The Independence And Autonomy Of

The Local Church     By Jeremy D. Joy

Local churches in the New Testament were independent of one another and autonomous or self-ruling in contrast to Catholicism which is a hierarchy of churches with headquarters in Rome and Denominationalism which is an affiliation of churches with headquarters in various places such as New York or Salt Lake City. Why were churches in the New Testament independent and autonomous? The answer reveals the wisdom of God.

God could have organized local churches in the New Testament according to Catholicism or Denominationalism, if He wanted. He could have used any human arrangement. In the Old Testament, He chose judges to rule Israel as political and religious leaders (Judges 2:16) and even permitted Israel to have kings although He was displeased (1 Samuel 8:4-6). Likewise, God designed local churches to be independent and autonomous.

The independence and autonomy of local churches is established by approved apostolic example and necessary inference. Each local church is to select and appoint elders (Acts 14:23) and the rule of elders is limited to the church that selects and appoints them (1 Peter 5:1). Each local church is also to have its own treasury to finance its work from the free-will offering of its members (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). Elders cannot oversee the funds or work of another local church without violating its own independence and autonomy or the independence and autonomy of the other local church, which is why the missionary society and sponsoring church arrangement is contrary to the will of God.

The independence and autonomy of the local church protects it from problems that may hurt and hinder other local churches. For example, the church at Corinth was plagued by immorality (1 Corinthians 5:1), but the independence and autonomy of the church prevented the problem from spreading to other churches in Macedonia and Achaia. The problem began and ended at Corinth. False doctrine and immorality does not have to spread; it should die where it is born.

Unfortunately, we often allow the problem of one church to become the problem of other churches, especially in a geographic area where there are many churches. We should be concerned about other churches (2 Corinthians 11:28), but we should not become involved in their problems; we are only inviting trouble if we do. We have enough to work on here without becoming preoccupied with other churches.

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