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Closely allied to the ordinances is the subject of Church Government. Here again a
comparison of I Corinthians and Timothy and Titus will lead to the same conclusion
as above, namely, that there is a TOTAL DIFFERENCE between the two periods.
I Cor. 12:
I Tim. 3: and Titus 1:
7-11.
"Every man" possessed a
"An overseer must be blameless the
miraculous gift; "every one of you hath a
husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of
psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue,
good behaviour, given to hospitality,
hath a revelation, hath an interpretation"
apt to teach, etc., etc.
Likewise the
(14: -26). "Let the prophets speak two
Deacons"
(Read
I Tim. 3: 1-13,
or three" (14: -29).
Titus 1: 5-14).
In the passages which have reference to the Pentecostal period, the instructions to the
church deal with miraculous gifts at every point; while in the parallel passages in
Timothy and Titus (dealing with the ministry in the church), there is not a single
mention of gifts; the only qualifications specified being those of a moral and godly
character. I Cor. 12: - 14: is inspired Scripture, yet we believe we are right when we
say that these chapters would have been utterly useless, so far as practical instruction
was concerned, to the churches where Timothy and Titus had to work; simply because
they deal with an element which is conspicuously absent from the church at the time of
writing the later Epistles.
While we find some things omitted in the later Epistles, as ordinances and miraculous
ministry, we find the subject of the ministry of women repeated. This is valuable for it
shows us that, where anything which belonged to the Pentecostal dispensation was to be
perpetuated in the New dispensation, the Apostle said so, and repeated his instructions.
I Cor. 14: 34
I Tim. 2: 8-14.
"Let your women keep silence in the
"I will therefore that men (males Gk)
churches: for it is not permitted unto
pray."
them to speak, but to be under obedience,
"I suffer not a woman to teach nor to
as also saith the law" (i.e. Gen. 3: 16).
usurp authority over the man, but to be in
silence. For Adam was first formed, Eve,
and Adam was not deceived, but the
woman, being deceived, was in the
transgression."
A reference to I Cor. 11: will show that the question of being veiled, which was
emphasized in the Pentecostal dispensation, is not repeated in I Timothy.
If it be not invidious to compare portions of Scripture together, we would ask--Are
not Ordinances and Spiritual Gifts, as important that the Apostle was inspired to repeat
the one, and inspired to omit the others? We believe that this silence of Scripture is
eloquent to those who have ears to hear. There was no need for instruction as to the use,
or the abuse of "Gifts", if no one possessed them. There was no need of regulations as to
Baptism in Water, for the Apostle had previously instructed them as to the One baptism.
There was no need for the solemn warning about the Lord's Supper; for that, being