The Goodness of Good Government

Winter 2024

Good church government is a gift from the Savior to His people. The Son of God came into this world as incarnate man to live and die for the redemption of sinners. He rose from the grave and ascended to the right hand of God. From there He sent the Spirit of God to guide His apostles into all truth. As the apostles write, they give instruction regarding the government of the church. Paul instructs Titus that he needed to address the lack of elders in the churches. Paul is writing by the inspiration of the Spirit sent from the loving Savior. When these truths are considered together, we learn that aspects of Christ’s love are the institution of church government and the instruction for its administration.

This issue of Current covers the installation of two new teaching elders and the ordination and installation of two new ruling elders. The church government that our loving Savior instituted involves the use of men in the offices of the church. These men are nothing more than saved sinners, but they are set apart by Christ for the good of the body. Christ loves His church when He gifts elders to His church.

Rev. Wagner’s article highlights the gift of the pastor to the church. Dr. Byers encourages us all to pray for our ruling elders. In reading and praying over these matters we are to remember that Christ loves His church, gave Himself for His church and governs His church through properly appointed overseers. These men need God’s grace if they are to serve righteously and effectively. So let us all pray. To pray for our elders is to pray for your own spiritual enjoyment of the gifts of Christ in His goodness to His church.

From the Past

Now we must speak of the order by which the Lord willed his church to be governed. He alone should rule and reign in the church as well as have authority or preeminence in it, and this authority should be exercised and administered by his Word alone. God's Word is the standard of church government.

Paul shows by these words that this human ministry which God uses to govern the church is the chief sinew by which believers are held together in one body. Whoever, therefore, either is trying to abolish this order of which we speak and this kind of government, or discounts it as not necessary, is striving for the undoing or rather the ruin and destruction of the church.

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, iii, 1&2