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Do You Know How To Apply The Armor Of God?

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The Seven-fold Armor of God—Part One

© C. O. Bishop 7/8/14 (revised 4/3/2024)

Ephesians 6: 10-18 (read it.)

Introduction:

We recently studied Ephesians 6:10-13. There, we saw that we were to find our strength in the Person of Christ, his indwelling Holy Spirit, and that He has sent us to live in this World as lights in a dark place. God tells us “stand against the enemies of our souls, and do not be dismayed by the evil in the world.” We are to announce the judgment and the salvation of God, as His Ambassadors.

As we move on, and learn about the Armor of God, we see “seven” pieces of armor listed. We often associate the number seven, in scripture, with “completeness” or “completion.” The final Judgments in the Revelation come in three waves of seven, nested within one another.

We talk about the “Last Trumpet” ending the reign of Man on Earth. It is the seventh trumpet of Judgment on the Earth, during the great Tribulation. There are many examples of such “things”sevens,” Old and New Testament. I don’t want to overemphasize it, though, because, as they say, “sometimes seven just means one more than six.”

However, in this particular case God has offered us something, and it is a perfect gift, as mentioned in James 1:17 “Every Good gift and every perfect Gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” So, while I do not want to “overemphasize the number seven;” in this case, it seems to bear out what Paul says about the armor—it is the “whole” armor of God…it is complete in every way.

Five Primarily Defensive Weapons:

First things first: (v. 14) “Having your loins girt about with truth”

As a small child learns to dress himself, he learns very quickly that we put on our various garments on, in a specific order. You can’t put your shoes on before your socks, for example. Well, the first thing God says is that we are to “stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth….”

Consider the Truth of God’s Word to be a belt. If you watch a  carpenter’s crew gearing up for work, you will see that one of the final things they put on is their tool belt. It holds all their hand tools, and frequently a few pounds of nails, screws, or other fasteners. But it goes on last.

The Truth of God’s Word is similar: It upholds everything else. Without the truth of God’s Word, nothing else in the Christian Life is valid or helpful. This belt, unlike the carpenter’s tool-belt, however, comes first. God says to “gird up our loins” with the truth of God’s written Word. It is the foundation for all the rest of the armor, and it must be put on first.

Everything Depends upon the Truth of God’s Word

All of our existence as believers depends on this one thing: God’s Word is True! It either is, or it isn’t. We are not looking at a smorgasbord, from which we are to choose what to believe. There are certainly many parts we understand poorly, and probably some we don’t understand at all. (Daniel complained about this, in Daniel chapter 12. The speaker told him that that portion was not for him, but that it would be understood by the people of the end times.) But it is all “God-breathed”—”God-inspired.” It is all true!

Bear in mind that the door to the truth is the will, not the intellect. It is very seldom possible to “argue” someone into believing. Ultimately, we recognize that we have a choice to make, and we choose, either to receive the voice of God, or to reject it.

After I chose to believe God’s Word, I had to depend on Him to give me more information to confirm that choice. I discovered that, once you begin looking for the “fingerprints of God” in your life, believing that His hand is at work, you will begin to see His hand everywhere. God has big hands, and He leaves big fingerprints.

What if I don’t Believe the Whole Bible?

But if you decide to deny him, there will always be a plausible doubt—a reason not to believe. Ultimately, it requires more faith to disbelieve God’s Word than to believe it, as there is such an super-abundance of evidence in His favor. If I choose to doubt, then I must believe in my own wisdom, for which I have a lifetime of evidence that it is not worthy of faith.

Or, I may believe other humans: “wise men” who continually give me reason (via news stories, and governmental decisions, and scientific community shenanigans) to know that their wisdom is no better than mine…maybe worse. So, the choice is clear: I either believe the Word of One whose track-record is perfect, though sometimes mysterious, or that of humans who continually make bad decisions.

If my confidence is in God’s Word, then the rest of the Armor is at my disposal. If not, then I have nothing. In similar fashion, the Ancient Roman soldiers attached much of their armor to, or suspended it from the belt. They secured the belt, first: If the belt failed, the breastplate fell away, and the sword sheath would be gone. Choose to put your daily, living Faith in the truth of God’s Word. He is worthy of your faith.

How to Protect the Heart: The Breastplate of Righteousness

The Breastplate, of course, is just what it sounds like—a plate, or shell, to cover the chest and abdomen from a frontal attack. The Roman soldier was primarily a foot-soldier, and when facing enemy soldiers, his vital organs needed protection from swords, spears, etc. …and primarily from the front. He wasn’t supposed to retreat.

God says that the Breastplate in the Christian’s armor is Righteousness…but not the righteousness of the believer, primarily—the believer is too fallible for that to hold up for very long. Where can we get a righteousness that will hold up under the attack of Satan? And how will it protect the heart of the believer?

Where Do We Get the Breastplate of Righteousness?

Turn in your Bible to 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He hath made Him (Christ) to be sin for us, who (Christ) knew no sin, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in Him.” That is the only righteousness on which we can depend…the Righteousness of God, imputed to us through the Blood of Jesus. Genesis 15:6 says “Abraham believed God and He (God) counted it to him (Abraham) as righteousness.” That is our only source of Righteousness. Paul says, in Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

When our conscience accuses us, and Satan chimes in, condemning us for the sins of the flesh and of the mind, we can rest on the righteousness of Christ. “Yes I am a sinner! That is why Jesus went to the Cross! His blood paid the price: The full price for my sin. I have become the Righteousness of God in Him.” Do I consciously “feel” that way? No!

Feelings are not Reliable

My “feelings” are bound up in my experience, and my daily experience tells me that I am a sinner. The fact, however, is that I am now in Christ, not in the flesh, and His righteousness has become mine. God no longer sees me in my old sin nature. It is vitally important to grasp this truth, because without it you will constantly be under attack from the enemies of your soul: They will tell you that you are “not good enough” to be a child of God, much less His Ambassador.

Our defense against this sort of attack, whether from our own flawed conscience, or the world, or Satan himself. is to freely confess that on our own we have NO righteousness, but that in Christ we are completely Holy and Righteous, just as He is. That is hard for me to imagine!

Fortunately, I do not have to imagine it: turn to Ephesians 4:24. “…and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true Holiness.” Notice that it says that this New Man is “created.” The person in focus, here, is not the indwelling Holy Spirit, but the new nature of the believer. The Holy Spirit is God…He is not a created being. But the person who has been born again is a new Creation in Christ (2nd Corinthians 5:17.)

And that new Man, the new nature of the Born-again believer, is created in Righteousness (Christ’s Righteousness!) and true Holiness. Wow! What a powerful statement about our position in Christ. That is why we can say with confidence, that in Him we are secure forever! That is why we can use the Breastplate of Righteousness—Christ’s Righteousness, to protect our hearts from the attack of the Evil One.

What About Shoes?

A soldier can only fight so long as he has firm footing. God calls us to prepare our feet with the “preparation of the Gospel of peace.”

The Roman army issued its soldiers a pair of hobnail sandals. He strapped them on before battle, or whenever he was on duty. They were sturdy, and solid. The sandals were made to be of maximum durability, strength and secure footing: Not necessarily for comfort. Armies today issue similar footgear to their soldiers: durable, with good all-terrain traction, and (in jungle climates) breathable fabric, to avoid excess moisture and possible fungus infections.

We are to constantly be preparing for service by reading and reviewing the scriptures, and specifically the “Gospel of Peace.” How does that differ from the Gospel of Grace? Effectively they are one and the same. Nearly every Epistle in the New Testament begins with the phrase, “Grace be unto you, and Peace…” or something very similar, within the first verse or two. And it always comes in that order: Grace, resulting in Peace.

At Peace WITH God!

When we believed the Gospel of Grace, we were made new creatures in Christ, and, whether we are aware of it or not, we are permanently at Peace with God…He is no longer at odds with us, as He no longer sees us in our sins. Romans 5:1 says, “Being justified (declared righteous) by faith we have peace with God. We don’t have to seek it.  Peace with God is eternally ours!

Having the Peace of God is another matter. We confess our sins and cast our cares on Him to have the peace of God. We have the peace of God when we are walking in the Spirit, and casting our cares upon Him because He cares for us. Philippians 4:6, 7 says that we are to be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, we are to make our requests known to Him, so that the Peace of God can be our daily experience. If we don’t, it won’t!

The firm footing from which we can offer eternal life to the lost, and upon which we stand against the enemy, is the fact that we are permanently at peace with God. We are no longer his enemies, and never will be so again.

And The Shield?

We are told that, above all, we are to take the Shield of Faith, with which we shall be able to quench all the flaming darts of the wicked. All who are Born Again have experienced saving faith. We are saved by Grace, through Faith in His Blood. (Romans 3:25) There is no other way offered, though many false teachers propose “alternate routes.”

But the living faith, mentioned here, is our daily dependence on God for wisdom, protection, guidance, and strength. This concept has been taught from earliest times, in both the Old and the New Testament. Gideon was told, “Go, in this thy strength: have I not sent thee?” Solomon taught, (Proverbs 3:5, 6) “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path.”

Omni-directional Defense!

Doubts can be thrown at us from any of our enemies. The World constantly heaps doubt on the Christian, either flatly denying the truth of God’s Word, or calling into question the character of God and His followers. Our own flesh, the most devious of our enemies, does the same thing, saying, “Well, that doesn’t feel right…I’m not comfortable with that…” But (again) our feelings are not reliable indicators of truth. God’s Word is!

Our comfort or discomfort are also not reliable as indicators of truth. Our old sin nature will never be comfortable with God’s Word—it cannot be, according to Romans 8:7. So why should I even consider its claims? Satan will use any means available, to cast doubt on God’s Word. Remember how he used the serpent against Eve: “Yea, hath God surely said…?” and “Ye shall not surely die…” Satan begins by casting doubt on the Word, and then calls God’s character into question. He first suggests that perhaps the Word is not reliable, and then flatly calls God a liar.

All of these sources of doubt stem from the Evil One. Our defense against all of these attacks is Faith. It does not matter how I feel about something: What God says is what matters.

It does not matter what the World says about God—they have already rejected Christ and His Word: They are an incredibly unreliable measure of truth. And, ultimately, if our confidence is in His Word, then we need not fear Satan’s “flaming Darts of doubt,” however he delivers them: We will meet them with the Shield of Faith!

The Helmet—Protecting the Mind

The pieces of armor are all tied together by a common theme: The truth of God’s Word, and the secure position of the believer in Christ are the reason they all work. What can we do to protect our minds? The heaviest doubt or fear, particularly for a young believer, is that somehow we can lose our salvation…that somehow we have not done enough, and that God will abandon us.

Little children, toddlers especially, frequently fear separation from their mothers. Even older children sometimes fear abandonment, especially if they come from a broken home, or have gone through foster homes and adoption at a later age. The Christian is under attack from Satan in that same vein.  He whispers, “Well, that was too much for God, brother! You have sinned your way out of Grace, now, sister!”

Sadly, this idea is even taught in some churches. How can I possibly put on the Helmet of Salvation if I am not sure I am saved, and/or I am not sure that I cannot lose my salvation? How can my mind be free to serve Christ, if I am constantly focused on “working to keep” something that I cannot lose?

There are two things to bear in mind here:

  1. God the Son (Jesus) says you can have eternal life today: You do no have to “wait ‘til you die” to find out if you have it. (John 5:24)
  2. God wants you to know that you have it.  (1st John 5:11-13)

Rest in the promise of God, believing His promise regarding your salvation. Then you will no longer be subject to Satan’s attacks on your mind. You are wearing the Helmet of Salvation!

Next time we will talk about the offensive weapons in the Christian’s armor.

In the meantime, please meditate on the five defensive weapons God has given you, to defend against your enemies, and be at peace. If you want to read ahead, consider how the Word of God and Prayer can be used as offensive weapons.

May the Lord richly bless you as you walk with Him and firmly stand against your enemies.

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Do You Know The Spiritual Enemies in Our Spiritual Warfare?

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The Spiritual Enemies in Our Spiritual War

© 2024 C. O. Bishop

Ephesians 6:10-13; Judges 6:11-16

Introduction:

Ten years ago, I saw a panel-discussion about the then-recent attack on the US embassy in Syria. Eventually, an Islamic-American woman in the audience asked, “Why are you not answering ideological questions with ideology, and discussion, instead of proposing war?” (No one had mentioned Islam. Everyone had focused on the violent attack that had occurred, and had carefully ignored the reason behind the attack.)

A woman on the panel replied that the world has about 1.2 billion Islamic people, and (as the woman in the audience said) about 75% of them desire peace. However, she pointed out that the only ones willing to discuss matters were the peaceful ones . The remaining 25% (300 million people …nearly the population of the United States) do not want peace, will not discuss it, and absolutely commit themselves to the destruction of Western Civilization.

Active Involvement?

On the other hand, even most of those do not get “actively involved.” Obviously, it only took nineteen jihadists to destroy the trade towers, killing nearly 3000 people. During WW2, most Germans wanted peace…however, the Nazis overruled, because the peaceful majority didn’t resist them. Sixty million people died as a long-range result. She cited other examples in which the “peaceful majority” proved to be irrelevant: Only the violent minority made a difference. Sadly, only those willing to fight for their beliefs become relevant in history.

The Quran calls all Islamic believers to wage “Jihad” (violent “holy war”) against all infidels. In contrast, nowhere does the Bible tell Christians to use violence to achieve their goals. (Israel was commanded to fight, and they did. Obviously, they still  do so today. But the Church is not Israel.)

Instead, the New Testament addresses Christians: A different sort of war is in view. Furthermore, the scripture says we are soldiers in a spiritual war, with deadly spiritual enemies, all of whom are absolutely committed to our destruction. If we want to earn eternal relevance, (and not fall prey to those enemies) we must embrace the fact of spiritual warfare: And…we must be personally involved!

So, How Do We “Stand” For God?

In Ephesians 4:1-6:9, Paul told us how to walk with the Lord. He changes the subject (though it is closely related) in Ephesians 6:10, saying how we should stand for the Lord.

We tend to think of “Christian warfare” as a lot of “guerilla-tactics:” Sneaking around, looking for a chance to “slip in a good word, edgewise.” Sorry. That is not what it is about! It is not to be a “battle of wits:” (Compared to the enemies Paul describes, here, we are nearly “witless.”) And remember: The people  against whom we try to use our “spiritual zingers” are not enemies. They are working with our enemies, but they are truly victims, just as we ourselves have been.

Be Strong In the Lord, and in the Power of His Might

Paul’s first command is: “Be strong.” Notice that the command is to “my brethren”—born again believers—children, together, of their real Father in heaven. In John 8:44,Jesus said that the world’s people are not by nature the children of God, but of Satan. That sounds harsh, but it is simply the truth…and in Ephesians 2:3, Paul agrees that we all began in that position.

But as Christians, he commanded us to “be strong.” Notice, too, that that is not the whole command. If he only said, “Be Strong,” we all might join gymnasiums or lift weights, trying to “obey the command of God”…and we would all be wrong. He says, “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His Might.” This has nothing to do with physical strength.

How Does God’s Strength Enter the Picture?

Read the story of Gideon, in Judges 6:11-16. (read it) Israel was a nation under siege, terrorized by roving bands of Midianite raiders. Gideon, of the tribe of Manasseh, was secretly threshing  some wheat, trying to get it into storage without the Midianites seeing him. (The raiders had a pattern of letting someone else do all the work and then swooping in to steal the harvest.)

The Angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon. (From previous studies, we saw that “the Angel of the LORD” always turns out to be the LORD, Jehovah, himself…and, as we further discovered: it is Jesus, in the flesh! This is no exception. In verses 14, 16, and following, the LORD is doing the talking: He called to Gideon, saying “the LORD is with thee, thou Mighty Man of Valor.” And Gideon effectively said, “You’ve got the wrong guy! I am the least in my father’s house, and our house is poor in our tribe. I’m no ‘mighty man’ of anything!”

But the LORD commanded him, saying “Go in this thy might…have I not sent thee?”  

God knew who he was dealing with—a scared young farmer, just trying to stay alive and feed his family: but He called him a “Mighty Man of Valor”…and then revealed what made him strong. In the first place, he said, “The LORD is with thee!” and, in the second place, he said “go, in THIS thy might: Have I not sent thee?”

These two facts were what guaranteed Gideon His strength: As a called individual,

  1. God was with him, and  
  2. God was sending him on a mission!

(Well! Wouldn’t it be nice if we had those two things?) You know the answer to that: We do!

Our Source of Strength

How do I know God is with us? Because Jesus guaranteed it, over and over. In John 14:16,He said that the Holy Spirit would be with us forever(remember: The Holy Spirit is God.) And, in John 14:18, He said that He himself would not abandon us. In John 14:23, He said that He and the Father would take up their abode with us. And, (Matthew 28:20) in the context of the Great Commission, he gave His promise “I am with thee always, even unto the end of the age!” So: There is no doubt that God is with us: The only question remains: are we with Him?

God went to a great deal of trouble to get Gideon to walk with him. We like to remember Gideon “laying out the fleece,” but we forget that this was specifically an act of doubt. Jesus had just appeared to him in person, and had given him a command. Gideon responded with “How do I know it is really you, or that you are sending me?” The two incidents with the fleece, and the subsequent “night-prowl” into the enemy camp all were given to allay his fears. The Lord really wanted him to do the job, and He really went a long way to “get Gideon on His team.”

Are You Really On God’s Team?

So, what does it take to get you on God’s team? He already died for you. (Of course, he died for Gideon, too, but Gideon didn’t know that.) He gave you the indwelling Holy Spirit; (Gideon didn’t have that blessing either.) He gave you the whole Bible. (Gideon may have seen the Torah, but probably only from a distance. We don’t even know for sure that he knew how to read: this was during a very dark period in Israel’s history.) The fact is, today, we have been given more evidence and more blessing than any other group of people in History.

You may think, “Ah, but Israel had the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the Manna in the desert, not to mention the miraculous gushing River of Water from the Rock.” Yes, they did, and they soon forgot them. Gideon had never seen any of those things! He had only heard of them.

You have the written record of those miracles, and you have your own copy of the whole Bible…do you read it? Do you believe Him? God wants you on His team, and He has already promised to be with you. He has already called you, and He has already sent you.

Where Has He Sent Us?

Matthew 28:19, 20 “Go ye therefore and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” We treat the Great Commission as if it were the marching orders for eleven or twelve men, but not for us.

But let’s read the rest of it: “…teaching them (that’s us) to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Yes, the Great Commission is to all Christians, throughout all history, in all places, in all the World.

God told Gideon nearly the same things He tells us: “Go, in this thy might: have I not sent thee?”  But his marching orders were quite different. He was to wage physical war against the Midianite raiders who were destroying Israel. We are to fight a spiritual war against the spiritual forces of wickedness in this world…not against flesh and blood.

As with Gideon, He says, “be strong in the Lord and in the Power of His might”…not our own strength. Gideon had nothing to offer God except faith and obedience: The same as we have.

Our Defense Against Evil

So, what is to be our defense against the evil in the world, and, more importantly, against the invisible, active agents of evil around us? (Wait! What’s this “invisible” stuff? Where did I get that?) We will find out in the next few verses that ALL our real enemies are invisible. So, how will we defend against such an invisible enemy?

He commanded us to put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the “wiles of the devil.” The word, “Devil” means “accuser.” Satan means “adversary,” or “enemy.” But in this case, we see that ALL of our enemies are under the headship of that one Enemy, the Devil, who (1st Peter 5:8) “Walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom He may devour.”

So, any human defense will be useless; only the armor of God will suffice. The World feeds people video games and movies, many with the idea that “humans can fight demons…” shooting at them, etc. Think! They are invisible. Also, they are completely immune to anything humans can do, let alone bullets, blades and other such nonsense. In verses 14-18, God gives the only weapons that have any effect. We won’t get there today, but you can read ahead and see them: We have a handful of primarily defensive weapons and two potentially offensive weapons. And none of them are in any way connected to human ability or strength.

Gideon’s Experience, And Ours

Think of Gideon again: If you recall, the way God ordered the battle was first to take away all but 300 of Gideon’s troops. Next, God ordained that both hands of each of those 300 soldiers were full: They could not use any weapon in the battle! And, finally, He commanded them to:

  1. Stand
  2. Shine a light(remember the jugs and the torches?) and
  3. Sound an alarm (Alternating between Blowing a trumpet and Shouting.)

Consider: Isn’t that also what He commands us to do?

  1. Stand fast
  2. Shine the light of a holy life (Philippians 2:15, 16; Matthew 5:15, 16)
  3. Sound the alarm of the Gospel—both the “bad” news and the “good” news.

But our enemies and our armor are quite different from those of Gideon.

Who Are Our Enemies?

God’s Word says we have three major enemies, all under the leadership of one Enemy; Satan. He also has henchmen that we call demons, but the main way God lists our enemies is as:

  1. The World
  2. The Flesh
  3. The Devil

(So, why do I say that they are all invisible? We see the world around us every day, don’t we?) No, as a matter of fact: We see the people of the world: people for whom Jesus died. 1st John 2:2 states that Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world: He is the satisfaction of the Righteousness and Holiness of God on their behalf. So, if you think you “see” one of your enemies, remember that he or she is definitely someone for whom Jesus shed His precious blood. And we are commanded to reach out to them with the Love of God.

Our Three Enemies

“The World” that is our Enemy is the World system (of thinking, values, and motivation) controlling all the nations, politicians, and unbelievers of every kind. The people themselves are just sinners for whom Jesus died. The system is, and always shall be, the enemy of your soul.

“The Flesh” refers to our old sin nature, fully given over to self-will. (Even God can’t repair it or redeem it: So, He will do away with it through physical death.) In the believer’s case, this will provide eternal freedom from sin: when the body is resurrected, the only remaining nature  will be the new nature. For the unbeliever, it means eternal loss, as the only resurrection they face is the resurrection of the damned; eternal separation from God in the lake of Fire.

“The Devil.”—Satan himself—is the leader of all his armies: not only the invisible evil hosts named here (the “principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world” are angelic beings) and the “spiritual wickedness in high places,” but also of the World and the Flesh, according to Ephesians 2:2, 3. (He is the “Spirit that now works in the Children of Disobedience.”)

Our Goal: To Stand

And, against all these enemies The Lord says to do what? Just stand! But as we stand, He calls us to shine as lights in a dark place (Philippians 2:15), and to sound the alarm of the Gospel, so that we serve as ambassadors of God (2nd Corinthians 5:19, 20.) We are offering His terms of salvation to all who are willing. We cannot re-write history. God will carry out His judgment in His own time. We will let God handle the judgment of His enemies. We are only to reach out to them in Love.

(Next time: The Armor)

Father God, help us to see your presence and your command as the full and sole source of our strength, and to take that command as our own personal marching orders, in Jesus’ Name, and for His sake.

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Do You Know How To Deal With The Subject of Submission?

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The Structure of Submission

© 2025 C. O. Bishop

Ephesians 6:1-9

Introduction:

Last week we began talking about an unpopular subject: Submission. We saw that the entire human race is self-willed, having inherited that attribute along with our sin nature, from Adam. And we alluded to, but did not pursue, the fact that the original source of that self-will was Satan.

In Isaiah 14:12-15, we see Lucifer, the “light-bearer,”fall into the trap of self-will.

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

That is how Lucifer, the “Light-bearer” became Satan, the “Adversary!”

How Does the Fall of Lucifer Affect Us?

And, we bear his likeness, because, as unbelievers, in our natural state, he was our spiritual father. Jesus said, in John 8:44, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

We fell with Adam, and we died with him. Usually, we don’t like hearing about that, and we like to think we can improve ourselves. We don’t like admitting the completeness of our “lostness” in Adam. But in 1st Corinthians 15:22, we see that “In Adam, all died!” Fortunately, it goes on to say, “In Christ shall all be made alive!” If you are “in Christ” today, then God says you have been made alive! In Ephesians 2:1-5, he says “When we were dead in our sins, God made us alive with Christ.” The day you trusted Jesus as your Savior, you were made alive in Christ!

But why? What is His purpose in bringing us to life?

That I Might Live Unto God

Galatians 2:19 says, “Through the law I am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God.”

This is our “purpose clause.” This is the reason God has set us free from slavery to our old sin natures: It is so that we can “live unto God.” (But, how?)

Jesus set the example for us in Philippians 2:5-8. He was completely submissive to His Father. God says that we are to take Him as our example as to how we are to “live unto God.” He says, 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

How Do We Follow His Example?

We submit ourselves unto Jesus as He submitted Himself to the Father. Notice that in submitting Himself to the Father, He willingly endured shameful abuse at the hands of sinners like us. It was not a “holy, peaceful, monastic lifestyle.” It was a hard life, mostly without honor.

He was born into a very poor family (as revealed by the sacrifice of two doves, for the offering of the firstborn: that offering was reserved for those too poor for a lamb.)

Jesus was born in a poor, tiny village: Bethlehem…He was reared in a poor community: Nazareth, not considered an important place, at all. He was born as a part of a nation already enslaved to Rome, one of the most evil nations in history. They were literally “under the Roman boot.”

The Example Is Complete

And, in submission to God, as an adult, Jesus paid taxes to that regime! We moan about paying taxes to our government, fearing that God will hold us accountable for what that government will do with the money. Jesus simply submitted Himself to God by submitting Himself to that evil Emperor, thus “rendering unto Caesar” the coin with Caesar’s image…but recognizing that He, Himself was in the image of God, and so He gave Himself to God.

He did His Father’s bidding, even when it was in stark contrast to the social and political norms of his day. He endured the verbal abuse and public verbal assaults and false accusations, until they became physical, and then He endured the physical abuse, in submission to His Father.

When the attacks led to an illegal trial by night, He endured it in submission to the Father. And  He finally endured the shameful, agonizing death of the Cross, a penalty usually reserved for the worst criminals. In fact, he took the place of a murderer, Barabbas!

So, Where Do We Fit In?

1st Corinthians 12 says that our new position is in Christ, as members of His Body. Paul went to some lengths to demonstrate the parallels between a physical human body, and the Body of Christ.

But, as any living body (every living thing, in fact) has structure and order, so the Body of Christ has structure and order: There are no “Lone Ranger” Christians in the Body of Christ. Each of us finds ourselves subject to someone else. And all of us are ultimately subject to Him, as individuals. The other side of that reality is that we also each have direct communication with the Head of the Body, Jesus. No one has to “go through someone else” to approach the Master!

As we saw last week, Ephesians 5:21 says it is a life of mutual submission. No one has been given the right to exalt himself or herself over others, as though he or she were superior to someone else. We function together as a true team!

What is The Structure of Submission?

Submission has a structure. We submit ourselves to one another in the fear of God: But how?

Remember from our reading in Ephesians 5:17-21, that everything after verse 18 is describing how we are to live, under the influence of the Holy Spirit (Being filled with the Holy Spirit.)

  • All are to be submissive to God.
  • All are to live in submission to one another, in the fear of God.
  • Wives are to be submissive, specifically to their husbands.
  • Husbands, in submission to God, are to love their wives as their own body.
  • Fathers (in submission to God) are to raise up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and we are specifically commanded to be reasonable…not to exasperate our children.
  • Children are to be submissive to their parents.
  • Servants (actually, the word, here, is “slaves,” but we apply it to “employees,” in our culture) are to be submissive to their own masters (employers).
  • Masters (or employers) are to treat their servants (employees) kindly, honestly, not threatening them; remembering that they (the masters) are servants in turn, of an almighty, all-knowing God.

It is good for us to remember that there are millions of literal slaves in the world today, who cannot choose to “apply it to employees:” They are slaves! We don’t like to hear about that, but it is a reality. There is no way to make that truth less repugnant, except to realize that we all have been enslaved to sin, and to know that Jesus “sets the prisoners free” at whatever level they are.

Another Example:

Joseph, in iron manacles, in a dungeon in Egypt, was free to serve God, and he did so…by submitting himself to the authority under which God had placed him. Was it pleasant, and satisfying? Was it fulfilling, in some way?

No, it was not! Psalm 105 tells us that Joseph was in pain, with his feet in iron manacles!

Psalm 105:17-20  17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: 18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: 19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him. 20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.

(Some translations specifically say that he was locked in shackles and had an iron collar around his neck.) Whatever the details may have been, Joseph, the patriarch, a picture of Christ, was bound in painful servitude; not through any wrong he had done! But he submitted himself to God! And, eventually, “the King set him free!”

How Does it Apply To Us?

We are in no such torment as Joseph experienced, nor anywhere near the suffering that Jesus endured for us. But God calls us to have the same attitude of submission that Jesus did.

God commands each husband, in submission to God, (specifically, under the influence of the Holy Spirit) to make his wife his primary focus, in terms of human relations. No other human is to take her place in any way. She is his best friend, his closest confidant, his favorite companion and his only lover.

All these ideas are mutual, of course, but think about this: how difficult might it be for a wife to submit herself to a man who exemplifies the Person of Christ toward her in this way? I expect that it would not be very difficult at all, provided that she herself is also “under the influence” of the Holy Spirit.

Please consider, then, as a husband: How difficult are you making it for her?

Biblical Directives

If I ask, “What makes a good wife?” I can read Proverbs 31:10-31 and see several principles addressing that question:

  • She will do her husband good and not evil all the days of her life.
  • This woman is a good steward of their possessions: a good manager of money, not a spendthrift.
  • She manages her household faithfully, and diligently.
  • She opens her mouth with Wisdom: there are no brash outbursts or foolish talk.
  • The Law of Kindness is in her tongue (no gossip nor any mean-spirited sniping) and,

She will not do or say anything that would cause shame to her husband at any level. In short, when God says, “the heart of her husband doth safely trust in her” (verse 11), it means that he can safely entrust to her his money, his household, his family, and his reputation, and never have to worry that she will damage him in any way.

Application to Believers, Today

But, this standard applies to all believers. Remember: you are a full-time Ambassador of Christ! Is there anything in your thoughts, words or deeds that would embarrass Jesus, at any level?

If I ask, “What makes a good husband?” I have the entire New Testament, in which to see the Person of Christ, and the way He deals with the Church. I have verses like:

  • Colossians 3:19, “Husbands love your wives, and be not bitter against them.” It means that if I am ever angry at my wife, I am out of line.
  • 1st Peter 3:7, which points out that if I do not treat my wife with the Love of God, specifically treating her kindly, considerately and honorably—then my relationship with God will suffer: He says my prayers will be hindered.

The universal Church—the Bride—is in full, joyous submission to Christ…or eventually will be. (The local assemblies…those of us still on Earth…are still struggling with the Flesh.)

But God says that He is cleansing us with the “Washing of Water, by the Word.” (Amen! Keep scrubbing us, Lord! Make us over into Your image!)

You see, we are still a “work in progress.” But the subject of submission is to be a joyous freedom in our relationship with Christ and in our relationships with one another…not a grievous burden.

If we first learn to submit ourselves to God, the rest will come easily. So that needs to be our primary goal. Let’s pray!

Lord Jesus, fill us with your Spirit, and teach us obedience, from a full heart.

Amen!

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Do You Truly Want to Know God’s Will For Your Life?

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God’s Will is Not Popular

© C. O. Bishop June 21, 2014 (Revised, 2025) THCF 6/22/14

Ephesians 5:17-33

Introduction:

We live in a culture saturated with voting. We somehow think that, if it is the “Will of the People” it must be the “Will of God.” They even have a Latin quote to that effect: “Vox Populi, Vox Dei.” (The voice of the people is the voice of God!) Doesn’t that sound blasphemous? To declare that our collective will is equal to God? Nothing could be further from the truth! Let’s think of a few examples in scripture where there was unanimous or near unanimous “public opinion.”

Scriptural Example

In Genesis 19, there were exactly six persons in town who opposed the “will of the people; (the voice of the people:)” And two of those six were the angels sent to destroy that city. Of course, you may say, “Well, that was Sodom! It is rather a special case, isn’t it?”

OK, what about Numbers 14:10? It says that all the people—“all the congregation” of Israel—“bade (voted to) stone them with stones.” Even if I interpret that to say “just all the adult men,” we are talking 640,000 people; the whole “voting” nation of Israel at the time. And who were the targets of that “public opinion?” Joshua and Caleb! They were urging the people to obey God, and enter the land. Was it just another “special case,” maybe? Do you really think that we have advanced much beyond ancient Israel when it comes to finding God’s will…and obeying it?

Not Much Has Changed

The World is rapidly becoming very much like both ancient Israel and ancient Sodom, in the particular aspects of those two narratives. The voting public in our own country consistently rejects the voice of God, and embraces the sin of Sodom. As humans, we are members of a fallen race, and (other than the fallen angels…now called demons) we are the only ones in the history of the universe who have ever disobeyed God, under any circumstances! As humans, then, we utterly devote ourselves to our own will…not the will of God.

But, as born-again individuals, God has given us each a new nature which is created in the likeness of God’s Holiness and His Righteousness. Thus, we have the twin responsibilities of

  1. Knowing (understanding to one degree or another) God’s will, and
  2. Obeying God’s Will—fulfilling it, to the best of our ability.

We can learn some sweeping generalities, regarding God’s will: They form the backbone of our relationship with Him. 1st Thessalonians 5:16-18 lists some examples:

  • Rejoice evermore! Pray without ceasing! In everything, give thanks!

WHY?  Because this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning YOU!

Other examples might include 1st Peter 1:16 “Be ye holy, for I am Holy!” (OOOH! That is not popular, either!)

Submission

So, what has this to do with today’s text in Ephesians? The need to understand God’s will prefaces the passage, but virtually all of today’s text is about one of the most unpopular things in God’s Word: Submission. Let’s read the text, and see what He actually says.

Ephesians 5:17-6:9. We will read the whole context, and then see how it all ties together. Yes, it means what it says, but remember: Everyone is called to a life of submission to God, and there is no person who is not accountable to some other humans, as well. (read it)

Submission as a Concept

Now, let’s back up and take just the Ephesians 5:17-33 passage concept by concept:

17   Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

How can I know God’s will? I must begin by looking in His Word. There, I can learn the principles by which He wants me to live. God says I am to learn wisdom there—learn to habitually make good decisions, based on His Word—Learn to have the same values as God does… and learn to find obedience a sweet experience rather than bitter. (Proverbs 2)

18   And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

God doesn’t just “forbid drunkenness,” here, although it certainly includes that idea as well…it is a comparison. When a person is drunk, we say they are “under the influence of an intoxicant.” That intoxicant affects everything they do —it affects their judgment, their mannerisms, their choice of words. It affects how strongly they feel about things for better or worse—they may be filled with exuberance, or sadness— they may rage, or they may be absolutely calm: but it is all being controlled to one degree or another by the alcohol (or other drugs) that they have ingested.

Under the Influence of (Filled With) The Holy Spirit

We, on the other hand, are to be “under the influence” of the Holy Spirit. Now, what sort of influence will the Holy Spirit bring in our lives? John 16:14 says that the Holy Spirit wants to glorify Jesus. If we choose to obey God and be under the influence of the Holy Spirit, then our lives will glorify Jesus. We will rejoice in His presence, obey His Word, and reach out to the lost.

19   Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20   Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21   Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

This is all a continuation of verse 18—people who are “under the influence of” the Holy Spirit are characterized by the things in verses 19-21. They rejoice, they give thanks, they Worship, they fellowship with the brethren, and they submit themselves to God and to one another. This last clause is definitely not a popular concept.

God’s Will and “Self-Will” Are Not Compatible!

Our whole modern culture is built on the principle of Self: Self-realization, Self-direction, self-sufficiency, self-determination, and, in general, Self-will. (On your own, go and read Isaiah 14:13-15,) and see if you can tell where that whole concept of “Self-centeredness” originated.

Now— notice as we continue into verses 22 and following, there is a pattern of submission; a structure within which we are to know to whom we are accountable, personally. Some people don’t like these verses. Actually, most people don’t like these verses.

It Applies To You!

But you have to determine how you are going to respond to God’s Word. It is all God’s Word, and, whether we like it or not, it is there, and we have to deal with it. Some parts are more comfortable than others. But if you are going to choose to be “under the influence” of the Holy Spirit, as the command in v. 18 is given, then you have to remember that this is part of the same context. People who are Filled with the Spirit, or “under the influence of” the Holy Spirit, act like this! Please don’t brush it off as if, somehow, it does not apply to you. It does!

If nothing else, you must realize that God always calls you to submit to the leadership of God, and, to some degree, to the leaders in the church. This is definitely a “politically incorrect” stance, and perhaps I will offend some by saying so, but this truth is taught consistently throughout the New Testament: It cannot be denied or ignored.

On the other hand, they (those leaders) are sternly warned that as the shepherds and overseers, over the flock of God, they are not to “lord it over the flock:” Rather, they are to serve, and to lead by example. (1 Peter 5:1-3; Hebrews 13:17, etc.) But for now, we will focus on the text at hand:

Apply God’s Word to Your OWN Life!

James 1:22-25 compares God’s Word to a mirror, with which we are to examine ourselves, not our wife, our husband, our neighbor, or whomever. The mirror is pointed at YOU: look at the part that reflects you: when you have that part under control, you can see clearly to help others with theirs. Jesus alluded to this in Matthew 7:3-5, saying “…remove the beam from your own eye: then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye!”

Remember that the mirror is pointed at YOU!

Verses 22-24 are to the Wives: (Three verses)

22   Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.23   For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the savior of the body.24   Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Remember: Sisters, this is to you…husbands, you have no right to “beat your wives over the head” with this passage—you will have enough trouble with the part that is to you—and if you are in full submission to God in that part— loving your wife as Christ loves the church— then you will never “scold” her like that anyway…and she will have no trouble with her part. Furthermore, it does not suggest in any way that all women are to be submissive to all men. That is an utterly false doctrine.

The Next Eight Verses Are To The Husbands:

25   Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;26   That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,27   That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28   So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.29   For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:30   For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.31   For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.32   This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

This Was Given Before Sin Entered the World!

Verse 31 is a direct quote of Genesis 2:24! The Husband-Wife relationship is supposed to be a visible, public, object-lesson: a picture of Christ and the Church. In fact, if we go back to Genesis 1:27, and read about the creation of the human race, it specifically says that “God created Man in His own image: in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” The Human race was created as “Man, Inc.”; Adam was the CEO, and Eve the President, or some similar comparison. All of that was given before sin entered the world.

Adam was put in charge, but Eve had full authority along with him. Together, they comprised the Human race. There was no conflict. Eve was part of Adam. Adam was in full fellowship with Eve.

Both were in full fellowship with God, in the Person of Christ, as He came walking in the Garden…until Sin entered the World.Then the peaceful co-ownership ceased. The trouble between men and women began there, and we have never fully escaped it.

If you, as a husband, think you have this matter all under control and can flawlessly love your wife as Christ loves the church, then personally, I think you are fooling yourself: You only compare yourself with other sinners, and not with the living Christ. Compare yourself with Him alone, and you’ll avoid smugness: See the Lord Jesus as your example to follow, and you embrace Humility.

The Bottom Line

 33   Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

By the way, this is the Agapé love…the “utterly committed, lay-down-your-life” love, that sent Jesus to the Cross. A husband must be concerned about the well-being and happiness of his wife, above all other issues in life, with the exception of God’s directives…and she is to be concerned with the leading of God, right along with Him, so that her own desires don’t become her central focus. Both must be more concerned about the leading of God than about their own desires. But, they always must be more concerned about the happiness, safety and satisfaction of the other person than they are about their own feelings.

This is an interesting verse, for another reason, too, as it is the only place in the Scripture where the Greek word “phobeo” is not translated “fear, terror, very afraid,” etc. The KJV uses the word “reverence”; newer versions say “respect.” But the actual Greek word is “phobeo,” which is where we get our English word, “phobia:” which usually denotes an overwhelming, irrational fear. The translators were wise, to not imply that the wives were to be “afraid of” their husbands, as if their husbands would harm them, in any way.

The same concept guards our relationship with God: I do not fear that God will “do something bad to me:” He is entirely Good, and entirely trustworthy. But I do fear displeasing Him. This is the correct fear of God. We love Him, to the degree that we fear displeasing Him: our relationship with Him is priceless to us. The wife is to see her relationship with her husband in a similar way.

Conclusions:

The lifestyle of Mutual Submission rejects the self-centered efforts of the Old Sin Nature. It empties itself of ego, and it embraces the Cross as Jesus did. And, just like all the other factors in the “normal Christian Life,” it is impossible unless you allow Jesus to do it through you. In John 15:5, Jesus said, “Apart from Me ye can do nothing.”  It is the simple truth!

Next week we will continue our examination of Biblical Submission.

Lord Jesus, teach our hearts to become submissive to You, by the presence and Power of the Holy Spirit. Fill our hearts with Your Love and allow us to reflect Your Person in our lives.

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What Does “Walking as Children of Light” Look Like?

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What Does it mean, to “Walk as Children of Light?”

©2025 C. O. Bishop

Ephesians 5:8-17

Introduction:

8   For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Last week we  finished up at Ephesians 5:8. It is God’s command to “Walk as Children of Light.” Logic requires us to ask, “But what does that mean? How does it look, to “walk as Children of light?”

We observed that the character of light is to “dispel darkness.” And (looking ahead) in verse 13,  God says that, as light dispels darkness, it also “makes things visible.” It makes known the things that previously were invisible or (at least) obscure.

God Says, Walk as Children of Light

We saw that 1st John 1:5-7 says, “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” He is not speaking of physical light, made of photons, etc. The light in question is Spiritual, Moral light. God is the ultimate source of all light, spiritual, physical, educational, or moral. He is the One who shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never overpower His light (John 1:5). He says that the only way we can have fellowship with Him is to walk in the Light, as He is in the light.

And we choose to walk with Him, because we want to have fellowship with Him. We want to join Him in His work, reaching a lost world. (See John 4:34) We all started out as the children of wrath, according to Ephesians 2:3. We committed ourselves to the works of darkness, even if we did not admit that to ourselves.

Perhaps it was only the “self-will” that characterizes all humans, and we may not even have seen it as sin. But we begin by confessing that we are…lost sinners. When we see our need for a Savior, and when we place our trust in the completed work of Jesus at the Cross, He counts that faith as righteousness, and He permanently claims us as His own!

So, was that true of me? Was I really a lost sinner? Yes! I truly was! But, should that sin be reflected at all, in my life today? No! I am now a child of God, and therefore a child of light.

I desire to walk in the Light, with Him! So… I need to know how to do that.

What Should “Walking as Children of Light” Look Like?
9   (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; )10   Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

The true “goodness and righteousness and truth” that God requires of us is only possible as the result of the Holy Spirit working through us. The full description of the nine-fold Fruit (singular) of the Spirit is in Galatians 5:22, 23. God says that all true goodness, and righteousness, and truth emanates from Himself. “Do-it-yourself” righteousness is not what God requires. In John 15:5, Jesus said, “Apart from Me ye can do nothing!”  And He meant exactly that!

He wants us to experience, and demonstrate God’s will in our lives. We show that His Will does work: That the promises of God are valid and good. The word “proving” means to experientially “test the theory,” so to speak. In Industry, there are certain “proof-tests” technicians apply, to ascertain that structures are safe to use. Those tests give the workers in that shop or on that job-site the confidence to use the tools, cranes, manlifts, etc., knowing they have been tested.

We are the continuing demonstration of the Grace of God, working in our own lives. Others will see that demonstration. They may not understand why we are suffering. But the Grace that they see in that suffering will draw them to Christ.

Our lives are supposed to be “living proof” that the Grace of God is alive and functioning in our lives…so unbelievers around us should see the constant invitation to join us in that Grace.

What Does “Light” Do About Sin?

11   And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

We don’t like the prospect of “reproving sin”—but our lives will do so, if we are walking in the Light, and, occasionally we will verbally confront evil behavior. If we live the way God says to live, our lives will be demonstrating the shortfalls of the world. (SeeJohn 16:8-11)

And that light will never be popular with people. Other people will accuse you of thinking you are “too good” for them because you have abandoned the life-patterns you once followed. You will be shunned because you no longer fit their pattern.

12   For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

It is neither desirable nor profitable to describe, discuss, or “repeat news” of the evil deeds that lost people do. There is some sick part of our old sin nature that loves to hear such things and “experience it vicariously:” But this is a shameful thing in our nature: don’t indulge it!

We sometimes see this pattern in gossip, where one believer tells another, “Let me tell you about this so you can pray about it…” Sorry…God warns against that sort of thing. It is an easy trap to fall into, but He specifically says that it is a shame to speak of such things. Besides, it is also an unloving thing. God says that “love covers a multitude of sins” (1st Peter 4:8), but that it is an evil heart that wants to “tell all.” (Proverbs 11:13)

Light Does “Make Manifest!”

13   But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

We don’t have to get into a detailed discussion of the evil in the world. But if we walk in the light, we can’t help reflecting that light into a sin-sick world: And some people will see themselves in that light, and they will be ashamed. Then, they will either run from the light, or they will turn to it for salvation. (John 3:19, 20) The way they respond to the light reveals the content of their heart. There is a common saying: “The same warm sunlight that softens wax, hardens potter’s clay: That saying is true… but that metaphor assumes that some of us are “made of different stuff.” (Which is not true….)

We All Have The Same Flaw

God says we were all formed of the same dust, so the difference has to be somewhere else. A rat in a barn, at night, runs for cover when someone walks into the barn with a lantern; but it is because the rat has learned that the farmer doesn’t want him there, and will kill him if possible, as a destructive, filthy, disease-carrying animal: a threat to everything the farmer holds valuable.

The finches, however, and the swallows, living among the rafters of the same barn, will respond quite differently. They may actually mistake the light for sunrise, and they may begin to sing. They would be afraid, too, if the farmer got too close to them, but in general, they do not see him as an enemy, and they always welcome the light.

A tame rat, though, raised as a pet, in clean surroundings, does not fear the light. It does not fear people, and is quite bold, as it sees humans as a source for handouts. The squirrels at a park, for example, begging for treats, demonstrate the same idea.

So, Why Do Some Respond In Faith, and Others In Indifference Or Rebellion?

What Is The Difference?

The difference appears to be relational. Before He created the Earth, God chose to receive those who would respond to Him in faith: Those who would believe His Word, allowing His light to dispel the darkness in their souls. Remember: the “thief on the Cross,” who now is famous for his faith, initially was mocking Jesus along with the crowd and the other thief. He did not initially respond in faith: but he repented, confessing that he was a sinner, and asking that Jesus remember him. He responded to the light he saw in Jesus.

Faith Is An Obedient Response To A Revealed Truth.

Abram (“Abraham”) lived in “Ur of the Chaldees” (modern-day Iraq) when God called him. He was not far from ancient Babylon, a center for idolatrous worship, where they attempted the construction of the Tower of Babel. The confusion of languages occurred there only a generation before.

But, God told Abram to leave ther, and Abram went: He partially obeyed. (God told him to leave his extended family behind, but he brought them along; possibly because his father insisted on it.) Later, God called him again, and he still brought his nephew, Lot. But Abram’s life was beginning to demonstrate faith, and worship. Finally, after God separated Abram from Lot, God made him a promise, and, (Genesis 15:6) Abram believed God, and God credited it to him as righteousness.

This is what God is looking for, both initially, in salvation, and as an ongoing lifestyle. Think about how your own life either reflects this or fails to do so: are you really believing God over your own fears and the constant arguments of the World around you? Are you trusting God, on a day-by-day basis? Hebrews 11:6 says Faith is what pleases God. Obedience (as the result of faith) is the fruit of that relationship.

God Calls for a Change!

14  Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Since we know that, before we were saved, we were dead in sin; and that when we walk in sin now, we are truly living as “walking dead men,” it is entirely fitting that he would say, “awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.”

Do you really want the light of God to rule in your life? Then let go of that old, dead pattern of sin and unbelief, and allow Jesus to fill you with the light of His Word. 2 Peter 1:19 says that the light upon which we are to focus our attention is the written Word of God!

Learning Wisdom

15   See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,  16   Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Yes, there are many possible “demonstrations of faith and wisdom,” but there seems to be a connection here, when I consider verses 15 and 16 together, and then consider the other parallel passages. Let’s read and compare Proverbs 11:30: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise.”  Isn’t it interesting that God says a soul-winner is behaving wisely? And, reading on, see what He says about how we use our time:

See Colossians 4:5, 6 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without…” (unbelieving neighbors and friends) “…redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with Grace, seasoned with salt that you may know how you ought to answer every man.”

Compare, also, 1 Corinthians 15:34 “Awake to righteousness and sin not: for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.” I really don’t think I can safely overlook these connections in God’s Word, nor can I deny that all of these are in direct reference to practical, relational evangelism.

Choose Wisdom!

Romans 10:17 assures me that Faith does come by hearing, and that hearing comes by the Word of God. We are responsible for those in our daily sphere of contact. We cannot simply shrug, and say, “Well, whatever they believe, it is their business, and I ‘don’t feel called’ to try to persuade them to believe something else.” God says that we are called; and we are His ambassadors, and that our primary task is to persuade men, and reconcile them to God. (2nd Corinthians 5:18-20.)

17   Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

How am I going to know God’s will? I am to begin by looking in His Word. Only there will I learn the principles by which He wants me to live. God says I am to learn wisdom there—learn to make good decisions habitually—and to learn to have the same values as God does. (Jesus stated His priorities in John 4:34) Then I can hope to find the life of obedience to be a sweet experience rather than bitter drudgery, and I can learn how to guide my steps.

I want my life to count for eternity. The only way I can hope to see that outcome, is if I allow Jesus to work through me. I cannot achieve eternal re4sults working with temporal tools. Only Jesus, as the Author of our faith, and the only source of eternal life, can achieve eternal results.

Lord Jesus, we desire to see our lives transformed into Your likeness. We desire to be transformed from the inside, out, and sow the seeds of righteousness and peace, and see lives changed by the Gospel. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and allow us to serve.

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How can We Learn to be Followers of Jesus?

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Learning to Follow God

© 2025 C. O. Bishop

Ephesians 5:1-8

Introduction:

When I was a young believer, my dad (who was not walking with God) said, “Chet, the world is passing you by!” I said, “As far as I can see,  the World is headed for hell in a handbasket! It is just fine if it passes me by: I don’t want to go there anyway!” Perhaps that was not very polite, but: Jesus said, “the way is broad, and many go there, which leads to destruction.” The way wherein few go, and which is not easy, is the way God chooses for his people.

For the new believer, God calls for a definite change in direction. An unbeliever is just “moving along,” whether randomly, or with great determination and direction, as in the case of Saul of Tarsus. But, when the unbeliever becomes a believer, there is a sharp “change in direction.” He/she has become a follower of God. And God is not going the same way as everyone else.

Whose Voice Are You Following?

Two different friends visited Israel and each happened to be in a taxi, waiting as a flock of sheep crossed the road. As they watched, another flock approached from the opposite side. The two shepherds greeted each other cordially, but they walked on, calling their sheep. My friends had expected pandemonium: “How will they separate all those sheep into the two original flocks?”

But, in both cases, the two flocks simply flowed through one another, as the sheep followed the voices of their respective shepherds. There was no confusion at all from the perspective of the sheep, or the shepherds. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” John 10:27, 28. Jesus is God in the Flesh, and it is He whom we are to follow. He is not going the same way the World goes, and so He calls us to follow Him, and ignore the voice of the World.

Ephesians 5: Becoming Followers of God

1   Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

We see children’s desire to be like their parents as a precious trait. When we see them imitate good things, or even mannerisms, and skills, it pleases and blesses us. When they imitate our sin, we are ashamed: we know where they got that behavior! Then, we either: admit our own shortcoming, and with them, try to change the pattern, or, simply say “Don’t do as I do; do as I say!” God doesn’t have to do either of those options. He is the perfect Father: He leads by example, saying, “Do as I do!” (What did He “do?”) Read the next verse:

2   And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

In the first place, He (as God in the Flesh) obeyed His own command, by continually living out the reality of Agapé Love. He fully demonstrated that love by going to the Cross. And He asks us to follow Him in every way. When we read 1st Corinthians 13:4-8, we can see that every attribute of the Agapé love is an action word. Not one of the attributes of Agapé Love is about feelings. We must act so as to be a blessing to those around us, not continually seeking our own good.

Choosing What to Abandon

3   But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

God then lists some behaviors that don’t belong in our lives at all…they are unbecoming for us: God calls us to be holy! God calls us Saints (it means holy ones), and He intends to “make it stick.” He has created a new nature in us, as well as having given us the indwelling Holy Spirit, and He says that new nature is created completely Holy and Righteous, just like Him. So, uncleanness of any kind; sin of any kind simply does not belong in our lives. It is an unfitting thing!

He calls us to completely abandon sexual immorality. And, He listed “covetousness” along with “fornication.” Fornication (Greek “porneia”)means “sexual immorality.” The word translated “covetousness,” here, is the Greek word “pleonexia.” The Greek word “philargurion”is also translated covetousness: It means “the love of silver—the love of money.” But this one is a much broader term, meaning “plain old greed!” it means the desire to have more (and more!) In Colossians 3:5, Paul says covetousness (greed: “pleonexia”) is idolatry. And God called the idolatry of Israel “whoredom, in Hosea 4:12.” (God names Fornication and covetousness side-by-side, because He sees them as similar sins.)

How God Categorizes Sins: Uncleanness

Do you ever find it odd that God “lumps together” certain sin issues as being “in a similar category,” where we think that one is “really bad,” while the other is just “annoying?” It is interesting to me that if there is a “hierarchy” of “really bad, sorta bad, and not so bad” sins, it is not in the order we think it ought to be. In Romans chapter one, God lists habitual arguing (debate) right along with murder and deceit;and He lists disobedience to parents, side-by-side with being inventors of evil things. And God says all of them amount to uncleanness.

Teaching Cleanliness to Children

When rearing a child, we try to teach them cleanliness. We teach them there are certain things we “don’t do.” We have certain “vessels” we use for certain tasks. A toilet is fairly specific. You may do some things with it that could be done with something else, such as stacking decorations or other stuff on the back of the tank (sigh…), or flushing facial tissue, when you could have put it in the trash, but the primary use for a toilet is also exclusive to the toilet: using anything else for that purpose is not fitting. And children have to learn these things.

Our eldest son, as a toddler, just had to put things in his mouth—if you didn’t watch him closely, he would grab a rock off the street, and pop it into his mouth. We had to train him to not do that. Today, as an adult, he would not consider doing such a thing: but it isn’t because it wasn’t in his nature to do so—it is because we taught him not to do so. And God wants us to learn to obey Him, and to take on His character, to go along with our new Nature.

2nd Peter 1:4 says that we are to become partakers of the Divine Nature…and he goes on to say how to do it. He says we will partake in His Nature through God’s written Word and His “exceeding great and precious Promises.”

What Else Must We Leave Behind?

4   Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

He says to set aside our old ways, and deliberately replace them with something new and clean. I once had a very filthy mouth. (Sorry: it’s just a fact. I was an atheist, and rebellious to the core.) God changed my heart: not only do I no longer rejoice in that sort of folly, but it grieves me when I fail and commit that sin again. My jobs have always been in places full of men who all spoke that way, so I have had to take special care to not relearn that habit.

One thing I often did, was, when I heard the filthy language, I responded, under my breath, by praising the Lord, and actively filling my mind with scripture, praise, and thanksgiving. (“I praise you, Lord Jesus, Hallelujah! Let no corrupt communication proceed out of my mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister Grace to the hearer…”, etc.)

I wanted to avoid re-learning their ways, so I reinforced the behavior of God’s way: I fed my new nature. The nature you feed will thrive. Keep that in mind. If you feed the old man, it will take over your thoughts and life. If you feed the new man, it will grow strong, so that you can walk with God. But it requires persistence.

The Old Sin Nature Cannot Be Redeemed

5   For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

People who only have their old nature do not have a part with God. But does this mean that Christians will “lose their salvation” if they commit any of these sins? No! God says you are no longer a whoremonger! You have a new nature! He nailed that old man to the cross, with Jesus. And now He only sees you as “the new you.”

Paul (Romans 7:7-25) recounts his own struggles, “trying to live for God in his own strength:” He concluded that there were two natures living in him; and that he (the new nature) was no longer the one doing the sinning. (Romans 7:17)

He does not excuse himself: He is aware that all sins will have consequences. But he also sees that his old nature is never going to improve. (See Romans 8:7) He rejoices because God set him free from the body of that death. (Romans 7:24, 25 read it!)  But are there consequences to sin? You’d better believe there are!

Sowing and Reaping

6   Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Jesus is the Judge: He is God! He not only judges the sin; He also judges sinners, though He offers Grace to them in Agapé Love. Judgment is still coming! And in a believer’s life, God brings chastening: Don’t think you are “getting away with something.”

Yes, God forgave your sins; that is your new position: You are a child of God.

But God’s Children must expect a “trip to the woodshed,” if we fail to confess sin. Your peace will depart. You must expect that your prayers will go unanswered. Your testimony will suffer. Your sin can affect your health , as well as every human relationship you have. Don’t allow yourself to get in that sort of trouble with God. Confess your sins and forsake them, so that you can enjoy your walk with God.

The Law of the Harvest

Galatians 6:7 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap…” This is the Law of the Harvest: (Plant corn, reap corn. Plant wheat, reap wheat. If I plant laziness, I will reap waste and want. When we plant grievous words, we reap strife. If we plant soft, kind words, we can hope to reap peace.) This law was laid down before sin entered the world. Genesis 1 points out that each plant and animal brought forth seed “after its kind.” Like begets like!

You will reap in keeping with what you sowed. Plant the Gospel, and reap saved souls. Plant careless talk, and watch friends die in their sin. You will reap what you sow. Keep that in mind!

No Prosperity (“Health and Wealth”) Gospel is Taught in Scripture

Some people try to teach that the “other side” of this doctrine is a guarantee that, if they walk in obedience to God, they will never get sick. (That is not true!) Godly people sometimes die of bad diseases, and it is not a judgment from God.

In Psalm 116:15, God says, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints!” Those who preach a “Prosperity Gospel” are willfully ignoring Hebrews 11:35-39. God lists people who had been tortured, dying horrible deaths; destitute of any human comfort, (food, clothing, and shelter) and were martyred for their faith. These were the “best of the best!” He says that “the World is not worthy of them.” If the ones God called the best were those with the very least in the way of prosperity, how can prosperity be our primary goal and value in life?

In Philippians 2:25-28, Epaphroditus was so sick he nearly died, but he got well in the ordinary, “natural” way, even though he was with the Apostle Paul the whole time. He was not “sick because of sin.” He was sick in spite of righteousness. In Philippians 1:29, we are told to expect suffering, as part of the Christian life. (The “prosperity” doctrine is not from God!)

7   Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

That’s pretty much the bottom line. If you don’t want the kind of fruit they will reap, (those who  walk in the World) then don’t sow what they sow! Remember the Law of the Harvest: It does not make exceptions for believers. We may pray for a “crop failure” while  we confess our sins, but in general, we will reap what we have sown.

Conclusion: Walk as Children of Light

8   For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

The character of light? Light dispels darkness! In fact, darkness can only be defined in terms of light. We define light in terms of energy, photons, waves, spectrums, refraction, diffusion, lumens, etc. But there are no similar definitions for darkness. Darkness is only defined as the absence of light. The tiniest, faintest light, in some measure, dispels darkness. A single match, or a small candle, is enough to see our path in what would otherwise be total darkness.

“Walking With Jesus” Means “Walking in the Light.”

God says, “Walk as children of light.” Compare this with 1st John 1:5-7. It says “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” The kind of light in question, here, is Moral light. God is the ultimate source. He is the One who shines in the darkness and that darkness can never overpower His light (John 1:5). He goes on to say that the only way we can have fellowship with Him is to walk in the Light, as He is in the light.

And we walk in the light because we want to have fellowship with Him. We want to be allowed to join Him in His work, reaching a lost world. (See John 4:34)

Was I once a truly ungodly young man, utterly committed to the works of darkness? Yes! I truly was! Should that be reflected at all, in my life today? No! I am a child of God, and a child of light, now. I desire to walk in the Light, with Him! So, I need to know how to do that. We will address this more specifically next week.

Lord Jesus, we ask that You will teach us to walk with You as You walk in the Light, and allow us to have unbroken fellowship with You, the Source of all Light!

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What are the Gifts of the Spirit in 1st Corinthians 12?

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Spiritual Gifts (4)

© 2025 C. O. Bishop

1st Corinthians 12 

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

Introduction:

We have spent the last three weeks discussing the gifts of the Spirit, including also those called the gift of God, and the gifts of Christ. Today let’s consider the gifts listed in 1st Corinthians 12.

Categories of Gifts:

Notice that Paul listed three “categories” in verses 4-6:

  • Gifts, all by the same Spirit
  • Administrations, all by the same Lord, and
  • Operations, all by the same God.

We may not understand these ideas, but we can at least recognize that the categories exist. We saw the four administrative “gifts” given by Christ, in Ephesians 4:7-11. All four are human servants of the Church: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and Pastor/Teachers. These may be the ones Paul calls “administrations,” in verse 5.

Purpose of the Gifts

But the same principle applies to all the gifts: They are for the benefit of all. (See verse 7.)

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

Other translations say, “…for the common welfare.” The idea is that God has given every single believer one or more gifts by which the whole body of Christ is to profit in some way. In this chapter, we find that “there is one Body of Christ,” and every single believer is a part of that one Body, and every single member has a function. We are all designed to function. God has not called us to “just attend church.” Rather, we are all called to personally serve the Lord Jesus.

We already learned elsewhere (Romans 8:9, John 14:16, 1st Corinthians 6:19, etc.) that every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, so the question now, is: “Because I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit, what should I expect in terms of function?” Paul lists some “gifts of the Spirit.”

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

  • Word of wisdom
  • Word of knowledge
  • Faith
  • Healing
  • Miracles
  • Prophecy
  • Discerning of Spirits
  • Tongues
  • Interpretation

Notice that the Holy Spirit distributes all the gifts as “He” wills. We do not get to “choose.”

Sign Gifts

It is strange that usually when people start stating their gifts, they want to claim one of the sign gifts. But of all those who have told me they “have the gift of ____,” it has never proved to have identifiable results in their lives. I have not seen miracles brought about by some other believer “having the gift of miracles.” The same goes for the other “sign gifts.”

Do I believe that those gifts still exist? Yes, I do! The “perfect” in 1st Corinthians 13:10, which Paul says is yet to come, is in reference to the completion of the Body of Christ. After the completion of the church, we will no longer need the miraculous gifts, or the sign gifts. We will see Him face to face! But for now, evidently the gifts still exist.

Where or when should I expect to see the sign gifts? Probably only when someone first carries the Gospel into a given geographic area,. Or, perhaps when there are unbelieving Jews present. Jesus commented that the Jews always were asking for a sign, and Paul confirmed, “…the Jews require a sign….” (1st Corinthians 1:22)

Can the Holy Spirit manifest Himself in one of the above ways, without giving the believer any gift in that area? Surely He can! He is God! In light of that, it does not bother me to know that most believers can look back over their lives and remember one or more times when God miraculously intervened, and either saved their life, met a physical need, or simply gave them the words they needed to answer an unbeliever’s challenge.

All In One Body, and All Under God’s Authority (v. 12-31)

Physical Body as an Object Lesson

12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?

Individual examples

20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.

The Reality of the Body of Christ

25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

Examples in the Body

Paul lists a number of gifts, as examples, with the intent of demonstrating that all are for the Body’s general health and function. They are not for the glory of the individual believer. God does not give us gifts for our own enjoyment: They are for the blessing and health of the whole Body of Christ. I will not give a “scholarly discourse” on the meaning and function of every gift, here, but I would like to use this same figure of a “body” in a slightly more graphic way:

Let’s consider a single human cell, taken from the living body of an athlete, an inventor, a ruler, a teacher, a fashion model, or any other person. But let’s say that it is a cell from the body of someone extraordinary in some way: the reason for their prowess is immaterial. The point is that this single cell, examined under a powerful microscope, displays none of the characteristics of “greatness” that we saw in the tissue donor. It will simply look like a tiny, ugly, essentially shapeless, and seemingly useless blob of tissue. That is a simple fact.

Every Part is a Picture of The Whole

But, it is also a fact, that, regardless of the location within the body from which you took the sample, whether it was from the brain, the nasal mucous membrane, the stomach lining, or whatever, every single cell from that same human body has, in its nucleus, the entire genetic code for the whole body. Ponder on that idea, for a moment, and consider how it might apply to the relationship between an individual believer and the whole Body of Christ:

God may have designed that particular cell (from a human body) for a single task: producing a specific endocrine, perhaps, or to help form the protective layers of the skin. But all the cells, collectively comprised the whole body, and, along with the collective experience of the whole body, they produce the person.

In our physical bodies there are parts we use all the time and other parts we completely forget about until we need them. None of them “feel left out!” They all do their jobs as planned. We nourish all the parts through the same stomach, heart and lungs. The brain connects withall the parts. Some responses require thought: others are automatic and involuntary. But they all work together for the benefit of the whole body.

God’s Object Lesson

God chose to use the physical human body as an “object lesson” as to how the Body of Christ is to function. We worry a lot about defining and identifying gifts. In the human body, most people do not know the “technical names” for each of their teeth… and no one planned or organized their own teeth: The teeth developed in God’s timing and by His assignment. Whether we know the proper terminology for them or not has no bearing on their function. We have them because God gave them, and we (mostly) use them for the benefit of the whole body, as we eat.

What about the Body of Christ? Each individual believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit: In fact, according to John 14:15-23, we can see that we are each indwelt by the entire Trinity, in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Individually, then, we each possess the key (or code) to what makes the entire Body of Christ what it is…we have Christ!

God makes the Church (collectively) to be the Bride of Christ, though it is incomplete, as yet. Collectively, the Spirit is building us into the Temple of God, though, for now, we are scattered across time and space.

Personal Knowledge and Satisfaction

I do not have to know how all the gifts work together: A living human cell, which, with others like it, comprises a hair follicle, for example, knows nothing about the workings of the neuron to which it is connected. But those neurons ultimately connect it to the brain! And, if a tiny weight, so much as a fruit-fly, lands on the hair that hair follicle has produced, the brain will immediately sense it, and make a decision as to whether the touch is a threat, an irritant, or something which may safely be ignored.

Lack of Satisfaction does not mean Lack of Blessing

The prophet Jeremiah had an incredibly unsatisfying ministry: He knew (though he embraced it very reluctantly) that he had been selected as a prophet; a “mouthpiece for God.” God had called him to communicate to the unbelieving, backsliding house of Judah, as well as other nations.

But, as far as we know, only two people believed his messages during his ministry. Did that mean he was ineffective, or even a “failure,” perhaps? No: it means that humanity, as a whole, habitually rejects the word of God. But, the false prophets of his time were quite popular, by comparison. (Give that some thought! Is it also true today? On the radio, say, or on the internet?)

And, even in Ezekiel’s case, though he was always faithful to bring only what God said, it turned out that the people were coming for the entertainment value, not because they were receptive to the Word of God. (Ezekiel 33:30-32)

Your gifting may not be particularly obvious, and it may not result in human praise. We are only called to do what God calls us to do: We are to be a blessing to one another, in ways that will profit the body of Christ, which will help or bless those in our circle of associates, and which, above all else, will honor God.

Choosing to Function

Sometimes it is very satisfying, to function: sometimes less so. Some gifts are fairly obvious, some are less so. Commit yourself to honoring God, and serving Him with your life, and He will reveal how he intends for you to function at your best. That does not mean you will only do that one thing: Paul was an Apostle, and a teacher, and a prophet; but he was also a tentmaker. When God required it of him, he served in that capacity. Was he honored by people, as a tentmaker? Perhaps he was… at least enough that he earned the money for himself and his entourage to proceed with their journey. But, was he honored as an apostle?

Sometimes he was, yes!…But, at other times he was savagely attacked: he was beaten, stoned, whipped, and imprisoned. Nearly everywhere he went, he was verbally abused, and, eventually, he was executed! Was he being faithful to God? Absolutely! Was he always happy and comfortable in the process? Nope! I don’t think so!

In Romans 12, and in 1st Corinthians 13, Paul told how all the gifts are to be used: The core principle is to be the Agapé Love. And, in 1st Corinthians 14, he said orderliness was to rule the use of the gifts—if the Holy Spirit is in charge, there will be neither disunity nor disorder.)

That is what we hope to see, here in our little assembly. We want the Holy Spirit to be in charge.

Lord Jesus, please help us to follow You closely, and to be submissive to Your hand, so that we begin to see how we are being used by Your Grace and Wisdom to bless others.

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Learning More Details About The Gifts of The Spirit

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Spiritual Gifts (3)

More About Spiritual Gifting

Introduction:

For the lasttwoweeks, we have discussed the Spiritual Gifts listed in Ephesians, and in Romans. We only brushed over a few of gifts in Romans, for lack of time, and I want to delve into them a little more deeply, today.

Romans 12:8-11 (read it)

8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

The Relational Gifts

8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Exhortation–Encouragement

Encouragement is a pretty vital gift: it is the ability to see a need in someone’s life, and strengthen them by drawing alongside and being a friend, or a helper, or to encourage them to make good decisions.

Some people are constant encouragers to those around them. Some are not. But, in Hebrews 10:24, 25, God tells us all to encourage one another! So those of us who do not come by it naturally have no excuse— we still have the command to do it.

But God has truly gifted some believers to be encouragers to other believers. Encouragement just seems to flow out of them wherever they go. These brothers and sisters are a tremendous blessing to the Church. We so badly need encouragers.

Giving with Simplicity

Giving, obviously, requires having something to give. But I remember hearing about a woman of limited income, who picked blackberries for pay, all summer, with the express intent of having enough to buy her little daughter a student violin. You can imagine how precious that violin had become, many years later, to her grown daughter, after her mother had passed away! She did not  have enough to give what she wanted to give, so she found a way to earn the money, to give that violin to her daughter. It was truly a gift of love.

A person can “give for show,” making a spectacle of the gift—but Jesus condemned that practice. One can give simply, privately, with no attention to the gift or the giver: just to meet a need. That is a blessing. And the Greek word, “haplotēs,” sometimes translated as “simplicity” in  King James English, also means “bountifully,” or “liberally.” So, be generous in your giving.

Seeing to the need of another person without regard to one’s own benefit is the simplest definition of Agapé Love. When we consider what Jesus did at the Cross, we see that he completely personified that Love.

Ruling with Diligence

Not all administrators are diligent…and not all are gifted to rule. But it takes diligent work to do a Godly job of overseeing any sort of work, or any group of people. Some people are gifted in administration: they can do a good job without damaging the people they serve. Others just want power: They cause offense, as they try to “bully” the others in their group, to force conformity.

This ungodly desire for preeminence is rooted in self-will. It has nothing to do with the gift of administration, or leadership. Compare 3rd John 9-11…Diotrephes is the counterexample to what God commands His shepherds to be. And the shepherds are to act as examples to the whole flock. 1st Peter 5:3 says, “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.” The Love of God has to be the motivating power in every area of the church, but especially in those who rule.  

A gifted administrator, leader, ruler, elder—whatever name you choose to apply—must live as an example of Christ’s abiding presence. In 1st Corinthians 11:1, Paul gave an invitation, “Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ!” Coming from anyone but a truly godly leader, that would sound incredibly arrogant. But every man to whom God has given the gift of leadership should be able and willing, along with Paul, to say that.You are supposed to be living as an example, so that you can truly say, “Do as I do!” (As opposed to “Do as I say!”)

Showing Mercy, with Cheerfulness

Mercy is another gift that goes along with service and encouragement. It is tremendously valuable, because it mends hearts, it comforts the feeble and it quiets the fearful. It is the Compassion of God, in human form.

The “Report Card” on this gift is how it is received. If little children and the elderly are blessed when they are near you, and people are comforted by your presence, then perhaps you are gifted in this area. It is difficult to describe, but it is easy to see in others.

In Hosea 6:6, God said that Mercy was more valuable, and more acceptable to Him than sacrifice. He said, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

Jesus cited this passage in Matthew 9:13, when He condemned the judgmental stance of the religious leaders. He said, “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”  And again, in Matthew 12:7, under nearly identical circumstances: “But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.”

Notice that Jesus shows “Mercy” to be the opposite of condemnation and accusation. If you have a pattern of accusation, please take note: God clearly identifies the “Accuser” in Revelation 12:10, as Satan.

The opposite behavior, “Mercy,” is what God says He wants from all of us. And God has specially gifted some believers in this area, with a tender heart toward their fellow saints and sinners.

Love is the Undergirding Principle for All the Gifts

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Love– the Agapé love (along with its companion word phileo—brotherly love) is the key to all relationships in the body of Christ. Those two loves, working together, never lead to evil; only to what is best. So, a person who is claiming to express agapé love, but is doing wrong, is faking the love for the sake of cloaking the evil. Paul says, love is to “be without dissimulation”—without fakery—without pretense. If what you are doing is wrong, then the Agapé Love “left the room” a long time ago!

We are to completely avoid evil, and see it as abominable, wherever it appears…but especially in ourselves: We need to be looking at our motives, and our thoughts, since that is where God is looking. In  Hebrews 4:12,God says he “is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart.” We are to cling to what is good, without exception. Our love for one another must be pure, drawing us closer to one another and to Christ. Agapé love never leads to sin!

Preferring One Another

We should be most comfortable in the company of other believers, and He commands that we give each other full respect and honor as children of God. In business and productivity, Agapé Love should produce an excellent work ethic, as we recognize that we are serving God as well as our employer.

If our spirit is right with God, it should produce a fervent love and worship for God, and a fervent desire to do His will and draw others to Him as well. Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work.” (John 4:34)

These are the principles by which we are to guide our walk with God, our relationships with other believers and our relationship with the World around us. I trust that, as we meditate on this passage we can see it come to life in us, and transform us into the hands and feet and heart of Jesus, doing His work in this World.

Next week we will begin to examine 1st Corinthians 12, and the rest of the spiritual gifts.

Lord Jesus, please grip our hearts with the urgency of Your great Commission. Teach us to live in a way that honors You. Teach us to reflect  Your Holiness, Your Love, and Your Mercy for the World around us to see, so that they will be drawn to You in faith.

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What Else Do We Know About Spiritual Gifts?

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Spiritual Gifts (Part 2)

© 2024 C. O. Bishop

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

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be 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 1st 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.” (1st 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

11 Not 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

12 Rejoicing 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!

13 Distributing 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?

14 Bless 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

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

16 Be 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.” (1st 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.

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

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“About Spiritual Gifts” Part One

© 2024, C. O. Bishop

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?

3 For 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

4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:5 So 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?

6 Having 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.

1st 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?”

7 Or 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.

1st 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.

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