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It is interesting to note, and certainly seems contrary to some common thought processes, that Paul was submissive to the church elders by our Lord's design. After the encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus the Lord could have healed Paul and given him his comission. Yet, the Lord Jesus sent him to the church.
"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."
And that which Paul taught he confirmed with the church leaders.
"And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain."
Paul did not preach another gospel. He did not preach some "new thing" that the others did not know. His ministry was not a splinter ministry that was given only to him by the spirit of God. There is one God, one spirit, one faith, and one baptism.
This illustrates the unity of the early church and the "one mouth" or one voice with which it spoke. This also demonstrates why we must also confer with our brothers and sisters and give heed to their counsel lest we should splinter off from the main body and be overtaken with false doctrines. Our experiences here in this cafe confirm the need to assemble ourselves together for the edification and admonistion of the "church"--especially as we see the coming of our Lord's day approaching.
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."
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