of the Holy Spirit also perfected through them God’s own plan of church organization and work.  The gradual development of church organization under the labors of the apostles, therefore, no more proves the theory of a constant historic development than does the fact of a gradual unfolding of the Christian faith and doctrine by the apostles prove a constant and unending revelation of the gospel through all succeeding ages.  One writer has well said, “The same promise of the Spirit which renders the New Testament an unerring and sufficient rule of faith renders it also an unerring and sufficient rule of practise for the church in all places and times.”  We must therefore regard the organization of the church, as we do the unfolding of the gospel message, as complete in all its fundamental and essential aspects before the close of the sacred canon.

[Sidenote:  Apostolic agency]

There is no doubt that the apostles occupied a special place in the divine establishment of the church and its message.  Regarded as a temple, the church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone” (Eph. 2:  20).  The Old Testament Scripture “came not in old time by the will of man:  but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet. 1:  21).  But now we read, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us BY HIS SON” (Heb. 1:  1, 2).  Moses, representative of the law, and Elias, representative of the prophets, appeared in glory on the Mount of Transfiguration; but when Peter suggested that they be accorded equal honors with Jesus, immediately a cloud overshadowed the company and a voice out of the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; HEAR YE HIM.”  “And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only” (Matt. 17:1-8).

[Sidenote:  Model for all ages]

The revelation of divine truth, therefore, as the foundation of our faith, reached its highest level in the Son.  We need not look for another gospel—­hear him.  He has also said, “I will build my church”; hence we need not look for another church—­HEAR HIM!  Paul declares that the gospel with its revelation of the “mystery” of the union of the saved in one body, the church, was in his day “made manifest,” and, “according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith” (Rom. 16:25, 26).  See Eph. 2; 3:1-10.  While therefore Christ was the author of the truth in its highest form of revelation, also the founder of his church, both reached their fulness of perfection under the inspired apostles and was by them “made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.”  The unity of all believers for which Christ solemnly prayed was to be accomplished through the direct agency of the apostles, the result of believing on Christ “through THEIR Word” (John 17:20).