What Else Do We Know About Spiritual Gifts?

Spiritual Gifts (Part 2)

Romans 12:9-16

Introduction:

Several passages in Scripture deal with the topic of “Spiritual Gifts.” We examined Ephesians 4:11-16, and the “Office Gifts,”…the people God has gifted to the church, to lead, supervise and teach the rest of the flock. We saw that they are also part of the flock: They are “shepherds,” but they are also “sheep” with the same needs and built-in weaknesses as every other believer.

Last week we looked at Romans 12:3-7, and saw that the people with the gifts are supposed to “Get on with the job.” Verse eight continues that idea, saying that if your giftedness includes encouraging others, that you should go do it! If your gift is giving, then so do so liberally. The Greek word translated as “simplicity,” here is “haplotēs.” It is translated as “simplicity” a few times in the King James Bible, but it carries the idea of “bountifully or liberally.”

But the passage culminated, in verse nine, with the Agapé Love.

The Love Relationship Between Believers

Romans 12:9-16 talks specifically about the Love relationship between believers: What should it look like? It is important to remember that the body of Christ at large (the Church, proper) is an organism, not an organization. A local church may share many aspects of an organization, but, it, too, is primarily an organism.

Any assembly of flesh-and blood people will require some organization, in order to function. But the church is not a “social club,” or a “political group.” We are an assembly of believers, and a local expression of the Body of Christ. As such, we are closely related to one another: we are to function as a body, though the local assembly is never called a “body” in scripture.

And what makes it all work is the Agapé Love. In spite of what I recently said about not spending too much time explaining the differences between Greek words, here are two Greek words that are frequently translated the same, but do NOT mean the same thing: And, we are commanded to practice both of them.

**Love—Agapé and Philéo**

⁹Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. ¹⁰Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

In November of 1981, I was working in the fields, harvesting Christmas trees. All the other workers were “transients” of one sort or another. One of them carefully (and cynically) explained to me the difference between a transient and a bum…it was interesting to hear it “from the horse’s mouth,” so to speak. One of the fellows there was a native-speaking Greek, probably in in his late forties, though I am not sure. But the fellow doing the explanation singled him out and declared him to be a bum. (He received a string of vile curses in reply.)

But, one day it occurred to me that I had a golden opportunity: I could ask the difference between two Greek words from a native speaker. He had no theological “ax to grind.” So I asked him, “George, what is the difference between ‘agapao’, and ‘phileo’?” He answered clearly: He said “Ah… ‘Phileo’ means ‘I love you! You’re my friend! You’re my brother! I love you!… But… ‘Agapao?’ It means ‘I give you my heart! I give you my soul! I love you!”

That was pretty profound for someone the other transients called a bum…he told me clearly that the two words are not synonymous. Consider the conversation between Jesus and Peter: Jesus asked “Do you love me?” using the ‘agapao’ verb, and Peter kept answering, using the ‘phileo’ verb, until Jesus changed his tack, and He used the ‘phileo’ word too. Then Peter was grieved. (They are not the same…and we are commanded to do both.)

Agapé

Most frequently and very emphatically (using “agapao”,) Jesus commanded us to “Love one another.” We are to be completely committed to the well-being of one another, without regard to how it affects us, personally. Jesus demonstrated that sort of love when He went to the Cross. Isaiah 53:10 confirms that He was pouring out his soul before the throne of God, for our sake.

When we read about love in 1^st Corinthians 13, it is the agapé love. And every description is of an action, not a feeling. Here in Romans 12:9, Paul says the agapé love is to be “without dissimulation”—unfeigned—not faked. In fact, the Greek word (“anupokritos”) means “without hypocrisy.” Don’t “pretend” agapé. This needs to be real, and coming from God.

When I was in Bible School, in 1975, I suddenly saw this as a command: And that set me free! Until then, I only thought I “have a problem” with a “lack of love.” Once I realized that this is a command, I was set free, because God does not say to confess “problems,” but sin. Once I knew that failure to love was sin, I could confess it and be cleansed.

I saw the issue before, but thought I had to somehow “stir up Love,” and produce it on my own. It isn’t “just a problem!”God says, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1^st John 1:9) Not a “blanket solution” for “problems”…it is a blanket promise regarding sin! And, the word agapé, has nothing to do with feelings. It has to do with how you set priorities, and what you do about them.

Phileo

But, in verse 10, he also says we are to be kindly affectioned (Greek “philostorgos”) one to another, with brotherly love (“philadelphia”). The Love described in verse 10 is the phileo love, and it does mean how we feel and how we act toward one another. It even says that we should “prefer one another in honor.”

We should see our Christian brothers and sisters as closer relations than any other associate. We are to build close relationships with one another, and be drawn together by the love of the brethren. The Greek word philadelphia literally means the “love of the brethren.” Unfortunately, naming a city “brotherly love” does not change how people’s hearts work: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is no different than other large cities: Love is not what makes that city work.

The Christian Work Ethic

¹¹Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

The Greek word for “business,” here, is “spoude”—it means “diligence.” Not slothful means not lazy—not lackadaisical. In whatever we are doing, one way or another, we are to be known for diligence and zeal, as we are serving the Lord, . Ephesians and Colossians both address this idea, saying, “…whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men.”

We need to step back from the obvious, humanly visible circumstances, and remember who we actually serve. If you have a hard time with that, please take the time to read of Joseph the patriarch, Daniel the prophet, and Jeremiah the prophet. Each served evil men in hard, evil circumstances, but rose above the trial because they continually remembered who they served.

Examples From The Scripture:

Joseph could have become bitter: he was kidnapped, sold into slavery by his brothers, forced to serve an evil man, Potiphar the captain of the guard—(in charge of the prison, torture and executions.), and imprisoned, accused of a crime he didn’t commit.
Daniel was kidnapped, castrated (his boss was the boss of the eunuchs), and forced to serve the evil, monstrous kings of Babylon, who served evil, false gods. They murdered his people, and enslaved the survivors. But he remembered who he served, and he served faithfully. The result? At least some of those evil kings became believers…and his book stands today as one of the most important, key prophecies in the Bible.
Jeremiah was “drafted” by God, to serve as a prophet, but virtually no one believed him! As far as we know, only two believed his message, during his lifetime: Baruch (his partner/sidekick) and Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian eunuch. But his ministry, though sparse when he served, by human terms, has continued to benefit believers now, for 2500 years!

All three of those men (as well as countless other men and women of God) served under far harsher circumstances than we may ever expect to experience. And all of them served faithfully. They served diligently. They did good, honest work in what they were assigned, regardless of how it would be received. And they were rewarded by God accordingly.

Joy, Endurance, and Prayer

¹²Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Here is another hard one—Habakkuk saw the growing corruption he saw in Israel. He asked God why He wasn’t judging the rampant sin in Israel. God revealed that judgment was coming, in the persons of the Chaldeans (Babylonians.)

Habakkuk was horrified: He knew the Chaldeans were far worse than Israel. But God reiterated that he would bring the Chaldeans to purge Israel, but that Babylon would eventually be destroyed, and Israel would eventually be saved.

Habakkuk’s response was classic: He said, (Habakkuk 3:17-19) ¹⁷ Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: ¹⁸ Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. ¹⁹ The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

An Example for Us to Follow

Notice: All the things he listed were things God had used as allegorical teaching regarding Israel: the fig tree, the vine, the olive tree, the flock, and the herd. And all were to be destroyed.

Habakkuk foresaw the destruction of his nation in judgment from God. And his response was an act of the will: I WILL rejoice in the LORD… I WILL joy in the God of my salvation! And God’s response to that sort of faith? He will make me sure-footed, and He will set my feet on high places, allowing me to rise above the grief and shame of the coming judgment. And Habakkuk said this was to be a song, a hymn of praise and faith.

Share! Be Hospitable!

¹³Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

Reach out to one another’s needs…open your home to others. Meeting the needs of other believers is what we would do with our natural family: Keep in mind that we are family.

It is interesting, too, that the word translated “hospitality,” here, is the Greek word “philozenian.” It means“brotherly love toward strangers!” This is not just a “membership benefit in the love-one-another-club.” He says to reach out to those we don’t know well—to strangers—as a life-style. Paul is not advocating irresponsible carelessness, here, as there are other places specifically warning against “false brethren; wolves in sheep’s clothing, etc.” But hospitality does not exclude strangers…it necessitates reaching out to strangers.

How Do We Respond To Bad Treatment?

Sometimes the strangers will not respond pleasantly. Sometimes even our own Christian family may be unkind to us. We are all “tarred with the same brush:” We each have an unsalvageable sin nature living within, as an “enemy within the gate.” (Romans 8:7says it cannot be made obedient to God. ) That results in bad attitudes, behavior and words. What do you do then?

¹⁴Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

Inevitably, in “hostile territory,” we will occasionally be attacked, and come under fire for our lifestyle. Remember: the moment you received Jesus as your Savior, you became the youngest, lowest, greenhorn-recruit in His army: He is already “invading planet Earth.” So, you instantly became the mortal enemy of Satan and all His minions, whether human or otherwise.

Life will NOT get easier: in many respects: it will get harder. You are in a war, now: You are surrounded by enemy troops. So—what do you do when you are under attack? Being hated, do you respond in kind? When you are being lied about, do you “fight fire with fire,” and get into a sniping war, taking verbal potshots at them in return? Or do you remember that all these people hating you are precious souls for whom Jesus already died?

God says, “Bless them that persecute us. Bless and curse not!” That is a command. It is not easy—in fact, I am of the opinion that the Christian life is beyond difficult: it is impossible, except for His indwelling Holy Spirit.

Walk in Empathy and Humility

¹⁵Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

¹⁶Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Don’t consider yourself to be “above” other people’s suffering. Empathize! Go ahead and feel their grief. Go ahead and be touched by their pain…and rejoice when they are blessed, as well. We really are brothers and sisters, people. When things are good, be glad for your “Christian family.” When things are hard, grieve with them!

Cherish Unity

Unity is vitally important, too. Love and unity (the two things taught here) are two of the three criteria by which the World is invited to judge the church: Jesus said, (John 13:35) “by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” And later, (John 17:21) He prayed that the church would be one, just as the Trinity is One. Why? “…that the world may believe that thou didst send me.” Romans, here, says to “be of the same mind one to another.” We read about the tolerance and forbearance to which He called us, in Ephesians 4:3.

So…if the church falls down in the area of Agapé love, the world is not expected to believe that we are His disciples. And, if we fall down in the area of unity, they will not believe that Jesus is the Messiah.

The third way the world is allowed to judge the church is by our behavior. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” Behavior is a catch-all that could include our Love and Unity, but also includes the practical outworking of a transformed life, as shown in Romans 12:2.

Finally, Learn Humility!

Don’t “get big-headed.” Don’t get the idea that you are “something special.” Nebuchadnezzar decided that he was something special, and look where it got him. Seven years on a strict vegetarian diet, we are told—in fact, he ate grass like a cow, and thought he was an animal, for all those years. God judged the sin, but saved the sinner, Nebuchadnezzar. Don’t go through that kind of experience to learn humility. God says, “clothe yourself in humility…humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” (1^st Peter 5:5, 6)

Pride and self-centeredness are offensive to everyone, both God and Man. God says that we are not to “mind high things”…not get puffed up with our great knowledge, our doctrinal purity, our long lists of “things we don’t do.” At that point we have become just like the Pharisees: Secure in our self-righteousness, but blind to the Holiness of The Almighty God we claim to serve.

Choose humility. Condescend to men of low estate. (Jesus did so, for you.) Choose to draw near to “uncomfortable people.” Choose to love the unlovely. Choose to reflect and to channel the Grace and Love of God to those around you. We are called to be lights in a dark world, but we are also called to be peacemakers, and ministers of God’s Grace.

It all works better in true humility.

Lord Jesus, Please allow us to see Your Holiness, and, in contrast, our own sin. Allow us to be changed by your Grace; by your Love; by the engrafted Word of Life, and the indwelling Spirit of the Holy, Almighty God. Make us over into your image.

February 1, 2025February 1, 2025

Do You Know What God Says About Spiritual Gifts? (Part 1)

“About Spiritual Gifts” Part One

Romans 12:3-7

Introduction:

We began looking at the practical outworking of our new relationship with Christ, a few weeks ago, studying Ephesians 4:1-6.

A proper relationship with Him in a growing, ongoing bond of love, results in a changed life. It also results in changed relationships with other people. In Ephesians 4:1-6, Paul begs us to walk worthy of the vocation to which we have been called. He commands that we maintain unity with one another, and forbear (tolerate) one another. He calls us to learn to love and appreciate one another, just for who each of us IS, in Christ.

Romans 12:3-21 reminds us of some of the gifts of service. Gifts given by which to be a blessing to one another. He also tells in what spirit to use each of them.

What does “Christian Service” look like?

³For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

One obvious danger in “Christian Service” is the temptation to serve in the same spirit as does the world. We desire human recognition. We like to “feel appreciated.” So, churches often create special titles and “jobs,” so people will feel proud to do “their job.”

But this practice establishes “boundaries, and territories,” and it effectively divides the body. They encourage people toward “self” expression, and “self” fulfillment. they say they should be “owning” the ministry. By so doing, they can easily forget who the Head of the Body actually is. Paul cautions us to “not think more highly of” ourselves, but, rather, to think soberly.

In some areas, deacons may attach the title “Deacon” to their name. They introduce themselves as “Deacon So-and-so.” Many pastors do the same thing, and people expect them to do so. They call themselves “Pastor So-and-so.” Then we invent honorifics to go with the title, or even supplant it—the “Right Reverend so-and-so… your Excellency…your Grace!” But that only serves to feed pride!

A Servant’s Heart

The fact is, we don’t need a title, or a “territory,” to do what God calls us to do. We can sit and listen to someone else teach, and we take careful notes, so as to actually learn from their teaching: We should be perfectly happy doing so.

I have no need for the “limelight.” Usually, I would be happy to serve from the back pew, and I have frequently done so. But, initially, I taught because a pastor asked me to teach. Then, they repeatedly asked me to continue teaching. So I concluded that this must be what God has called me to do. So, I continue to teach, even in private, because that is my gift—it is simply what I do.

The result seems to be that the flock is fed, and their understanding increases. I don’t need an “office” or title, to do any of that. If it is the job—the gift—Jesus gave me to do, then I will either do it, or fail to do it. That is the only question He will ask at the Judgment Seat of Christ. (2nd Corinthians 5:10)

The Measure of Faith

Experience has led me to believe that my gifts are in this area, and when I pray, “Lord, I just don’t know what to do!” the immediate answer is “Feed my flock!” (See John 21:15-17, and Acts 20:28) So, by faith, I press on. If He gives me a different job, or assignment, He will let me know it. (And He did: I taught in churches for nearly 40 years, before my job changed, and I shared the ministry, here, as a pastor!)

All the gifts have this in common: they don’t need “titles”, or honorifics; they just need a willing heart. But we each have different gifts, though all the believers are part of that one Body of Christ. That is the source of Unity—our position in Christ. But each of us has something to offer.

Each of us can choose to be a blessing to those around us, but it will be done in different ways. Many years ago, a teacher told me, “If I go to church to be a blessing, I will almost always come home blessed. But if I go there to get a blessing, I can frequently come home empty and sour.” The Agapé love always seeks to bless those around it…not to receive a blessing. But the result is that it is always blessed.

The True Bond Of Unity

⁴For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:⁵So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Notice it says that we are members one of another. We are not just “co-workers—employees of the same company:” God says we belong to one another. We are truly part of a select brotherhood, because we are born from above, of the same Father. He says we are one body, and, though we may feel somewhat alienated from one another at times, due to sin, we really are one.

All of us know what it means to “hurt all over”, because of an injury or illness. I have heard of people who endured a fairly small injury (a mashed finger or the like) but who then went into shock and died…their whole body responded so drastically to the injury of the one member that the body shut down completely.

In contrast to the physical body, our mutual care will not shut us down; it will empower us. But God calls us to have that sort of deep compassion and care for one another, so that if one member is hurting, it is a concern for all. And, if God blesses one, then it is a joy to all, as all are invigorated by the goodness of God, reflected in another person’s life.

The Gifts: What Is A Prophet?

⁶Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

When we consider the New Testament gift of prophecy, we must remember that even the Old Testament word does not mean a “teller of the future”, but a spokesman for God; a “mouthpiece for God.” In Exodus 4:12, God told Moses, “…go, and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say!” That is pretty much the definition of a prophet, through all the ages. In the early days, it frequently involved “fore-telling.” In fact, when we use the word “prophecy”, or “prophetic,” we usually mean “the telling of the future.” But all the word really means is being “a mouthpiece for God.”

What is the Difference between a “Preacher” and a Teacher?

As far as I can tell, a person who simply gives the clear meaning of scripture and can tie it all together, so that the listeners can see it all as God’s Word, rather than just a collection of disconnected pamphlets by forgotten writers, is a good teacher. That would be one to whom God gave the gift of teaching.

What does a New Testament “Prophet” Do?

But if God also uses them to bring a corrective message, or a message of encouragement, or a message from scripture that builds up the believers for the work of service, then they are functioning as a New Testament prophet.

1^st Corinthians 14:3 states that “he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.” That is the definition of a prophet’s job, in this age. The Old Testament gift of “foretelling the future” seems to have mostly disappeared by the end of the book of Acts, though culminating in the Book of the Revelation. The epistles tell nothing further about it, at least. God does not warn against false prophets, in the epistles, so much as false teachers. (2nd Peter 2:1)

A prophet, then, must have the faith to pursue God, personally, and absorb the Word of God, and learn the will of God, as revealed in Scripture. The prophet has to have the faith to see God’s will in black and white, and be able to declare it firmly, and humbly, knowing it to be true, only because Jesus says so!

“Let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith.” This is Paul’s message to the prophets in the New Testament Church.

What is “Ministry?”

⁷Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

Ministry means service. The Greek word, here, for service, is “diakonia.” The companion word, “diakonous” is where we get the word “deacon.” It simply means ‘servant.’ We disdain the word “servant,” as a “low-caste” calling, to which no one should be relegated. But God calls it a gift, and a high, holy calling. Jesus Himself said, “The Son of Man is come not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

It is interesting that the root of the word “menial” (which we really don’t like,) is exactly the same as that of the word “ministry” (which we claim to love.) Jesus taught this lesson in John 13. He performed a menial task (foot-washing) that was usually relegated to the lowest servants, in order to demonstrate the principle of ministry to his disciples.

Gifted to Serve

Every believer is called to this life of service, but some are gifted beyond others. They can throw themselves into any task without reserve, as it is their joy to serve. There are no restrictions as to who can serve God, other than having a clean and willing heart. Anyone can serve, but not all at the same tasks. He chooses our tasks.

There may be human restrictions of a practical nature. A life-guard, for example, absolutely must be a very strong swimmer. He or she must be trained to work in deep water to bring struggling or injured swimmers to safety. A church pianist must have endured the discipline of learning to play the piano. How well? Well enough to accompany singers, in any key needed.

There are many other human limitations, and we recognize them; but anyone can serve, and there are innumerable ways in which to do so. If you have a heart for service, God will give you an avenue in which to serve faithfully. And faithfulness itself is worthy of reward! God says, “Well done, thou good and faithful Servant!”

What about Teaching?

Teaching is the gift of being able to read, study and understand scripture, and to teach what it means, accurately. It must be in keeping with the rest of the Word of God, so that the hearers are not just hearing, but understanding the scriptures, themselves. It was mentioned in the Old Testament as well as the New, and is a valuable gift, as well. A teacher need not be a leader, but a leader (elder overseer, pastor) does have to be a teacher, as far as I can see.

1^st Timothy 3:1-8 states some of the qualifications of being an elder, and one of them is “apt to teach”—able to teach. I do not think that this is just the ability to teach carpentry, or cooking, or mathematics, as, in the first place, those are not related to the word of God.

It is also not just the rudimentary ability that ALL people have, to transmit information. It is specifically referring to the spiritual gift of teaching that is vital to the health of a church. This, along with the gift of prophecy, is how the Flock is to be fed…and they are to be fed on the Word of God, not philosophy, or other bits of human wisdom. God’s Word is clean “sheep food.” That is all we have to offer.

But How Can We Tell If We Are “Gifted?”

Using “teaching” as an example: “Teaching has not been accomplished until learning occurs.” I used to teach several classes at work; each had numerous tests associated with it. Some of the tests were quite difficult. None of the tests could be passed by someone who had not received the teaching. So, my “report card” as a teacher, was “what percentage of my students can now understand and use what I taught them? And …are they doing so?”

A Bible teacher should grade himself or herself by the same standard: “Do my students better understand the scriptures?”, and “Are they better able to apply them than before?” It is much harder to tell, for sure, as there is no “written exam” to apply. But I knew a woman (now home with the Lord) who taught “Good News Club” Bible classes in her home for many years, training little children to understand the Word of God. Her report card? Before she died (at 103,) most of the deacons in her church were men whom she had taught as little children, in her home. She had led many of them to Christ! That is a great “Report Card!”

The Rewards are From God

That sort of “report card” is not limited to seminary-trained theologians, nor “professional clergy.” In fact, I think it is more common among those who simply serve out of devotion to the Lord, than among those who see their work as their “job….just an occupation…” as if it were comparable to being a lawyer or a pharmacist.

If you are doing what God sent you to do, then there should be a measure of satisfaction and joy, in knowing that you are pleasing Him. And if you can at least occasionally see confirmation, through results, then it is especially joyful.

For the next few weeks we will continue to work through the various lists of spiritual gifts, as given in Scripture.

Lord Jesus, change us into your likeness. Teach us to discern your will and search for ways to serve one another in Love. Make us the men and women of God that you have called us to be.

January 25, 2025January 25, 2025

How to Walk Worthy of the Calling of God (3)

Walking Worthy (3)

Ephesians 4:17-32
¹⁷ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

Introduction

On the basis of all that went before—Paul says “Therefore…” we are not to be like the World anymore. There is One Giver, though many gifts. All the gifts were given with one purpose, the edification and maturation and blessing of the whole Body. Therefore, our lives are to change.

The Underlying Contrast

Paul says the unbelievers live in the vanity of their minds. They have chosen to trust in their own wisdom, and they live lives characterized by futility…nothing they do has any eternal value. They cannot please God, and they are headed for a Christless eternity.

¹⁸ Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

Their hearts are completely blind to the light of God. This is a willful blindness. When we ignore some portion of God’s light, we become blind in that area. Judicial blindness results from willful disregard for light— the truth of God’s Word. We become calloused to the truth, and are even less likely to listen, the next time we hear it.

¹⁹ Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

They serve the flesh, and greedily feed upon sin. They only have one nature, so it controls everything they do and say: even if they wanted to change they simply cannot. Romans 8:7 says our sin nature is not subject to the Law of God, nor can it be. So, even when we try to “do good,” in our flesh, it is contaminated with sin. (That’s the “Bad News.” Unpleasant, but true: Jesus confirmed it.) Their sin nature is all they have to offer.

Our Sin is the Problem

Consider: Someone with a fatal disease may want to donate blood. They mean well: They know there is a need for blood donors. But their blood would eventually kill anyone who received it.

God is Holy:

The offering of an unregenerate soul is contaminated with a far more deadly disease —it’s called sin. We inherited it from Adam, through physical birth. And there’s only one cure. It, too, is “blood-borne,” through the Cross: Jesus’ blood is the only sacrifice God will accept, and the only way to receive a new nature, by rebirth…being born again.

**What Have You Learned?**

²⁰ But ye have not so learned Christ; ²¹ If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

We have not “learned the Person of Christ” in a context that allows us to continue in Sin. If we still live like unbelievers, we can’t say “Well, that’s the way we were taught.” Paul says, in effect, “You know better than that!” The Holy Spirit indwells every believer: He is completely faithful, and He prompts our hearts to do right. If you read your Bible at all, the Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to teach you right from wrong, and to show you the right way to live. So…you can’t say you didn’t know!

We have not “so learned Christ” We have at least some degree of understanding, that God is Holy, and that, as a Holy God, He has the Right to require us to be holy as well. (1 Peter 1:16 “…because it is written, be ye holy for I am holy.”)

Who or What is The Old Man?

(You have been taught…)
²² That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

God says we have put off, or laid aside, the old nature. Does this mean that we have “eradicated” it? No—if that were the case, (and I fervently wish it were), we would have no need for teaching at all, because by nature, we would do only the things that a holy child of God does—we could never be tempted, because our only nature would be our new nature. Having put off the old man means we have “dethroned” the old nature—we have set it aside. Positionally, we are dead to sin. But our condition is that we still have two natures.

Incidentally, the word, “corrupt” in verse 22, is a “present continuous” adjective—it literally says, “being corrupted”. Your old nature is not only completely self-centered and corrupt, but it also feeds on sin, and it is getting worse, not better. God says He has nailed it to the cross, with Jesus. In terms of position, that’s where it is. In terms of condition, we have to live with it until we are forever set free, in our glorified bodies. But, for now, we have some choices to make.

Our Choices:

²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

We are to continually go to Him for renewal. This begins with confession (1^st John 1:9) to put us back in fellowship with God. It then continues with obedience to His Word, and frequent feeding on His Word. We DO have two natures, and whichever one we feed will grow stronger.

Someone wrote the following ditty to show the truth of the two natures of the believer:

“Two natures war within my breast—the one is curs’d, the other bless’d;
The one I love; and the one I hate; but the one I feed will dominate!”

That seems an appropriate statement. You have to choose which nature to feed.

The New Man

²⁴ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Notice that God says your new nature is completely holy and righteous. So, if this were the only nature you had, you would have no problems with temptation. It simply would have no effect on you—you would have no desire to do evil. But since we do have a sin nature, we continually have to make the choice to live in submission to God, so that the new nature is dominant, not the old. Paul goes on to give some examples of how that choice behaves:

New Man: New Lifestyle

²⁵ Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Remember, this goes along with the command back in verse 15—“speaking the truth IN LOVE…” This is not a license for “telling everyone off,” and having a vicious tongue. There is no excuse for any kind of unwholesome, ugly talk, as we will see later. It is specifically an injunction to not deceive, made on the basis of our unity in Christ. The fundamental command of Christ to the church is John 13:34, 35—“…Love one another as I have loved you…” All other relational commands are to be carried out within the framework of that one command.

What about Anger?

²⁶ Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Here’s another verse that is sometimes misused—many people try to use this as an excuse for anger—they say, “Well it says here, ‘be angry’—so it can’t be sin!” But in the very same context, five verses later, he says “Put all anger away from you…”

I believe that “righteous indignation” is a possibility, because God exhibits it. But it is rarely experienced by humans. We quickly cross over into what God says is sin. However, knowing that anger is a normal human emotion, God tells us, “don’t let it result in Sin”. He goes on to say, “Don’t let the sun go down, with you still angry.” In other words, “Deal with it quickly”.

This is a tough thing to do. When we think of the thing that angered us, we get angry all over again. Someone said that anger is like a big heavy bell—if you stop pulling the rope, it will still ring for a while. But if you yank the rope again every time the bell rings, it will never stop. You have to choose to stop “pulling the rope”—it requires confession of sin on your part, forgiveness toward those who hurt you, and deliberate submission to God, by committing the situation to Him for His solution, rather than seeking your own. Remember this when reading verses 31, 32.

Anger can be an Invitation to The Enemy!

²⁷ Neither give place to the devil.

If you do cling to your anger, it allows Satan a foot-hold in your life—and he doesn’t require much of a toe-hold in order to wreak havoc. Anger is not truly unidirectional—if you hold onto anger, even though you may think you are only angry at one person, eventually it will begin to leak out into other areas, and you will increasingly become, by character, an angry person. It will affect every relationship. Deal with anger quickly, and decisively. Don’t let it destroy you and others.

More Contrasts:

²⁸ Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Here’s another contrast—He says that a thief is to stop that behavior, permanently. But, not only that, he must seek to accomplish the reverse, by working, so he will have something to give. What if we applied this principle across the board? We wouldn’t simply “not do bad things,” but we would deliberately do the good that would be the opposite of our natural bent. Think about it: What are your natural tendencies in the area of sin? Now, what would be the opposite of that sin? What can you do to practice the opposite of your natural tendencies?

**The Change Requires Opposing the Flesh**

²⁹ Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

It is more than just “bad language:” It is about the purpose and result of speech. Speech can “edify” (build up.) In contrast, it can also tear down. Speech can “minister Grace” to the hearers. In contrast, it can also deny others the experience of God’s Grace.

Is your mouth “building up” others? Is it strengthening the believers around you? Are you helping others to experience the Grace of God in their lives? If not, then meditate on this passage. I frequently do so, when I am convicted that what I have said (or thought) does not glorify God. There is a sense in which we can bless God. The way we think, and talk, can be part of that process, or stop it cold.

³⁰ And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

How does one grieve the Holy Spirit? The indwelling Holy Spirit is a person. He is grieved by anything that we do that takes away from Jesus’ glory. John 16:14 says that much of His ministry, (in fact, the underlying principle of His whole ministry) is to Glorify Jesus. When we do the opposite, we tear down the work He came to do. Can you see how that would grieve Him? And then he has to drop his ministry of teaching and blessing us, and begin convicting and correcting us. He desires to fill our lives with Grace. It grieves him when we sin.

What to Do With Anger

³¹ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

God knows our thoughts: He says “ALL”. We think that our anger is mostly righteous. God says it isn’t. He says get rid of all of it. Recognize it while it is little, and weed it out. Which is easier; to pull a tiny, baby weed, or to wait ‘til it is huge, and then pull it? Of course, it is easier when it is little. It is easier to confess and repent of minor irritation, than to deal with flaming rage!

If I learn to recognize anger when it is small, and deal with it then, it can never “blossom,” and “go to seed”. It will cause no strife, to bring new irritations and new anger. Proverbs 15:1 says “a soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up strife.” A soft answer is easier when you have confessed your irritation as anger, and have forgiven the offending party, than when you are on the brink of mayhem, and are no longer in full control of your thoughts.

Finally:

³² And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

The Love of Christ is practical: It results in kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness, based upon the forgiveness already given to us through Christ. God does not warn that we will “lose our forgiven status, if we fail to forgive;” He urges us to forgive since we are forgiven. There is great security in knowing that my sins have been forgiven. That security allows me to forgive others. God says that I am to base the way I treat others on the way He has treated me.

How do you treat the people in your life? Does God treat you that way? Has He ever “talked bad” about you? God has never been rude, or short-tempered, or selfish toward you, has He? Has He ever treated you with less than Grace? He may not always do what you want Him to do, but that is because He is God. (And we are not!)

How Do You Treat Others?

Consider how you speak…is it always geared to minister grace to the hearer? Do you speak the truth in love? What about anger? Do you secretly feel that it is OK to “tell people off?” Do you usually feel that when you are angry, “it is OK” because you are “right”?

These are all symptoms of the spiritual disease we share, called Sin. We all still have our sin nature. Yes, our sins have been forgiven, but sometimes we behave as though they had not been. God says we are no longer slaves to sin. We truly can choose to do right. We can choose to love one another, and to treat each other with kindness.

Lord Jesus, transform our lives into Your image: Change us from the inside out, and draw us along, raising us up as Your disciples, the Men and Women of God You have called us to be!

January 18, 2025January 19, 2025

How to Walk Worthy of the Calling of God (2)

Walking Worthy (2)

© C. O. Bishop
Ephesians 4:11-20

The Gifts of Christ

Last week we began to look at the gifts of Christ to the Church. We saw the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and Pastor-teachers.

**But, How Many Apostles?**

The original twelve Apostles, of course, became the Eleven, when Judas Iscariot died—so the eleven grabbed Matthias, and named him an apostle. Was he thereby an apostle? Maybe, but he was never mentioned again. And we do not see that God commanded them to choose him. On the other hand, we see no rebuke. And there are other apostles about whose lives we know very little, as well.

Paul, in contrast, was drafted by The Lord Himself, and that may have completed the twelve—though the scriptures do not say so. So, we do not know for sure who “The Twelve” are, now.

But other apostles show up, too—Barnabas was identified as an apostle in Acts 14:14. In Romans 16:7, Priscilla and Aquila were stated to be “…of note among the apostles.” (Some say that this only means the apostles took note of them…but that is not what it says, and, grammatically, it says they “are noteworthy apostles.” Perhaps grammar has changed over the years.) But there is no question about Barnabas. He is called an apostle.

And, in 1^st Corinthians 4:1-9, especially v. 6, Paul seems to identify Apollos as an apostle, as well. So how many apostles were there? And what is the prerequisite for a person to be one? Some see the passage in 1^st Corinthians 9:1 (having seen the Lord) as being a prerequisite. And, possibly it is…but, reading carefully, we see that it is a rhetorical question, with the answer being “yes” that Paul HAD seen the Lord. In 2^nd Corinthians 12:12, Paul states that the “signs of an apostle” had been wrought among the people of Corinth. In both passages, he was defending his own apostleship, not defining what makes an apostle.

**What Are the Signs of an Apostle?**

We are not told what the signs of an apostle include, but we can see numerous examples in the Acts. It may also be noteworthy that, as the book of the Acts progresses, the “signs” are fewer and fewer. The signs may have been largely transitional in nature, and may still be extant, but only where unbelieving Jews are present (1^st Corinthians 1:22; 14:22), or only where the Gospel is entering for the first time. Of all of these things I can only point to what the scriptures actually say…I have no solid conclusion to offer.

What an apostle is and does may be of greater importance. An Apostle is a “sent one”—each was sent by God to do something. Paul shows the central thrust of his ministry/gift in several places. One, in Romans 11:13, simply states that he was the “apostle to the Gentiles”. Parallel passages state that his job was to “preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8), and that he “laid the foundation…which is Christ” (1^st Corinthians 3:10, 11).

So, perhaps we could say that a missionary (provided he/she is truly sent by God) could be called an apostle: He or she is “preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ” to the heathen, planting churches, leading people to Christ, “laying the foundation of Jesus Christ” in places where the Gospel has never gone before. Does that make them an apostle? I don’t know!

I have never known a person who claimed apostleship, and the few of whom I have heard who made such a claim, seemed to have done so falsely. So, perhaps the people who say that gift was only for the “apostolic age” are correct. I simply can’t support that conclusion from scripture.

What About Prophets?

Similarly, a prophet is “one who speaks for God”…not necessarily foretelling the future. Today, (present tense) according to 1^st Corinthians 14:3 the prophet is to speak to edification, exhortation, and comfort. There is no reason to conclude that this gift has ended. But it certainly will end, according to 1^st Corinthians 13:8. Perhaps the apostles have already ceased, and perhaps true prophets are becoming scarce. But the scripture does not say they are gone.

We know for sure that the time will come when “perfection” (completion) will have arrived, and all the gifts certainly will cease to function.

In the Meantime

In the meantime, we are to grow toward this goal:

¹⁴ That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

We are to stop being deceived by bad doctrine, as if we were little children, easily led astray. That, too, will be complete when we see Him, but in the meantime, that is the goal.

In banks and credit unions, they teach tellers and other employees to recognize counterfeit money by thoroughly training them in the recognition of real money. It is impossible to train a person to recognize bad doctrine by listing all the bad doctrine and showing why it is bad. There will always be new twists on old heresies.

Training to Recognize False Teaching

But a believer can become so familiar with God’s Word, and so accustomed to heeding the Holy Spirit that it is nearly impossible to deceive him/her, since they are always “measuring what they hear by the standard of God’s Word.” (That is exactly why the Berean church was commended: see Acts 17:11) Believers seek wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit, not trusting in our own prowess as a “Biblical Scholar.”

Even if we really are “Bible Scholars,” the Holy Spirit is God, and our wisdom cannot compare with His. We need His constant supervision and care. We need to feed on God’s Word, and constantly pray for God’s wisdom. Proverbs 3:5 says “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

How We Speak

¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

We are told to grow up, then—it has not “happened” yet, in full, but the process has begun. We are to speak the truth in love. This is not a license to “blast everyone around us with our criticism, or our opinion of them or others.” The key words are Truth and Love…not the speaking. Unfortunately, we speak constantly, usually omitting either truth or love… or both.

It would be helpful if we could keep a tight enough rein on our tongue that we could consider how Jesus would have us speak before we actually do so.

¹⁶ From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

This is where the “rubber meets the road” so to speak…this is where we “put shoe leather” on the gifts of God. Paul says that the whole Body of Christ—all believers—are joined together in Him, and are each individually responsible to contribute.

“the Whole Body”
“Joined together”
“Compacted”
“Every Joint Supplies… ”
“Effectual Working”
“Every Part ”

“…maketh increase of the Body, unto the edifying (building up) of itself in Love.”

Just as a physical body grows, and functions, with every member’s participation, so the Church is to grow and function with every member’s participation.

So, What Has to Change?

¹⁷This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, ¹⁸Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: ¹⁹Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

²⁰But ye have not so learned Christ;

We are not to live as we used to live. Remember that in Ephesians 2:1-4, we saw that all of us, prior to salvation, were slaves to sin: We lived out our various desires, at whatever level, perhaps thinking we were “good:” But all of us were under the direct influence of Satan, and in reality, we lived to fulfill our fleshly desires. (That was the Bad News! The Good News is in verse 4: “But God, who is rich in Mercy, for His Great Love, wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. (By Grace ye are Saved!)”

Who Makes the Change?

You see, God stepped in to change our life trajectory: instead of being headed for eternal destruction, we are now headed for eternal Peace with God. And, as our Position has changed (we are now in Christ) He calls us to stop acting as though nothing has changed! Do not behave the way you used to behave! At that time, your understanding was darkened. You were ignorant of God, ignorant of His Holiness, and ignorant of His Word. In Fact, God says your heart was blind! He said that the unbelievers greedily go after uncleanness. But none of that is true of you anymore: So, don’t behave as if nothing has changed.

That is NOT what Jesus has taught you: It is NOT what the Holy Spirit is teaching you!

How Can We Apply This Truth?

We do not all have the same gifts, abilities, or capacities, but we have the same collective responsibility to submit to God, emulate His Holiness and Love, and to seek to win the lost.

In 1^st Corinthians 15:34, Paul chided the believers, saying “make the most of every opportunity, for some have not the knowledge of God; I speak this to your shame.”

I don’t want to be ashamed when I consider my relationship with God…but I frequently am. It is all too easy to miss the opportunities he provides, and later realize that yet another opportunity to serve, or to bless, or simply to behave in a Christlike manner has slipped through my fingers. And that opportunity is lost forever.

Each of us can pray. We all can worship. We all can tell someone how we became a believer. Each of us can strive to be a blessing to those around us. In John 6:29,Jesus said, “…this is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” We all begin there, by believing God! We take Him at His Word. But we all can look for more opportunities to exercise faith, as He leads us. And… God definitely has called each of us to be transformed by His Spirit.

Next week we will see what the Church looks like when everyone functions.

Lord Jesus, awaken us to Your call on our lives and teach us to walk with You in such a way as to glorify You with our words, actions, and attitudes.

January 11, 2025January 11, 2025

How to Walk Worthy of the Calling of God

Walking Worthy (1)

© C. O. Bishop

Ephesians 4:1-13
¹ I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
² With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Introduction:

What Is Our Calling?

According to Romans 1:7, we are called saints—Holy ones. We are called holy by God (which by the way is authoritative: not just an opinion or wishful thinking.) And, we are called to BE holy, by the Grace of God.

But what does that look like? Do we wear white robes and walk around with a pious look, or a trance-like look? (Everyone would just think we were on drugs!) Paul goes on to explain “what it looks like” to walk worthy of the calling with which we are called. He says it involves humility, not pride, and yieldedness (meekness) not self-will.

Submission to God

We tend to “show up for work ,” before the Lord, and say, “G’mornin’ Lord! Here’s what I’m gonna do for You today…after I’ve had my coffee…heh heh…” But, God is interested in workers who will do His will, not theirs, in His timing, not theirs. And He wants workers who see themselves through clear eyes…soberly, as it says in Romans 12:3. We are to see ourselves as God sees us…saved sinners, indwelt by a Holy God. It is difficult to imagine such a person feeling smug about his own holiness, or stubborn about his own will.

Unity

Further, He wants us to get along with one another. We are indwelt with the Holy Spirit of God, and we still have trouble getting along. If we were to constantly remember our position in Christ, and our status as saved sinners, made holy by a holy God, it seems we would get along with one another, as well. He says we are to be longsuffering, and forbearing, toward one another.

Longsuffering

We tend to simply think “longsuffering” is patience…but I think, though longsuffering is almost an archaism, it is a stronger word. The word “suffer,” in old English, means to “allow.” Jesus told John the Baptist, “Suffer it to be so for now…” meaning, “allow this to happen.”

Longsuffering toward one another means that we are not to be irritated by one another, but to see everyone, even the unsaved, as precious souls for whom Jesus died, and the saved, particularly, as our brothers in Christ—precious to us. They may do things that are irritating, but, as God is longsuffering toward us, we must be longsuffering toward them. We are to allow them to be who they are, without becoming defensive or resentful.

Forbearance

“Forbearing” carries a similar idea—that we are to put up with one another. Not grimly hanging on, gritting our teeth, and rolling our eyes, as it were, and “putting up with” one another as a grievous burden, but “forbearing one another in love.”

There are things in the lives of people whom we love which we cheerfully endure as a part of the package that is “them.” Perhaps “endearing quirks” in our mate, or “amusing eccentricities” in our grandfather, or “cute” naughtiness in our children or grandchildren. These are the things that, in a co-worker or neighbor, or someone else’s child, we might find irritating, or even infuriating. But God says we are to treat all our brothers and sisters with the same tender forbearance that we would our best friend, our spouse, or our grandchild. “Forbearing one another in love.”

Endeavoring to Keep the Unity of the Spirit

³ Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Notice simply that the command is to “endeavor” – a continual attempt—to “keep,” not “make” the unity of the Spirit. This is the unity with which God is primarily concerned: The unity of the Spirit…not the artificial “unity” that we create with pacts, covenants, and creeds, or church constitutions, with their innumerable bylaws.

This is the Unity that God created, by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We are to make it our business to keep that unity, in the bond of peace. God says that we are to be at peace with one another, and that we are to maintain the unity that He created, in the bond of peace. Paul begins to lay out the basis for that unity, here, in the following verses:

⁴   There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
⁵   One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
⁶   One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Seven God-given Unities are Listed:

One Body
One Spirit
One Hope of our Calling
One Lord
One Faith
One Baptism
One God and Father

If all these unities are in place, then I have no right to break unity with someone, even if I find them to be difficult to get along with. We may just have “some work to do” in our relationship.

Is the person, with whom I am struggling to be at peace, a fellow believer? Then we both belong to that One Body of Christ. We are indwelt by that One Spirit, and we share in One Hope of our collective Calling. Also, we have One Lord, and we admit no other. We have One Faith in His completed work at Calvary, and in the Risen Savior who is coming again. We have both been baptized into the Body of Christ with that One Baptism that the Holy Spirit accomplishes in every believer at the moment of salvation. And, finally, there is only One God, who has begotten us both anew, by His Grace, through faith.

Now—is the person simply someone who says they “believe in the One God ,” but who does not share our faith that Jesus’ blood is the propitiation for our sins? Then the unity is not complete, and, while we are still to love that person, there can be no true fellowship, as they are not saved. They are not part of that one Body, as they do not believe that Jesus’ blood is the sacrifice that satisfies God’s Holiness. They have not been indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and the apparent “lack of unity” is simply a result of the Missing Unity.

We are to maintain the existing unity, not cobble together a man-made unity. What should that look like?

The Gifts of Christ

⁷ But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Paul goes on to explain that we are all given gifts by which to participate in the unity of the Body of Christ. As in a physical body, where every cell has a purpose, in the Body of Christ every believer has a function. (See verse 16) We are all to function as members of the Body. Our specific tasks may differ widely, but we still are members of that One Body, and need to function that way. Let’s read:

⁸ Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. ⁹ (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

“How” and “When,” first: then “What” and “Why”

Paul prefaces his remarks on function with an explanation of how and when the gifts came into being: When Jesus ascended back to God, he led a host of previously captive souls with him: Those who had been in Paradise, the “pleasant” half of Sheol, the place of the righteous dead, went with him into Heaven. The way had been opened with the tearing of the temple veil —It previously stood as a sign that the way to God was not yet open. But, when Jesus died, the veil was torn, and theway was opened for all who desire to enter in, by His Blood, and through that veil.

He goes on to say that at that time, Jesus endowed the Church with gifts. Paul does not give a list of many gifts, here …in fact, here he lists only four gifts (called the gift of Christ) that are given to the Church, and which are people, not practices. Other lists include the other gifts, given to individuals.

The Office Gifts…Gifts of Christ

¹¹ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

The people listed here—or their offices—are gifts to the church…these persons planted, strengthened, taught, and managed the church. Their purpose was to equip the saints to do the work of service…the work of the “ministry.” Notice it does not say that they are to “do the work of the ministry :” They are to equip the saints for the work of the ministry.

Many teachers assume that the Apostles and Prophets existed only for the time of Christ, and the transition period of the beginning of the Church age. There is some scriptural reason to think that: However, the following verses give me pause, as they contain a time–clause that has NOT been completed. The word “till” (or, “until”) in verse 13 establishes the longevity of the gifts.

¹³ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

You see, none of the above has happened yet—we have not all come in the unity of the faith, of the full knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect (complete, or mature) man, etc.. We have not become fully mature, in the full measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

When Will The Gifts Cease?

It will not happen fully until we are with Him. 1^st John 3:2 says that when we see him, we shall be like Him…not before. In 1^st Corinthians 13:8-13, we see that the gifts will cease…and also when it will happen. It says they will cease when “the perfect comes.”

We will get our new bodies, and the church will be complete (perfect) in every sense, at the Rapture. Not before.

The perfect will have come; we will see Him face to face; we will know Him fully, even as we are also fully known, when we see Jesus face to face, as the completed Church. Not before.

From those three passages (1^st Corinthians 13:8-13, Ephesians 4:13, and 1^st John 3:2) I must conclude that all the gifts probably are still extant, though not in the way that the charismatic movement portrays them.

We will talk more about the gifts next week.

Lord Jesus, please draw us to believe Your Word, as opposed to believing the many voices teaching us otherwise. Sometimes Your Word is difficult to understand. Let us strive to understand what You actually say, not water it down and miss the meaning.

January 4, 2025January 4, 2025

Beginning a New Year, and Considering the New Foundation

Introduction:

As a believer, I think it is good to occasionally take a “What Now?” Break: just to take stock, and determine our next step.

There are five ways we tend to make decisions:

One is by Habit—just do what we have always done.
Another is Convenience—just do what requires the least effort, or thought.
Another is Peer Pressure—Just do what pleases our friends, or family, etc.
A fourth is Default—we’ve made so many bad decisions, no good choices are left!

But God wants us to make decisions by Direction from His Word. God wants us to consciously align ourselves with His Word, and daily make the choice to obey Him. Sometimes it becomes a moment-by-moment battle, but it is always a choice.

The New Foundation

As believers, we have begun something new in our lives—maybe it was two, ten, twenty, or more years ago—we began a new life, in a new location. We were in Adam, but now we are in Christ. When we trusted Jesus’ finished work at the Cross, depending upon His shed blood for the forgiveness of our sins, we were born again, in Christ.

1^st Corinthians 15:22 says that we were “In Adam”, and that we are now “In Christ”. “In Adam, all died: In Christ all shall be made alive…” The issue is our position, in Christ.

Ephesians 2:19-22, says that there has been a sharp change—I am no more a stranger to God, nor to His people. I am a fellow-citizen with His Saints, and in fact, I belong to His household. I am now a child of God. Furthermore, he says, I am “built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.”

How Was the Foundation Laid?

1^st Corinthians 3:10, 11 says, “According to the grace of God which is given unto me (doing what he is gifted to do) as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

So, the foundation IS Jesus, and the apostles (like Paul) are the ones who “laid that foundation” as they did their jobs as church-planters and evangelists. Jesus is the foundation and the cornerstone of the whole church: the Apostles and Prophets are part of the foundation of the church in the sense that through them came the Word of God, and the Church is founded upon God’s Word. But remember: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus is still the whole foundation.

That new Foundation is firm: it’s secure. In Luke 6:47-49, Jesus said that anyone who hears His Word, and obeys it, is like a man who builds his house by digging deep and laying his foundation on a rock (the word here is “Petra” meaning “bedrock”—a monolith—not flagstone, or gravel). He says when the floods come, that house is unshakeable. The contrast is given in both Matthew and Luke, of the man who hears the Word, but does NOT obey, being like someone who builds his house on the earth, or, in Matthew, it says “the sand”, and when the floods came, the house fell because, effectively, there was no foundation.

What is the Problem With Sand?

Perhaps we have poured a slab of concrete: we bolted everything to that slab. We say it is a firm foundation. But if the concrete is on sand—and, if the groundwater takes away the sand, the foundation will move, and crack under its own weight, and the house will be destroyed.

Most sand is made of tiny pieces of rock. (Not all sand is rock —some is coral, or even seashells, ground fine by the waves.) But those tiny pieces of rock, though they are as hard, individually, as the original bedrock, are useless as foundations. They are fragmented.

In Matthew 16:13-18 Jesus said (specifically about the truth that He is “…the Christ, the Son of the living God”,) “…on this Rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The word he chose there is “petra”—a feminine word, specifically meaning bedrock—a monolith. (He also called Peter “a rock,” but the word he chose there was “petros,” meaning a stone—something you can pick up and move.) This truth— the bedrock of the Gospel— is the monolith upon which we are to depend.

Other “truths,” whether creeds, ethical codes, or human standards, though seemingly dependable, are only a conglomeration of ideas. They are not firm as a collection: they are like “fragments of stone”…sand. Human reasoning, though it contains many truths, is still like “sand.” There is no underlying monolith…no bedrock of truth on which to build a life.

No Other Foundation

There is no other foundation that can be laid, and none is needed. Once the foundation of Christ is laid, we begin to build upon it. Jesus is the foundation of each believer’s life.

Each of you has placed your trust in the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Savior: God’s chosen sacrifice! That one monolithic truth, the fact that Jesus Himself is God’s only solution to sin, death, the grave, and eternal judgment, is the only foundation we can have. That foundation is strong and eternal. It’s secure: It won’t crack, rot, erode, or burn.

So—What Now?

If that foundation was laid in my life, however many years ago, what should I do about it now? Should I just sit back and wait for the Lord’s return? I am already part of the building, right? Well, yes. But there is more to the story:

There is an individual sense in which Jesus Christ is not “just” the foundation of the whole church, but also the foundation of the individual Christian’s life.

Let’s go back to 1^st Corinthians 3:10-15. (read it)

Paul says we need to pay attention to how we are building on the foundation in our lives. We are constantly building—and in only two categories. (It looks like six, because there are six things listed, but they fall into two categories: combustible and noncombustible.)

One Test For Eternal Value

In the final analysis, the test will be on the eternal quality of the work we do. The Foundation is secure. Let’s read: He says “… every man’s work will be tested by fire—if his work remains, he shall receive a reward: if his work burns, he shall suffer loss, yet he himself shall be saved, though as one escaping through the flame.”

The Foundation is Rock…it will never burn. Our works, though built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ in our life, may or may not burn—it depends on Who initiated them—Who enabled them? Jesus said, in John 3:19, that “…he that doeth truth (acting in obedience to the principles of God’s Word) comes to the light that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” Paul touches on the same idea in Philippians 2:13, saying, “…it is God who works in you, both to will and to do what pleases Him.”

Only God Builds Eternal Structures.

God laid out that same concept a thousand years earlier, saying, (Psalm 127:1) “Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it…”

Jesus agreed, in John 15:5, that, “…apart from Me ye can do nothing.” Now, if any human had said that (and humans HAVE said it), it would be the grossest arrogance. When Jesus said it, it was the simplest truth…Jesus is the Creator and the Sustainer of all things. Colossians 1:17 says, “In Him, all things hold together.” Neither we nor anyone else can even exist apart from Him, let alone accomplish anything of lasting value.

But His works have eternal value. And He says we will receive rewards for allowing Him to work through us. So…what should we do now? Paul says, “Take Heed!” Pay attention! Listen to what the Lord says in His Word, and make it a growing, vital part of your life. The Psalmist poses the question, in Psalm 119:9, “How shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy Word.” The truth hasn’t changed over the years, though the circumstances often have changed.

Making it Personal

I am on the Rock Foundation of Jesus Christ. But what comes of that, in terms of reward, is entirely dependent upon my continuing response to His Lordship. If I take it lightly, he will hold no honor in store for me. 1st Samuel 2:30 says, “…them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” We would never go so far as to say we despised the Lord, but what else can you call it, when we ignore His Word?

Remember that He is so closely linked with His Word, that Jesus is called “The Word.” When we either ignore what we know of His Word, or we refuse to feed on His Word, so as to learn more, or we neglect to make Him the center of our life, we are despising His Word—and Him.

A Warning From God

Look at the context of 1^st Samuel 2:30—this was a warning, actually a pronouncement of judgment, to a priest—a believer—a genuine man of God, who had become lax. He was no longer “taking heed”. He hadn’t really heard the Word of God in years. When God chose to speak again, he did so through young Samuel. And the very first message was one of judgment.

I really do NOT want God to have to “shake his head and call me home,” as He did Eli, the priest. I want to be faithful to His commandment. My desire is to obey God’s Word: to honor the Lord Jesus with my life and be a blessing to my family, to the church, and others. But, I cannot do it except by His empowering Holy Spirit. I have no capacity to live for God, on my own. When Jesus said, “Apart from Me, ye can do nothing,” He meant exactly that.

The Continuing Contrast

In Galatians 5:16-23 (read) Paul states a contrast between two things that sound like extremes: One seems to be total depravity as the result of living in the flesh. The other seems to be some sort of total sanctity, as a result of allowing the Holy Spirit to live through us. But the fact is, those ARE the choices. You either allow the Holy Spirit to live through you, resulting in the kind of a life that God can bless, and that produces works having eternal value (and rewards), or you live in the flesh, thus producing works of temporal value at best, and often of obvious negative value.

Our old nature is not only completely corrupt: Ephesians 4:22-24 says it is getting worse! And, the new nature is not just “better:” GOD says it is created in HIS likeness, in Righteousness, and in True Holiness. We do have a choice, but there is no middle ground. There is no in-between…there is no “neutral.” On a moment-by-moment basis, we are either building with non-combustiblematerials, or we are building with combustible material. And the day is coming when it will all be tested, simultaneously.

How Should We Then Live?

We need to be in the Word. We need to be in Prayer. Of course, we need to be in Fellowship with God, through obedience to His Word, and in Fellowship with other believers by deliberate choice to join with them, and to meet one another’s needs. We need to pray together, study together, and grow together. He calls us to love one another and to love the Lord together. We have the foundation, Jesus Christ. But living by his direction, in fellowship with Him is the only way to build on that foundation anything of lasting value. We have to choose to do so every day—every hour—sometimes on a moment-by-moment basis.

How Will You Choose?

Will you choose by habit, and just do what you have always done?
Might you choose by convenience, and just do what is easy?
Will you choose by peer pressure, so as not to alienate your family or friends?
Will you choose by default, because you wait until there are no more choices?

Or, will you choose by direction from God’s Word, and in obedience to His Holy Spirit? That is the only choice that will result in God’s blessing, and building for eternal reward.

I pray that I, as an individual, and that we, as a church, will choose to build wisely.

December 28, 2024December 28, 2024

How To Maintain The Seven-fold Unity of the Spirit

The Seven-fold Unity of the Spirit

Ephesians 4:3-6 (Read it)

Introduction:

I don’t know what your inward thoughts may be, but, in my flesh,I know I feel perfectly free to mentally dismiss another person, just because I disapprove of something in their life. We used to say, “I don’t like the way he parts his hair,” when we really meant, “I have taken an unreasoning dislike to that person.”

Many of us think we have “personal freedom” to like or dislike people on a whim. We may exclude someone from our personal sphere of fellowship because of some small difference of opinion. The problem with this behavior is that God says we do not have that right!

Last time we spoke, we saw that Ephesians 4:3 says , “endeavor to maintain the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” It is a command: Though it is stated as a plea, that is a command. In order to obey a command, one must at least understand what it says. So; what in the world is the “Unity of the Spirit?” And how do we “endeavor to maintain” it?

The Seven-Fold Unity of the Spirit

God centers our real, God-established unity around seven things:

One Body
One Spirit
One Hope of our Calling
One Lord
One Faith
One Baptism
One God and Father

If all of those unities are in place, we are not to break fellowship. If someone is deliberately teaching contrary to those, then they are heretical, that is, “causing division,” and must be avoided.

Not “Human-Sourced”

None of those seven are “humanly established”—they are simply facts, established by God. Based on those seven unities, which, together, comprise the Unity of the Spirit, we are to function in unity as well. We are not to have discord among us. Proverbs 6:16-19 gives us a pretty good idea about how God feels about disunity: “These six things doth the LORD hate, yea, seven are an abomination unto him…” Sowing discord among brethren is one of ‘em, folks. So let’s take a closer look at the Unity of the Spirit, with a view as to how we are to maintain it.

Why “Seven?”

First, it seems appropriate to point out what may be obvious to many…the unity is Seven-fold. Many times, in scripture, God uses the number “seven,” to convey a sense of “completeness.” For instance, the judgments in the book of The Revelation include seven “seals,” within the seventh of which are seven blasts of angelic trumpets—the seventh of which is commonly referred to as the “Last Trumpet,” or the “Trumpet of Doom.” Within that seventh trumpet are seven bowls or vials. This is the completion of Man’s reign on earth. “Three” is often seen as the number of humanity…and “seven,” the number of completion. Hence three sevens, nested within one another.

Jesus lists seven churches in Revelation chapters 2-3, summing up either the possible attributes of all local churches, or spanning the complete history of the Church age…or both, depending on how one sees it.

But here we have the Unity of the Spirit, given by God as a completed entity; “no assembly required, no batteries needed.” All we are told to do is maintain it. So…how do we do that? By not breaking it unnecessarily. Church splits and fractured unity are so common, today, that the world sees us as a laughingstock.

They talk about “believing Baptists”…meaning, “if we don’t fully agree, we’ll ‘be leaving!’” Believers hop from church to church, finding something in every assembly to justify their leaving, frequently in a self-righteous huff.

But, God says “maintain the Unity of the Spirit”…endeavor to do so—work at it! That is what “endeavor” means…it isn’t simply that we should half-heartedly “try.” (“Well, we did our best, but you can’t be friends with everybody…”) God says, “Work at it. Endeavor to keep it.”

There is Only One Body of Christ.

We talk of the various denominations as being different churches, and, in a sense, they are. But the only acceptable division is to be geographical, and demographic, in the sense of language, culture, etc. It is never to be a division regarding some obscure doctrine, or “which teacher a particular assembly likes to follow.” Look at 1^st Corinthians 1:11-13: Paul notes that specific reason for divisions and he utterly condemns it. He points out that neither he nor Apollos were anything important…and, more importantly, that Christ is not divided. Nor is the Body of Christ to be divided.

There were numerous house-churches in larger cities, but, in general, it seems, there were only geographical differences; the church at Ephesus—the Churches of Galatia, etc. It was not the “First Baptist Church of West New Orleans” or some such thing. At most, it might be the “Church that meets at Chloe’s house.” Again, geography was the only barrier.

Could language be a barrier? Certainly, it could be. It is tough to fellowship freely with someone whose language is completely foreign to you. But remember: all members of the Body of Christ speak Agapé as their native language. I have had good (but limited) fellowship with believers of other languages. The Love and acceptance were there…we just couldn’t talk about it much.

There is Only One Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is God. There is only one of Him, and he indwells every single real believer, individually. He does not need us to tell them how to live. He tells them in His Word, and He tells them by his guidance of their new nature. Does he send believers to correct other believers? Surely He does! But we frequently specialize in “correcting” areas concerning which the Holy Scriptures are utterly silent…and we often ignore things about which it is clear. And when we do attempt to “correct” someone, too often we are not in tune with the Holy Spirit, because the correction is not born of Love, but of condemnation and pride.

The same Spirit indwells us all and makes us one in Christ. Bear that in mind, regarding people with whom you have “personality conflicts.” (God has a shorter word for this: He calls it “Sin.”)

The Holy Spirit never leads contrary to the Written Word of God. Remember this, when someone (maybe you) claims that “The Holy Spirit is leading them to” do such and such. If it is clearly contrary to sound doctrine, then it is not the Holy Spirit doing the leading. There is only One Holy Spirit, and He never creates division, except to demand that believers follow the Word of God…you see, not all of them want to do so. We are to endeavor to maintain His unity.

There is Only One Hope of our Calling.

Did you think there is a different heaven for other churches, maybe? All real believers are headed for the same real place, facing the same real God, standing before the same real Judgment Seat of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:10, 11) Do you want to stand next to someone at that Judgment Seat, and for the first time in forever, see them as your beloved brother or sister, with whom you should have been having pure fellowship, but with whom you only had discord? How will that feel? On what basis do you feel justified in rejecting any believer you have known? Or, having been on the receiving end, by what excuse have they rejected you? (Usually, it is mutual.)

Remember that you will spend eternity with that person. Better to learn to love them now, rather than to go through life having your fellowship with God damaged by your bad relationship with other believers. Do you think that can’t happen? Peter specifically warned husbands to love their wives in a particular way, so that their prayers would not be hindered. (1^st Peter 3:7)

There is Only One Lord.

The “One Lord” is referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. One might think that this one is a “given.” But many people have taken license to “re-construct Jesus” to their own specifications. One aspect of this “re-construction” is that they generally conclude that Jesus is not God in the Flesh, but rather (pick one):

Just a great teacher and prophet
An exalted man
A powerful spirit being
A lesser god
Or some other form of created being, but NOT the Creator.

Sorry…any doctrine that concludes Jesus is other than the Everlasting Father is false . Why do I say this? I mean, really…: He is God the SON, right? (Turn to Isaiah 9:6, 7.)

“His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, THE mighty God, THE everlasting Father.” (There it is!) Do you know what Jesus said about this? He claimed to be the Judge of all the Earth (John 5:22…compare Genesis 18:25). He said that all men were to honor Him “as they honor the Father” and He went on to say that if they do not honor the Son (to that level) then they do not honor the Father who sent Him. (John 5:23)

Make a Choice!

That’s a pretty straight, hard, clean “line in the sand,” if you ask me. You either see Jesus as THE God of the Universe, or you do not truly see him.

Further, his character and doctrine are carefully laid out in the Word of God. He is not some radical philosopher, or social activist, or ascetic monk, or any of the other ways he has been portrayed; he is the Holy God of the Universe, in Human flesh. Fully Man…and fully God.

Deal with it! Embrace it! Accept him as the Bible teaches him to be! And, if the church you are attending does not honor him in that way, then you may prayerfully consider finding a church that does. One thing all the “cults” have in common is that they all claim to honor Jesus, but none (that I am aware of) embrace his deity as spelled out in scripture.

One further point: He is Lord! He is the Master. We are to obey him in all things, and when we do, there will be unity. There can only be disunity when we are not following Him. Dr. McGee points out that, when an orchestral conductor lifts his baton, all the players’ eyes are on him and all their instruments are silent. When the conductor begins the count, the instruments all come in at their proper times, playing their proper melodies, counterpoints, harmonies, etc.! Why?

Because; (a) they have the written music before them, (b) they are in full agreement as to what it says, and (c) they have agreed to allow the Conductor to interpret it for the group. Make no mistake—the Conductor is Christ…not some pastor or teacher. But when we are in tune, and following that Conductor, we will be in harmony here on Earth.

There is Only One Faith.

Throughout history, people have tried to codify this “one faith” in creeds, each claiming to outline the “one true faith.” The word “catholic” has been stolen by a particular group of people claiming to have that “one true faith.” The English word “catholic” used to only mean “universal”…but now it is so completely associated with the Roman Catholic sect, that I never use the word in teaching. I am trying to not cause doctrinal confusion. When that word is used, today, every single hearer automatically thinks of Romanism, not the unity of the body of Christ. So I have abandoned that term to the opposition. The concept is what matters.

We believe the Bible to be literally God’s written Word, and, in the original Manuscripts, without error. Could someone be saved and have some doubts about that? Certainly, they could. Many do, because of bad teaching. But could they miss the fact that Jesus is the only Savior and that His blood was shed as the single payment for the sins of the whole world and still be saved? I would have trouble with that one unless they were a brand-new believer, and completely untaught. At some point, the “One Faith” has to center on the “One Savior.”

There may be various digressions into error that would not separate them from the Person of Christ, but any teaching that turns the heart of the believer away from a personal faith in the living Christ as being their only avenue to God is at least suspect, and probably fatally flawed.

What is the “Apostles’ Doctrine?”

Acts 2:42 refers to “the Apostle’s Doctrine.” I would say that is the same as the “one faith.” If you want to see what it entails, then study the epistles. The epistles comprise the Apostle’s Doctrine. Most churches have a “doctrinal statement,” somewhere, that can be requested and read. I am told that we have one somewhere, but I’m not sure I have seen it.

We simply believe the Bible is the Word of God and that it is completely true: that it is meant to be understood and, where applicable, obeyed. We believe that Jesus truly is who he said he was…God in the Flesh, and the only Savior. We believe that faith alone, in response to His Grace is all that is required for salvation. We believe that one can know now…today…that one has eternal life; and that one’s sins have been completely forgiven. All these are part of that “One Faith.”

There is Only One Baptism:

This is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, wherein He permanently places the believer into the Body of Christ. (1^st Corinthians 12:13) This is not water-baptism. There are many different forms of water baptism, and we are not to break fellowship over them. Oddly enough, the main contention over the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is concerning when it occurs.

According to the scriptures, it happens at the moment of salvation. Romans 8:9 states that if you don’t have the Holy Spirit, then you aren’t saved. So it has to happen at the moment of salvation. Jesus stated (John 5:24) that when a person hears the Gospel and believes it, they are saved. They have eternal life at that moment. So, it must happen at the moment one places his or her faith in Jesus as his/her savior.

There is Only One God and Father of all.

Many have interpreted this to mean that God is the Father of all Humans. Jesus showed the falsehood of that teaching. He told the Pharisees that they were of their Father, the Devil (John 8:44). Paul confirmed, in Ephesians 2, that we were (past tense) all the children of wrath, by nature—by birth. In Romans 5:10 he stated that we were all the enemies of God…not his beloved children.

But that One God and Father, who is the Father of all believers, through the new birth, is the One to whom we owe our Love and Worship. Remember that Jesus is called the Everlasting Father. Do I understand the Trinity? No! Absolutely not! But do I preach it? Yes, absolutely! And that One God is above all else; He is through all time and Space, and He is in all true believers. He is preeminent, omnipotent, omnipresent, and indwelling His children forever.

How Do We Maintain Unity?

Based on these seven facts that collectively form the “Unity of the Spirit” we are commanded to maintain Love and fellowship between ourselves and all other believers. It is possible that some differences, while they do NOT destroy unity or fellowship might still be a practical hindrance to working together, say, in Evangelism. Paul admits this. But we are still free to work separately, rejoicing that they, too, are carrying the Gospel to those who have not heard it.

So, rather than bicker, let’s get on with the job, ourselves, and not allow our petty disagreements to defile the message of Christ. We all have work to do, and we are all called to work with Jesus at that task.

God give us Grace to Work together, and to Love one another, in Jesus’ Name.
Amen!

December 21, 2024December 22, 2024

How to Find Comfort in Christmas Throughout the Year

Finding Comfort in Christmas Throughout the Year

All in reference to Luke 2:1-20, comparing with other scriptures.

How do we Truly feel about Christmas?

To those of us who have recently lost loved ones, and to those of us who suffer from depression, or have experienced the loss of a job, etc., Christmas is not “the most wonderful time of the year.” It’s the very worst.

Our society has taught us to expect sunny feelings of joy and happiness, and to expect to give and receive wonderful gifts, and that everyone will love one another, and politicians will all tell the truth… and that “Santa Claus is coming…” and it is all these unfulfilled expectations that cause the feelings of disappointment, grief, and depression that frequent the holiday season for many people; especially those grieving the loss of loved ones.

There is a reason why police and emergency medical personnel refer to this season as the “suicide season.” There are more self-inflicted deaths in the country during this season than at any other time of year. And it is increasing as our nation has turned its collective eyes away from the Christ: the Person of Christmas, and the only source of real lasting joy.

To those of us who hurt, or who have suffered loss, all of the above seems a cruel hoax. And in some ways, it is, even if those who are responsible for the deceit truly meant no harm. We have been given false expectations. We have been taught to turn our eyes away from the real truth. But, let’s see if we can turn that around, just for a moment…just for today….

The Birth of Christ:

Let’s go back and consider the first Christmas…the real one…the one that no one really noticed except some farmer types…shepherds, in fact. It happened in a barn; a stable, if you want to be specific. There was no tree, no tinsel, no eggnog. “No crib, for a bed….” The only “gift” in sight was a baby. “For God so loved the World, that He gave his only begotten son…” (We don’t think of it very often, but the wise men showed up quite some time later—not that day…probably not that year. But when they did arrive, remember; they brought gifts to HIM, and not to one another.) But those who were there—those shepherds— were overwhelmed with joy. Why?

How is it that without any of the things we think ought to be there, the partakers of that first Christmas were filled with joy? Mary was having her first baby…do you think maybe she would have liked to have her Mom, or an Aunt, or someone like that to help her?

How do you suppose Joseph felt about the accommodations? Do you think a stable would have been his first choice as a place for his young wife to give birth? And the shepherds? They still had to go back to those sheep, and the smelly, hard job that was their whole life. They got no day off for Christmas…no bonus; no free turkey, or whatever. Just… great joy. Why??

Real source for Real Joy

Do you suppose they understood a little about what had happened? They were all orthodox Jews, and they, with their forefathers, had been waiting for the Messiah for thousands of years. The promises were there, for anyone to read. And the angels that showed up clearly told them that this was it: The real fulfillment of God’s real promise.

Did they understand all of it? Nope. They almost certainly did not. In fact, they may have had some serious disappointments a few years down the road. They thought he was come to be a king (He was!), and a deliverer (He was!). But they also thought he would throw the Romans out of Israel, and reign there in Jerusalem in their lifetimes. (He did not, and He never said he would.)

Their later disappointments were based on false expectations, just like ours. But those who remembered could look back with wonder and recall the voices of the angels, praising God, and announcing the Holy birth. They did not cease to believe in the goodness of God, and his faithfulness.

**So, What WAS the Promise?**

We have forgotten what was really promised, and how we are to take part in it. There is no promise to us, that we will “live lives free of pain.” Quite the opposite: God says that it is given unto us “…on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on His name but also to suffer for His sake.” (Philippians 1:29) That’s not what we really hoped to hear, is it?

So what really was promised, and how do we take part in God’s real Christmas? How can we find Comfort in Christmas?

First Promise

To begin with, immediately after Adam and Eve fell into sin, as recorded in Genesis, God prescribed a plan of redemption. He said that a person would come, called the “Seed of the Woman”, and this person would undo Satan’s work, done through the serpent. We discover later, in the New Testament, that the plan was actually laid before the Creation: God knew what was going to happen, and He prepared in advance.

The promise was repeated, with more and more details, until just before the time of Christ (actually, the last detail was given right about 400 years before his birth), so that if they were actually reading and studying God’s Word, they pretty much knew all that was supposed to happen regarding the Messiah. They did not understand it all, any more than we can claim to understand it all today, though (as we do) they had all the information.

Trusting in The Character and Promises of God

But the believers, mostly Jews, had come to believe in the character of God, and they believed His Word was true. They believed his promises. When he told them to place their trust in His redemptive plan, and it involved a blood sacrifice, they brought that blood sacrifice, as directed. Did they understand it? Did they really know that all those little lambs were “pointing forward” to the One True Lamb of God? Somehow I doubt it.

When John the Baptist introduced Jesus, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” some understood the intent; though most did not. But many believed that He was the fulfillment of God’s Promise. We can look back and see that they were right. He fulfilled God’s Word to the letter…even that thing about being the “Seed of Woman”. (Who else in history has only one human parent?)

Fulfillment

Jesus was born in obscurity, with shepherds rejoicing, and few others even taking notice. He preached in a tiny nation, for three years or a bit more. He had twelve devoted followers, about ten times that number who were part-timers, and thousands who claimed allegiance to him. But he was betrayed by one of those “inner-circle twelve” (Judas Iscariot) and he died a criminal’s death, condemned by Jew and Gentile alike. He was attended at His death by only one of his twelve disciples, and a few women, including his mother. (We don’t know the names of the few who stayed and watched, but He does.)

He was lent a tomb by a rich man (Joseph of Arimathea) who secretly believed. It turned out Jesus only needed it for three days and three nights, just as predicted. He was physically resurrected that third day, in spite of efforts aimed at preventing such an occurrence, and he showed himself to all his close disciples, and on one occasion to 500 people at once. He ascended back to God, physically; bodily. And He promised to return in the same manner: Physically…Bodily.

Why We Find Hope

Those who do find comfort in Christmas, whether Jew or Gentile, do so because that day was the beginning of all that was to follow. They find hope in the Christ, in the Cross, and in the empty tomb. We find hope in his resurrection, and in his promised soon return.

All believers find hope in His written Word, where He promised, personally, that “Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16)

We look back to that first Christmas and the unspeakable gift of God’s Son, and we find comfort in the Goodness of the God who gave the Gift. When we suffer losses, we look back to what our redemption really cost our Lord, and our Heavenly Father. We trust in Him to do all things well. We trust in Him to give what is best, even when we think things ought to proceed in a different way.

**How do we Receive that Promise?**

How can we take part in God’s real Christmas? Jesus said “He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed over from death into life.” (John 5:24)

Notice the tenses there—he covers my present, saying that because I have heard his Word, and believed the promise of God, I have eternal life now…I don’t have to wait ‘til I die to see if I got “good enough grades”. He covers my future, promising that I will never be condemned by God: He is never going to give up on me, even if I fail miserably in my attempts to serve Him. He covers my past (perfect tense), saying that I have permanently crossed over from being spiritually dead, to being spiritually alive.

This is the hope of all believers. And those of us who believe, and who have lost one or more believing loved ones, have the sure hope of seeing them again. There are some we are not sure of, because we can’t see their hearts, but God knows, and His justice is perfect. He loves them more than we ever could; and we rest in hope, assured that he has done right by them.

Christmas, the way the World presents it, can be very depressing, quite honestly. But the way God presents His gift it is a never-ending source of joy—it is not “seasonal” at all. We simply have to choose to rest in that gift, to rest in His character, and to experience the peace, hope and joy He brings.

So, to each of you, in the Name of the Christ of Christmas, I wish you a truly joyous Christmas season that will last throughout the year.

Blessings upon you all.

December 14, 2024December 14, 2024

How to Apply Agapé Love to Maintain Unity

Ephesians 4:1-3

Introduction:

The vast majority of the writings in the Church Epistles address the Local Church. They are about, the Local Church…not the Universal Church. Why? Because the Church Universal only includes believers. And, the majority of them are already with the Lord. They do not need correction, as they no longer even have their old sin-natures. They are truly perfect in their inherited, imputed righteousness.

The Problems in the Local Churches

The Local Church, in contrast,(hopefully) includes mostlybelievers; but, in the first place, it is entirely possible (and common) for an unbeliever to “infiltrate” the ranks of the local assembly, and, in the second place, the believers themselves (yes, every one of them) still have their sin natures, and they still regularly fall prey to the evil one.

And there lies the root of all the problems in all the churches throughout history: We are Sinners, saved by Grace. God sees us entirely in our new natures, so He does not condemn us for our sins. But we do sin, and we offend one another, as well as the unbelievers around us.

The Result of Those Problems

Romans 2:24 states that the unbelievers “blaspheme the Name of God” because of the actions of the People of God. In that particular instance, it specifically referred to Gentiles whom the Jews offended. But the same truth holds solid during the Church Age. the Local Church often offends both Jewish unbelievers and non-Jewish unbelievers As a result of our sin, they speak evil of the God of Eternity. I have seen bumper-stickers saying, “God Save Me From Your Children!” That is pretty tragic.

Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples: if ye have love, one for another.” (John 13:35) Everyone is supposed to be able to recognize the Agapé Love in us: not just our besetting sins.

How Should We Respond to Our New Position In Christ?

Paul spent three full chapters explaining the new position of the believers: We are in Christ. He also began stating the reasonable expectation of God for us, as new believers—that we are to step into the good works that God has planned for us, and “walk in them.” We are to grow in our understanding of the Holiness of God, and the Magnificence of His inheritance, etc. But now he also says to completely change the way we get along with one another.

Paul had already received severe beatings for the sake of the Gospel. He had been imprisoned at various times, and he (evidently) knew that his ultimate end was to die as a martyr. But he did not “pull rank” and tell the younger believers, “Hey, suck it up, and get with the program! If I can do it, you can do it!” Rather than that, he is pleading with the believers, asking them to grow up and get along with one another, as befits the people of God.

He is telling them, “You have an incredibly high standing with God! You ARE the children of God! Live as though that is what you are! Handle your interpersonal relationships in the same way that He would do it.”

(And how would He handle it? What would that look like?)

“Walk Worthy of the Vocation Wherewith Ye are Called”

Do any of you still say, “I don’t feel called”? Well, God says He has called you. He says that your calling is “high and holy,” but that the result should NEVER be a “high-and-mighty” attitude!

Quite the opposite! The sure knowledge that our position is completely because of Jesus, His supreme sacrifice at the Cross, and His perfect resurrection three days later, should produce in us a sense of unworthiness and humility. Our position in Him has absolutely nothing to do with our own personal righteousness: It is entirely His righteousness. We now are in a position in which we never can “look down our nose” at another person. It should never produce any self-righteous arrogance: It should always result in humility and gentleness.

Godly Wisdom and Character

In James 3:13-18; we can see several important points that apply to this concept:

Godly Wisdom should produce good behavior, and, specifically, gentleness; meekness, as the KJV puts it. It means “yieldedness to God”, to be precise.
If it does not produce that behavior, then the wisdom is not from God!
Wisdom that is from God is:
- Peaceable—peace-loving—a peacemaker, by nature
- Gentle
- Easily approachable—easy to be entreated
- Full of Mercy and good fruit
- Impartial
- Genuine—not hypocritical
The seed whose fruit is Righteousness is sown in Peace by those who make Peace.

The apostolic records of Paul and James are in complete agreement. the Christian life ishould not include Pride and self-will. If the character of the person who claims to be wise does not fit the above description, then the “wisdom” they are offering is not from God. It is “human wisdom.” Satan himself has bent and twisted it.

Remember that Satan held himself up as being powerful and wise: He desired “preeminence.” (Isaiah 14:12-15) When a human takes that same proud stance, guess where it is from? (Here’s a hint…it isn’t coming from the Holy Spirit.)

“With Longsuffering, Forbearing One Another in Love”

“Longsuffering” has frequently been translated as “patience.” But the idea of “patience” in our modern language could mean something as inconsequential as “not being in a hurry.” The meaning here is literally “enduring”. The word translated as “suffer” means to endure. It means accepting the reality that life is not always easy. It means embracing that reality, not fighting against it. Compare 1^st Corinthians 13:4; “Charity (the Agape Love) suffers long and is kind…” It not only endures, but it does not become bitter in the process. It does not keep a record of wrongs suffered—there is no grudge-holding, here.

So: Paul says that we are to endure one another’s idiosyncrasies. We are to endure life together. All of us truly are “in this together.”

Philippians 3:10 says we are to be learning the fellowship of His suffering, That is what “fellowship” means—it means we “have something in common.” We do this together. Ultimately, when we endure a hard circumstance that occurs specifically because of our relationship with Him (that is, not just the ordinary vicissitudes of life), then we are suffering with Jesus. We are joining in the “fellowship of His sufferings.” We are partners with Him! And thereby we also learn the Power of His Resurrection, and we are transformed into His likeness.

Agapé is the Governing Principle

Paul concludes that we are to forbear one another in Love. We sometimes use the word “forbear” to mean “hold off”—don’t do whatever it is you are planning. (An orchestra conductor might say, “We would like to ask the audience to forbear applauding until the recital is completely over.”) But Paul is using the word differently: it means to “put up with” one another. And not the kind of “putting up with” that involves exasperated sighs, eye-rolling, and a stormy countenance. Notice that he specifically says, “Forbearing one another in Love.” The Agapé love is to be the governing principle in all of the Christian life. We endure one another’s idiosyncrasies, and we Love one another in the process.

The Agape Love is selfless—when we read the description in 1^st Corinthians 13, we quickly see that there is not one word in that passage about “how we feel” toward one another. It is all about actions. It means choosing to do what blesses the other person, without regard to how it affects us. Agapé Love is always an act of the will. You either choose to love by the power of the Holy Spirit, or you choose to try to do things in the flesh. (Do you want a hot tip? “The Agape Love is not possible in the Flesh!” You should understand that, as a primary truth of the Christian life.)

Every command of God is ultimately impossible by Human effort. Jesus said so! (John 15:5 “…apart from Me ye can do nothing.”) The Christian Life…all of it…is not difficult: it is impossible if you try to do it in the flesh.

The Bottom Line

Notice the last line, here: Paul says that we are to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit, in the Bond of Peace. God knows that no single party can maintain Peace…both parties have to agree. But this gives us the means by which to approach one another, or by which to approach both parties involved in a church squabble.

Paul, by the Holy Spirit, has begged us to stop the bickering, and maintain (not create) the Unity of the Spirit. We are not told to produce that unity. We are only told to work at keeping that unity…maintaining it.

The next passage defines that Unity. We will deal with that next week. But what we can take away from this passage is that the Love of God is to be spread across ALL Christian relationships, as the “oil” that reduces friction, and as the “perfume” that adds the blessed fragrance of Christ to the local Church.

Becoming the Fragrance of Christ

In 2^nd Corinthians 2:14-16, God calls us to be the “Fragrance of Christ” in this fallen World. To those who despise the Person of Christ, that fragrance will smell of death. To those willing to receive Him, it will smell like eternal life.

May The Lord use His Word to transform each of our lives into that reality. If our local assembly exudes the fragrance of Christ, one of two responses will occur. People will stay away, because they can’t stand Jesus, or they will be drawn to His Grace, as it flows from the church.

Lord Jesus, please change our thinking toward one another, and teach us to love unconditionally, reaching out to bless one another, to heal one another’s wounded hearts, and to pour the water of life into one another’s thirsty spirits. Pour Your Grace through us all, in Jesus’s Name.

December 6, 2024December 6, 2024

The Mystery of the Church Revealed Through Paul

The Mystery of the Church

Ephesians 3:2-13

Introduction:

We often hear teachings regarding the New Testament Church, and we may wonder what was so special about it…and, in what way is it specific to the New Testament, as opposed to the Old Testament. The term “New Testament Church” usually specifies the church “as it existed during the first century.” When Jesus spoke of the Church (only twice) He seemed to refer to a future existence. He said, “Upon this Rock I will build my Church, and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.” So, at least that aspect of the Church had to be future tense.

What Does “Church” mean?

The word “church” only means “assembly”…a gathering. In fact, the Greek word, “ecclesia” specifically means “the called-out ones”. And James speaks of the Church in that way, in Acts 15, when he says that “God, at the first, did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.” With the Jewish “called-out ones,” they were the beginning of the Church in the New Testament.

But what about the Old Testament? Since the word “church” just means an assembly, there are two places where God refers to the “assembly in the wilderness”, and the translators translated it “church”. There is nothing wrong with that, as that is what “church” means, but it has caused a little confusion now and then.

The simple fact is, the Old Testament prophets knew nothing about the Church to which Jesus was referring. Not one of them knew that God was going to call out a people for his name that would be drawn from every nation, every people, every tribe, and every language. They knew He had a covenant relationship with Israel—He still does. They knew He would someday bless all nations through Israel…He already has, but the best is yet to come! But they knew nothing about the “New Man” we read about in Ephesians 2. How do I know? Paul says so:

Ephesians 3:2-13 (read it )

“The Dispensation of the Grace of God which is given me to You-ward.” What a mouthful! Paul is introducing the nature of his own ministry. He is talking to a “largely Gentile” church, at Ephesus, but as it grew and spread, the church was increasingly Gentile. Paul identified himself elsewhere (Romans 11:13) as the “apostle to the Gentiles”. So he is about to explain to a bunch of Gentile believers just what is so special about his peculiar ministry.

A Mystery to be Revealed

First, notice that the mystery he is about to reveal was made known to him by revelation (v.3, 4) …not because he was a close friend to Jesus for 3 ½ years, and just happened to pick up on it in a conversation, or heard it in a sermon. Every bit of his relationship with Jesus was after the Cross. It began on the road to Damascus, where Jesus not only revealed Himself, but hand-picked Saul of Tarsus for His service and temporarily blinded him by the brightness of his glory.

There was a period of time, after that, where Paul (that’s his new name, meaning small, or insignificant) was being re-educated by Christ, in person. This revelation may have come during that time…we don’t know for sure. What we do know is that in verse 5, he clearly states that this information was not previously made known to the human race…but that now it is made known through his holy prophets and apostles, by the Holy Spirit.

Then he makes it very specific: “The fact that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body and partakers of his Promise in Christ by the Gospel.” That is what they did not know. And, that is the mystery of the Church. And one important detail that goes along with that mystery is the fact that every believer in this age is to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit…no exceptions.

Prior to the Cross

Before Calvary—but anytime after the promise to Abraham—there were two groups of people on Earth: Jews and Gentiles. Jews and Non-Jews. People with whom God had established a formal, covenant relationship and everyone outside that covenant. People to whom He had made specific Promises, and those to whom He had not. Most of us fit into that other group… those to whom He had not made promises. So what changed?

At the Cross

Flip one page back to your left, and see what Jesus did at the Cross: Ephesians 2:14-16 “He is our peace, who has made both (that’s Jews and Gentiles) one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us…he has abolished in his flesh the enmity…the law of commandments… and has made, of the two, one new man, so making peace. And he has reconciled both to God in one body, by the Cross….” That’s what changed.

The Old Testament prophets knew all about the sin of Israel, and the lostness of the whole world. They knew all about the Crucifixion, and they described it in detail in Psalm 22. And, they knew that His blood would heal Israel, according to Isaiah 53. They should have known about the resurrection, from the Psalms, as well as Isaiah. They knew that the Messiah would come. Finally, they knew he would be killed, and shamed before the Gentiles.

How Did They Miss It?

But they mostly ignored that part, because they also knew he would rescue Israel, and set up His eternal kingdom there, and smash the enemies of Israel forever. They liked that part of the story, so they only looked forward to that part of the fulfillment. They even knew about the tribulation period that was to come after the crucifixion, but didn’t understand much of it…we hardly do ourselves, and we have had a greater revelation.

The point is, they knew all these things and still knew nothing of the Church age. They didn’t know it was going to happen at all. Turn to Daniel 9:24-27 (read it) Daniel saw the intervening years, and the execution of the Messiah, and immediately afterward foresaw a seven-year period of tribulation…and a covenant with the Jews that would be broken after 3 ½ years. He saw nothing between those two events—the crucifixion and the tribulation. With the benefit of hindsight, and history, what do we know happened in between? The whole Church Age…and we are in it! We don’t know when it will end, but we know what happens immediately afterward.

Why Did Daniel Miss It?

Daniel was one of the most important prophets, simply because he gave us this timeline. The Jews knew how long it would be from the command to rebuild Jerusalem to the coming of Messiah. And we know that the Church is not part of the end-times prophecies, by that same message. Why did Daniel exclude the Church from that prophecy? Primarily because God did not allow any Old Testament prophet to see it coming. But secondarily (and possibly more importantly to us), it is because we are not part of that destruction he saw coming. It was directed against Israel, Jerusalem specifically, and the unbelieving Gentile nations. We are not part of that picture at all.

By the Gospel

Going back to Ephesians 3, I think it especially important to see, in verse six, that the Gentiles are to become fellow-heirs, of the same body, and partakers of the promise (singular) in Christ by one means: by the Gospel. They do not become Christians by taking Communion. Nor do they become Christians through Baptism. One cannot become Christians through obedience to the Mosaic Law, or by swearing loyalty to a particular creed, or joining a church or praying a prayer…or any of the other things required by many churches.

By Faith

They become Christians by the Gospel; specifically by believing the Gospel. And the Gospel is simply the Good News of Christ, Crucified for our sins, dead, buried, and risen from the dead for our justification. And He has called us to be One Body in Him.

Paul declared himself to be a “minister” of that Gospel. Do you know what the word “minister” means? It means “servant”. Paul served that Message. He dedicated himself to the preaching of that Word. Do you know anyone else who is called “The Word”? Of course, you do! It is Jesus. Paul could not separate the message from the person because the Person is the message. We are to preach Christ! That is what we are here to do!

The Privilege of the Gospel

Paul was stunned by the enormity of the gift; that he, of all people, should be called to take the Gospel of Christ to the Gentiles! He said that he was less than the least of all saints (that’s us, by the way), and was amazed that he should be given the privilege of taking to the Gentiles the “unsearchable riches of Christ!” Do you feel that way about it?

I wish I could say that I am as excited as Paul was, about the privilege of serving in that way. But I am just as sidetracked and unfocused as many of you are. I have my eyes elsewhere, when Jesus says “Lift up your eyes to the fields! They are ripe unto harvest!” I’m still fumbling around with my toys and my dreams, and, too often, I miss the call. Paul didn’t miss it!

The Burden of the Gospel

Paul said that his job was “make all men see the fellowship of the mystery”…the fellowship between man and God, and between regenerated men and women with other such men and women regardless of origin. Has it occurred to you that you will be able to chat with the Philippian believers who suffered for Christ? Even though neither of us knows the other’s language? Those barriers will be gone as well. The barriers that were erected at the Tower of Babel will also be gone.

But the barriers between Jew and Gentile are down already…and, more importantly, the barrier between God and man is finally and completely down. We have access to God through the person of Christ. This was known to God before the Creation of the World. He hid this truth in Christ for thousands of years of history, until the correct time came to reveal it. Revelation 13:8 calls Jesus the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the World.”

And it is fitting that He should be so called, as every single sacrifice of the Old Testament was looking forward to His sacrifice at the Cross. When we take communion, we are looking back to the Cross. When they celebrated Passover, or the Day of Atonement, or any of the other sacrifices, they were looking forward to it. They almost certainly did not see clearly. Nor do we, really. We look through the eyes of Faith just as they did.

The Ultimate Goal

Evidently God had something in mind before He even created the World. He had a point to prove. We are not told when the war in heaven occurred. We are simply told that Lucifer rebelled, and that a third of the angelic host followed him in his treason. He was lost, along with them.

Notice: it says that God wanted to demonstrate His eternal wisdom to which group? Yes, it is the principalities and powers in heavenly places.The Angelic beings who did not rebel with Satan, but who stayed true to God. They are the audience and spectators of His demonstration, as well as sometimes being called to participate.

This is a show for their benefit, not just our own. And it says this was His eternal purpose in Christ. It may seem odd, but for some reason I find it comforting to know that all the things we experience, in learning to trust and obey God, may truly be for a much larger purpose—an object lesson for a much older race…the angels themselves.

What comes afterward?

Now: while you are “chewing over” that little tidbit, think about this: we, who started off an object lesson of God’s Grace, have been eternally attached to Christ in such a way that we will eventually be seated with Him in the Throne, consciously part of His glory. He promised that where He is, there we will also be. In fact, Paul alluded to this, saying that we would eventually judge angels. I have no idea what that is about…but I think we need to realize that our relationship to Jesus is much bigger than we usually think it to be.

Paul said that this is what gave him (and the other believers) boldness and confidence through their faith in Him. He concluded this passage by stating that those believers in Ephesus should not be shaken by the things that were happening to him (imprisonment, beatings, etc.) because it was to their glory that he suffered because of having preached to them.

So, What about Us?

It seems to me that we should be able to gain some sense of gravity from this revelation…to know that the Church, as Jesus designed it, is to be an active, vibrant witness in a dying, antagonistic world, and to thrive in the process. We are not to be a wilting, fainting bunch that trembles at the slightest sound of danger. We know why we are here, and we need to be getting down to business. And, as we read last week, that is what Paul prayed for us.

We were left here to do a job. Let’s be getting after it.

Lord Jesus, we hear Your call! We ask that You invigorate our hearts and minds, so that we step out in obedience to be the witnesses You have called us to be!

Spiritual Gifts (Part 2)

Introduction:

The Love Relationship Between Believers

Love—Agapé and Philéo

Agapé

Phileo

The Christian Work Ethic

Examples From The Scripture:

Joy, Endurance, and Prayer

An Example for Us to Follow

Share! Be Hospitable!

How Do We Respond To Bad Treatment?

Walk in Empathy and Humility

Cherish Unity

Finally, Learn Humility!

“About Spiritual Gifts” Part One

Introduction:

What does “Christian Service” look like?

A Servant’s Heart

The Measure of Faith

The True Bond Of Unity

The Gifts: What Is A Prophet?

What is the Difference between a “Preacher” and a Teacher?

What does a New Testament “Prophet” Do?

What is “Ministry?”

Gifted to Serve

What about Teaching?

But How Can We Tell If We Are “Gifted?”

The Rewards are From God

Walking Worthy (3)

Introduction

The Underlying Contrast

Our Sin is the Problem

God is Holy:

What Have You Learned?

Who or What is The Old Man?

Our Choices:

The New Man

New Man: New Lifestyle

What about Anger?

Anger can be an Invitation to The Enemy!

More Contrasts:

The Change Requires Opposing the Flesh

What to Do With Anger

Finally:

How Do You Treat Others?

Walking Worthy (2)

© C. O. BishopEphesians 4:11-20

The Gifts of Christ

But, How Many Apostles?

What Are the Signs of an Apostle?

What About Prophets?

In the Meantime

Training to Recognize False Teaching

How We Speak

So, What Has to Change?

Who Makes the Change?

How Can We Apply This Truth?

Walking Worthy (1)

© C. O. Bishop

Introduction:

What Is Our Calling?

Submission to God

Longsuffering

Forbearance

Endeavoring to Keep the Unity of the Spirit

Seven God-given Unities are Listed:

The Gifts of Christ

“How” and “When,” first: then “What” and “Why”

The Office Gifts…Gifts of Christ

When Will The Gifts Cease?

Beginning a New Year, and Considering the New Foundation

Introduction:

The New Foundation

How Was the Foundation Laid?

What is the Problem With Sand?

No Other Foundation

So—What Now?

One Test For Eternal Value

Only God Builds Eternal Structures.

**Love—Agapé and Philéo**

**What Have You Learned?**

**The Change Requires Opposing the Flesh**

© C. O. Bishop
Ephesians 4:11-20

**But, How Many Apostles?**

**What Are the Signs of an Apostle?**

**So, What WAS the Promise?**

**How do we Receive that Promise?**