1st Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
The Bible teaches us that God is orderly in all of His operations as is evidenced by His created work and the ongoing supervision of the planets, suns, stars, and moons. The same order that is manifested from day to day in the material world is also brought to bear in the spiritual realm, for His character runs as a golden, cohesive thread through all of His operations. In the establishment of the church we can see the same element of orderly structure which is to be observed by the members of the church, for it is to be operated using the same scriptural guidelines and principles that Christ laid down. Let's read:
1st Corinthians 14:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28 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.
This order was observed in the baptism of Cornelius when the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and gave him instruction to send for Peter. Let's read:
Acts 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
The angel obviously could have told Cornelius exactly what he needed to do, for he knew the steps that were to be taken for anyone who desired an entrance into God's kingdom of grace, but if the angel were to do this, then it would open the door for the established order that Christ had ordained to be interfered with. Furthermore, Cornelius and anyone else desiring baptism was not to administered the rite by any and every one, for then the scriptural requirements of the candidates could be changed by those who might think the standards of the church should be altered. It is also worthy of note that the same order was observed in the baptism of the apostle Paul, for God is consistent in all of His dealings with us. Let's read:
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Again, The Lord could have told Paul what he ought to do, but because He is a God of order, He refers Paul to the established structure of the church, so that there may be systematic cohesiveness in the operations of the church.
This characteristic of God has tremendous implication and instruction for us, for we are sometimes prone to do things in a haphazard and disorganized fashion, without order and systematic consistency being brought to bear in our day to day work and chores. When a given duty, responsibility, or chore is to be fulfilled, let proper planning and efficient execution be hallmarks of our every move, for in so doing God is glorified in His people. The tendency to do our work, or to fulfill our responsibilities in a lax or careless manner should be resolutely avoided if we are to follow in the footsteps of the master.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture that encourages us to follow and adopt this characteristic of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, for if we do, it will bring tremendous benefit and efficiency to our studies, our work, our lives and our local church. Let's read:
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
May God add his blessing to the doing of His word. "Good night" and God bless!