The Polity, Explained

The polity of His Holy Church is in itself an explanation. It is the explanation of the government of the Church in relationship to the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Just as the Constitution of the United States does not rely solely upon its own text for comprehending the meaning of the particular document neither does the Polity of the Church limit itself to the text of the Polity.

Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

In Webster's we find a definition of a polity as "The form or constitution of the civil government of a nation or state; the framework or organization by which the various departments of government are combined into a systematic whole. --Blackstone." The Polity of the Church really only includes the structural skeleton of the Kingdom of Heaven in the relationship to the Church and the general body politic of the Kingdom. In the same text of Webster's the definition of Polity is expounded upon with, "Hence: The form or constitution by which any institution is organized; the recognized principles which lie at the foundation of any human institution."

Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

In one sense His Holy Church is a human institution and in another it is a Divine institution. The Polity itself as a document is only an outward sign of the existence of the Church which predates the writing of the Polity. The origin of the Church at least referenced back to its appointment by Jesus Christ but also to His kingship, including David whom Jesus was the 'highest son of'.

The origin of the authority which appointed the Church and established the kingdom continues back into antiquity to the Son of Man, Adam himself. The human and divine origin of the Polity is expressed and clarified in the statement of Thomas Hooker, "Nor is possible that any form of polity, much less polity ecclesiastical, should be good, unless God himself be author of it."

Policy

One synonym of the word Polity is the word Policy. "These two words were originally the same. Polity is now confined to the structure of a government; as, civil or ecclesiastical polity; while policy is applied to the scheme of management of public affairs with reference to some aim or result; as, foreign or domestic policy. Policy has the further sense of skillful or cunning management." ^[1]

1 Peter 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

The Polity as the Policy of the Church must at least strive to exemplify the prime directives of Jesus Christ as well as the precepts upon precept present in the message of the LORD God ruler of Heaven and Earth. The Polity also exemplifies the confederation of the early Christian Republic as well as the earlier Israelite Republic before the institution of Kings and their corrupting and centralizing progressive powers. At least one purpose of the Polity is summarized in another statement by Thomas Hooker, "Natural covenantry and confederation of the saints in the partnership of the faith according to the Gospel is that which gives constitution and being to a visible Church".

The Visible Church

The written Polity is a visible declaration of the presence of the Church. Over the last two thousand years and more there has been a consistent effort by those who would have dominion over men to keep the true nature of God's kingdom on earth a secret from mankind. Abraham, Moses and the prophets knew that secret and Jesus taught it. But since Jesus men have twisted, expounded altered and even destroyed evidence of the precepts of His kingdom and godly dominion for man on earth.

Everything possible has been done to turn men's minds away from the kingdom of God.

2 Timothy 4:4 And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

We are told it is coming but Jesus said it was at hand.

Matthew 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

We are told when we die we will enter the kingdom.

Mark 12:27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

We are told that God delays his kingdom of heaven on earth.

Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

We are told that Jesus did not set up a kingdom.

Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

We are told that the faithful will rule over the nations like the kings of the gentiles.

Luke 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

Jesus did not appoint His kingdom to His kingdom but to His ekklesia, His called out ones. Like the Levites before who were called out by Moses and were the Church in the wilderness, so those called out by Jesus became His Holy Church. Their duties were much the same.

Israel had over its long history entered consecutive periods of apostasy and at the time Jesus walked amongst them few understood either the message of Abraham or the message of Moses and the prophets.

John 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

The Polity in place

The true place to write the polity of the Church is in the hearts and minds of those who perform its function. But as the world requires a written polity from any group or part of the Church a written polity should manifest not only the Character of Christ and the Father but also remain true to the historical manifestations of the His Holy Church.

The Church Polity must first manifest an organized society implementing an institution in which God may be the author of its policy.

The Polity is also to give visibility to the Church both in word and deed.

The Polity may not interfere with the directives of the Creator of His Holy Church.^[2]

The Polity must allow the peace of God to rule individually in your hearts and His wisdom in your minds yet call all into one body. ^[3]

The Polity of the Church must assist in maintaining a rich and fruitful entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of the Lord God Creator of Heaven and Earth. ^[4]

Line by Line
ARTICLE I - Congregations
ARTICLE II - Seat of Authority
ARTICLE III - Conscience of the Church
ARTICLE IV - The Church is the possession of God
ARTICLE V - Servants of the Kingdom and Mankind
ARTICLE VI - Bishops and Archbishops
ARTICLE VII - Church RITUALS AND CEREMONIES
ARTICLE VIII - The objective of the Church
ARTICLE IX - Preaching the good news of the Kingdom.
ARTICLE X - The prime directive of the Church.

All ARTICLES Explained I-X and Terms defined - Complete Polity by References and Terms defined

1. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

2. John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."

3. Colossians 3:15 "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

4. 2 Peter 1:11 "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." [see Polity endnotes]