An Institution of Higher Education

Yale University

In our society, a great deal of emphasis is placed upon obtaining a college education in order to prepare for secular employment. For many careers, this is helpful. For some, it is essential. Therefore, many people pursue a secular education in an institution of higher learning in order to best prepare themselves to find what they consider to be good jobs.

However, there is a type of education that is far more important than the education that prepares one for employment. This higher education is not for secular pursuits, but spiritual. It prepares us not for the work force (at least not directly), but for our service to God. Its purpose is not to help us obtain a high-paying job with good benefits, but to help us obtain eternal life.

Strangely, some act as though an institution devoted to secular education is also the preferred institution for their spiritual education. But God has created His own institution of higher education – the church. It has everything we need for the pursuit of a higher (i.e. from God) education. Let us notice what the Bible says about this institution of higher education.
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Christians Are To Be Radical, Liberal, and Institutional

Young man thinking

Should we be able to describe faithful Christians as radical, liberal, or institutional? If you have followed the writing and teaching that I have done, you will probably expect me to answer this question in the negative. After all, we are to be conservative and non-institutional, right?

When we use labels such as these, we generally use them in regard to certain erroneous positions, issues, and movements. Yet when we change the context, we can make the case from the Bible that, in certain ways, Christians are to be radical, liberal, and institutional. So let us consider some other ways we can use these terms.
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The Lectureship Issue

Over the past few years, there has been some discussion about a new form of institutionalism among brethren.

The traditional form of institutionalism involves local churches sending funds to an organization (orphan homes, colleges, etc.) to help them do their work.

The modern form of institutionalism has Christians forming or using human organizations to do spiritual works (evangelism/edification). An example of this that has drawn much scrutiny is the Guardian of Truth Foundation, which is in the business of publishing and selling books, hosting an annual lectureship (like a congregation would a gospel meeting). The problem with this arrangement is simply that God has already established an organization through which Christians can work collectively in these spiritual works. That divinely ordained organization is the local church.

There is a new website that has been set up with articles and audio sermons relating to this topic. This website has been put together by Aaron Erhardt and Tim Curry. I am grateful for their work in this and I encourage you to check out the material contained there.

Lectureship Issue

You can also visit Truth Magazine Lectures for material that I have collected, and some that I’ve written, on this issue.

Individual and Church Action

Regarding the performing of spiritual works, some brethren speak of individual action and church action. That is, the spiritual works of evangelism and edification are either done through the local church or as individuals. While this idea may seem completely harmless, if we move past the sophistry, we find that the acceptance of this idea opens the door for various errors, some of which even the proponents of this idea would not want to allow.

When one uses the language of individual action and church action, it is implied that these are the two possible types of action. Meaning, if a work is not done by the local church, it falls into the realm of individual action. This has been a convenient way for brethren to defend the practice of using their human organizations to preach the gospel (such as the Guardian of Truth Foundation sponsoring their annual lectureship). Since a local church is not involved, it is alleged that this is individual action even though a human institution is the mechanism through which the gospel is being preached. I questioned one brother about this and he described a situation like this as “a human organization acting in the realm of individual responsibility.” So it is admitted that an organization is being used, but claimed that this falls in the realm of individual responsibility.
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Non-Church Religious Collectives: Are They Authorized?

Man reading the Bible

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17).

This verse is often cited to show the need for us to do only those things that have been authorized in God’s word. To do something “in the name of the Lord” is to do what He has authorized us to do. This principle needs to govern all that we do in our lives.

When the Bible is silent on a particular practice, are we to conclude that it is authorized or prohibited? Some look for a specific prohibition before they will say that a thing is wrong. But the principle in Hebrews 7:14 shows that God’s silence is prohibitive. Jesus could not be a priest under the old law because He was “descended from Judah.” Men from this tribe were prohibited from serving as priests because “Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.” Men from Judah were excluded from becoming priests simply because the Law said nothing about it.

We also need to understand the difference between generic and specific authority. When God specifies something (such as the tribe of Levi for priests), everything else is excluded (Judah and others). When God’s word does not specify something (such as the type of location in which a congregation ought to assemble), we are at liberty to use various options or expedients, provided those options do not violate another instruction or principle (1 Corinthians 10:23).
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“Now Concerning the Collection” – Part 4: Institutionalism and the Sponsoring Church Arrangement

Collection Plate

As we noticed in the previous section, there are many who use funds from the church treasury for things other than just the works of the church – evangelism, edification, and limited benevolence. Some use money from their treasury for these works, but they do so by sending funds to another organization (either a human institution or another congregation) so that organization can carry out these spiritual works. We often refer to this practice as either institutionalism or the sponsoring church arrangement, depending on the nature of the organization to which the funds are sent. Does God authorize this in His word?

First we need to be sure we understand what exactly is being done before we can compare the practice with Scripture. Institutionalism refers to the forming or use of organizations separate from the church to carry out the works of the church. The sponsoring church arrangement has to do with one or more churches sending funds to another church that collects funds from these various churches and uses that money to do the work of the church. Much could be said about these issues; but so as to not divert too much attention away from our topic of the collection, we will briefly compare these concepts with the word of God.
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Institutionalism

As we look at the work God has given to the church, we find a great amount of work to do. Jesus told His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37). This means that there is plenty for all of us to be doing. Each local congregation has much work to do. There will never come a time as long as the earth stands when the Lord’s church has done all the work it can do.

Some look at the overwhelming amount of work to be done and try to devise a better way to do the works of evangelism, edification, and benevolence. One method men have created is what has been referred to as institutionalism. That is, they form organizations separate from the church to do the work of the church. However, when we read the New Testament, we find no organization other than the church that God has approved to do these works. This is not to say that we, as individuals, cannot perform these works. Individuals can spread the gospel (Acts 8:4), edify other Christians (Hebrews 3:13), and help those in need (Galatians 6:10). In fact, we are to do these things. But the only organization or collective we find in Scripture authorized to do these works is the church. We simply find no authority for Christians to form human organizations to do the work God gave the church to do.
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