When God created the heavens and earth He set all things in motion according to His design.  Observe the course of the sun and moon, the precision of their paths that bring on the seasons and tides necessary to sustain life on this earth.  Gaze through a microscope at a flower petal and you will see the smoothest edge.  Man's most accurate tools cannot approach God's creation for beauty and design.  God, the great architect has organized His whole creation to work in harmony. All life dependent one upon another.

Our Creator also has a great plan for His church.  Every member rightly fit together so the whole body can function in a healthy productive manner.

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in the hope of your calling;  One Lord, one faith, one baptism.  [Ephesians 4:4-5]

Unraveling the mystery of the how the church is organized allows us to make choices to assure we are part of the body of Christ.

First we understand God's redemptive plan was to send His Son, Jesus to die for our sins that they may be forgiven.  Jesus was taunted as they put a crown of thorns upon his head:

And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,  [Mark 15:17]

Christ rose from the dead after 3 days and ascended to the throne on the right hand side of the Father.

Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places?  [Ephesians 1:20]

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  [Hebrews 12:2]

This is significant!  If Jesus is alive and at the right hand of the Father, then he has authority:

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,    [Ephesians 1:22]

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.   [Ephesians 5:23]

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.   [Colossians 1:18]

Therefore Jesus occupies the seat of authority over the church, his church and his body.  He is the head.  Since he is alive no other can be in that seat of authority without working against Christ.

Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called god, or that is worshipped; so that he as god sitteth in the temple of god shewing himself that he is god.  [II Thessalonians 2:4]

God planned to exalt Jesus from the foundation of creation and make him head of his church:

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.  [Isaiah 9:6-7]

While Jesus ministered on this earth he organized the church and chose twelve disciples to work with him:

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.  [Matthew 10:1]

These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:  [Matthew 10:5]

And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.  [Matthew 11:1]

And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,  [Mark 3:14]

And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;  [Mark 6:7]

And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;  [Luke 6:13]

Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.  [Luke 9:1]

Jesus appointment of the twelve followed the same pattern as Moses:

These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers.  [Numbers 1:44]

After Jesus appointed the twelve apostles he chose seventy:

After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.  [Luke 10:1]

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.  [Luke 10:17]

Once again Jesus set his church ministry after the same pattern as Moses:

And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.  [Numbers 11:16]

And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.  And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.  [Numbers 11:24-25]

The role of the twelve and seventy is spiritual.  They are to judge with the very Word of God and therefore are responsible for governing the Church according to the will of God as set out in scripture.  The body of the church must follow the direction of the head, which is Christ. The Spirit, the very power emanating from the Father through His Son to His people, leads these men.

All decisions taken on behalf of the body are not made by one carnal man but are brought by the twelve through prayer to the Father.  Decisions taken are not by majority vote but are unanimous amongst the twelve.  Every time the twelve work together the unity of God's Spirit is demonstrated.

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.  [Ephesians 4:13]

And so the church is built up as the very body of Christ, with His knowledge we become perfect in Him.  To be "in the unity of the faith" we must all be in agreement.  The doctrine must be pure, untainted so it may feed the body.  With God's plan for church government there is no bickering over who is the greatest since Christ is the head and the twelve and seventy are chosen by God's lot.  God's plan and design for us to grow in the fullness of Christ. How different from worldly governments!

In the early days of the church the money was put together and carried in one purse.  Dispersement of the monies was made according to the needs.  A dispute broke out about the financial caring of widows.  The apostles did not become embroiled in the worldly dispute but realized that the church had to operate financially therefore they appointed seven men of good repute to handle the financial affairs of the church:

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.  Wherefore brethren, look ye out among you seven men o honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.  [Acts 6:2-4]

And so the government was set over the church, twelve apostles, seventy and seven.  As God foreshadowed in the Old Testament, Jesus instituted in the new.  Moses representing a "type" of Christ making intercession for God's people when they sinned but Jesus intercession being complete.

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.  [1 Corinthians 12:28]

After Judas betrayed Jesus and committed suicide, this left 11 apostles, therefore it was necessary for the apostles to fast, pray and cast lots before the Lord so He could appoint another man for the work of the twelve.  See how this position is filled without worldly favoritism since men could not be appointed or elected by carnal methods.  Only through God's choosing as shown by falling of the lot.

And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.  [Acts 1:26]

And so the lot system is the method for choosing God's twelve and seventy even today.  This is the church government that God preordained in Moses, established in Jesus and carries forward into his kingdom when Jesus returns to this earth with the New Jerusalem.

But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.  [Hebrews 1:8]

And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.  [Revelation 12:5]

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.  [Revelation 21:14]

And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  [Matthew 19:28]

From the foundation of the earth God appointed His Son to rule the nations.



Jesus will resurrect His true believers. He told His twelve disciples to follow him in the resurrection to be appointed to rule in His government during the millennium on this earth. And so we see the same government organization with Jesus as the living head and the twelve appointed to rule with Him.
 




Download the tract "The Second Coming of Jesus" (Coming Soon) for more information on His return to set up His kingdom on this earth with His saints.

Jesus Christ is the head of the Church of God (7th Day).  Jesus set the organization of the church to have twelve apostles who are responsible for governing the church and seventy ministers to help spread the gospel.  Seven stewards were then choosen by the apostles to oversee the financial matters of the church.  Members of the twelve and seventy are to be chosen by God through the casting of lots.

Let us be joined to the body of Christ and serve in His ministry in this world and the next.  Understand the mystery of the body of Christ governed by Jesus as the head, the twelve, seventy and seven.  God's great plan revealed.

And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:  [Colossians 2:10 ]