English: The viewpoint for this dissertation is that God still speaks through His Word and Spirit to His church about the latter's fundamental nature and order. From this it can be concluded that the church is continuously being called to listen to the Word so that. under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. it can remain church in and for it's time, as God intended it to be. In the first section of the dissertation it is clear that the Word shows a unique, complex multifaceted image of the church. At times, it even shows contradictory views. and in many instances demonstrates a reflection of the demands of circumstances. It also reflects something about the dynamic way in which the Lord enables His church to be church in its particular circumstances. In the second section of the dissertation. the constants which appear the most in the corpusses. are taken collectively to form the outlines of the nature and order of the church. It goes without saying that these issues are restricted to what is important for the functioning of the church. It became clear that the church originates from God. in that His Spirit. within the framework of the covenant. ties individuals to Him in faith, on the grounds of the atonement work of Jesus Christ, thus including them in His church. These . individuals are tied together in Christ and cannot function without one another. The church is thus by nature a corporate unit. whether universally as the new Israel. or in its more visible state as a local congregation. Furthermore. because of its origin. the church exists as a seperate group of people in the world with the responsibility to hold fast to the gospel of Jesus Christ. and thus to be equipped to be God's witnesses in the world. As far as the organizational aspects are concerned. it is clear that the church is both in her universal and local state, an integrated entity. In this regard. it is important to realize that Jesus Christ himselfis the structure of the church. and see at the same time to it that it is being served in an orderly fashion. Within the scope of this structure. every member has a Godgiven clerical responsibility. At the same time. existing ministeries form. together with the Spirit. the skeleton that makes the congregation a dynamic. motivated body on the move. These specific ministeries are charismatic in origin. function non-hierarchial in . the congregation and have the responsibility to instruct the congregation in especially the teaching of the gospel. The reason for this is to enable, the congregation to adhere to its calling for obedience, love. and witness, and that the church's particular existence can be maintained. In all of this there is a definite openness for change depending on the demands of circumstances. In the third section specific implications for church order were highligted from the constants, which should be addressed in one way or another in all church order to avoid pragmatism and arbitrariness on the one hand. and to create space on the other hand for diversity of the demands oflocal circumstances. In the course of the dissertation, reference is made to both the traditional Reformed church order as it manifests itself in the Dutch Reformed Church. and some newer models which have come to the fore in the place of the traditional order. It became clear in the discussion that both sides show partiality. Although the demands of circumstances contributed to this. it is especially the new models that are standing on wavering Scriptual truths.
Afrikaans: Die uitgangspunt waarmee hierdie studie aangepak is. is dat God vandag steeds deur sy Woord en Gees aan sy kerk iets sê oor die kerk se wese en ordening. Hieruit volg dat die kerk geroep is om voortdurend onder leiding van die Gees noukeurig na die Woord te luister sodat hy in en vir sy tyd steeds kerk kan bly soos God dit bedoel het. In die eerste deel van die studie word dit duidelik dat die Skrif 'n besondere veelkantige beeld van die kerk vertoon. Dit het soms byna teenoorgestelde gesigte en is in baie gevalle 'n refleksie van die eise van omstandighede. Dit reflekteer ook iets van die dinamiese wyse waarop die Here sy kerk in staat stelom in sy besondere omstandighede kerk te wees. In die tweede deel van die studie word die konstantes wat in die meeste van die korpusse na vore kom. saamgevat om riglyne te vorm ten opsigte van die wese en ordening van die kerk. Uiteraard is hierdie sake beperk tot dit wat belangrik is vir die ordening van die kerk. Hier het dit duidelik geword dat die kerk sy oorsprong by God vind deurdat sy Gees binne die ruimte van die verbond individue op grond van die versoeningswerk van Jesus Christus in geloof aan Hom vasbind en hulle so insluit in sy kerk. Hierdie individue is in Christus aan mekaar vasgebind, en kan nie sonder mekaar funksioneer nie. Die kerk is dus vanuit sy aard 'n korporatiewe eenheid. hetsy universeel as die nuwe Israel. of in sy sigbare plaaslike gestalte as gemeente. Die kerk is verder vanuit sy oorsprong 'n afsonderlike groep mense in die wêreld met die verantwoordelikheid om enersyds vas te hou aan die evangelie van Jesus Christus. en andersyds daarmee op die wêreld gerig te wees as God se getuies. Wat die organisatoriese sake betref. is dit duidelik dat die kerk in beide sy universele en plaaslike gestalte 'n geordende geheel is. In hierdie verband is dit belangrik om raak te sien dat Jesus Christus self die struktuur van die kerk is. en terselfdertyd sorg dat dit op 'n geordende manier bedien word. Binne die ruimte van hierdie struktuur het elke lidmaat "n Godgegewe bedieningsverantwoordelikheid. Terselfdertyd is daar besondere bedieninge wat saam met die Heilige Gees die skelet vorm wat die gemeente as liggaam dinamies en beweeglik maak. Hierdie besondere bedieninge is charismaties van oorsprong. funksioneer nie-hiërargies in die gemeente. en het die verantwoordelikheid om die gemeente toe te rus deur veral die onderrig in die evangelie. Die doel hiervan is dat die gemeente sy roeping tot gehoorsaamheid. onderlinge liefde en getuienis kan nakom en die kerk se eiesoortige bestaan gehandhaaf kan word. In dit alles is daar 'n duidelik openheid vir verandering na gelang van die eise van omstandighede. In die derde deel is bepaalde kerkordelike implikasies vanuit die konstantes uitgelig wat op een of ander manier in alle kerklike ordening ter sprake behoort te kom om enersyds pragmatisme en willekeur te voorkom. maar andersyds ook die ruimte te skep vir verskeidenheid na die eise van plaaslike omstandighede. Dit is in die loop van die studie ook in gesprek gebring met beide die tradisionele gereformeerde kerklike ordening soos dit veral in die Ned Geref Kerk neerslag gevind het. en sommige nuwere modelle wat na vore gekom het in die plek van die tradisionele ordening. Dit het in die gesprek duidelik geword dat beide bepaalde eensydighede vertoon. Alhoewel die eise van omstandighede wel hiertoe bygedra het, staan veral van die nuwe modelle plek-plek op wankelrige Skriftuurlike bene.