means of carrying on his personal ministry among men on earth. That this was designed to reach all men must be true in the very nature of Christ's life and ministry. This vision found expression in the last recorded words of our Lord when he commanded his apostles to "make disciples of all nations," to preach the good tidings of redeeming love to every creature that was made in the Divine image. Jesus had told his disciples that they were to be his witnesses to the uttermost part of the earth.

      The organization of the church was among the Jewish people. The first missionary work of the church was among this nation. Indeed, one of the sore problems of the early church was to convince the Jews that Christianity was designed for other nations as well as for themselves. They thought themselves the chosen people, and that they had a monopoly on God and his love. The church did not have its widest vision till the apostle Paul was called as God's chosen vessel to bear his name before kings and the Gentiles. Under the inspiration and leadership of this magnificent spirit the church began to get a new vision of its open doors and fields of duty. Soon the church saw the man of Macedonia, and, following in the footsteps of the westering sun and under the strategic statesmanship of the apostle to the Gentile world, the church was soon established in such centers as Ephesus, Corinth, and even in the seven-hilled city beside the yellow Tiber.

Zeal in the Church.

      One is impressed in the study of the early church, as its life is set forth by the inspired writers, with the prominent place of earnestness, the prayerfulness, the spirit of service and sacrifice that [26] characterized these early followers of our Lord. Luke says of the Jerusalem Church that "they continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers . . . And all that believed were together, and had all things common; . . . and day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people" (Acts 2:42-47).

      Prayer had a deservedly high place in their lives and work. They waited much upon the Lord for help and guidance, justly recognizing their dependence upon Divine mercy. Indeed, the church had its beginning in a prayer meeting, and has always advanced in the world upon its knees.

      It must not be overlooked in this study that this young church was called to battle with some of the greatest vices of antiquity and that, growing out of this condition of society, the church had many perplexing problems with which to deal that sorely tried the wisdom and patience of that inexperienced organization.

Stewardship in the Church.

      In that period of the church the followers of the Master sold their possessions and brought them to a common treasury, and they were distributed to each one as there was need. I presume this was the beginning of Christian socialism. Whatever may have been their crudities in interpreting their relation to their property, they rightly perceived that their possessions were not their own; that they were merely stewards, administrators, and held their property subject to the need and call of the church. Could this same principle be accepted and utilized to-day, the power of the church would be greatly augmented.

      Another characteristic of those early Christians was their gladness of spirit. They were ever filled with the sunshine of life and rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ in some of the great persecutions that came upon the early church; for we must ever remember that the New Testament Church, like its Lord, was "made perfect through suffering." In all these great persecutions that burned the dross out of the Early Church, the disciples gladly went to the stake and the cross, witnessing by their death their fealty to their Lord.

Church Organization.

      Such a study as this would be incomplete without some reference to the organization of the Apostolic Church, and yet this subject must be approached with great hesitancy; for scholars, great and numerous, have traveled this road and it is to be feared have not removed all the difficulties.

      The four interpretations of church government as given by ecclesiastical scholars are those of the papacy, the episcopacy, the presbytery and independency. Each of these interpretations has mighty and doughty advocates. It seems that far too much emphasis has been laid upon this secondary thing in our most holy faith; for it is much to be doubted if the New Testament teaches any form of church organization. If it does, its teaching is so indefinite that great scholars have widely differed as to what this teaching is. The church is an organism rather than an organization, and like political or civil organizations, God leaves it to adjust itself to its environment and to adapt itself to the age and generation which it serves.

      Life always builds for itself a habitation suited to its need, and life, which is but another name for God, can surely devise means for its operation and expression in spiritual realms. With this method the church could flourish alike in the theocracy of the Jews or the democracy of the Romans, for it is far deeper than its external form or feature. It deals with the fundamentals of life and spiritual culture and like the fulness of the ocean's tide, fits itself to the contour and condition of every country and civilization. It is free to choose that which is best fitted to the sphere in which it is to labor. Give the church freedom in her forms of government as God has given the nations freedom to adjust their organization to their national task and need.

Officers in the Church.

      While there is no clearly defined form of church organization set forth in the word of God, there appears to have been five orders or classes of workers in the primitive Church; two of these may be termed extraordinary in their functions and three as ordinary in their lines of service.

The Extraordinary Officers in the New Testament Church.

      There were two classes of officers peculiar to the apostolic church: apostles [27] and prophets. Besides Paul there were twelve apostles who had been personally trained by our Lord and when endowed and directed by the Holy Spirit they planted the church in the world (Matt. 10:1-8; Luke 21:16; Acts 1:5). They appear to have possessed miraculous powers which were doubtless needed in their great task. They had no Successors in office. The prophets of the original church seem to have been Divinely aided in teaching the truth (Acts 15:32; Eph. 2:20, 4:11). They were apparently raised up to provide infallible teachers until the New Testament scriptures should be written. Like the apostles, they had no successors in office.

The Ordinary Officers of the Church.

      There was a class of workers in the primitive church called evangelists (Acts 21:8; Eph. 4:11; 2 Tim. 4:5). Their work appears to have been identical with that of the modern evangelists with the addition that they appear to have often set disorganized and feeble churches in order. They do not appear to have been related to the local church in any official way.

      There was an order in the ministry of these churches known as elders, bishops or shepherds (Acts 20:17; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Phil. 1:1; Eph. 4:11-13). Their work appears to have been identical with that of the modern pastor. They were to feed the flock of God to which they were called (Acts 20:17). They were to exercise a shepherd's pastoral care over it. Apparently no other provision was made for the spiritual instruction of the local church. The statement is not given that they were supported while engaged in their sacred ministries, though this may be legitimately inferred from several passages of Scripture, notably 1 Tim. 5:17-18. Another order in the New Testament Church was called deacons (Acts 6:1-7; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:7-12). The function of this order is neither defined in the word "deacon," which is a generic term meaning "servant," nor in the work to be done. This indetermination of the New Testament teaching on the function of the deacon has led to a great variety of interpretation as to the true work of this office of the primitive church.

Summary.

      We have thus seen that the church is a Divine institution, ordained of God as the means by which the life and work of Christ may be perpetuated in the world; that in the beginning there was but the one body, striving to do the work of the great Head of the church, a unity prayed for by our Lord himself and practiced by his apostles; that the relation of Jesus to this church was most intimate and endearing, that this church was filled and directed by the Holy Spirit, and that it was the earthly habitation of the third person of the Trinity; that it was the great missionary agency by which the whole world is eventually to be won to our Lord and Master; that the early disciples were filled with great zeal and enthusiasm, and surrendered their powers and possessions for its propagation in the earth; and finally, that in all probability very wide latitude was granted the early church in the matter of organization and methods of work. Such, in my mind, were the characteristics of the New Testament Church.

[DH 23-28.]