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| Mediation |
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Mediation and Christ Centered Counseling Mission of the Body of Christ Restoration by Mediation. The restoration principle maintains that we must plant the first century truth in today's world in order to establish New Testament churches. It is based on the affirmations that the Bible is the full and final revelation of God to man on earth and that to the extent men have departed from the New Testament church to this extent they need to go back to the New Testament to find and restore that which has been laid aside by the traditions of men. The restoration principle asserts that the Bible is a blueprint or pattern which must be followed by men of all ages. Men have not been left to pick and choose exactly what they will believe and practice in the church today. Rather, God has forever settled such matters and revealed them to men in the Bible. The "restoration principle" is a twentieth century term which completely expresses a biblical idea, namely, that men must have authority for everything they believe and practice. Those who are speaking very critically of the "restoration principle" either do not understand what it is saying or do not agree with the biblical principle which underlies it. The restoration principle is not the gospel. However, the restoration principle says that we cannot know what the gospel is unless we go to the text of the New Testament. No one can prove what the gospel is without proof texts. When men preach a different gospel, which in reality is another gospel (Gal. 1:6-9), they have apostatized. The only scriptural theological method is to go back to the New Testament to learn what the gospel is. Is The Restoration Principle Biblical? The very idea of the New Testament gospel of Jesus Christ being a covenant insists that it is a blueprint or pattern which must be followed in all ages. The Bible calls the New Testament revelation a "covenant" (Heb. 8:6-13; 9:15-17; 12:24; 13:20). A covenant is a binding agreement between two parties; once the covenant has been fixed, it cannot be altered or tampered with in any way. Paul said, "Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one makes it void, or added thereto" (Gal. 3:15). Hence, God's revelation is fixed forever. It cannot be changed to fit each existing period .of history; He has one pattern for all time. The job of revealing this covenant to man was that of the apostles and prophets. They could teach only "whatsoever I (Jesus) have commanded you" (Mt. 28:20). Hence, the early church was required to continue steadfastly in the "apostles' doctrine" (Acts 2:42). What these apostles revealed was to be handed down from one generation to another (2 Thess. 2:15; 2 Tim. 2:2). God's pattern was fixed and final for all men of all time. Every commandment in the New Testament which forbids apostasy or warns against false doctrine presupposes that there is a blueprint or pattern which every Christian is expected to follow. There could be no warnings about falling away from the truth unless the truth was fixed forever. All of these verses, therefore, assure us that there is a pattern or blueprint which must be followed: 2 Jn. 9-11; Gal. 1:6-9; 1 Cor. 4:6; Rom. 16:17-18; etc. These and a number of other principles learned from the scriptures force me to the conclusion that the authority for the church is fixed forever and final. James Alexander Haldane, once said, "If we carefully observe the express precepts delivered in the New Testament, the practices of the churches mentioned with approbation, and what is said respecting the abuses which so early crept in, through slight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lay in wait to deceive, we shall find a complete system, calculated to answer every purpose which Jesus had in view in the institution of churches" (A View of the Social Worship and Ordinances Observed By the First Christians, p. 52). This, my dear friends, is what is meant by the "restoration principle." The early body of Jesus Christ dealt with internal conflict by recognizing differences and openly sharing them. They acknowledged a common calling, testing issues against their sense of mission. Once a decision was reached, they rejoiced in the unity they experienced in the Holy Spirit and demonstrated this in subsequent action. They emphasized the supremacy of their mission, to which everything else was subordinated, and they did not tolerate "the antichrists" or disruptive elements within the community of saints. The following guidelines are derived from the passages investigated, as well as from the entirety of New Testament teaching on conflict resolution: Recognize that conflict exists: "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses . . ." (Romans 16:17, NKJV). To take note of people who create dissension and divisiveness is the first step in dealing with it. It is always tempting to remain silent in the name of love and tolerance and to ignore dissension in the church. The results, however, can be devastating for the mission and internal functioning of the church. Provide opportunities for discussion: "Paul and Barnabas had no small discussion and disputation with them" (Acts 15:2). In reference to the guidelines of Matthew 18:15-17, resolution of conflicts should first be attempted in small circles of elected body of Jesus Christ officials before unresolved conflicts are brought before the whole church. Expose error through the presentation of truth: "Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (2 Timothy 4:2). The Word of God is "the Word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15), which at times is uncomfortable to those who hear it. To expose error is never a pleasant task, but when truth is presented prayerfully and in love, the weakness of error will become apparent. Deal wisely with those in error: "Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16). Jesus admonished His disciples to exhibit the gentleness of sheep when dealing with others. When confronted by "wolves," they were to be wise as serpents (Genesis 3:1), while as innocent, or free from guile, as doves. Present Christ, and Him crucified, as the solution to disunity: "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). In contrast to those who fostered certain personality cults in Corinth, Paul concentrated on the central truths: Who Jesus is and what He did. The cross is the flagpole around which all God's children can rally. Test the issues against the overarching sense of mission: "We are laborers together with God" (1 Corinthians 3:9). Paul directed the thoughts of the Corinthian believers to the higher, common cause of preaching the Gospel to all the world. He appealed to them to rise above their differences and find harmony in something beyond all differences. Be ready to forgive: "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus said unto him: I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:21, 22). There is no limit to God's forgiveness, and so it also should be with the forgiveness of Jesus followers. Successful conflict resolution presupposes willingness to forgive one another. Appeal to a higher body of Jesus Christ authority: "They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question" (Acts 15:2). In the early church, the apostles and elders were considered to be the highest authority within the church. Yet from verse 22 it seems clear they did not attempt to settle the matter by decree, rather they involved the whole body of Jesus Christ in settling its disputes. Accept the decisions of the corporate church: "Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven" (Matthew 18:18). The context of this verse is the subject of body of Jesus Christ discipline and not doctrinal disputes, though the latter can lead to body of Jesus Christ discipline. The book of Acts specifically indicates that in matters of theological differences, the decision of the Jerusalem Council was accepted by the body of Jesus Christ as a whole (Acts 15:28-31). Recognize the authority of the body of Jesus Christ to dismiss members: "A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject" (Titus 3:10). In the preceding verse Paul mentions strife and contentions in the body of Jesus Christ produced by perverted teachers of the law (cf. 1 Timothy 1:7). In order to restore peace and harmony in the church, the proper method is to arrange at least two interviews with a person who stirs up strife and contention. If these interviews fail, the body of Jesus Christ is at liberty to exclude this divisive person from the community of believers. Dismissing a member should never be done lightly; but the apostolic guideline is clear have nothing to do with him" (NIV). Such counsel does not exist in a vacuum; it is part of God's total message in Scripture. |