Sunday, July 07, 2013,
9:10 a.m. –I read 1 Corinthians 12
(NIV) this morning for my quiet time with the Lord Jesus. Speak, Lord, your
words to my heart. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2012&version=NIV
…There
are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are
different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of
working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now
to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good… All
these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each
one, just as he determines.
Just
as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so
it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one
body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one
Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Now
if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,”
it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should
say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for
that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where
would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the
sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one
of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would
the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The
eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the
feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to
be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we
treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with
special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God
has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so
that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have
equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it;
if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it…
An Example
The Lord Jesus woke me with the song “That Man” playing in my mind. As I read through the lyrics of this
song (based off some selected verses in John 3), and then read this passage of
scripture, I could see some definite parallels between the two. For instance, some
of John’s disciples, on the heels of an argument, came to him and told him that
Jesus (that man) was baptizing, and that “everyone” was going to him. To this
John replied that a man can only receive what is given him by God.
In other words, Jesus had his assignment and John had his,
but they both came from God, so there was no need for John’s disciples to
concern themselves with the fact that many people were going to Jesus, because
it was John’s assignment to lead them to Christ, and not the other way around. And,
they, too, were to put their trust in Jesus Christ and to follow him. John
basically told his disciples that if they did not repent of their sin and put
their faith in Jesus Christ, that they would face eternal judgment. Yet, if
they put their faith in Jesus Christ, as well, they would gain eternal life. And,
thus, John was fulfilling his role.
That Man / An
Original Work / May 23, 2013
An argument between
some men
Erupted out of
resentment.
They came to John and
said,
“That man is baptizing
everyone.
They’re going to Him.”
So, John replied, “A
man can
Only receive what is
given him.
You yourselves can
testify that
I said, ‘I am not the
Christ.
I’m sent before Him.’”
…
Different Gifts and
Roles
This illustration speaks to several of the points in this
passage of scripture. First of all it speaks to the teaching on the subject of
different gifts and roles (body parts). We are not all the same. Though as the
church we form one body, we have different gifts and roles. Yet, if the gifts
and body parts (functions) are of the Spirit, then they all come from the same
Spirit (God). Therefore, we should not raise one above the other, we should not
be jealous or resentful of other people’s gifts, we should not accept the
notion that we are somehow less important to the body of Christ just because we
don’t have certain gifts or roles, nor should we reject others’ Spiritual gifts
or body parts, i.e. the roles others have within the body. It is the same Spirit
who gives them all, and he gives them just as HE determines.
Misunderstandings
Another issue this speaks to is the one of misunderstanding
gifts and roles. I believe that in today’s church there is a lot of confusion
and misunderstanding concerning the gifts of the Spirit and specific roles or
functions we each are to fill within the body of Christ. And, I believe a great
deal of that misunderstanding and misinterpretation stems from traditional thought
and teaching, various interpretations of scripture, culture, and man-made
religion. We confuse Spiritual gifts with natural abilities and talents. We
confuse Holy Spirit body parts with man-made institutional church roles and
responsibilities. As well, the fact that today’s church here in America is
largely run like a business (corporation), and is marketed as such, it is a
huge deterrent to following the Biblical role model for gifts and body parts.
For instance, my husband and I were church planters on two
different occasions. The last time we did this, we went through a couple of
days of intensive training. The one thing that jumped out at me the most was
when the people leading this seminar said that when we start up a new work, it
will attract many needy people. They said we should use them, because they will
be quite dedicated and will help us get our “church” started. Yet, once we get
up and running, we should replace these “needy” people with others who are not
so “needy” because the “needy” people will just drag us down. So, it was a “use
them, abuse them, and then discard them” philosophy. Inside myself I screamed “NO!!!”
I wish I could say this was an isolated case, but it is not.
I can’t speak for all of America, yet in reading books and articles written by
other reputable authors I have confirmed that what goes on here locally is
wide-spread across the country. And, much of that is because this philosophy
for how to build churches is being spread country-wide, and perhaps world-wide.
I have personally witnessed church leaders wanting to replace gifted and
talented young people, who had found a place of service, with those whom they
felt were more gifted and talented and who would “draw in large crowds of
people.” I have seen church leaders ask for the gospel presentation to be
diluted so as not to offend people. I have also personally witnessed them
rejecting certain people and even inviting people to leave their churches who
did not buy into their humanistic goals and objectives hook, line and sinker,
etc. All of this is being taught from high places, and is being passed down to
our church leaders.
Just As He Wanted
Yet, in respect to those who would build, operate and market
the church like big business, and who would reject, persecute, ostracize and/or
kick out (or invite to leave) from their local fellowships those who do not fit
in with their business plans and objectives, I offer this word of correction
and instruction from God’s word here in 1 Co. 12. The Body of Christ is not a
corporation or a business or an institution of man, and it should not be treated
as such. It is the Holy Spirit of God who gives gifts as HE determines, and it
is God who has arranged the parts of the body, every one of them, just as HE
wanted them to be. We should not say to another part of the body, “I don’t need
you!” Now, they may respond and say that you are welcome there, but it is not “you”
who are welcome if your gifts and body part don’t fit in with their business
plan. You will only be allowed to function within that fellowship so far as you
conform to their business plan, goals and purposes, even if it means placating
sin, diluting the gospel and falsely teaching the word of truth.
And, with respect to those who have been the object of such
persecution and rejection I offer these words of hope and encouragement from
God’s word: God is absolutely in control! There is nothing man can do to us or
say to us but what God has allowed it, and he has allowed it for a purpose. He
will show us what to do, and nothing other people can do can thwart God’s
purposes or keep his truth from going forth. He will make a way where there
seems to be no way. He had a plan and a purpose for our lives even before we
were born, and he’s got it all under control. God has put the body together,
and he will give greater honor to those who lack it, so there will be no
division in the body.
These man-made leaders speak much of unity, but much of it
is unity with man-made goals and objectives. And, if some followers of Christ
might have the strong convictions of Christ and his word, and may serve as a
threat to those man-made positions of power, and to those man-made (business)
goals, they are sometimes then tagged as disunifiers and troublemakers, or as intolerant,
and the congregation itself is warned against such people and is warned not to
be among those who might cause “divisions” within the church; divisions “caused,”
perhaps, because of the “troublemaker’s” Biblical convictions, which might
detract from those man-made business and marketing plans and schemes.
Yet, the word of God teaches that unity should be with
Christ and with his teachings. It is rejection of God and his purposes, and the
rejection of his selection of people for particular gifts and roles within the
body of Christ that causes true division within the body. So, when human
leaders within the “church” reject other body parts and giftedness (saying “I
don’t need you!), that does not stop God’s purposes. In fact, he already had a
plan for how to use you within the body, though not necessarily within
institutional religion, in order to fulfill your God-given role and
responsibility. So, be encouraged! Being rejected of humans does not equate
rejection from God, nor does it stop God’s work. Just find out what role God
has for you, and then obey him in doing what he has for you to do. And, trust
him with the results. And, if humans reject you, just remember that they
rejected Christ first.
Should I Not Preach
Jesus
An Original Work / July 4, 2013
Based off 1 Corinthians 9:16-10:13
Woe to me should I not
preach Jesus.
I’m compelled to
preach the full gospel.
I make myself a slave
to ev’ryone
To win their hearts to
Christ.
All this I do for my
Lord Jesus,
And for the sake of
His Name;
Do it for the sake of
His gospel,
So that I, its
blessings gain.
Scripture notates the
sins of others;
Written down for us as
examples
To keep us from
setting our hearts
On evil as did those
of old.
Do not worship other
gods of man;
Do not give your
hearts to them;
Not partake in
immorality.
Do not test your Lord
and King.
So, be careful if you
think you are
Standing firm in your
faith in Jesus.
God has given his word
to warn us,
So through faith we
will not fall.
No temptation has
o’ertaken you
Except what is
commonplace.
God is faithful to not
let you be
Tempted past what you
can bear.
He gives the way of
escape.
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