0663. Master (Gr. Oiko Despote), Master-of-the-House
Master (Gr. Oiko Despote), Master-of-the-House
"When once the Master-of-the-House is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, "Lord, Lord, open unto us; and He shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are" (Luk_13:25).
Jesus Christ is not only the Master of our individual lives, as was set forth by the preceding speaker, but He is also the Master-of-His-House, the Church.
The word translated "master," in our Key Verse, is translated, "householder" in Mat_13:27, Mat_13:52, and Mat_20:21; the same word is translated "goodman of the house," in a number of other passages.
No one would dare to question that the Church belongs to Jesus Christ; He bought it with His Blood. The Head of the Church, is Christ.
There is a tendency today to magnify man, and to place upon him authority over the churches. The Catholics have a pope, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests. All of these hold authority and exert it.
Among Protestant churches also, there are many who hold authority and dominate the churches. This is not acceptable to God. In the Church, "One is your master, and all ye be brethren."
The Churches are commanded to hear what the Spirit saith unto them. Alas, Alas, we have made the commandments of God of no effect, because of the traditions of domineering man.
Much of the confusion of today lies in the fact that Christian people are listening to man instead of listening to the Lord. Thousands upon thousands of Protestant church-members would blindly and preferably follow the creeds and dictations of their denominations, than to follow the plain statements of the Word of God.
You ask some one what they believe, and they answer; "I believe what my church believes"–If you ask them what their church believes, they reply, "It believes, just what I believe." If you ask them what they both believe, the answer is: "We both believe the same thing."
Creeds are all right, when they are no more than expressions of what we believe the Bible teaches; but no church and no individual has any right to make any creed or dogma authoritative beyond the Word of God.
Jesus Christ is the Master-of-His-House; He has a right to direct its activities. The church has no authority whatsoever to engage in any scheme or service or plan of operation, of any kind, that is contrary to the express will of the Master-of-the-House.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR