Page:The Net of Faith.pdf/297



Christians cannot be followers of Christ's faith if they are obeying another authority, pagan and civil, standing in courthouses with lawsuits; they cannot have the fellowship of Christ and be saved if they die in this (acceptance of authority). The enemy which is the pagan and worldly spirit may contradict this by saying: "Well, if these Christian congregations are not governed by temporal authority in matters of faith and morals, but only by mutual love, what then if they lack love and if some injustice were done to them? And did not many of them resort to courts? Did not Saint Paul say to them, 'If you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who are least estee̸emed by the church?' And so they availed themselves of pagan offices and supplied their officials, love not being adequate."

To this can be proffered the following answer: it is true that the apostles brought the first Christians to these perfect things, instituting that everything be done through divine love. The correctness and truth of this commandment has not been lessened simply because there were some among I-Corinthians 6:4.