"Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." Ephesians 4:11-16
"All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:
first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages." 1 Corinthians 12:27-28
In Paul's missionary journeys, they planted local churches in the cities they taught the Word of God in.
These churches eventually grew in numbers and members. Each church being led by their appointed leaders, and each one experiencing their own unique concerns as well as problems common to one another.
In many parts of Paul's letters to these churches, he was giving them encouragement to continue in their ministry and also instructions on how to conduct themselves, how to conduct their meetings, along with the teachings of Jesus Christ.
In the excerpts above from Paul's letters to the church in Ephesus and Corinth, he was teaching them about how the Lord has given each member, gifts to function as an essential member of the different parts of the body of Christ (the Church).
Foe example, those who were called to be missionaries, pastors and teachers, have the responsibility of teaching to equip others to do God's work and build up the body of Christ. And this shall continue until all members are mature and come to be united in the faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ. This is a tall order, one which can only be achieved by being united by the blood of Jesus and the power and the Spirit of God. But these three parts does not form the whole body of Christ.
On the second part of the excerpt above, Paul said that the church (the body of Christ) are made up of members with different gifts, such as the gift of prophecy, that of performing miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those with the gift of giving, those in the ministry of helps*, those with the gift of leadership, and those who speak in unknown languages.
Now the main question really is how long until we become a productive member of the body Christ?
Of course first off, we need the complete teaching so as to be equipped. Second, we need to identify what our gifts are. And third, to use these gifts to help our local church in making the whole body fit together perfectly, lifting up and encouraging people and helping other parts grow, so as to fulfill the will of our Lord and Savior.
*helps include volunteers in the music, dance and drama ministry, media, hospitality, parking, cafe, store, children's, youth, social media, TV, radio, graphics design, IT, marketing and PR, facility maintenance and administration, among many others.
No comments:
Post a Comment