It has often been said that the divisions which exist between Christians are a scandal and a tragedy, bringing upset and conflict to the Body of Christ. This is a somewhat exaggerated idea, since there are many more serious things which are more scandalous in the Body. The divisions which exist between Christian denominations are actually quite small, most often trivial, and have little or nothing to do with the daily life of the average Christian. What, after all, really divides the Baptist from the Lutheran, the Anglican from the Pentecostal? If one is a Christian, it is only because one has accepted the mercy and forgiveness of God shown in Christ Jesus. It is certainly not because of an individual's belief in tongues, or forms of baptism, or whether a service is presided over by a man in robes, or one in a business suit. Many evangelical Christians condemn entire denominations, such as the Catholics, because they do not formally hold to salvation through grace by faith, preferring to think that one earns grace and hopes to be found acceptable on the Day of Judgment. In fact, Catholic Christians throw themselves entirely on the mercy of God, knowing in their deepest hearts that nothing they can do will be enough to save them, and that they are completely dependant on the grace of God to forgive and save them.
In other words, much of what appears in the Mission Statements, Statements of Belief and Doctrine, or whatever formal list of beliefs each denomination may draw up, is quite incidental to what actually motivates a Christian in his daily walk with the Lord. What a true believer really believes is written on his heart, and not in the official documents of his denomination. What saves an individual is not an intellectual acceptance of a series of doctrines, but the heart-felt acceptance of God's grace and forgiveness through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus our Lord and Saviour. Of course, this also means that many of those who completely accept the doctrines of their church organization on an intellectual level, may not be saved. Attending church meetings does not imply any personal relationship with the Lord. Others are saved in spite of the doctrines of their denomination. God's mercy is tremendous.
Another example of how similar the various denominations really are can be found in their style of meeting. There are two main types of meeting used by the majority of Christians. One is liturgical: a congregation gathers to recite a "script", joining together in common prayers and songs, led by a minister, or priest, whatever term is favoured by that denomination. People know exactly what will be said and done at each point in the service, apart from the sermon, which will vary from day to day according to the choice of the presiding minister or priest.
The other form of service used by most Christians is less formal, more congregational. There is no official liturgy to follow, no set form of words or prayers for a given day. But, in practice, most services are quite formal, following the same basic formula each time. The meeting may start with singing, either accompanied or not, and then moves on to prayer, preaching and more singing at the end. Once again, there is a presiding minister, or pastor, who directs the meeting and preaches the sermon. Sermons are often geared to the liturgical year, even when the denomination is not strictly liturgical. For example, the sermon at Christmas will most likely have to do with the birth of Jesus; the one at Easter will deal with the Passion and Resurrection, while the one at Thanksgiving will deal with how much we have to be thankful for.
Whatever the type of meeting, a collection and announcements are common to both. Small differences will appear from place to place. Some meetings are small in number and will have, perhaps, an organist to accompany the singing. Larger congregations may have a full band and large choir. Other places disapprove of both musical instruments and singing, other than those songs based on the Psalms. Main meetings are held on Sunday mornings, ending in time for lunch. A special meeting for children, Sunday School, will take place during the main meeting, if not before. There will often be another meeting during the week, in the evening, for "Bible Study". The particular evening varies from place to place. But these are really minor differences, variations on fundamentally the same theme. The vast majority of Christians, especially in North America, will recognize their church meeting in this general picture. It is a very familiar and accepted form of Christian gathering, and would be considered quite "scriptural" by most believers.
It is particularly strange, therefore, to find that nothing of what has been described above can be found in Scripture. Of course the early Christians met on Sundays, but it actually says that they met daily, and Paul warns us not to become legalistic about keeping Sabbaths:
You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you. [Gal. 4.10-11]
Some Christians consider that not going to church on Sunday constitutes major sin, but forget that Paul says:
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath Day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. [Col. 2.16-17]
Much of what we take for granted in church life today is of very recent origin. You will find nothing in the New Testament about Sunday School: these were popularized during the Methodist Revival of the eighteenth century. At a time when the majority of people worked through the week, save for Sunday, there was no opportunity for children to learn to read or write. So, the Wesleys opened Sunday Schools, as places where the working people could learn to read and write using the Bible as their textbook. This gave them literacy and a knowledge of the Scriptures, a typically efficient idea of the Wesleys.
There is nothing at all wrong about such activities. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Christians meeting together on Sunday mornings. But it is important to realize how much of what we do, and how we do it, is based on tradition and not the Bible. Tradition is simply "the way we do things", forms and structures that have developed over time, and usually over a very short time. Traditional ways may be beneficial, or not, depending on one vital criterion: are they helping or hindering the work of the Holy Spirit in the Body of Christ? Traditions that worked well at one time, or in one situation, may be completely inappropriate otherwise. It is absolutely essential that we not fall into the same trap as the people of Israel, who ended up replacing the leading of the Spirit with the traditions of men. This was not their intention, originally: it never is. But after some time, we hold on to our way of doing things as if it was God's own way for all people at all times. Jesus speaks very strongly against those who hold human tradition over the ways of God.
They worship me in vain; their teachings are but the rule taught by men. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men. [Mk. 7.7-8]
What a fearful saying: following the rules of men means that our worship is in vain. Yet worship is precisely what we are claiming to be about on Sunday mornings. Jesus told us that the kind of worshippers the Father desires is those who worship in spirit and in truth. And what is our spiritual worship: it is to offer our very bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to him. Is that what we are about in our meetings? Are we offering our very bodies in worship, or are we simply warming a seat while someone else does all the talking and praying?
Too often, our traditions actively prevent us from worshipping. We cannot obey the commands of God, because the traditions of men do not allow us freedom to worship. Perhaps the aspect of denominational meetings that is most common to all is the presence and role of the pastor/priest. This is the man or woman who stands at the front, facing the congregation, and leads them in praying, singing, etc. No-one else speaks or acts, except under the supervision of this leader. He or she carries the entire spiritual life of the congregation, keeping office hours, visiting, counselling and overseeing the life of the church. Others may help in this work, but always under the direction of this one individual. Such is the importance given to this role, that it is expected that the holder have graduated from Bible College or Seminary, and is gifted with the title of "Reverend", or "Pastor", or even "Father".
Depending on the particular individual, or the denomination, the Pastor may rule unchecked, or he may be answerable to a Body of Elders, or a Board of Deacons, or some such group. As long as he pleases them in his work and preaching, he is safe and accepted. But should he displease them, there is a great risk that he will be removed from his position, and asked to look elsewhere for employment. For he is an employee of the church, paid a salary and even a pension, for the services he provides. So, his livelihood depends on maintaining his position in the church.
Now, while this is the most common form of church leadership today, it is a relatively recent development within the Body of Christ. Before the Reformation in the sixteenth century, the vast majority of believers were either Catholic or members of underground fellowships. There were no other denominations, aside from the Orthodox Church in the east. Therefore, much of what we see in the non-Catholic churches has developed over the past four hundred years. The Body of Christ has been in existence for two thousand years. One of the main aims of the Reformers was to make the Scriptures available to the common people, and to try to follow the Scriptures rather than the traditions that had grown up in the Catholic Church, and which were seen as non-Scriptural. Once the Reformation had taken hold in Europe, Christians who had broken with Rome placed tremendous importance on the preaching of the Word of God. Martin Luther, inspired by the Letters of Peter and Hebrews, restored to the Body of Christ the truth that we are a nation of priests. There is no Scriptural defense for a division of believers between clergy and laity, but all are priests, all have access by the grace of Christ into the Most Holy Place, and there is now no mediator needed between God and man, since Jesus himself has become the intermediary on our behalf. Following the clerical domination of Catholicism, this teaching revolutionized the lives of believers.
However, allowing for all Christians to receive inspiration by the Holy Spirit meant that there would be those whose mental balance, or worldly ambition, would lead them to claim divine inspiration where there was none. The weak in faith could be, and sometimes were, led astray by such false teachers into great error. In reaction to this, Luther, Calvin and other Reformers chose to impose a new structure on their followers, re-establishing a division between those who were licensed to teach and preach, and those who were to remain silent. Much of the older Catholic format was retained in these churches, with priests and bishops being set over the people to direct and control them. There were, however, those who condemned this move away from Scriptural precedent, who resisted the return to an overly-structured Church life. These groups were persecuted in turn by the Reformers, much as the Catholic Church persecuted the Reformers. Men, women and children were condemned to agonizing deaths for disagreeing with Luther or Calvin on points of doctrine, and much of the spiritual force of the Reformation was lost in political rivalries.
Even the Scriptures became a weapon in the conflict. The King James Version of the Bible was produced by those English Christians who were determined not to allow too much congregational involvement in the running of the church. This dispute between the Established Church and the Congregationalists was to assume serious political overtones and eventually play a large role in the Civil War which shook the nation in the 1640's. The translation of the Bible, therefore, became a political matter in this atmosphere of conflict. So terms such as "Bishop" were used in the translation, instead of "overseer", to give a particular portrait of the early church. Since the Established Church, the Anglican Communion, was a modified version of the Catholic Church, complete with Bishops and hierarchy, this view of Scripture suited their purposes.
In the Reformed Churches, the altar of Catholicism was replaced by the pulpit of the preachers. New traditions grew up, or were deliberately invented, to replace those of the old order, and the Holy Spirit was silenced, out of fear of disorder. This led to the rise of the Paster/Preacher, as a replacement for the Catholic Priest. His role was to represent the people before God, to teach them from the Word, and to lead them in worship. Soon the Reformed Churches were just as much in need of reform as the Catholic Church had been. Revivals broke out in various places, and many new groups emerged attempting to find a purer form of worship and fellowship. Some of these survived and in time became denominations in their own right: the Mennonites, the Methodists/Wesleyan Churches, and the Pentecostal churches of this century, for example. Each Christian denomination can trace its origins back to an attempt to revive or reform an older system. Although there is agreement about the central doctrines of Christianity, there is disagreement over less important matters, weak echoes of attempts at revival.
There have also been false revivals, false reformers, who claimed to be leading people into a renewed spirituality, but were far from the truth of Scripture. The Mormons are an example of this, claiming to be a Christian sect, but denying the truth of Jesus, teaching that all men will evolve into Gods, and claiming that Jesus was born when the Father had sexual relations with Mary. The Jehovah's Witnesses also serve as an example of those who claim to be true believers while denying the deity of Jesus, the Trinity and emphasizing instead trivial or secondary issues, such as the use of the name "Jehovah" instead of "Yahweh", and where the saved will spend eternity: heaven or earth.
In the face of this history of failure, fear and fraud, how can we know the
truth. What is the Body of Christ meant to be like? Is it possible, or even
desirable, to seek a fellowship closer to that enjoyed by the first Christians? As
with every other issue facing believers, the answer is to be found by looking to
the Word of God and trying to understand what God had in mind in the first
place.
2. The Body of Christ:
The fundamental truth that we Christians are each a part of one Body is taught in a number of places in Scripture. In Romans 12, Paul says:
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. [Rom. 12.4-5]
In Colossians, he tells us whose body it is: "And he is the head of the body, the church" [Col. 1.18]. We became part of this body when we surrendered ourselves to the Lord, being baptized into his death, we were "all baptized by one Spirit into one body" [1 Cor. 12.13]. Clearly, then, all Christians throughout the world and throughout history are part of one body, the Body of Christ, of which Jesus is the Head. It is imperative that we remember that, whatever place we may have in the body, there is only one Head, and that is Christ. What is the function of the head in our bodies? It is where the instructions come from: it is the seat of decision-making and knowledge, among other things. When the head is damaged, there is a crippling effect on the body as a whole. Paralysis, lack of co- ordination, lack of control and, ultimately, unconsciousness and death result when the head of the body is not in full control.
The Body of Christ, to be operating as it is designed, must be under the authority and control of the Head. Any other situation means some form of disfunction. Those who become centred on their own discernment and insight, are described in Colossians:
Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. [Col. 2.18-19]
Who is it who is being described in this passage? Well, the previous verses are dealing with those who put tradition before the Spirit, forcing people to follow rules and regulations of religion, instead of entering into the freedom of the Spirit. These are the ones who have lost connection with the Head, who gives growth. The only way in which the Body of Christ can grow "as God causes it to grow", is to be willing to lay aside any and all traditions in order to follow the Spirit who blows where he wills.
The complete and total dependence of the Body on the Head is obvious. A body without a head is dead. A body not properly under the control and authority of the head, is crippled and damaged. This is the same message Jesus gave us in the image of the Vine and the Branches:
I am the vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. [Jn. 15.5]
We must learn to take the Word of God seriously. It really means what it says: "apart from me you can do nothing. Or as the Psalmist said hundreds of years earlier:
Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen guard in vain. In vain you rise up early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for he grants sleep to those he loves. [Ps. 127.1-2]
How many Christians, especially those working as Pastors and Ministers, are described in this Scripture! They rise up early and stay up late, toiling for spiritual food for their congregations to eat. But it is in vain if the Lord is not the Builder, if the Body is not growing as God causes it to grow.
Let us be very clear: we can, through our own energies and abilities, cause churches to grow. We can use our eloquence, knowledge, training and management skills, to produce a reasonable facsimile of the real thing: a Spirit- led Church. But "it is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord" [Zech. 4.6]. Paul specifically states that his preaching and admonishing was accomplished as he laboured "with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me" [Col. 1.29]. He deliberately did not rely on his very deep knowledge of Scripture, his comprehensive training and impressive intellect to do God's work:
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence, or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I was resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. [1 Cor. 2.1-5]
We must be honest: however often we may hear preachers quoting this passage in relation to their own ministry, it is usually a result of false modesty. The fact is that most churches would never accept as a suitable pastor any man who could truly describe himself as Paul does. Churches look for a pastor who brings eloquence, superior wisdom, wise and persuasive words of preaching and a reliance on men's wisdom, symbolized by a Bible School degree. Without these qualities, a man is not considered properly qualified to minister in church. Not only so, he is expected to demonstrate these qualities before being hired for the job, and is encouraged to proclaim the testimony, not about God, but about himself. It should be a clear warning to us that Paul would not be considered a suitable pastor in many churches today.
Can we deny that most local churches look to "qualified" individuals to
minister to them? That there is room for only one "minister" in most churches
(aside from assistants, youth pastors, etc.)? The Scriptures do not know such
assemblies. There is an urgent necessity that we believers discover God's design
for the Body of Christ, starting with the central principle. This must become so
deeply embedded in our hearts and minds that we would never dream of
allowing any other principle to operate in our fellowship: there is only one
Head, and without complete and utter submission to his headship, there will be
no lasting fruit, no real growth, no genuine body ministry.
That is what the Word of God states over and over: do you believe it? Will you
live by it and make the appropriate changes in your life and ministry?
3. "A Body You Prepared For Me"
The concept of the Body of Christ, when properly understood, prevents two opposing extremes from taking hold of Christians. First of all, it emphasizes that all believers are part of the functioning Body, and not just the "professionals", the clergy. Far too often, a local assembly is crippled because only one or two members of the body are functioning, while the vast majority are passive recipients of their ministry. The Word of God says that all are members of the body, and all have an active role to play.
The second extreme which can be corrected through the Body, is the emphasis on individualism. There have been many Christians who, having come to the empowering of the Holy Spirit and the gifts he brings, failed to realize that the context in which the gifts are to be used is the Body, the local assembly of believers. Instead, they have seen themselves as independent agents, under no authority but that of the Lord, and answerable to no-one but the Holy Spirit. But the Word of God is clear that the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the ministries he brings, are always in the context of the Body.
The main passages of Scripture in which the truth of the Body of Christ is taught are Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Corinthians 11-14. Romans and Ephesians deal primarily with the theory of the Body and the ministries associated with it. In 1 Corinthians, Paul discusses in detail the design of the Body: how it works and how the gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit fit within the context of the Body of Christ. Finally, the Acts of the Apostles as a whole is the great example of the Body in action: the day-to-day reality of the indwelling Holy Spirit causing the Body to grow to maturity.
Romans 12 is a very important passage of Scripture in terms of the Body of Christ and the life of the individual believer. Paul begins in verses 1-2 to explain how the Christian can escape being conformed to the thinking and values of the world by being transfigured. The transfiguration involves having your mind renewed, that is, being trained to think and perceive things from God's point of view. Instead of being warped and stunted by the world's way of perceiving reality, we will come to understand what God's perfect and pleasing will is.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways", declares the Lord. [Is. 55.8]
What is the first fruit of a renewed mind? We see ourselves plainly, with sober judgment. And what we see is that we are part of the Body, not independent agents. We see that our gifts and ministries are for the benefit of others, and not for our own glorification. "Each member belongs to all the others" [verse 5], and so we have to learn to serve in love, according to the gift we have been given. The rest of the chapter details the way in which we must live in the Body, with sincere love, devoted to one another, honouring one another, sharing with one another, blessing, sharing in each others' rejoicing and mourning, living in harmony. We must be willing to associate with all members of the Body, regardless of who they are in the world's estimation, and being careful to live in peace with all. For Paul, the life of the Spirit is the life of the Body of Christ.
Likewise, in Ephesians 4, Paul begins by encouraging us to "live a life worthy of the calling you have received". He then immediately discusses our place in the Body of Christ. This is the context in which we live up to the calling. Again, as in Romans 12, he stresses the need for maintaining the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace, that is, living in harmony as one body. And again, as in Romans, he discusses the gifts and ministries in terms of their place in the Body.
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. [Eph. 4.11-13]
Paul does not distinguish between ministries and gifts, as so many do. To him, the ministers - the apostle, the prophet, the evangelist, the pastor and teacher - are themselves gifts. We are gifts to one another, given by God for our edification. We need each other to mature, to attain the full measure of the fullness of Christ. The body is essential. This passage does not speak of people becoming apostles, prophets, etc. The original Greek says that God gave some apostles, prophets, etc. If a man or woman has not been anointed by God as a minister, if he or she has not been given to the body as a gift, then no amount of training, eloquence or hard work will make them a minister.
We can see, then, that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to the body to be used in bringing each one to maturity. Maturity involves growing in unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God. The members of the body are like the spokes of a wheel. We all start from different points on the rim, but we are all heading to the same place, the centre, who is Christ. As we fix our eyes on him, and grow in knowledge of him, so we grow closer to one another. We may start at opposite sides of the wheel, and be moving at different speeds, but as long as we are growing in Christ, we are growing closer to one another in unity in the faith. This growth God causes through the ministry of the gifts of the Holy Spirit working through each member of the body. And, as we grow in this way, we will no longer be confused about God's ways, nor will we be so easily led astray. For as we receive ministry through the body, our minds are renewed and we learn to see things by the Spirit, who leads us into all truth. There is another principle at work here. The gifts only achieve their designed purpose when they operate in loving service to the body. Spiritual gifts are given by God freely and they are not taken back. But if they are used in a self-glorifying manner, if they are used to bring attention and fame to the Christian and not to his Lord, then they are not being used properly. God will continue to bring fruit, but the minister will find no blessing in it.
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. [Eph. 4.15-16]
What do we find, then, regarding the body of Christ? As believers, we are all members of the body, and have a part to play in it. The purpose of the body is to provide a community, a context in which we can exercise the gifts God has given us by his mercy. These gifts are not just ministries such as prophesy, healing, tongues, etc.. The ministers themselves are gifts to the body, anointed and set in place by God, not man, to help the members grow to maturity. The gifts have to be exercised in love, out of hearts of love, and not for self-glorification or in a spirit of superiority. They are gifts of service to the entire body. The body of Christ contains all believers through time and space; but is also to be found in the local assembly. It is at this level that we can fit in and find our place, the context in which we can grow and minister to the Lord in love. It is our place of safety, where we can be fed and grow, protected from false doctrine and passing trends and fads which pass themselves off as moves of God. The members of the body are not meant to remain passive recipients of ministry. Whatever their age or state at birth, they are expected to grow into ministry and attain to the full measure of the fullness of Christ. If people are not growing, if they are not reaching unity in the faith and in knowledge of the Son of God, then the body is not functioning as it ought.
We need to look into 1 Corinthians and the Acts of the Apostles to see exactly how the local fellowship is meant to operate, and how the various members are expected to reach such maturity. Paul wrote to the Corinthians to correct problems which had arisen in the life of that church because of their misunderstanding of the body and the role of spiritual gifts. He discusses the purpose of meeting together, the role of gifts and the necessity for love in the growth of a local fellowship.
The church at Corinth met together for a number of reasons, one of which was the Lord's Supper. All Christian churches today have some variation of this celebration. By whatever name it is known, they gather together to partake of bread and wine in memory of Christ. At Corinth, this meeting together had taken the form of a communal meal. But problems had arisen, because the focus of the meal had been lost. Instead of using the occasion to remember the Lord's death, and to emphasize their unity as one body, the Corinthians had turned the meal into a social event. The richer Christians were bringing along plenty of food and drink, and were feasting while the poorer members were going hungry. There were even people getting drunk on the wine, not at all in the spirit of the Lord's Supper. Paul quite sternly points out that whatever else they were doing, it was not celebrating the Lord's Supper [1 Cor. 11.20-22]. They were forgetting that the whole point of sharing in the same loaf and the same cup was to remember that, because of the death of Jesus, they had been brought into one body. They were no longer their own, but had been bought at a price.
Having reprimanded them for their failure, Paul then reminds them of what the event is meant to be: a remembrance and a celebration. But he goes further, and this is very important for us to notice. Paul says that, by not recognizing the body in what they do, they are eating and drinking in an unworthy manner. Moreover, by behaving in such a negligent way, "many of you are sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep". Each one, Paul says, should examine himself before eating and drinking; that is, each Christian should think seriously about what breaking bread together as a fellowship means. Do we realize that we are acknowledging the Lordship of Jesus in our lives? That we are also acknowledging that we are in submission to each other as members of the body? Remember what Paul said in Romans: "each member belongs to all the others" [Rom. 12.5]. If we belong to each other, then how can we continue to treat the fellowship so casually? Our love must be sincere, and not casual or superficial. It is not fellowship in the Lord to only see one another on Sunday morning, and pass by with a false smile and a nod. You simply cannot have fellowship with people you do not know. This is not being part of one body, this is playacting.
Therefore, as Paul continues in Corinthians, wait for each other, be sensitive and realize what you are doing when you come together, so that you will not be judged. Think of it: Paul says that this failure to "recognize" the body can lead to sickness and even death among the negligent! Surely, this must be taken seriously. It is no coincidence that Paul goes straight into talking about spiritual gifts at this point. He does not want the Corinthians to be ignorant on the subject, and neither should we be. The context for gifts is the fellowship of the body. It is in our love for one another and our submission to each other that the spiritual gifts are to be understood. They are gifts of service, as Paul says:
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. [1 Cor. 12.7]
There are different kinds of gifts, different kinds of service, but all are given by the Holy Spirit, or they are not of God. Our very faith is a gift. No-one, Paul says, can honestly know and declare Jesus as Lord unless it is by revelation of the Holy Spirit [1 Cor. 12.3]. So we should expect far more than just the ministry of one person in the body. There are so many other gifts given to us beyond that of the pastor or "minister". Do we possess those gifts in our fellowship? If not, why not?
Look at the list of gifts Paul gives in verses 8-10. There is the message of wisdom, the message of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues. These, Paul states plainly, are "the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines". None of these gifts are to be rejected, and certainly no-one can say that any are not of God. He gives them to each one, not just to a few, just as the Spirit determines. No-one chooses what they will accept or reject from the list. That is not their right. These are gifts, and we cannot claim to love God and still want to pick and choose what we will accept of his loving generosity. Remember, these gifts are not given to you for your pleasure or glory, they are given to be used in serving the body. Without a willingness to accept them in that context, the gifts will not be fruitful.
Again, in verses 14-26, Paul restates the inter-relatedness of the members of the body. There is no member that is not needed, no member that is to be preferred over another. No-one should feel that they are expendable, and no-one should think themselves independent of all the others. There has always been a tendency to hold the more public gifts above others. Preaching, teaching, prophecy and healing have often been prized above some other gifts, and this is worldliness of the worst kind. We value these gifts because they bring attention to those exercising them. Or we are attracted by the dramatic nature and the status that comes with them. But this is to harbour worldly ambition in our hearts, and to judge in the way of the world. As Paul has already said in Romans 12.1-2, we need to have our thinking changed so as to avoid having such attitudes and values. See what the will of the Lord is:
God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be...But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honour 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. [1 Cor. 12.18,24-25]
How far this is from so many churches today, where we have raised up one gift and one ministry to the point where it is the only one we value or recognize. No wonder the body of Christ is so weak and ineffective!
Now that he has shown us how important it is to have the proper attitude towards the different kinds of gifts, and to see them in perspective as equally honourable and necessary to the body, Paul can deal with the question of authority and leadership. In the church God has established a certain order of ministry. This is not a hierarchy, as men have made it, designed to put one over another in terms of honour and status. Rather these "greater gifts", as Paul class them, are those which offer greatest service to the body. God has appointed, in order, apostles, prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, those with gifts of healing, those with gifts of administration, and those who speak in tongues. Now we should note that these are organizing gifts. They are the ones which most clearly enable God to minister to us by the Spirit to the end he has always in mind. It is always his aim, in giving gifts, that they be used to bring all of us to maturity and to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Apostles are those who establish and build up fellowships from place to place. This was Paul's ministry as he travelled from town to town. The prophet is next, through whom God speaks his word for now. The prophet does not usually speak of the future, but rather the present. His ministry has ever been: "Thus says the Lord...". The teacher comes next, because the members of the body need to be grounded in the Word of God, and have a firm foundation laid in their lives upon which God can build a temple in which he lives by his Spirit. Gifts of administration are vital in a growing body. The early church appointed Deacons to this role, so as to allow for the free flow of the Spirit, unencumbered by the practical necessities involved in gathering people together. Miracles, healing and tongues may be considered more esoteric gifts to many today, but they have always been an essential part of the body of Christ. They are not to be tacked on as optional extras, they are at the core of the ministry of the church. We need miracles, the life we are called to is not possible without the constant work of the Holy Spirit changing our thought patterns, freeing us from attitudes and traditions, and bringing about events and changes which the work of God requires. We are all in need of healing, whether that be physical, emotional or spiritual. The world has stained and warped each one of us, and it is God's will that we be healed and transformed, so as to allow the life of Jesus to be lived fully through us. Paul refers to those whose gift is in speaking in tongues, and this needs to be examined carefully. The context in which this gift is being discussed is the gathering together of the body. Tongues will be used differently here than they would be in personal prayer. In the meeting, tongues are used in communal praise and worship, as the Spirit leads. But the particular gift referred to here is used to allow the Spirit to speak to the needs of the people. Like prophecy, it is a direct word to the body and is discussed later in this letter.
As a side note here, it is always good to remember that the chapter and verse numbering we find in our Bibles is of fairly recent origin. Naturally, Paul did not put in the chapters and verses in his letter, and so we must learn to read Scripture in that light. So, we find Paul emphasising the order of gifts, and encouraging believers to desire the most useful ones, for the benefit of the body. He says:
But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal. [1 Cor. 12.31-13.1]
We must see the link between the two chapters. 1 Corinthians 13 had often been quoted at weddings and other times of joy and encouragement, but usually out of context. Paul is talking about the most excellent way of desiring and using spiritual gifts. He is telling us that gifts without love are less than useless to us. If we are to make the most use of them, if we are to minister truly in the Spirit of God, we must do so out of love for those we serve.
Tongues, prophesy, wisdom, knowledge, faith, sacrifice: all are empty unless they are exercised in love. And this is not just a warm feeling, or a benevolent attitude: it is the love of Jesus. Read verses 4 to 7, as Paul defines what love is, and you will find there a portrait of Jesus, the full flowering of the fruit of the Spirit. In other words, we will fully enter into the life of the body of Christ, utilizing the gifts and ministries provided by the Holy Spirit, as we learn to live in Christ. The spiritual gifts and the ministries of the Spirit, are the expression of Christ in you. It is the way in which the life of Jesus, now growing in you, shows itself in the church. That is why the spiritual gifts are given in the context of the body, and not to enable Christians to have a "Lone Ranger" ministry. Jesus came as a servant, washing our feet, and we are to become servants also, serving the body and washing their feet through the gifts he has given us by his grace.
But there is more. Not only are the gifts the means by which the Lord enables us to love and serve one another, and help the body to mature; but it is by serving through ministry that we ourselves learn to mature and "put childish ways behind me". By serving, we see ourselves and the body in the right perspective. We get our minds off self-serving, and realize the importance of becoming the servant of all, if we are to be great in the Kingdom. Paul goes on to encourage us:
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts... [1 Cor. 13.13- 14.1]
This is the second time that Paul has encouraged us to "eagerly desire spiritual gifts". It is obvious that he places tremendous importance on the role of these gifts in the everyday life of the body of Christ. Without them, he says, the body is not functioning as it should, and is suffering as a result. It must make us wonder why there is not a greater hunger for these gifts today. Even more important, why do so many Christians deny that we either need, or should want, the gifts today? There are those who claim that these gifts were only for the early church, and are no longer needed today. Surely, if Paul believed he needed these gifts, then so do we? Are we so much more spiritual than Paul and Peter and those great saints of God, that we can get by without what God has given to the body as gifts?
Some quote Paul as support for their belief that the gifts are not for today. They say that 1 Corinthians 13.10 refers to them when it says: when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears". Now I would not want to be the one to say that any gift of God is "imperfect", and I certainly do not see the church today as being perfect, or even as perfect as it was in Paul's day. One thing is quite certain: the early church fully accepted the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the body ministry he brought, and they turned the world upside down in just a few years. But the church today, ambivalent, at best, about the role of the Holy Spirit, remains ignored and rejected by the society around it. If your church stopped meeting today, how many people in your community would notice any difference? It is a sad thing when Christians who claim to accept the Bible as their final authority, go to such great lengths to explain why they don't follow it in this matter. When Bible-believing Christians have to argue that the Bible is no longer relevant in certain aspects to their life today, it must raise questions about the state of the body of Christ. If certain parts of the New Testament are not for today, then what else can be dismissed also as being redundant in this "enlightened" age?
Paul has discussed the spiritual gifts and ministries, showing that every believer has something to bring to the body. He has shown us how the body of Christ provides a context in which the gifts are manifested, and how vital it is to our growth to maturity that we minister in love and submission, one to the other. In Chapter 14, he gives practical advice on the use of two of the more "charismatic" gifts: tongues and prophecy. Of all the gifts, speaking in tongues generates most heat and least light. More energy has gone into dismissing this gift than any other, and that is not surprising. For tongues is the gift which most dethrones our ego. Although we choose when to speak and when to be silent, we have no control over what we say, since we do not understand the language in which we are speaking. This is very hard on the fallen nature, which always likes to maintain control. But submitting your tongue to the Holy Spirit, allowing him to pray through you while your mind stands by, this requires humility. Paul thanked God that he spoke in tongues more than any of the Corinthian Christians (verse 18), and encouraged all of them to receive the gift (verse 5). He tells us that the man speaking in tongues "utters mysteries with his spirit" (or by the Spirit), and edifies himself, which is the entire purpose of our walk. Finally, he specifically commands: "do not forbid speaking in tongues" (verse 39). How many churches disobey that command today?
Nevertheless, when we come together as a body, Paul wants people to prophecy rather than pray in tongues. This is because prophecy, being given in our own language, is immediately understood by all present, and so can bring the Word of God to the church most effectively. It is a greater gift, in the meeting, because it is more useful. Tongues are primarily designed for private prayer and praise, but may also be used by the Spirit to speak a word in season to the body. In that case, someone present, sometimes the one giving the message in tongues, will be given an interpretation of the message to be shared with the body. When the message is from the Spirit, there will be an interpretation, but it may happen that the one receiving it will not share it openly. This happens sometimes because the believer is unsure of the message being from God; or does not realize that what they have in mind is an interpretation of what they have just heard in tongues; or even because they put shyness or self-consciousness before the needs of the body. In any case like this, Paul says, the one giving the message in tongues should not press the issue, but remain silent, using the tongue to praise the Lord privately.
Putting all that he has taught into concrete terms, Paul makes a very important point:
When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. [1 Cor. 14.26]
Note that everyone has something, not just one person. Do we allow for such a show of God's generosity in our churches, or are we looking to one person for everything God might want to say that day? If we claim to be a Scriptural people, then let us follow the Scripture and not human tradition. If we have not, it is because we have not asked. We need to have our minds renewed so we can know the good, perfect and pleasing will of God, and escape the clutches of dead tradition.
Look at how active the church at Corinth was when they came together. Two or three giving messages in tongues, as many more with words of prophecy. They are encouraged to be orderly, so as to allow as many to share as possible. Today, we demand order by denying anyone but one or two the right to speak at all. This is the church in action as the body of Christ. It is by allowing, even encouraging all to enter into whatever gift God has given them, that the whole body will grow and develop as God desires. All good gifts are from him, and he allocates to each one as he sees fit, all in order to provide for the edification of the body. Surely, we can learn to trust the Holy Spirit not to give us what would harm us, or cause unnecessary conflict in the church? Paul recognized that there were divisions among the Corinthian Christians; but he did not close down the meeting in order to do away with the problem. In fact, he says that such differences are necessary "to show which of you have God's approval". We all have responsibilities within the body of Christ. When we come together, if I believe I have a word from the Lord for the fellowship, it is my responsibility to only speak the word of God, remembering that I am answerable to him for every word I speak. Peter says that we must:
...use whatever gift we have received in order to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. [1 Pt. 4.10-11]
So, unless you know by the Spirit that what you are speaking in the meeting is anointed of God, do not speak! We like the sound of our own voices, and silence can make us uncomfortable, but we must resist the temptation (for that is what it is) to say something in order to have something said. Wait on the Lord, and let his anointing lead the teachers, preachers, prophets and any others he chooses. The rest of the body present is responsible to test the Spirit, to see whether it is from God. They may reject what is not of the Lord, and accept what is, and they will answer to God for their response.
Those who serve, in whatever fashion, should do so with the energy of God, that is, not in their own power and ability, but in the power of the Holy Spirit, as Paul did. It is well worth repeating: it is not our eloquence, our energy, our initiative, our clever ideas and programs that will touch the hearts and minds of the fellowship. Only the anointing of the Spirit can do so.
The most common objection to this picture of the body in action is that it
would lead to chaos and confusion. "Our God", they quote Paul, "is not a God of
disorder", and this is very true. When he is allowed to rule, there is great order
and a natural flow to meetings. People are encouraged and taught, and there is
edification of the body. It is when we fear disorder and try to prevent it by
bringing in ideas and structures that are not found in Scripture that we find a
lack in all these areas. Let us be honest: there are many people who are led by
spirits which are not the Holy Spirit, and they are attracted to places where there
is spiritual activity. There are also those who are emotionally or psychologically
unbalanced, and are also drawn to where they are free to express themselves.
Both of these types of people can bring disturbance, distraction and disorder to a
meeting, if they are allowed freedom to do so. How can we prevent this without
imposing strict limits on body ministry? And how are we to react to false
prophecies and teaching? Our God truly is a God of order, and he has placed in
the body those whose responsibility it is to deal with such issues. These are the
elders, or overseers.
5. Authority and Order
In many churches today, the elders are the elderly men, those who, simply by living long enough, are given the position. This is often a strictly honourary title, carrying with it no real authority. But in the New Testament, we do not find this kind of elder. Instead, the elders were those who exercised supervision of the spiritual life of the fellowship, responsible before God for praying and supporting the believers, and looking to the spiritual health of the body.
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. [1 Tim. 5.17]
The elders are drawn from various ministries in the church, not just the teachers and preachers. Peter and John both refer to themselves as elders, as well as being apostles. Paul lays down certain criteria for recognising elders: they must be temperate, not new converts, not a lover of money, etc. Peter calls the elders "shepherds of God's flock", and that is an excellent job description [1 Pt. 5.2]. When someone is sick, it is the elders who should come and lay hands for healing. Timothy received his own gift, given by prophetic message, when the body of elders laid hands on him and prayed.
The elders ensure that what is shared during the meetings is of the Holy Spirit. Some will use the freedom we enjoy in the Lord to introduce their own favourite theories, or preach things which are contrary to the Word of God. Some will take advantage of the freedom in worship to create disorderly, or even diabolical, distractions and confusion, and this should be rebuked. We are told in the Scriptures to test the spirits to see if they are from God. The Holy Spirit will never contradict himself. So we can be sure that no word of prophecy, no message in teaching, preaching, or any of the spiritual gifts, will ever contradict the written Word of God. Neither will it add anything to the revealed Word of God: rather, the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our gatherings will apply the Word of God to our present circumstances. This is the work of the Spirit as promised by Jesus:
But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit...will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you...he will guide you into all truth...He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. [Jn. 14.26; 16.13-14]
This is how we know the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and can discern false doctrine, or teaching that is not anointed. He is trustworthy, and we show terrible lack of faith when we build in safeguards in our meetings to ensure that nothing "unacceptable" will be said or done. The Holy Spirit can take care of this far better than we can, if we will allow him to move freely. The anointed elders will be led by him also, in shepherding the flock, protecting it from attack of any kind.
It is interesting that the elders are always spoken of in the plural. John calls himself "The Elder", as a title, but there is no fellowship in the New Testament with just one elder. Paul instructs Titus to "appoint elders in every town". In Acts, we are told that Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in each church. The modern tendency to have a church under the supervision of one pastor is simply unknown in Scripture. In fact, the word "pastor" is not used, except in Ephesians 4.11, when Paul says that the Lord gave "some pastors and teachers" to the church. The word "pastor", in the singular, never appears. And, of course, the word "Reverend" is never used about any man, while the word "minister" refers to all who have a gift, of whatever kind.
The body of Christ has introduced a hierarchy unknown to the early church: a division among believers of the clergy and laity: the professional Christian and the amateur. Those with titles have been given sole charge of the ministry of the Word, and have had piled on their shoulders all the burden of caring for the members of the fellowship. The Scriptural model for leadership and authority in the church is quite different. Jesus told his apostles that those who would be great in the kingdom must be the servants of all, as he was. We get around that by paying lip service to servanthood while maintaining the status of masters. Peter encouraged the elders of the church:
Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers - not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. [1 Pt. 5.2-3]
We are reminded that it is God's flock which we serve, and not our own. We have no right to lord it over anyone, but must serve in love. Elders are not to be greedy for money. It is time for the body to pay less attention to the collecting of "offerings", and more to the work of God. If God has inspired our work, he will meet all the needs of his people. If we have to spend all our time raising money to keep things going, we must honestly question whether it is of the Lord. Because when the Lord has inspired a ministry, he will take care of its needs. Let us avoid the trap which brought down the elders of Israel: holding on to what God once did, and missing out on what he is doing now. When he wants it to end, we must be careful not to attempt to keep it going for its own sake, for we may find ourselves working against the Lord's will.
The body of Christ is just what the name implies: it belongs to Christ. His body is of infinitely more importance than any of our denominations. No one denomination has a monopoly on membership in the body. Believers are found everywhere, and no denomination is without its nominal and pretend Christians. The weeds and the wheat are growing together and only the Lord will be able to separate them out on his Day. So let us not have an unhealthy attachment to denominational labels, and instead focus our passion and allegiance on the Lord and his Word. Let us be prepared to venture out in obedience to the Word of God, whatever it may mean to our fellowship. No group of believers will suffer for trusting and obeying the command of God.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. [Jn. 15.7-8]
The New Testament does not speak in great detail about the practicalities of
meeting together as believers. We have seen that the early church met together to
share the Lord's Supper, to hear from God through the ministries of the Holy
Spirit in prophecy, tongues, teaching and preaching. Each believer had a place in
the local assembly, and they edified each other, cared for each other, prayed for
each other, and had a close and sincere love for one another. Each assembly had
elders in a place of responsibility, acting as overseers to ensure soundness of
doctrine and the spiritual health of the body. No one man or woman was left to
carry this burden alone. The Holy Spirit was left to move as he willed, directing
and encouraging the fellowship of believers. No rigid rules were laid down in
the Scripture for what to do when we gather together: there is no liturgical
model, no format or formula in the Spirit. How he may choose to act in one
meeting is no indication of how he may move in another. He wants to apply the
Word of God to where we are each time we come together; and, in a healthy
church, that will change each time, for we are a growing people. We must allow
him to operate as he sees fit, moving in freedom and unencumbered by
structures and formulas of men's devising. He is the wind of God, blowing as he
wills, and we don't know where he comes from, or where he is going. So it
is with those who are born of the Spirit.
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