The Consent of the Governed

 Last time, in our examination of Mat. 18:18 and Mat. 16:19, we saw that those verses ought to read, as they do in most literal translations, "Whatever you bind on earth must already be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth must already be loosed in heaven."

In other words, the congregations of God have no authority to overrule God or make judgments contrary to His. Any judgments they make must be within the bounds of God's Word, or else they are illegitimate.

If, as we've previously noted, they tolerate wickedness and unrepentant sinners within the congregation, that judgment is contrary to God's and therefore illegitimate. If they expel people from their midst who have done no wrong, as defined by God's Word, then that judgment is contrary to God's and therefore illegitimate. These things should be self-evident.

This time, let's explore the concept that God's church has authority to make judgments and decisions within the bounds of His Word. What is His church? Is it a building? A non-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the US tax code? The ministers and leaders of said organization?

For now, please hold those questions in mind. The answer will become clear shortly.

God's Word gives numerous examples of how His congregations ought to make decisions. Let's turn first to Acts 6. Verse 1 sets the stage: "Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution."

This matter needed to be resolved. Here's how Yeshua/Jesus' followers did so:

2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.

3 “Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;

4 “but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,

6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

Notice that the apostles did not issue an edict for the rest of the congregation to obey. No, instead they summoned the whole congregation and presented a solution for the problem at hand. The people approved of the solution, chose men from among themselves as asked, and presented them to the apostles. The apostles involved the rest of the congregation in the decision.

In Acts 15, another issue arose, this time over the interpretation of God's Word. Again, vv. 1-2 set the stage: "And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.' Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question."

When the men arrived in Jerusalem, "they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them" (Acts 15:4). As throughout the New Testament, the word translated "church" is the Greek ekklesia (Strong's # G1577), which means "a calling out, a gathering of citizens, an assembly."

In other words, the "church" is nothing else but the people of the congregation. It's not a building, it's not an organization, it's not the leaders of said organization; it's the whole assembly of God's people. This is why I personally prefer the terms "congregation" or "assembly" over "church" as they're not so easily subject to misunderstanding.

So once again, the apostles in Jerusalem gathered the whole assembly of God's people together to decide this matter. First, the Pharisees who believed in Jesus had their say (Acts 15:5). Next, as we read, there was "much dispute" (v. 7). Then Peter stood up and addressed the people (vv. 7-11). Then Paul and Barnabas had their turn (v. 12). Finally, James stood up and addressed the assembly (vv. 13-21). Then, we are told that "it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly" (v. 22, YLT) to adopt and carry out the judgment of James, Peter, Paul, and Barnabas rather than that of the Pharisees.

Again, notice that the apostles involved all the people in this decision and in all the debate and reasoning behind it. They didn't simply issue an edict and order the congregation to abide by it. Rather, they followed the Book of Proverbs: "Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety" (Prov. 11:14).

Here's another example in 1 Cor. 5, this time involving a judgment against an unrepentant sinner. In vv. 1-2, Paul upbraided the Corinthian congregation: "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles — that a man has his father’s wife! And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you."

In no uncertain terms, Paul reminded the Corinthians what ought to be done: "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus" (1 Cor. 5:4-5). Paul didn't put the man out of the congregation; he didn't tell the leaders of the congregation to put the man out of the congregation; he told the whole congregation to put the man out!

Up to this point, the Corinthians had made no decision and taken no action. By making no decision, though, they had actually made a decision, and that decision was to allow wickedness to fester in their midst. This judgment of theirs was contrary to God's Word, and therefore illegitimate, so Paul reminded them of what needed to be done. As he told them later, "For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged" (1 Cor. 11:31).

Throughout the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, we see that God intended for the whole assembly of His people to be involved in making and carrying out decisions.

In the Old Testament, when a man was to be executed for murder, sexual immorality, idolatry, or some other heinous crime, God commanded the whole congregation to carry out the sentence (Lev. 20:2; Num. 15:35; Deut. 13:9; 17:7; 21:21).

When God was about to give His laws to Israel at Mt. Sinai, Moses called for all the people and their leaders and presented God's words before them. They all pledged to obey God and His laws, and Moses reported their words to God (Ex. 19:7-8).

When King David planned to bring the Ark of the Covenant up to Jerusalem, he assembled all his military leaders, all the leaders of the people, and all the people and presented his thoughts to them (1 Chron. 13:1-3). We read, "Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people" (1 Chron. 13:4).

Ezra and Nehemiah, too, gathered all the people together to make important decisions (Ezra 10; Neh. 5; 9-10). As we read in Neh. 5:13, after Nehemiah had made his case to the people, "And all the assembly said, 'Amen!' and praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise."

When Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams wrote in the Declaration of Independence that governments derive "their just powers from the consent of the governed," their statement was consistent with God's Word.

Yes, God intended for all His people to have a say in making decisions, not just their leaders. But what happens if the leaders have judged rightly according to God's Word and the people refuse to give their agreement?

In this case, remember, no authority in heaven or on earth trumps the authority of God. Any judgment that contradicts His is illegitimate.

Just as Moses faithfully continued to follow God when the Israelites rebelled, and didn't waver even when they threatened to stone him to death (Num. 14:10), so every leader must follow God and His Word whether anyone else does or not. In fact, every one of God's people has that same responsibility. As we read in Ex. 23:2, "You shall not follow a crowd to do evil."

Thoughts? Disagreements? Additions? Please share them below!