316
Counsels for the Church
movements of the angelic host. It is his studied effort to lead professed
Christians just as far from heaven’s arrangement as he can; therefore
he deceives even the professed people of God and makes them believe
that order and discipline are enemies to spirituality, that the only safety
for them is to let each pursue his own course, and to remain especially
distinct from bodies of Christians who are united and are laboring
to establish discipline and harmony of action. All the efforts made
to establish order are considered dangerous, a restriction of rightful
liberty, and hence are feared as popery. These deceived souls consider
it a virtue to boast of their freedom to think and act independently.
They will not take any man’s say-so. They are amenable to no man. I
was shown that it is Satan’s special work to lead men to feel that it is
in God’s order for them to strike out for themselves and choose their
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own course, independent of their brethren
God has made His church on the earth a channel of light, and
through it He communicates His purposes and His will. He does not
give to one of His servants an experience independent of and contrary
to the experience of the church itself. Neither does He give one man a
knowledge of His will for the entire church while the church—Christ’s
body—is left in darkness. In His providence He places His servants
in close connection with His church in order that they may have less
confidence in themselves and greater confidence in others whom He is
leading out to advance His work
Churches Organized by the Prophets
The organization of the church at Jerusalem was to serve as a
model for the organization of churches in every other place where
messengers of truth should win converts to the gospel. Those to whom
was given the responsibility of the general oversight of the church
were not to lord it over God’s heritage, but, as wise shepherds, were to
“feed the flock of God, ... being ensamples to the flock,”
1 Peter 5:2,
3
; and the deacons were to be “men of honest report, full of the Holy
Ghost and wisdom.” These men were to take their position unitedly on
438
Testimonies for the Church 1:649, 650
439
The Acts of the Apostles, 163