_his_ church. He was its living head. No other church
was known in those days. It was only when the living, vital union of
Christ with his church was lost to view that men began endeavoring
to strengthen the bonds of external union by unscriptural human
organization, just as when life is departed from the physical body we
seek by an embalming process to prevent its speedy dissolution.

[Sidenote: Delegated authority]

In order to understand church government, therefore, we must begin
at the central source of authority and proceed to its varied
manifestations. We have seen that Christ employed human agents in
accomplishing his work; hence, in thus performing the work of Christ
as commanded by Christ, and as personally directed by the Spirit of
Christ, these men possessed the _authority of Christ_. Any church
governmental authority that does not proceed directly from Christ
through his Holy Spirit is but human authority, an usurped authority,
and has no place in the real church of Christ.

[Sidenote: Ministerial oversight]

The apostles were the first to whom Christ delegated authority. They
became his special representatives. They established the church and
became responsible for its general direction and oversight, "the Lord
working with them, and confirming the word with signs following" (Mark
16:20). But these twelve did not stand alone in the government of
the church. Soon a host of ministers were raised up, and these also
possessed divine authority for their representative lines of work.
To the elders of Ephesus, Paul said, "Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock, over which _the Holy Ghost hath made
you overseers_, to feed the church of God" (Acts 20:28). Peter also
writes: "The elders which are among you I exhort ... feed the flock of
God which is among you, _taking the oversight thereof_" (1 Pet. 5:1,
2). "The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work
whereunto _I have called them_ ... so they, _being sent forth by the
Holy Ghost_, departed" (Acts 13: 2-4). "AND HE GAVE some, apostles;
and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and
teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Eph. 4:11, 12). In
accordance with this standard, we read, "Obey them that have the rule
over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, _as
they that must give account_" to him who is "that great s