Godly Governance

I'd like to begin the sermon this morning by reading from an article that came out really quite a number of years ago, but it certainly has something that introduces the topic for today very well. It's what the Bible says about government. It's an article that appeared in U.S. News and World Report magazine way back in 1969. That goes back away. It's by Carl Curtis, a U.S. Senator from Nebraska at that time. In the article, he said, there would be chaos in the world if there were no government. I admit that governments make mistakes and that oftentimes we have too much government. Nevertheless, government is necessary. I am referring to the government that man sets up. Government is based upon law.

These laws govern the conduct of men in their relation to each other and in their relation to society as a whole. The fact remains that government is our means for keeping order, removing violent offenders from society, settling disputes between individuals, and providing community services. The whole idea is set forth in God's Word. In the Bible, we find not only the recitation of many laws, but we find the pattern for systems of government, or we might refer to them as constitutions. Without government and without law, there could be no civilization.

Government and law were given to man by God. Our entire system of law emanates from the Ten Commandments. Well, that goes back a long time, over 40 years ago, what the Bible says about government. I would like for us today to look at government. And Mr. Curtis is right. I think we all agree that government and law are necessary.

They are a gift to man from God. And without government, there would be chaos. And it's in the Bible that we find the pattern for the proper pattern for system, the proper system of government. The title of the sermon today is Godly Governance. That's what we'd like to address. Godly governments. What does the Bible say about government? Is there to be government in nations, in the family, in the church? Are humans to govern over other humans?

Is that God's will? If so, how are they to govern? Are we to learn to be subject to other humans in positions of government? In the process of this, given this sermon, I would like to address some things I have heard lately about as far as the government in the church. Some have said, well, the United Church of God is a democracy.

Is that true? Some have said the United Church of God is wrong because it does not have just one man, a sole human leader. It has a group of 12 men that serve on a council of elders. Is our leadership a wrong structure? What does the Bible say about that? We want to get into questions like that as well. These are questions that have come to me fairly recently, and I think we all need to know the answers to them.

First of all, let's say that it is God's intent that we learn that for us to learn to govern and to be governed, it is God's intent that each of us individually learn to govern, also to be governed, to be under government.

You know, right away God put government and structure into the family unit. You can go back if you would like to Genesis chapter 2, and you will find that God created the man Adam first, and he had the man to even name the animals, but there was no helper for the man. There was no companion for him. So God put Adam to sleep, and out of a rib that he took from Adam, he created woman.

He made a companion. But it's obvious in reading Genesis chapter 2 that Adam was the leader in the family. In the New Testament, we could read verses that the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. So God has put structure, he has put government in the family unit.

So, you know, and we will function, our families will function properly, and according to God's will, if that structure is understood and maintained by husbands and wives. If husbands and wives strive hard to maintain the structure and the government that God put into the family unit. We know that both husband and wife, then when they have children, are in a position of authority and government over the children. It's their responsibility to rule with love and proper guidance and control over the children, and to teach and to instruct the children. So God has put a system of government in the smallest of units, the family unit. That of the husband being the leader, the wife being there to help and to support her husband, and the children coming under the authority of the parents.

And the children that way learn a proper structure of government themselves. What about in nations? Is it God's will that there would be civil government? What about we have a president? What about we have a governor? We have mayors and we have policemen?

Is there to be government? Civil government? And what should be our attitude toward civil government? Let's turn to a couple of verses on this one. Romans chapter 13. Yes, we're going to see that it's God's will. And actually, all the governments that exist are allowed. And this word used here by the Apostle Paul is even stronger than allowed. Let's notice it in Romans chapter 13 and verse 1. And let's also read a few verses down to see what our attitude should be toward civil government. That is, our president, our governor, mayors, and policemen, and ones who are in positions of authority in our country. In Romans chapter 13 and verse 1, let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. We are then to be submissive or subject to civil government. Why? It goes on down to say, for there is no authority except from God. It is God who allows civil governments to be there. It's God who allows our president to be in his position, and our governor to be in her position, and others to be in a position of authority. There's no authority except from God. And the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Think about that. Nobody even would be in a position of authority unless God were to permit them to be there.

And so even appointed by God. That shows that God is pretty much more in control than we sometimes realize. Well, verse 2, therefore whoever resists the authority, that is the authority of civil government, resists the ordinance of God. What kind of fighting against the way God has allowed it and intended it to be? Resist the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you not... do you want to be afraid of the authority? Do what is good. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. We obey the laws. We won't have any problems at all. If we are subject to civil government, we pay our taxes, and we obey the speed laws on the highway, then we have nothing to be afraid of. In verse 4, he is God's minister. That goes pretty far, doesn't it? That civil authorities are there as God's ministers to administer civil government. God intended there to be, then, civil government that would regulate human conduct and human relationships to one another. He is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him, who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject not only because of wrath, but also for conscience's sake. For because of this, you also pay taxes. For they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. Of course, they are ministering continually to collection taxes, aren't they? Can you think about it? Render therefore to all their due. Taxes to whom taxes are due. Custom to whom customs fear. To whom fear honor. To whom honor. The Bible makes it very clear that we are not to resist civil government, unless there were a conflict with the higher laws of God. But in our country, there's a lot of forbearance. There's a lot of tolerance of religious freedom and worship for which we can be very thankful. And we live in a much more tolerant age as far as, let's say, conditions for Christians than many, many ages in the past. And for that, we can be very, very thankful. But God expects us to be fully supportive and submissive and subject to civil government. Let's go to 2 Peter 2. We'll read another verse concerning being subject to civil government and that we should give honor and respect to our president, to a king, or a national leader and local leaders as well. 1 Peter 2, verse 13.

1 Peter 2, verse 13. Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme or to governors as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for praise of those who do good.

For this is the will of God, that by doing good, you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, as free, yet not using your liberty as a cloak for vice, but as servants of God. Honor all! It should be an honor that we give all human beings. Love the brotherhood. Special love for those in the Church of God who are brothers. Fear God and then honor the king. So, you know, we need to be careful that we don't get into some of the dishonor that is shown toward our president, toward our governor, toward others that might be in a position of civil authority. We need to be very careful about that.

In fact, turn over to 1 Timothy 2. We have a lot of dishonoring of civil government in our society today. You know, I would hate to be in a position like the president is in. Could anybody be in a position like that and please everyone? I'd hate to be in a position of a government where people, where you do not have the cooperation, and many times there's even deliberate working and pulling in different directions.

All kinds of cross-currents. No matter who you put in the White House, I don't know that anyone would be able to govern our country today the way things are. We're very divided in many, many ways. There are many, many cross-currents. How can you bring all this together? How can you address problems and get things done? Anyway, 1 Timothy 2 and verse 1. 1 Timothy 2 and verse 1.

Therefore I exhort, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings, and all those who are in authority. So we are to give supplications and prayers and intercessions for everyone, for kings, we could say presidents and governors and leaders in our country, and all those in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

So you see that our attitude then is to be quite different towards civil authority and government than people in the world. Are people and civil authority perfect? Do they make all kinds of mistakes? Yes, they do. But nothing in here says that we're supposed to dishonor or show disrespect and therefore not be subject to them. Human government has never been perfect. And that comes right into the church as well.

We'll get into that a little bit later. Church government has never been perfect either. Human government at any level has never been perfect. But that doesn't mean we're not supposed to learn submission and to be subject. What about in the church? Let's come to the church now. Should there be... is there government in the church of God? Yes, there is. There is government in the church of God. There's government in the United Church of God. Several verses in the Bible that we don't need to turn to, one would be Colossians 1 verse 18, show that Jesus Christ is the head of the church.

The top governing official in the church that God has put there to be the head. The chief executive officer is Jesus Christ. So at that level we do have perfection. We have perfect government at the top. Jesus Christ is at the top and He is perfect. Now under Him we have imperfect human government. But notice that this government is one that God has appointed. Let's read that in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. The governing officials in the church of God have been put there by God to lead and to guide and to direct the affairs of the church and the relationship that we have with each other in doing the job that God has called us to do.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 12, 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 12, For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ. There is a unity that we have as one body. We are to be united. Verse 3, For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews, Greeks, slaves, or free.

Whatever background or racial makeup have all been made to drink into one Spirit. Now coming on down to verse 18, Now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And I wanted to add to that, I hope all of us are pleased where God has placed us in the body. God has placed you, each of us, in the body as it pleases Him. Are you happy with where you are? That's where God's put you. I think we should be happy with that. Well, coming on down to verse 28, notice that God has appointed these in the church. First, apostles. Second, prophets. Third, teachers. After that, miracles.

Then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles, prophets, teachers? No, there are different ones doing different responsibilities in the church. So yes, God has appointed a leadership in the church. Remember, without government, any organization or any nation would have chaos. And in the church, would you want to be a part of a church without government?

I mean government that leads and guides, that shows, here's what we need to be doing. Here's where we need to go. Of course, the church of God is always going to be following the principles of what we do. And where we go and do is all based upon what we find in the Bible. But you would not want to be a part of a church that does not have leadership and does not have proper, a godly governance at work. It would be chaos without government.

Let's go to Hebrews 13. Hebrews 13 and verse 7. Hebrews 13 and verse 7, Remember those who rule over you. The Bible makes it clear, then, that there are those who rule in the church. Remember those, and we are to remember them. You know, brethren, I have people that rule over me. You know, I'm to remember them. And you have ones that rule over you in the church. Not just the local pastor, but it's the home office, the council of elders, our regional pastor. Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. So we are to remember those who have brought us to the truth and who teaches God's word to us. Verse 17 even gets a bit stronger, in a way. Obey those who rule over you and be submissive. You know, we all are to then remember the ones who have positions of responsibility, positions of leadership and rulership or government. And we are to obey them that rule over us and be submissive for they watch out for your souls. Brethren, our council of elders, our regional pastors, our ministry, the local pastors, are all looking out for the good of the congregation. You know, a local pastor, for example, is going to be watching his flock. He's going to know what's going on and where his sheep are. He's not going to be in the dark. He's constantly thinking about that. And are his sheep being properly fed and cared for? He's watching out at all times. Are there things that would be harmful to the flock? Then the pastor of the sheep will try to protect in every way that he can. He will try to even to help ahead of time so that the sheep will be safe.

Watch out for your souls as those who must give account. A minister has to give account for the job he does. As those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. It would not be healthy for you at all to not come under the leadership and the government of what God has appointed in the church. Verse 17, or verse 24, rather, a third verse in this chapter says, Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints, those from Italy, greet you. So three verses in this chapter do relate to our obedience and submission to the government that God has appointed in his church. But what kind of government is it? It is very important that we understand the contents of this sermon today because all of us are training for positions of authority and government. In God's kingdom, we are going to govern. But we're not going to govern unless we learn to be governed now. We have to learn to be governed, and we have to learn how to administer God's government. We have various responsibilities ourselves here in the congregation. We have ones with positions of service and leadership here, and we're all learning then to work within God's approach toward governance. We are submissive to those who are over us in the Lord. And then when we are given responsibilities, we learn to administer those responsibilities in the way that God wants us to lead or to govern.

What is the overall guiding concept of this government? If we turn to Matthew 20, we will discover what that overall guiding principle is in government. It's a principle that goes to the very top of the church of God. It goes to Jesus Christ, and even it goes higher than that. It goes to God our Father. God our Father follows the same concept of governance. It's a guiding principle that we all must learn. We can never govern in God's Kingdom. We can never be a king and priest in God's Kingdom unless we learn this guiding principle. It's in Matthew 20 and verse 25.

The mother of a couple of the disciples had come to Jesus trying to request something very simple. Not all that much. Just that, could my two sons, one of them sit on the right hand and one of them on the left? That's all I want for my two sons. One to sit on your right hand in the Kingdom and one to sit on the left. Well, that was from vanity, and that was from a very wrong motive. This mother of James and John had to repent of that attitude, you can be sure, because it was based on vanity. Wrong concept entirely. Verse 25, Jesus said to straighten all this out, because the other disciples were very upset about it, very angry. And so verse 25, Jesus called them to Himself and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. You know, that does seem to be the case. Many times in the world, people in positions of authority, they have a lot of pride that goes along with that position. A lot of vanity. A lot of self. Many times, also there is going just as far as they can with the authority given to them to get what they want. Not looking out for the best interest of the people at all.

That's not the way it is to be in Godly governance. Verse 26, Jesus gave the guiding principle that we all must learn. Verse 26, Yet it shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And the word is diachonos, and it means one that waits on it, like a waiter at a table, one that waits on or serves another person. Takes care of the needs of another person. Verse 27, whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave. And the word is doulos in the Greek. It means slave. It means a bondservant. Become enslaved, then, to the ones that you are helping, that you are guiding. Brethren, that's the way we will be ruling as a king and priest in the millennium. We will be enslaved to our city to serve them and take care of them and watch out for them. We will wait on them like a like diachonos, like a servant waiting on a table. We will come back and I give you something else. Can I help you here? We will be there as a servant and enslaved to them. If we don't have that, if we don't learn that concept of government, then we simply won't be there. It is the guiding principle of God's government. To be enslaved to those that we serve and that we help. You know, right away you can see what kind of husband, then, will be the proper husband and God's sight. One that's enslaved to his wife and his children. One that serves them. Not looking out for number one. That's the way he governs his guiding principle. Still the head, but he's enslaved to his wife and to his children, his family. And Jesus said, verse 28, concluded this by saying, Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. Jesus Christ gave his life, but he's still enslaved to the church. Day and night, 24-7, throughout the entire year, year after year, Jesus Christ is enslaved as the high priest of the church. He's serving us instantly, day and night.

He'll be a slave as a king. When he's king on the earth and the millennium, he'll be enslaved to the nations. He'll be a dulos to them. He'll be a diaconos, a servant for the nations and for all peoples around the earth. So, godly governance is based on this concept of service, humble service, toward those that are being governed. It is based on love. It is based on humility. It's based on being a servant. So, you know, the ministry in God's church, then what kind of governance do we have in the church of God? It's a ministry that is to serve. Let's go to 1 Peter, chapter 5.

1 Peter, chapter 5. And this is how we will serve as kings and priests in the millennium. In 1 Peter, chapter 5, verse 1, the elders who are among you... So, this is for the leadership. This is for those who are in positions of government and leadership in the church. The elders who are among you, I exhort. I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed. Shepherd the flock of God, which is among you, serving as overseers. The ministry does oversee what goes on. Shepherds and overseers, not by constraint, but willingly, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly. Eagerly serving them in this way. Not as being lords over those entrusted to you. See, God, the sheep that are in the church are entrusted to the ministry. But the ministry is not to lord it over the sheep entrusted to them, but being examples of the flock. That's the biggest way that a minister of God is to lead, by his example.

And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. So the ministry is not to lord it over people, but to lead by example. Say, well, then does a minister ever show any authority? Absolutely. When it's necessary. You think a shepherd, if there's a wolf that comes around, or an enemy of the sheep, you think a shepherd is going to do something about it? You better believe it. A minister of God is going to do everything in his power to protect his sheep. He's there to serve them and watch out for them. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 4. We see church authority in the New Testament church. There was the use of this authority for the protection of the congregation.

In 1 Corinthians 4 and verse 18, Paul is having to really correct the Corinthian church. They were wrong. There were things going on that needed to be corrected.

And so Paul, read this book. The whole book is a book with a lot of correction to it. A lot of instruction. You might say Paul rakes them over the coals a little bit. They needed it. In 1 Corinthians 4 and verse 18, Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. Here's a little bit of a threat, and already we can see. You're puffed up as though I'm not going to come to you.

Paul wanted to be there, in fact. I will come to you shortly, he said, and if the Lord wills. And I will know not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod? That's correction. Or in love. And the spirit of gentleness.

Now Paul does bring out that it is actually quite humbling. It's not easy to correct. It's quite humbling when a minister has to correct someone individually or the congregation.

Notice in 2 Corinthians 12. You think a minister delights in correcting? He'd rather be beating himself, or take a beating than to have to do it. 2 Corinthians 12, verse 19.

Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? Paul again was having to work with us, the brethren or the sheep in Corinth. They weren't quite where they needed to be. Do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ, but we do all things, beloved, for your edification. But I fear lest when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish. That he would have to come with harshness and correction.

You are found not as I wish, and I shall be found by you such as you do not wish. Lest there be contentions, jealous, all these things have to be dealt with.

If we have these things in the church, somebody has to deal with it. Who is it? It's the ministry. Lest there be contentions, jealous, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbiting, whisperings, conceits, two molts. Lest when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before, and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and licentiousness which they have practiced. Those things, when these things happen in the church, somebody has to deal with it. Fall squarely upon the shoulders of the ministry that God has appointed to be there to govern and to lead.

You can read in 1 Timothy chapter 3 about... well, we can read that real quickly. There are very high standards that God has set for his ministry. 1 Timothy chapter 3, this is a faithful verse 1. This is a faithful saying, If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop, then, must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous, one who rules his own house well, having his children in subjection with all reverence.

If a man does not know how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? Not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride, he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. And moreover, he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into the reproach and the snare of the devil. These are some very high standards that God requires of his ministry.

You know, already I think I've alluded to this, and I'm sure you've picked up some. It's not easy actually being a minister and, of course, never having, you know, pastored a church. You might not relate to that. You might think it's pretty easy overall to be a minister, but it's not. God's ministers have a difficult job in many ways. Of course, they must forsake their own life plans and goals they may have had. They must become a living sacrifice for the sheep. They must go where God wants them to go, and they must do what God wants them to do. We read about the hardship of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 11. Let's read that. I can't say that I've been through every one of these, but many, many of these I can relate to, and I think every minister in the church can. In 2 Corinthians 11, verse 16, I say again, Let no man, or let no one, think me a fool, if otherwise at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. Paul again had to rate the Corinthians over the coals two letters, both of these letters are pretty corrective in nature. The Corinthians just weren't where they needed to be spiritually. Paul had to try to help them to get there. Verse 17, What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly in this confidence of boasting, seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise. There's a lot of sarcasm in verse 19. For you put up with it, if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face, to our shame I say that we were too weak for that. But in whatever anyone is bold, I speak foolishly, I'm bold also. Paul says, Don't underestimate me. I can stand in there with you as I need for your edification and good. Verse 22, Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more. In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews, five times I received forty stripes, minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I've spent in the deep. In journeys often, in perils of waters, perils of robbers, perils of my own countrymen, perils of the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brethren. In weariness and toil, in sleeplessness, often in hunger, in thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides the other things that comes upon me daily, my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak and I'm not weak, and who's made to stumble and I do not burn with indignation. The Apostle Paul went through a lot, and every minister of Christ has experienced these things or similar things in one way or another.

Every minister in God's church understands journeyings often, toil and weariness, physical dangers, perils of false brethren, staying awake at night with deep concern.

I remember being stranded even in my first year in the ministry in the wilderness when I was still a single person working up in the northwest in British Columbia. We've gone to meet some people. They lived about 50 or 75 miles off of the paved highway. Gravel, dirt, wet and flat tires. Spent the night out in the wilderness, finally able to get the flat tire fixed the next day. Not easy.

Another experience. In 1969 in Florida, I was warned not to make a visit to visit a lady because an irate husband who did not like the church would be waiting with a shotgun. I heeded the warning.

In 1980, we were told in early January, pack up your bags and move to Oregon just as fast as you can. We arrived in Oregon with a home to sell with four children in school. We were in Oregon in early February one month later. There are many, many experiences that every minister would be able to bring out. It's not an easy job. Every minister would have his list. But I don't think any minister would want to change anything.

The rewards of serving God's people are great. But it's not an easy job. We should never think of it that way. I'd like to change direction and ask now the questions I mentioned at the beginning. Is UCG a democracy? Is our 12-man council of elders that is the governing body?

Is that biblical? Is that right? Does the Bible require a one man at the head? Was Peter the head of the New Testament church? Some claimed that he was, was he? Are there different governmental structures in the Bible? Well, first of all, I'll answer that one, the last one first. Yes, if you were to study the Bible in patriarchal times and then in the early years of the nation Israel and then latter years, you would find quite a diversity of governmental patterns.

For example, in Israel when they came out of Egypt, then Moses' father-in-law came around and saw Moses trying to make all the decisions and govern over everything himself. People were lined up and he said, well, you know, the people are not being served. You need to get some people to help you get rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, and rulers of fifties and tens. Well, it sounded like good advice and so Moses put that into effect and it worked in the wilderness very well. There was this structure of leaders of thousands and leaders of hundreds and fifties and tens worked very well in the wilderness as the Israelites went around journeying for 40 years.

Then they came into the land of promise under Joshua and the tribes settled in their cities and in their territories and we don't have any indication that the rulers of thousands and hundreds and tens continued. Instead, there were people in cities, there were elders and leadership in the cities and in the communities. Quite a different structure already. Then this was also the time of the judges and God ruled through the judges, different judges, for several hundred years.

Then there was the period of the kings and God ruled in that way. And think about that. It wasn't really God's decision or let's say Him pushing for Israel to have a king. The Israelites pushed for a king and God allowed it. He allowed that system of government in Israel and He worked through it. So, you know, we see quite a number of different patterns of government when we look at the Old Testament alone. Quite a few structures, different structures or different governmental patterns.

But what about the New Testament church? What do we find in the New Testament church? That's where we are especially interested. Was Peter the sole head of the early church? There are those that claim that he was. What do the scriptures indicate? Let's turn to Matthew 10 and verse 2.

This is one verse that they would turn to say, well, yes, Peter was the sole head of the New Testament church. I'll already let you know that we do not believe that there's support for that when we consider all the verses in the New Testament. We do not believe there is support that Peter was the sole head of the New Testament church. In Matthew chapter 10 and verse 2, it does say the names of the 12 apostles are these. First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother.

And then it does list also the others. Well, Peter is referred to as first, and he was prominent. There's no doubt about it. Many times Jesus would ask a question. And who would be the first one to answer? It would be Peter. Peter was the prominent one, the one that was often the spokesman for the 12. The Expositor's Bible commentary says for the word first here that Peter was the first among equals.

He may... he then... I think we would certainly say that that he was the first among the 12 apostles, the first among equals. But you know when you come into the early church in the book of Acts, we have indication that Peter was not just the sole head of the church, but that there was more the apostles, the 12 apostles, were as a team providing the leadership for the early church. And later Paul would join that team, the Apostle Paul and Barnabas and others, other apostles. And notice in Acts chapter 8 and verse 14, we have an indication here that Peter was not the sole head of the church, but that there was a team of the apostles who were offering that leadership. In a similar way that we have in our council of elders today. In Acts chapter 8 and verse 14.

This is when the people in Samaria were baptized and verse 14, when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. You know, if Peter had been the sole head of the early church, why would the apostles have sent him? Why would they be the ones to make that decision? Why would Peter not just say, well, I'm going to take John with me and we're going to go to Samaria? Instead, it was the apostles who made that decision to send Peter and John. Let's go also to Acts 15. And here's a strong indication, too, that Peter was not the sole head of the early church. Instead, the apostles were acting more as a team, a team of leaders, guiding and directing. In Acts 15, this is the chapter where the decision is made on circumcision. And they brought this to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas and certain others came to the apostles and elders. Notice in verse 2, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem to who? To Peter and the apostles? If Peter were the sole leader, it would seem like we'll go up to Peter and the apostles. No, they went to the apostles and the elders about the question. And so verse 6, it says that the apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter. And there was much discussion about it. And it's true that Peter stood up and played a prominent role here. In verse 7, Peter rose up and said, men and brethren, and he showed how God had given his spirit to the Gentiles, and how there should not be put a yoke upon the Gentiles as far as circumcision. That's basically the gist of what Peter said. Well, verse 12, does that mean that Peter, though, was the sole head of the early church? Well, in verse 12, all the multitude kept silent, and they then listened to Barnabas and Paul, declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. And so then Paul and Barnabas got up. They may have spent about as much time, actually, as Peter, and it seems like they were just as influential in the way this decision was going as Peter. All the miracles and wonders that God had done among the Gentiles, uncircumcised Gentiles. Well, verse 13, after they had become silent, Paul and Barnabas, James, the brother of Christ, who was the head of the Jerusalem congregation of the church. He was the local pastor there in Jerusalem, the one that was pastor of the Jerusalem congregation. And he got up and he said about as many things or more, maybe, than Peter had said.

And notice that in verse 19, it was James then who said, Therefore I judge... That's making a decision, isn't it? Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turned to God. We should not require them to be circumcised. So if anybody seems to be in a position of sole leadership, it would seem to be even more James than Paul and Barnabas or Peter. I judge that we shouldn't bother them. That's my decision. But was James then the sole head of the church? No, we don't feel that is the case either. In this chapter, you have the apostles and elders coming together and making a decision then from more of a team leadership structure of governance. And finally, in verse 22, by this time, the decision then was clear as to what should be done. Verse 22, Then it pleased the apostles and the elders. Again, it doesn't say Peter, it doesn't say James or any one person, does it? It pleased the apostles and elders with the whole church. By this time, maybe there had been a Sabbath service like today, and they had explained to the church. And all the church there was supportive of the decision that had been reached by the apostles and elders. It pleased the apostles and the elders with the whole church there in Jerusalem, which was the Home Office church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. Then the word began to be put out. The apostles and the elders again led the way. So, brethren, we believe that there's no indication in the New Testament that Peter was the sole head of the New Testament church. Those who insist upon that there has to be one man at the top will try to prove that Peter's prominence shows that he was the sole head. And yet, right here in the book of chapter 15, it would indicate if anybody made the final decision it would seem to be James, not Peter. James said, I judge, verse 19. But we don't believe that James was the sole head either, but more the apostles working together as a team. So, you see, there can be different structures. God worked powerfully under Mr. Armstrong as one man, and God is working powerfully under our Council of Elders in the United Church of God today. Let's answer the question, is the United Church of God a democracy? Absolutely not. Have any of you ever voted on who's going to be in the ministry? Have you ever voted on church policy and doctrines? You know, we may have asked opinions on things, input, but you have never been involved in voting on matters that are left to the ministry to decide. Now, it's true that we do have balloting or voting in the ministry on who will serve on the Council and on policies and things that are important as far as the direction of the United Church of God, decisions that are made. But that's just a matter of putting of the ministry of the church, a very small number of that. They might say the modern-day apostles and elders or ministry and leadership of the church, getting together and making ministerial decisions on the leadership and direction the church is going to go. We could just have a show of hands to get everybody's input, but that'd be about the same thing, wouldn't it? As balloting to get the feel of the church or the ministry of the church.

So, no, you know, we are not a democracy. Democracy means people vote and do the ruling. And you can just say, well, no, the ministry is the governing body of the church led by the 12 members that are chosen to serve on the Council of Elders. So if anybody ever accuses us before you that we are a democracy, you need to be prepared to defend that and to let them know that that is not true.

Let's shift gears yet again as far as governance. Government in the church at the human level has never been perfect. And so, you know, we've already brought out that in civil government, there's a lot of imperfection, but in the church also human leaders are not perfect. Well, guess what? Moses was not perfect. He was a great man, a man of God, but we can find he made mistakes.

And all human leaders, David was a great king, a man after God's own heart, but he made mistakes and he sinned. The early apostles, Peter and some of the apostles from Jerusalem separated themselves, had a racial bias when they came to Antioch or to Galatia. Paul had to withstand them to their face. So he wrote to the Galatians and correct Peter. So Peter was not perfect and Paul was not perfect. So I've heard Mr. Herbert Armstrong say many times when he was yet alive, he said, I have made many mistakes. But then he added, God has never allowed me to make a mistake fatal to his work. Mr. Armstrong knew he was human. He made many mistakes. The Council of Elders in United Church of God, none of them claims perfection. They would all tell you very quickly that they are human and they are not perfect. But then when you get right down to it, husbands are not perfect and they are leadership in the family. Any of you husbands feel like you are perfect? Well, you are not. You need to recognize it. And mothers and fathers, you are not perfect as parents. Human leadership at any level of a human existence is not perfect. But I will say that in the church, the ministry of the church sets a very good standard. You know, Mr. Armstrong said he had never made many mistakes, but nothing fatal to the work of the church. But Mr. Armstrong had a good batting average. I think we all agree. And our Council of Elders and our ministry today has a good batting average. We strive to do it right, but we are human and we fall short. But we believe that through God's Spirit we are able to have something that is pleasing to God, acceptable to Him. You know, think about it then. God, to govern, to learn to govern, and to learn to be governed is a pretty big thing in our lives. It's very important for us to learn to govern and to be governed.

And we do learn a submission that is important. We learn a trust toward God, a faith that everything ultimately is in the hands of God. He can recompense. He can straighten out. Something's wrong. He can take care of it in his own way and time. When we submit to imperfect human government in the church or in the world, then we are doing something that is very important. We're learning submission and placing things into the hands of God who ultimately will straighten it all out and bring it all around just where it needs to be. And so we've put things into the hands of Almighty God in faith and trust and in submission. So learning submission to imperfect human government is important. By the way, this doesn't mean that a wife, for example, should allow her husband just to beat up on her. No, that's not what we're talking about. We're not talking about abuse in physical or other types of abuse at all. But we're talking about submission under normal circumstances where human beings in positions of leadership do make mistakes. Because they're just human. Why is learning then to govern and to be governed so very important? Well, it is to learn then that trust to work God in that submission to His law and to His will. Why is there government in the church? It is for peace. It is for unity and order. And we all then submit to this government. All the members submit to the leadership of the pastors and the elders. All the ministry submits to the home office and the Council of Elders. And guess what? The Council of Elders submits to one another and to the head of the church, Jesus Christ. The members of the church are to submit to the church leadership. And the church leadership is to submit to the members in serving them. Who submits more? Well, it's just like in a family. The husband should be the one that submits the most. The one that is leading should be the one that serves the most and submits to the needs and things that the family desires. The needs and desires of the family. The leadership will serve more and submit more.

You know, in the end we all submit to one another. We submit to each other. And if someone has a need, we strive to take care of that need. We love one another and we want to take care of each other and look out for one another because we're on the same team. We're in the same family, the family of God. There certainly is not any room for anyone to be unruly. There's not room for someone that despises dominion. That's not submission. Someone that despises authority over them. Someone that says, well, nobody's going to tell me what to do. Well, we are to be subject to human government. A policeman tells you what to do if he's there and he's stopping traffic for some reason, and we're to be submissive and not to resent his authority. So we are to be subject to human government. And not to have that attitude, well, nobody tells me what to do. That just is not an attitude that God can use in his kingdom. Nobody tells me what to do. And a person that despises dominion and authority cannot be given a responsibility as a king and priest in God's kingdom. So there's no room for someone that despises authority. Someone that is unruly. There's no room for grumbling and complaining and murmuring. Something is wrong. Bring it. Let's discuss it. Let's sit down and work at it. See what needs to be done. There's no room for someone pulling in a different direction than everybody else. There's no room for undercurrents. We all know that an undercurrent can be deadly in a stream. You can be pulled under. We don't need undercurrents in the church. We don't need crosscurrents. We all need to be flowing together. It's very urgent that we learn then to govern and to be also under government. To be governed and to govern. That's what the sermon is all about. You know, if we don't learn to be governed, we could be among those in Luke chapter 19. Let's turn over. We just have another verse or two that we'll read at the conclusion of the sermon. But we could be among those that will not be in the government of God. If we don't learn to govern and to be governed, then God would not be able to use us in His kingdom.

In Luke chapter 19 and in verse 14, well, it might begin in verse 11. Luke chapter 19 and verse 11, as they heard these things, He spoke another parable because He was near Jerusalem. And because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately, He said, a certain nobleman went to a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and return. Talking about Christ going up to heaven and His second coming. So He called His ten servants and delivered to them ten minas and said, do business till I come. But His citizens hated Him and sent a delegation after Him saying, we will not have this man to reign over us. We will not have this man to rule over us. Well, when He returned, then He had these servants and they had increased. The first one had ten extra minas now. Verse 16, the next one had five extra and one had not increased at all. And He had that one taken away that was given to Him. But notice in verse 27 what happens to those who said, we will not have this man to rule over us. Verse 27, but bring here those enemies of mine who did not want Me to reign over them and slay them before Me. We cannot be in God's kingdom if we have that attitude that we will not let God reign over us. We do all of us have to learn to be governed, or we will not be able to govern as a king and priest in God's kingdom. God simply would not allow that to happen. Brethren, I would encourage all of us to have a good firm grip on what we've talked about today, to govern and to be governed. We have an excellent paper, the United Church of God. You'll find it under study papers on the members' site, on godly governance. It's a lengthy paper, well about 33 pages long, but it covers in much more detail what we have gone over in the sermon this morning. So I encourage all of us to read and study our study paper on godly governance. It covers what we've covered today and more, and I would just encourage all of us to have a good firm grip on this topic of godly governance. I'd like to conclude by reading from Ephesians chapter 4. This certainly shows the purpose of godly governance in his church and what it will be able to accomplish. In Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 11, Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 11, he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. It's this God that has appointed everyone and placed everyone in the body as it pleases him, as we read earlier. But God has given some then to be in positions of leadership and governance in the church. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for the equipping of the saints. What is it for? To equip the church members for the work of ministry. That ministry is here and now. And the sermon I gave on service recently that we should be a church of servants. That's what God wants us to be. And that sermon fits in very well with this one today. A church of servants preparing to be in God's kingdom. A kingdom of servants. We're equipping the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. So that's what the ministry is striving to do. Prepare us for being servants and ministers here and now and also in God's kingdom.

Till we all come to the unity of the faith. Certainly the ministry has that in mind as well. Till we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That's spiritually growing up and maturing. The pastor's minister's goal is to help his church then to be united, to be a serving church, a giving church, and to be a church that is growing toward spiritual maturity, the fullness of Christ. No longer children tossed to and fro, carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men. I've tried to give some things today that will help us to be armed and ready if we hear certain comments. Every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men and the cunning craftiness by which they lie and wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things. Into him who is the head, Christ. Every minister is trying to get his church to grow up to full spiritual maturity. Verse 16, from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the effective working by which every part does its share causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. That is the goal of the godly governance in the church of God. Godly governance leading to love and unity and spiritual maturity able to work together to get a job done. No, you would not want to be a part of a church or a nation as far as that is concerned or a family that has no government. No one that is there to maintain order and give a sense of direction. There would be chaos and confusion. Let's give thanks to God for law and government both in the church and in the family and also civil government. Let's give thanks to God and thanks be to God for establishing godly governance in his church.