Office Bearers in the Church: The Idea of an Office (Part 1) Rev. Greg Lubbers
Introduction I am submitting two articles with the humble hope that they might serve profitably in instructing, reminding, and encouraging present and future office bearers to engage faithfully in their respective duties as office bearers to the glory of God and the good of the church. The design is a simple overview of the idea of, origin of, character for, induction into, duties of, and guidelines for the respective offices of elder and deacon. Therefore, the structure follows these headings. In pursuit of the goal of being a simple overview, I have aimed for lucid brevity.
The Idea of an Office The Idea of the Office in Relationship to Christ Any discussion of the government of the church and its respective offices must begin with a solemn acknowledgment of the absolute reign of Jesus Christ over and within the church or churches, a reign he exercises through the revelation of his Word and the influence of his Spirit (Eph. 1:22–23; Col. 1:18). As the divinely appointed Mediator, Christ exercises his authority through the threefold office of prophet, priest, and king (Heidelberg Catechism Q. 31). Given the reality of his ascension and subsequent absence of a bodily presence on earth, Christ is pleased to exercise his ecclesiastical authority on earth among the churches through
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the instrumentality of men called to the respective offices of elder and deacon (Eph. 4:11). In this connection, we can summarize an ecclesiastical office as “the position of one who has been intrusted [sic] by a superior person with a definite task, and with the authority to perform that task.”1 This relationship to the absolute divine authority of Christ gives the ecclesiastical offices their weight of dignity. The one in the office as well as those underneath the office must appreciate this dignity. The Idea of Office in Relationship to Authority If we understand the relationship of the ecclesiastical offices to Christ as the one with absolute authority, we then perceive the basis for a real authority delegated from Christ to his divinely appointed human instruments.2 This authority is derived from Christ by the office bearers,3 and, when exercised faithfully, it is the authority of Christ (Matt. 18:18; Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11). With the reception of this derived authority, the office bearers primarily serve Christ and serve the people as they serve Christ, but they are not representatives of the people but rather are representatives of Christ. The Distinctions within Offices in the Church Within the churches, pastors or ministers of teaching (teaching elders) exercise the authority of Christ through the proclamation
and teaching of the Word of Christ. First Timothy 5:17 reveals that a distinction arose gradually within the office of elder between those who primarily labor in the Word and those who primarily oversee the congregation. This office imitates the prophets of the Old Testament. In addition, within the churches, elders or ministers of government (ruling elders) exercise the authority of Christ in the kingly governing and ruling of the church. Therefore, the ruling authority of Christ resides within the local consistory rather than within the broader assemblies. This office imitates the kings of the Old Testament. Finally, within the churches, deacons or ministers of mercy exercise the authority of Christ in the priestly relief of the poor and oppressed. This office is the channel through which Christ exercises his and his body’s compassion for temporal and physical suffering. This office imitates the priests of the Old Testament. The Equality of the Offices within the Church There is to be a plurality and equality within the offices preventing all forms of ecclesiastical hierarchy.4 Within these offices, there is a simple distinction of realms of operation so that no one office should intrude upon the office of another, although there are degrees of overlap as the pastor teaches the elders and deacons, the elders oversee the pastor and deacons, and the deacons show mercy, if need be, to the pastor and elders.
