Examining Churches and Religions
Part 7
By Allan E. McNabb

In this series we’re examining churches and religions by asking questions, eliminating false churches and religions, and identifying the Lord’s church.

The questions we’ve asked so far are:
Does the church believe Jesus is the divine Son of God?
Does the church believe Jesus is the only way to God?
Does the church teach anything different from the doctrine of Christ?
Is the church a denomination?
Is the church organized as authorized in God’s word?
Does the church wear a name authorized in God’s word?
Does the church exclusively teach and practice salvation as God commands?
Does the church take up a collection and observe the Lord’s Supper exclusively on Sunday?
Does the church observe the Lord’s Supper as God commands?
Does the church finance its work exclusively through the collection on Sunday?
Does the church only spend money from the treasury for work God has authorized?
Does the church sing as God commands?

By answering these questions we’re able to eliminate every religion but Christian, and every church but the Lord’s church.

Does the church use titles for people in leadership positions?
Many churches and religions use religious titles such as Reverend, Teacher, Master, Rabbi, Pope, Father, Pastor, Elder, Deacon, Brother, Sister, Your Eminence, Your Holiness, and Pope.

When men take these titles, especially those ascribed to God and Christ, they display their contempt for God, and arrogant attitude toward spiritual matters (Matt. 23:8-12).
“Reverend” and “Father” are used of God (Matt. 23:9; Ps. 111:9, KJV).
“Rabbi” and “Teacher” and “Master” are used of Christ (Matt. 23:8).
“Pope” is from a Latin term denoting affection for one’s father, a term which is reserved only for God in a religious sense (Matt. 23:9; Rom. 8:15).

In the Lord’s church, through, we don’t use titles in regard to men, because they’re not authorized in God’s word (Col. 3:17).
When we use “brother” and “sister” to refer to one another, we don’t use the terms as formal titles as they’re used by some churches (1 Cor. 16:12; 2 Jn. 1:13).

Besides the fact that God hasn’t authorized titles in His church, Jesus expressly forbids them.
“But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.  Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.  Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.  But the greatest among you shall be your servant.  Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted” (Matt. 23:8-12).

As God’s children, we are humble toward one another as brethren.

We are all priests of God, and offer spiritual service to Him (1 Pet. 2:4-9).

So not even elders, who exercise oversight in the congregations of which they are members, act as lords (1 Pet. 5:2-3).

If a church is using religious titles, it’s not the Lord’s church.  Men are sinfully elevating themselves, some in the place of God.  As a result those who are elevated will be humbled by God.

Do women teach or exercise authority over men in the church?
Women have an important role in the church (Tit. 2:3-5; 1 Pet. 3:1-6).  A woman who is fulfilling her God-given role in the church glorifies God, and is more precious than material wealth (Pr. 31:10-31).

But, women are not permitted to teach or have authority over a man (1 Tim. 2:12; 1 Cor. 14:34-35).

They aren’t permitted to be preachers or teachers except in the capacity of teaching women and children.  They’re not permitted to have authority over a man; therefore, they can’t be in leadership roles during the assembly when men are present, such as leading prayer, reading Scripture, and speaking publicly before the congregation (1 Cor. 14:34-35).

And women can’t serve as elders or deacons, because these offices can only be held by men (1 Tim. 3:2, 12).  But wives are very important to their husbands, who couldn’t be qualified without them (1 Tim. 3:2, 4-5, 12; Tit. 1:6).

If a church has women teaching and exercising authority over men, it’s not the Lord’s church.