No New Thing...under the Sun

No New Thing...under the Sun
 by Pastor Steven Masone on July 28, 2010


Ecclesiastes 1:9 KJV "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be, and that which is done is that which shall be done, and there is no new thing under the Sun."


The truth of this scripture illuminates all the "types and shadows" which are most evident, and casts new light upon those which hide themselves in parables and allegories, that helps us look at prophetic understanding of these end times, if we see the "thing which was, is the thing at hand.



For example, if we believe that "Mystery Babylon" is typed by "Jezebel"...we can see that the "Harlot" is the "Prophetess of Ba el" (Satan) controlling and manipulating her " Ahab" who is the Political power/principality she has corrupted. ( The hierarchy of Apostate Judaism mirrors today's apostate hierarchy of church organization who set themselves up as Ahab,Herod, drawing power from the power and principalities they are sold out to.) Like Jezebel, her sons are kept in power on thrones which God has not given them.



Nepotism in Apostolic organizations and INDEPENDENT CHURCHES IS A MAJOR FACTOR TO APOSTASY IN THESE END TIMES. JEREMIAH 23: 21"I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied." You see preachers every where arranging "pedigree marriages" from one PK to another Pk so that the two Families can keep the control over what the congregation has tithed and worked for, so that souls are saved, not men's kingdoms built. If God is not speaking to these impostors, no wonder the sheep will starve and fall from the faith.


Jezebel stayed on her throne after Ahab was killed because she manipulated her sons to succeed Ahab as King though there was no Prophet/Priest to anoint them. 




Another type is Herodius who married her husband's brother in adultery to get the throne and who caused John the baptist to be beheaded. We look for the Harlot Church (plural sects) to betray the end-time 'John the baptist/11th hour ministry' anointed w/ spirit of Elijah as John was, to "Apostatize" when God ordained prophets stand against their adulteries.


 They will do all they can to ruin with false accusations men of God who call for a 2 Chronicles 7:14 revival by and through the Body beginning with the Hierarchy. (If judgment comes to the world, it must first come to the house of GOD) "that which has been is that which shall be." We see clearly it was the leadership of apostate kings that led Israel into ruin.


The whole system of Apostolic organizations where only ministers (licensed... therefore indebted) vote on ecclesiastical and doctrinal issues at councils (conferences) is " Quasi-Presbyterianism" 


Presbyterianism, form of Christian church organization based on administration by a hierarchy of courts composed of clerical and lay presbyters. Holding a position between episcopacy (government by bishops) and Congregationalism (government by local congregation), Presbyterianism sought a return to the early practice of appointed elders as described in the New Testament but falls short when nepotism replaces calling and anointing.

Church Organization by Presbyterian form.

The basic  order of the church is composed of the presbyters (elders), all of equal status, divided into teaching elders (ministers) and ruling elders. The deacons and trustees complete the order; they may manage temporal affairs. The presiding minister and ruling elders make up the session or consistory; it is the first in the hierarchy of courts. Since both the minister and ruling elders are elected by the congregation, the Presbyterian polity is ultimately determined by the people.
Appeal from the session may be made to the presbytery or colloquy, the next highest court. The presbytery includes equal numbers of ministers and lay elders. The presbytery holds jurisdiction over church properties and ministers and confirms a church's call to a minister. The synod, the next court in the hierarchy, consists of ministers and elders from a stated number of presbyteries; it exercises limited supervisory authority over both presbyteries and congregations. Finally, there is the general assembly, composed of lay and clerical representatives in equal numbers, which meets annually to supervise the interests of the whole denomination.

Beliefs

Spiritually, Presbyterianism embodies the principles of Calvinism and forms the main branch of the Reformed churches. The Westminster Confession (see creed) and the Larger and Shorter Catechism composed by the Westminster Assembly, convened (1643–49) by the British Parliament, provide the doctrinal and liturgical standards for Presbyterian churches. These assert the sovereignty of God and the prime authority of Scripture as guides to church doctrine. The Bible is held to be the rule of government and discipline, as well as faith. Presbyterians accept the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper. They are opposed to state interference in ecclesiastical affairs.

Presbyterianism in Europe

Calvinism first influenced the Protestant churches of Geneva and of the Huguenots. In the Netherlands the Protestant church was Presbyterian in government but not independent of the state until the middle of the 19th cent. By the mid-16th cent., Presbyterian sentiment was strong in England and Scotland. The English Presbyterians were never numerous after Oliver Cromwell's time; in 1876 various branches united to form the Presbyterian Church of England. In 1972 this church merged with the Congregational Church in England and Wales to become the United Reformed Church in Great Britain, now with an estimated 150,000 adult members (1997). The Church of Scotland (see Scotland, Church of), founded in 1557 under the leadership of John Knox, is the only Presbyterian state church established by law; however, it maintains the traditional independence from the state. There are an estimated 641,000 members (1997). Presbyterianism in Northern Ireland began early in the 17th cent. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (1840) is the principal body; it has an estimated 300,000 members (1997). The largest Protestant church of Wales, the Calvinistic Methodist Church (also called the Presbyterian Church of Wales), has an estimated 45,700 members (1998). The World Presbyterian Alliance merged with the International Congregational Council in 1970 to form the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.

While we have individual responsibility to "test every spirit to see if they be of God"...Satan is "the most subtle" as will  be his "wolves in sheep's clothing." New testament teaching warns us to "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth."


The New Testament Church is not based on this deformed form of Church Government. The pastor has ultimate authority only when biblical doctrine is being obeyed both in letter and spirit! He also must submit to his elders as they submit to the will of matters that the congregation has decided.


The Lord was very clear in His Word about how He wishes His church on earth to be organized and managed. First, Christ is the head of the church and its supreme authority (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; Colossians 1:18). Second, the local church is to be autonomous, free from any external authority or control, with the right of self-government and freedom from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations (Titus 1:5). Third, the church is to be governed by spiritual leadership consisting of two main offices—elders and deacons. 

“Elders” were a leading body among the Israelites since the time of Moses. We find them making political decisions (2 Samuel 5:3; 2 Samuel 17:4, 15), advising the king in later history (1 Kings 20:7), and representing the people concerning spiritual matters (Exodus 7:17; 24:1, 9;Numbers 11:16, 24-25). The early Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, used the Greek word presbuteros for “elder.” This is the same Greek word used in the New Testament that is also translated “elder.”

The New Testament refers a number of times to elders who served in the role of church leadership (Acts 14:23, 15:2, 20:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14) and apparently each church had more than one, as the word is usually found in the plural. The only exceptions refer to cases in which one elder is being singled out for some reason (1 Timothy 5:1, 19). In the Jerusalem church, elders were part of the leadership along with the apostles (Acts 15:2-16:4).

It seems that the position of elder was equal to the position of episkopos, translated “overseer” or “bishop” (Acts 11:30; 1 Timothy 5:17). The term “elder” may refer to the dignity of the office, while the term “bishop/overseer” describes its authority and duties (1 Peter 2:25,5:1-4). In Philippians 1:1, Paul greets the bishops and deacons but does not mention the elders, presumably because the elders are the same as the bishops. Likewise, 1 Timothy 3:2, 8 gives the qualifications of bishops and deacons but not of elders. Titus 1:5-7 seems also to tie these two terms together.

The position of “deacon,” from diakonos, meaning “through the dirt,” was one of servant leadership to the church. Deacons are separate from elders, while having qualifications that are in many ways similar to those of elders (1 Timothy 3:8-13). Deacons assist the church in whatever is needed, as recorded in Acts chapter 6.

Concerning the word poimen, translated “pastor” in reference to a human leader of a church, it is found only once in the New Testament, in Ephesians 4:11: “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.” Most associate the two terms “pastors” and “teachers” as referring to a single position, a pastor-teacher. It is likely that a pastor-teacher was the spiritual shepherd of a particular local church.

It would seem from the above passages that there was always a plurality of elders, but this does not negate God’s gifting particular elders with the teaching gifts while gifting others with the gift of administration, prayer, etc. (Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:11). Nor does it negate God’s calling them into a ministry in which they will use those gifts (Acts 13:1). Thus, one elder may emerge as the “pastor,” another may do the majority of visiting members because he has the gift of compassion, while another may “rule” in the sense of handling the organizational details. Many churches that are organized with a pastor and deacon board perform the functions of a plurality of elders in that they share the ministry load and work together in some decision making. In Scripture there was also much congregational input into decisions. Thus, a “dictator” leader who makes the decisions (whether called elder, or bishop, or pastor) is unscriptural (Acts 1:23, 26; 6:3, 5; 15:22, 30; 2 Corinthians 8:19). So, too, is a congregation-ruled church that does not give weight to the elders’ or church leaders’ input.

In summary, the Bible teaches a leadership consisting of a plurality of elders (bishops/overseers) along with a group of deacons who serve the church. But it is not contrary to this plurality of elders to have one of the elders serving in the major “pastoral” role. God calls some as “pastor/teachers” (even as He called some to be missionaries in Acts 13) and gives them as gifts to the church (Ephesians 4:11). Thus, a church may have many elders, but not all elders are called to serve in the pastoral role. But, as one of the elders, the pastor or “teaching elder” has no more authority in decision making than does any other elder and they all must "submit themselves one to another."


So the Pastor and Elders can never say to the smallest member "I have no need of thee."
It was John Calvin's bastardized form of Ecclesiastical government that violated scripture when he set himself up as "The Pope of Geneva" and burned Michael Servetus to the stake because Servetus opposed the doctrine of the trinity. We are instructed not "to even wish them (people with another doctrine) Godspeed, not murder them. 


 Presbyterianism sought a return to the early practice of appointed elders as described in the New Testament. However, when authority of local assemblies is usurped by denominational-like hierarchy, then the head of that assembly is not Christ. And we can see that greed and ambition will manipulate that higher body politic for their agenda that includes nepotism and cronyism at the cost of scriptural authenticity and apostolic anointing. Without anointing, there is only deception. And the counterfeit anointing is rampant among those who worship the ministry instead of God! There is no new thing under the Sun! 


There is no new thing under the Sun. Unless God's people pray,fast and study the word so we can have biblical church government, we will be part of "Mystery Babylon" and not the Church of Jesus Christ.