77a) Basic Theology of the Eldership, Parts 1

Driving home: unless we're prepared to say that the apostle was deliberately attempting to confuse Titus and all the subsequent generations until the end, of church history as we know it in the overlapping age, then surely it is the i…

Martin quotes Bishop Lightfoot to support the idea that even those with differing views on church structure are forced by Acts 20 and Titus 1 to acknowledge the interchangeable use of 'elder' and 'bishop'.

The two major nouns are presbyteros and episkopos, and the two major verbs are poimaino and hegeomai that describe the actual working out of that task. However, the two classic passages which demonstrate the validity of this preceptor are presupposition, namely, that the terms used for the task of oversight are synonymous and interchangeable are those watershed texts in Acts 20 and in Titus chapter 1, texts which force even a bishop lightfoot to acknowledge that any attempt to make a fundamental categorical distinction

2:34 - 3:16 Read in full sermon

Driving home: I am not asserting, as I have been accused of asserting, that a plurality of elders, is essential to the very being of the church. ... But what I am asserting, and this is a presupposition in the handling of the biblical…

Martin acknowledges that God has done powerful work in churches with a sole eldership, illustrating that while it may be an abnormality, it doesn't automatically incur God's frown or withhold His blessing.

They say there has been so much confusion in the history of the church, there are so many differing perspectives, they throw up their hands and say, we will just feel our way along and whatever works must be all right. On the other hand, some take an idealistic, unrealistic approach that not only forces us to believe, but also forces us to believe. It not only forces some of the biblical materials, but flies into the face of some very stubborn facts of church history, such as the fact that God has done some of his most effective and powerful work in the history of the church, where men have la...

7:07 - 7:51 Read in full sermon

Driving home: There could hardly be a more striking proof of the importance attached by Paul and his fellow laborers to the right organization of the churches of the Gentiles and of their conviction that the steps which they took in t…

Martin quotes Douglas Bannerman's 'biblical doctrine of the church' to emphasize the striking proof of importance Paul attached to the right organization of Gentile churches, particularly the appointment of elders.

But this much is clear, that in the thinking of the apostles, this matter of seeing the churches functioning in this ideal framework of biblically qualified overseers was a matter of high priority in their thinking and in their practice. Bannerman, in his excellent work on the biblical doctrine of the church, I'm referring here to Douglas Bannerman, on page 530 says, Let us consider how such principles, that is, principles of church practice, were put in operation in the apostolic church on Gentile Christian ground. And then he lists those major concerns. And at the head of them is, number one...

11:36 - 12:20 Read in full sermon

Driving home: my brother until I see that the bishop must be simply says it is expedient if he happens to be and it is desirable if perhaps he may be then I shall stand on these passages and if God does not give us men who meet this s…

Martin recounts his youthful excitement upon discovering the clear qualifications for elders in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, and the 'wet blanket' response from an older, seasoned brother who dismissed them as an 'ideal' not to be taken seriously at every point, illustrating the temptation to compromise biblical standards.

of how shall the church be governed who should give leadership what is an elder what is a deacon it was as though I had entered a whole new world when scouring the scriptures I came across and took seriously for the first time 1st Timothy 3 and Titus 1 and I can remember sharing my youthful enthusiasm with a much older seasoned brother and saying brother look at this God has actually said if we're going to have elders we're going to have deacons these are the requirements these are the minimal graces and gifts that must be present and we're not left to pragmatism and we're not left to subjecti...

19:26 - 20:11 Read in full sermon

The point: We need to go back periodically to these matters and ask God to search us and to try us and to make sure that we have not grown careless assuming we have some kind of ecclesiastical tenure and we are safe when in reality…

Martin describes witnessing an 'eldership fad' where plurality of eldership became a 'sacred cow' pursued hastily and sloppily, leading to tragic results and a 'sour taste' that made people averse to the concept, illustrating the dangers of unbiblical implementation.

of Hade give the servants and the proper and the holy work of Jesus and his people and his children and his children and his family and his people the head of the church reserves the ultimate prerogative to give gifts unto his church. And where Christ does not give, we better be very cautious about trying to recognize what he hasn't given. And I've lived long enough to see what I would call an eldership fad come and go and leave in its wake a very sour taste about the whole matter

28:19 - 29:03 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Plurality is written in the boldest letters in the pages of the New Testament and singularity bears the hallmark of despot to Christ's institution.

Martin quotes Professor John Murray's 'The Form of Government' to underscore that the New Testament guards against government by one man, asserting that singularity in church government is a deviation and bears the hallmark of despotism.

in volume 2 of his works has an excellent statement on this matter of the plurality of elders. Page 345 of volume 2 in his essay or message, sermon, lecture on the form of government. This emphasis upon plurality indicates the jealousy with which the New Testament guards against government by one man. The New Testament institution is not, as we have seen, a pure democracy.

35:44 - 36:14 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin argues for parity of authority among overseers based on uniform requirements for the office, responsibilities laid upon all elders as a body, and submission enjoined upon…

Martin uses the analogy of a 'fistful of marbles' where one is 'metamorphosized into an egg' to illustrate that true parity is fractured the moment one overseer is given a qualitatively higher position or rank of authority.

Now the word parity means the state of being the same in power, value, and rank. It comes from the word par. As Professor Murray clearly points out, the moment one presbyter or overseer is given a position or rank of authority qualitatively above another, plurality is, is fractured because we have another of a different kind. I may talk about the parity of my fistful of marbles, but the moment one of them is metamorphosized into an egg, it's foolish to talk about the parity of my marbles.

38:22 - 39:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Some of us wish we could have simply taken our position on church government baptism on trust... And some of us tried that but we couldn't do it. And though we may be wrong, at least we have the peace that we've tried to…

Martin quotes Dabney's 'Theories of the Eldership' to argue that each generation must do its own thinking and learn first truths for itself, rather than holding principles 'on trust' from previous generations, which leads to insincere belief.

Why do we have to wrestle with this? Well, I commend to you the thoughts that Dabney sets forth in dealing with this very subject in his essay called Theories of the Eldership. He said, while man remains the creature he is, such discussions are to be expected and desired. Each generation must do its own thinking and learn for itself its own lessons in first truths and general principles.

44:39 - 45:06 Read in full sermon

The point: Some of us wish we could have simply taken our position on church government baptism on trust... And some of us tried that but we couldn't do it. And though we may be wrong, at least we have the peace that we've tried to…

Dabney's examples from astronomy (earth seems still), hydrostatics (empty tube sucks water), and theology (Pelagianism appeals to natural mind) are used to illustrate that true general principles are often 'unpopular and paradoxical' to first impressions, requiring laborious investigation.

For by the very reason that general principles do not lie on the surface but are to be detected by analysis and induction, they are always in every science other than first appearances and first impressions would lead men to suppose. Hence, in every science the true general principles are unpopular and paradoxical in the first unthinking view. Prior to his active investigation, it is, in astronomy for instance, the earth which seems to stand still and the heavenly bodies to move. In hydrostatics, it's the empty tube which seems to suck up the water.

45:34 - 46:12 Read in full sermon