Creí por lo cual hablé

INTRODUCTION:

1. The word autonomy: freedom to govern oneself by one’s own laws. This word is frequently used to affirm that each congregation is independent from the others, and that it is only governed under Christ.
2. Auto – One’s self. Nomos – law, Government when we are talking about autonomy,we are talking of self government
3. The best phrase that we can use when talking about the local church is «Among Us» since the expression «church» is biblical, but the expression «local» does not exist in the Bible
4. The church that is located here is independent, autonomous even from the other local churches that might exist in their city, it is a local church that is independent, autonomous even when it has no elders, Titus 1:5, Acts 14:23, It is governed under Christ. He is the head, Colossians 1:18, Ephesians 1:22-23. This right is sacred, and it is one of the most important safeguards(defenses) against apostasy.

I. AMONG US THERE MUST BE ORGANIZATION

1. 1. The Bible tells us that they had appointed elders in every church, Acts 14:23and appointed «elders» in every church, and having prayed with fasting, theycommended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
2. The Bible tells us of the limits placed on elders or shepherds of a church, IPeter 5:1-2, «The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder
3. and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that  will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but  eagerly.»
4. «Take heed» to yourselves, Acts 20:28, Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all «the flock» (local church in Ephesus) , among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, (local church in Ephesus) which He purchased with His own blood.
5. When there is not such an organization in the church, then it is the wise men of the church that have to accomplish the leadership(management) of the local church, Proverbs 14:11; I Corinthians 6:5; Acts 6:3, I Corinthians14:34-35; I Timothy 2:11-12.
6. There must be no control nor interference from another preacher from a different church nor preachers from other local churches, and no other pressure from any member from another church in another place. If the local church allows such interference, it is violating its own autonomy, since such autonomy rests fully under the authority of Jesus and whatever the local church does, must be done in accordance with the will of God, Colossians 3:17.

II. AMONG US THERE MUST BE DISCIPLINE

1. One example of the discipline among us is from the church in Corinth, I Corinthians 5:1
2. It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality «among you», and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles –that a man has his father’s wife.
3. The church must discipline sin among members «among you». There was a  specific sin inside the church in Corinth, but the believers refused to confront it. Who should be the one to confront it in this case? Members from another church? The answer is absolutely NOT.
4. When we want to point out(mark) a brother because of sin, we must do it only among the local church, 2 Thessalonians 3:14, «And if anyone does not  obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed» (it is very important to make distinction among  the faithful and unfaithful ones inside the local church), and «do not keep company with him» Matthew 18:15-17; Romans 16:17; I Corinthians 5:9, 11; I Timothy 6:5; Titus 3:10; 2 John 10.

III. AMONG US WE MUST RESOLVE ALL MATTERS, I Corinthians 6:1

1. The apostle Paul exhorts us about how the congregation must behave when having a matter against members of a local church.
2.  I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man «among you» not  even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?
3. According to the apostle Paul, when there is any problem that rises inside the congregation, it is the duty of the local members of that congregation to resolve their matters through the counsel of the Scriptures.
4. . If any brother, member of some congregation, has a personal matter with another brother or especially with another preacher, this brother must talk it over with him, following all the steps mentioned on Matthew 18:15; This brother doesn’t have to spread the matter with another brother from other congregations and go to law against the brethren. In doing this, he is violating the autonomy of the local church. Let’s remember what the Bible says in Matthew 5:21-26.

IV. THERE MUST BE UNITY AMONG US, I CORINTHIANS 1:10

1. Unity is an individual responsibility, Ephesians 4:1-6
2. . There are those who seek unity among congregations at the level of the city, state, country or worldwide, and that is impossible. This is to think beyond  what it is written in 1  Corinthians 4:6.
3. The main reason why this is impossible, is that all the congregations are autonomous. And in order to accomplish such unity, all churches must have to abide by a central authority as it is done in many denominations. Today, there are brethren that wish to do this when in fact such practice is anti- Biblical.
4.  This would violate the autonomy of the local congregations.
5. Therefore, each believer in each church, must make an effort to keep the unity  with the brethren. The unity is broken when an individual follows a different way. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death, Proverbs 14:12; 16:2; 25.

V  – THERE ARE DIVISIONS AMONG US, I CORINTHIANS 11:17-19

1. Paul talks about the brethren coming together not for the better, but for the worse, I Corinthians 11:17
2. The Corinthians came together as a church, I Corinthians 11:18
3.  I hear that there are «divisions among you», «DIVISIONS» (schismata in Greek) literally means break, tear (11:18). They were still meeting in the same place, but there was already a spiritual break among them.
4. The primitive church (EKKLESIA, Greek) met regularly to assemble each first  day of the week and also during the week. (I Cor. 16:2; Acts 20:7; Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:46).
5.  I hear that there are divisions, break, or division; in the assembly, the  divisions referred to were not in the form of separate groups, but divisions according to social status inside the same congregation.
6.  The local church was fragmented by dissensions. I Corinthians 1:1017; Paul pleads for unity in the local church at Corinth, not for unity in the universal church.
7.  There are envy, strife, and divisions among you, 3:1-3, are you not carnal and  behaving like mere men? For when one says, «I am of Paul, » and another, «I am of Apollos,» are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

CONCLUSION:

1. Brethren, let’s remember what the Bible teaches us. We must not think beyond what is written
2. The Bible talks of the phrase «among us» to teach us that in the local church there is:
3.  Biblical Organization among us
4. Biblical Discipline among us
5. To settle Biblical matters among us
6. Biblical Unity among us
7. Divisions among us
8. My hope is that this will help us know the great blessing of being a local church.

   By Howaldo Moreno ParraleS

         Evangelist