Sunday, November 06, 2011

Apostolic succession: a test case

I’ve discussed apostolic succession before. Let’s consider it from another angle. Paul was a church-planter. He appointed elders.

For instance, he founded the Galatian churches. But he was often on the road. No doubt he appointed elders to oversee the daily operations of the Galatians churches while he was away. If they outlived him, they would, in a sense, be his successors.

Mind you, that’s equivocal. Apostolic succession is a technical term. It has something more specific in mind.

On the other hand, these were Paul’s handpicked church leaders. In that respect, they have more prima facie cachet than Benedict XVI. It’s not as if any of the apostles personally chose Benedict XVI to lead the church.

That being the case, were parishioners of the Galatian churches required to submit to whatever their elders taught? Was that a religious duty?

Yet we know that can’t be right. Why? Not only did the Galatian elders lead the churches under their charge, but they misled the churches under their charge. The Galatian churches were on the brink of apostasy. This happened on their watch. Paul had to intervene.

Take another case. Catholic apologists like to quote Heb 13:17: “Obey your leaders and submit to them.” But in so doing, they lift it out of context.

This comes at the tail end of a letter correcting and reproving another church on the brink of apostasy. This wasn’t resolved internally, by the local elders. Rather, this had to be dealt with by external intervention. Hence, the letter.

So the author certainly isn’t suggesting that if, say, the elders of taught the parishioners to abandon the New Covenant for the Mosaic covenant, it was their bounden duty to do whatever they were told.

In context, Heb 13:17 isn’t unconditional. We could cite another NT churches in crisis to illustrate the same point. Church leadership is not a failsafe. Not even when the church leaders are immediate apostolic “successors” or apostolic appointees.

1 comment:

  1. This is a very enjoyable topic. The relevance cannot be overstated.

    :" For instance, he founded the Galatian churches. But he was often on the road. No doubt he appointed elders to oversee the daily operations of the Galatians churches while he was away. If they outlived him, they would, in a sense, be his successors."

    What are church planters planting anyway but the Knowledge of the Truth as servants of the Spirit of Truth, the Truth, the Gospel, that is the same yesterday, today and forever even so far as time is found to be in existence where Truth is relevant, today, tomorrow and until the end of time, itself created?

    We gain some insights into "what" or rather, "who" the Apostle was planting, to use that metaphor, when we read the Apostle's Words.

    The Apostle writes about wanting to come and see the Roman Christians so that he can impart some spiritual gift in them so that they could be strengthened even more. Why would someone want to do that? Here is his explanation of why he wanted to come to Rome and impart a spiritual gift:

    Rom 1:12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.

    ...

    Rom 15:12 And again Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope."


    The Apostle understood the nature of the gift of Eternal Life and understood the need to impart spiritual gifts into others. He had a keen sense of what "fruit" would manifest by teaching and preaching to those open to hear what the Spirit is saying to them:

    Php 4:9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

    We should even be edified ourselves to understand the power that worked through Paul's thinking and what he taught about the "Work" of the Holy Spirit Who has an ever-present effect on our being. He makes the point very clear of the Gospel Power when writing to the Colossian Church. It is amazing that what that man wrote back then has just as much effect upon our souls today:

    Col 1:6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing--as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,

    The reality is this. We are used by God to plant His Words in others by the work of the Eternal Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit Who is ever-present in the teachings long after the Apostles have gone onto their just reward. The legacy we leave, if it is to remain, would be the Eternal Truth that we have planted is the very same Eternal Truth Who operated within those first Apostles when they planted Him so that with or without us after our work is finished, He remains.

    Paul realized that permanent nature of Truth is imparted from Faith to Faith as we learn from what he wrote Timothy, here:

    2Ti 2:1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,
    2Ti 2:2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.


    Whatever you are teaching, if at the end of the day the God of Peace is not present with it, what you taught is for naught!

    Whatever you are teaching and planting in others should be able to withstand all the schemes of the enemy. He will be allowed to come and attack you, not for your destruction, but for your welfare in this life and the next!

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