The individual s-p-i-r-i-t-u-a-l gift that God the Holy Spirit selects (1 Cor. 12:11) and distributes to each and every born again believer is a fundamental part of the post salvation spiritual life of an advancing disciple. The use of one's spiritual gift is for introducing unbelievers into the spiritual life of God, and/or for the spiritual edification of fellow believers in the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12: 7).
"But one and the same Spirit works all these things (diverse spiritual gifts) distributing to each one (believer) individually just as HE wills."1Cor. 11: 12-11 (NASB/parenthesis mine.
"But to each one of us (Church Age believers) is given (a spiritual gift for) the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good (of others)." 1 Cor. 12: 7 NASB/parenthesis mine.
We, and every single person with whom we interact with on a daily basis are either spiritually dead unbelievers in need of the Gospel that ALL born again believers possess, or fellow member of the body of Christ) in need of post salvation doctrine that advancing disciples (should) possess.
I find it odd that not one of us would hesitate to speak up and warn a stranger or loved one of something that might otherwise result in a serious injury or death, but can so easily be restrained from sharing the Gospel or an edifying principle of Bible Doctrine.
To say that, "I have enough on my plate just to address my own spiritual issues without worrying about anyone else!", sounds humble enough, but is no more than a cop-out for not taking part in the TRUE post salvation spiritual life in which EVERY born gain believer is called to participate. We (Church Age believers) are NOT all given the same gift (1 Cor. 12: 4, 5), but we are given the one that God has chosen for us as an individual to receive in order to fill the (not "a") place and role that God has decreed for each and every Church Age believer. Just as there are various types of spiritual gifts, there are the various types of accompanying ministries (forms of service).
What distinguishes one's s-p-i-r-i-t-u-a-l gift from his/her human talents and abilities is the "power source" (human vs. divine) and type of benefits (temporal vs. spiritual) that the ones we minister (serve) to may receive.
The power source behind divine good is God (John 15:5), whereas the power source behind human good is Man.
Human good has its place and benefits here on Earth. Human good can be easily mistaken for divine good, especially when God chooses to use human good to fulfill His will in response to such things as prayer.
It is like the guy who eluded flood waters by going up and onto his roof. Men in a boat came by and offer their help. but the guy declined, saying the Lord would rescue him. The same thing happened later on as the man clung to his chimney and men in a helicopter offered help, but were likewise waived off with the same explanation. The man shortly thereafter drowned and found himself in Heaven. Upon coming face to face with God, the man had to ask why God had not rescued him from the roof, to which God replied, "Who do you think sent you the boat and helicopter!"
In many cases, God can and does use the human good produced by atheists and unbelievers, just as well as the human good produced by Christians to accomplish HIs situational will. However, if it is the salvation or edification of a soul that is in view, then the task requires the enabling John 15: 5 power and participation of God the Holy Spirit to accomplish anything in the spiritual realm.
The classic example of great human good, be it at the hands of an atheist, an unbeliever, or a Christian, can b e seen in the operating rooms in medical facilities every day. The physical bodies are repaired and/or the natural life of the body is enabled to continue to exist. The ONLY connection between this form of human good and the spiritual realm is that the earthly house of the soul is preserved. Because this part of the scenario involves human good, it can be accomplished by atheists or unbelievers just as well as it can be accomplished by Christians with the same HUMAN skill and ability. The same principle can be applied to virtually ever area of labor or profession in which human good is produced.
Whenever any specific deed can be accomplished apart from God at the hands of an atheist or an unbeliever just as well as it can be accomplished by a Christian in the same secular field or profession is evidence in itself that the deed was NOT, an example of divine good. To qualify as divine good, it must be God who produces it (John 15:5).
When the appointed time of departure comes, there is no form of human good that can keep the departing soul from leaving the body. NONE of human good that one received can be taken with us into eternity. NONE of the human good that we produced will provide us with the reward(s) and privileges spoken of in 1Cor, 3: 12-15. Only the deeds of divine good will be rewarded when our post salvation spiritual life here on Earth is evaluated in Heaven.
Human good has its benefits here on Earth, but all the human good in the world can not generate (Titus 3:5) one millisecond of eternal life or warrant the receiving of one Heavenly reward (1 Cor. 3: 12-15! The production of divine good through a Church Age believer is the Work of God (John 15:5).
"I am the vine (source of nutrition/power). you (the advancing disciple) are the branches (the part that passes along the nutrition it receives to the fruit). He(the branch) that abides in (collaborates with) Me and I in him, he bears much fruit (divine good); (But) for (working independently) apart from Me, you can do nothing (of a divine nature)." John 15:5 NASB/parenthesis mine.
For example, both godly and ungodly parents can provide a humanly productive and functional home setting along with opportunities for their offspring to enjoy a "good" (humanly speaking) life and future here on Earth, but such forms of human good provide neither the parent nor the offspring with eternal life needed to live in Heaven. Some of the "blessings" that come from well-intending parents can become the means for the devil to distract the offspring from identifying and pursuing spiritual issues.
There is nothing wrong with legitimate earthly prosperity (3 John 1: 2), but as the Lord also taught (Mark 8: 36), it would do one no good to have gained the whole world in this lifetime if it meant neglecting the spiritual issues that we must attend to BEFORE we leave this planet.
Scripture (Matt. 6: 21) teach that wherever one's money is (or would be if one had money), also where one's heart is (Matt. 6: 21). This is a good verse for godly parents to consider when doing a 2 Cor. 3: 15 self-examination.
When parents meet other parents or extended family members, how often (if at all) is the spiritual status and progress of the offspring the topic of conversation when asked how the kids are doing?
Many parents will go to all extremes to promote the progress of the domestic setting or career choices of the offspring, but how many would do the same to promote the spirituality of the same persons?
There is a place for the production of human good in the Earthly life of a believer. It does, for example, provide the believer with ONE of the many places and opportunities to function as an ambassador for Christ (2Cor. 5: 20), as well as provide the logistical means of support for one self and dependents (2Thess. 3:10).
Earning a living is a clear principle of doctrine.
"For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order; if anyone will not (not can not) work, neither let him eat." (2 Thess. 3: 10 NASB).
The production of human good, however, does not involve spiritual activity, and human good must be distinguished from divine good.
If ANY deed we engage in does NOT set the stage for either the salvation or the edification a soul, then it is, at best, only human good, no matter how "great" the recipients of the deed benefit by it here on Earth.
I spent 30 years of my life dedicated to law enforcement. This was and is another example of how God will use HUMAN good to accomplish His purposes, as law and order are necessary in ANY society. Even though those who enforce secular laws are referred to as God's ministers in Romans 13, the ministry (service) they provide is of a SEECULAR nature, and for that reason can be rendered by both believers and unbelievers alike who have the necessary skills of human good.
God used many of the experiences I encountered in my secular career to set the stage for the ministry that I was later to engage in, but only in occasional instances were there any divine good (evangelism/edification) taking place through me in that environment.
No matter how "late" one CHOOSES to be used of God, it is never "too" late. Consider how the conversation between the Lord and the man on the cross next to Him (Luke 23: 39-43) has been used of God to inspire countless souls down through the course of the Church Age.
There was no time (nor need) of ANY religious ritual to take place, yet the man was never-the-less assured by the highest of authority that he WOULD be with the Lord in *Paradise."
*Paradise was (past tense) located in Hades and was where the departed souls of believers descended to upon leaving the body at the moment of physical death BEFORE the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was a place of conscious comfort (Luke 16: 25). Paradise could be seen by the souls of unbelievers suffering in agony (Luke 16: 24, 25) in the Torment section of Hades, but could not cross over to it. It was to this Paradise that the Lord Jesus Christ descended to upon leaving HIs dead body behind on the cross, only to be reunited with it in resurrection form 3 days later.
I believe that the testimony of a believer during the process of dying can be the greatest "witnessing" that he/she will provide to others who hear or observe it. Under such circumstances, the familial impediment (Mark 6: 4) to evangelism and edification between family members is suspended. This, for many, can be one of the bright spots in what otherwise can be a very challenging time for an immature believer who finds him/herself in a sick bed at home, in a nursing home, or hospital with the knowledge of his/her immanent departure in a relatively short period of time.
For the advancing disciple, his/her desire throughout the course of his/her post salvation spiritual life was to be where God wanted him/her to be and doing what God wanted him/her to be doing as His ambassador. Should the place, environment, or circumstances of one's departure or process of departing change that attitude or quest? If it does, the devil will be certain to use it to discredit whatever one's "testimony" had been throughout his/her lifetime!
An advancing disciple can only be used of God to produce to divine good to the extent that he/she has grown in God's grace and knowledge during his/her time here on Earth. One's departure or departing process will be no exception.
This "divine vs. human good" principle is reiterated in 1 Cor. 3: 12-15, where we see the ones who chose to be used of God to produce divine good being REWARDED in Heaven, whereas ALL the deeds of human good are REJECTED for consideration, no matter how great or of what value they had been here on Earth.
It is important to note that sin or bad deeds are not issues at this 1 Cor. 3: 12-15 event that takes place in Heaven, even though man-made religion and the devil would have believe that they are. In doing so, the devil does a pretty good job of distracting the believer from recognizing that the TRUE post salvation spiritual life is really all about.
The purpose of this 1 Cor. 3: 12-15 event is for God to reveal what GOOD deeds associated with each individual believer were of divine nature, symbolized in the passage as gold, silver, precious stones, and what GOOD deeds were of human good, symbolized as wood, hay, straw. The deeds of divine good are rewarded, whereas the deeds of human good are TOTALLY rejected as having ANY basis for reward.
This, to my knowledge, is the only after-death event in which departed Church Age believers have the potential of experiencing a moment of embarrassment and disappointment, as they see what they thought would be the basis of heavenly reward go up in smoke. The good news for such believers is that even if they receive NO reward at all, they remained saved.
The debt for sin and/or bad deeds were PAID for and stamped PAID IN FULL by the very blood of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. To say that is can be "erased" is not only errant doctrine, is it blasphemy.
Eternal security, however, is NOT a license to sin. There IS divine discipline HERE on Earth, but there is NO disciple awaiting for the believer in Heaven, only the potential loss of reward (s). The Romans 14:5 "accounting" has to do with what each one of chose to do with the post salvation spiritual life that began on the day of salvation when we first believed.
The evaluation of the deeds that we accomplished throughout the course of one's post salvation spiritual life is what will result in the loss of some or all of the reward(s) that the each one of us could have received in addition to the eternal life in Heaven that ALL believers will enjoy for all of eternity.
This evaluation is NOT for the purpose of seeing who stays and who goes to "Hell", as the destination of each soul was already determined HERE on Earth, based on one's decision to either BELIEVE or disbelieve the Gospel (John 3: 18). The fact that one finds him/herself present at this evaluation is proof that he/she was born again, as the judgment (Rev. 20: 13, 15) for those who were not born again takes place at another time and ends up with those ALL souls present being tossed in to the lake of fire for ALL of Eternity.
God is NOT glorified by ANY of the human good deeds we accomplish or produce. God is glorified by the divine good that HE produces THROUGH us (John 15: 5). Accordingly, Satan works long and hard trying to deceive the Church Age believer into thinking that the human good produced by human power, talent and ability is what the post salvation spiritual life is all about, when in truth such things are going to be totally rejected as far as rewards are concerned.
Atheists and unbelievers can produce as much human-good as a believer. Atheists and unbelievers can choose to live lifestyles that are as relatively or traditionally "moral" as believers. If such things were to be the basis for either entrance into Heaven or heavenly reward, as MANY "religions" claim it is, the atheist or unbelievers would be as welcome as the believer. Scripture speak of much different criteria (John 3: 18) and reveal two very different destinies (John 3: 16/Rev..3: 15, 18) for ALL who choose to either accept or to reject the Gospel.
While having the potential of providing MANY Earthly benefits for the producer and benefactor of human good here on Earth, the ONLY part that the production of human good can play in the production of divine good is to set the stage for the production of divine good within the scenarios that the advancing disciple shares with unbelievers and fellow believers.
Spiritual gifts are exercised with the power of God the Holy Spirit. The believer's part in the process is to provide accurate information concerning the Gospel as it pertains to unbelievers, and post salvation doctrine, as it pertains to fellow believers. In doing so, the stage is set for GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT to regenerate the spiritually dead spirit of an unbeliever, and/or to edify the soul structure of a fellow believer, depending on the recipients CHOSEN response to the information being communicated.
"So then neither the one who plants (spreads the Gospel) nor the one who waters (teaches/shares Bible Doctrine) is anything (Humility 101), but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one (collaborating); but each (believer) will receive his own reward according to his own labor (labor = part in the process). " (1 Cor. 3: 7-15 NASB/parenthesis mine)."
THIS is where post salvation discipleship (being a student of the Word of God) comes into play. One can ONLY be used of God in the production of divine good to the extent that he/she first prepares, maintains, and executes an edified soul structure of his/her own.
Being a post salvation disciple does NOT make one any MORE saved, but the extent in which he/she can be used of God (and the reward he/she will receive) differs greatly from one believer to the next. Disciples do NOT engage in the production of divine good in order to be rewarded, but has clearly revealed that such rewards await the advancing disciple in Heaven.
"Christians" who do NOT have a clear understanding of the TRUE Gospel will not have the type of "foundation (1Cor. 3/Matt. 7: 14-17)" on which an edified soul structure can be built. One of the most evident signs that one does NOT have a clear understanding of the Gospel is when he/she thinks that a born again believer is going to answer to God for sin when he/she meets his/her maker in Heaven.
Divine discipline (Heb. 12-6) that takes place HERE on Earth is not something to be taken lightly, as it can range in anything from having to live with a guilty conscience, up to and including physical illness (1Cor. 11:30) and/or death (Acts 5).
There is divine discipline for post salvation sin HERE on Earth, but NONE in Heaven. The issue at the judgment that takes place in Heaven is to determine what (if any) rewards the believer will receive in addition to the eternal life that ALL believers will experience.
When Paul, speaking under the influence of God the Holy Spirit spoke of the greater spiritual gifts (1Cor. 12: 31), he was referring to the spiritual gifts of communication in the capacity of an evangelist or pastor-teacher.
Note that it is the GIFT and NOT the believer who receives such gifts that is "greater". Regardless of what spiritual gift we received, we are ALL equally saved and we are ALL no more than a sinner saved by grace. No one is ANY closer to God or further away from God than what he or she chooses to be. One' s spiritual gift determines where in the body of Christ he/she will find his/her appointed place of function, not his worth.
The communicating of the Gospel (for salvation) and the communicating of the post salvation doctrine (for the making of disciples out of those who are ALREADY born again) are what defines the HUMAN part in the process of producing divine good.
In every dispensation (era or period of time) there were different means for the believers to engage in divine good. Much of the divine good produced by believers in the Old Testament dispensation consisted of deeds that were overt and in many cases tangible. Most of the divine good that is being produced here in the dispensation of the Church Age are intangible and take place in the unseen spiritual realm, but can result in overt behavior that can be seen.
HERE in the Church Age, the production of divine good centers around the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
It is the fulfillment of the Great Commission that defines the work and mission that was given to the Church. Needless to say, the devil in the name of religion has been able to include MANY internal and external objectives that was never intended to be the function of the Church.
Granted the production of some forms of human good can contribute to making the human environment here in the devil's world a better place to live, but the production of human good is NOT the primary reason that we were created or placed on this planet. The human race was created and placed here to glorify God. As we should have learned by now, an atheist and/or an unbeliever can produce human good, but human good does not glorify God.
The spiritual gift of an EVANGELIST is given to those believers that God the Holy Spirit selects to communicate the TRUE Gospel Message to large audiences of unbelievers. The purpose for the gift of evangelism is to provide large groups of unbelievers with the opportunity to respond to a presentation of the TRUE Gospel, and in doing so, receive salvation.
The spiritual gift of pastor-teachers is given to believers that God the Holy Spirit selects to communicate POST salvation doctrine to congregations, small and great in size, consisting of those who are already born again. The purpose for the gift of pastor teacher is to provide born again believers with the means to develop post salvation discipleship.
"Attending" church and/or gathering together (Heb. 10: 25) is primarily a post (after) salvation activity. The ONLY thing that an unbeliever might benefit from "attending Church" AFTER reaching the age or stage of moral accountability is that a Church service could be ONE of MANY locations that one might be presented with the TRUE Gospel Message, affording him/her an opportunity to respond to it. One can "attend" physically in the traditional sense, or via one of the modern day remote means of communication.
I say "might benefit" because there are MANY pulpits that go week after week, month after month, year after year without ever making a clear presentation of the Gospel!
Until one IS born again, there is NO post salvation spiritual life to be developed, as he/she is spiritually dead. A spiritually dead person can do a lot in the realm of "religion", but can do NOTHING in the spiritual realm.
Trying to "make" an unbeliever understand the Gospel via human effort without the active presence, power, and pre-salvation Work of God the Holy Spirit is an act of futility. It could even contribute to the building of scar tissue in the heart and ears of an individual whose soul is becoming harder and more resistant to hearing about God or the things of God.
The same can be said of Bible Doctrine when attempting to edify a born again believer who is out of fellowship with God and has chosen to stop listening to God.
The primary difference between the gift of evangelist and gift of the pastor teacher is that the target group of the evangelist is the unbelievers-at-large, whereas the target group of the pastor teacher consists of believers within the the congregation, traditional via one of the many means of remote communication, of his assigned local assembly or ministry. While the functions and ministries of the evangelist and the pastor teacher often times overlap, the evangelist's mission is to share the Gospel for salvation, whereas the pastor teacher's mission is to promote post (after) salvation discipleship.
Although it is the human believer who communicates the Gospel, it is the pre-salvation Work of God the Holy Spirit that enables the otherwise "hostile (Romans 8: 7)" soul to understand it and be given the opportunity to respond to it.
In keeping with the plan of God, however, the individual soul must still CHOOSE to BELIEVE what he/she has been made to understand in order to be saved. Having heard, but choosing NOT to believe in a presentation of the TRUE Gospel assures the soul involved with an eternity in Hell, just as much as choosing to believe in a presentation of the TRUE Gospel assures the same soul of an eternity in Heaven.
IF and WHEN the recipient of the TRUE Gospel BELIEVES it, THEN God the Holy Spirit regenerates (Titus 3: 5) the dead human spirit, baptizes (marks/seals for identification) the soul for the day of redemption (Eph. 4: 30), and begins His Work of seeing to it that the saved soul will arrive in Heaven in the capacity of a born again believer who has been saved by the GRACE of God.
"Who are you to judge the servant of another. To his own master he stands or fails; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand (Rom. 14: 4 NASB)."
Thank God that it is HIS work (and not ours) to see to it that we "stand", that is to forever retain the integrity of our salvation, no matter whatever else may or may not happen throughout the course of one's post (AFTER) salvation spiritual life. If it were up to us, I would be the first to concur that we ALL have a lot to worry about!
Needless to say, the devil, speaking through the mouth of religion, has many additional or alternative rituals that he/it promote as being THE way to either accomplish or to finish the Work of God the Holy Spirit that God performs at the moment of salvation. Some of them involve rituals that take place before the child reaches the age or stage of moral accountability, bypassing the Biblically endorsed need of involving the soul's free will.
God DOES have a plan (2 Sam. 12: 15) to address those who do not live hear the Gospel, or who do not reach a stage of development in which they are morally accountable, but that is another subject for another day. For now it is sufficient to say that God judges such individuals on the basis of what information they did have, beginning with the concept of eternity that He places into every soul that He creates Eccl. 3: 11.
Making the Gospel understandable to a spiritually dead and inherently hostile (Romans 8:7) individual, takes the Work of God the Holy Spirit. THIS is why one can choose to become "religious" at any time, but can only become spiritual (born again (John 3: 5, 7) in response to being the recipient of a presentation of the TRUE Gospel, having made it understandable by God the Holy Spirit, and then and there receiving the regenerating (Titus 3: 5) and sealing (Eph.) Work of God the Holy Spirit.
God calls on us; we do NOT call Him. The "calling" of (Romans 10: 13) is in response to the pre-salvation Work of God the Holy Spirit. No unbeliever can be certain of future opportunities to either be saved or edified. Physical death can take place at any time in any place and by means that do NOT afford the soul involved the opportunity to do ANYTHING about it or to make any alterations in one's eternal destiny or environment.
The task, responsibility, and accountability for fulfilling the Great Commission is NOT limited to those who are given the gift of evangelist or pastor-teacher. Each and every born again believer is called to share the Gospel and post salvation doctrine with everyone that God gives him/her the opportunity to do so in the course of his/her daily activities.
The advancing disciple knows that, "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in HIs glory....(Luke 9: 26 NASB)." "Ashamed" is an English translation of the Greek word e-p-a-i-s-c-h-u-n-t-h-e-s-e-t-a-i. In context, it is speaking about being feeling embarrassed when God is calling one to take a verbal or stand for God in the midst of our daily interaction with other people.
It is the job of the pastor teacher (who does have the gift of communication) to equip the members of his congregation or ministry for them to then serve God in the production of divine good within each one's personal environment. The equipment that the pastor provides is the principles of the Word of God.
The ONLY difference between the ones who are given the GIFT and stand behind a pulpit, and the ones who evangelize or edify others in their diverse walks of life is the quantity of people they minister to on a regular basis. Evangelists and pastors make presentations to congregations or audiences of many people, whereas each believer is called to do so within his/her personal environment, usually in a one-on-one scenario.
Spiritually immature believers may or may not have what they think is the charisma to be an evangelist or the speaking eloquence to be a pastor, but they can be used of God to communicate the Gospel and doctrine with what skills they do have, or at the very lest, refer interested persons to a ministry or minister who can better explain the doctrinal principles behind the spiritual issues of inquirers.
The Biblically qualified pastor teacher has a broad background and knowledge of ALL the doctrines of the faith and the ability to teach others. Pastor teachers assist future pastor teachers who are to come from the congregations. "Religious" seminaries are for the purpose of training its graduates to engage in and to promote the "religion" that it endorses. However, since "religion" consists of all that MAN has created and NOT what God has established, it is of NO positive spiritual significance. Worse than that, Man-made religoion and will be used by the devil and his forces to his/their own advantage in the ongoing conflict within the spiritual realm.
The communicating of the Gospel and the teaching of Bible Doctrine, either directly or indirectly, is how each and every believer is called to do his/her part in contributing to the fulfillment of the Great Commission. By directly, I refer to the VERY small minority of believers who are given the spiritual gifts or either the evangelist or the pastor teacher. By indirectly, I refer to the majority of believers who support, by means of prayer, finance, or rendering logistical forms of service, for the evangelist, pastor teacher, or the ministries they establish.
For those (the majority) who are not given the spiritual gift of evangelist or pastor teacher, he/she is still called to share the TRUE Gospel with unbelievers whose path he/she crosses in whatever walk of life he/she finds him/herself on a DAILY basis.
Satan knows that practical impact that financial support (or the lack of it) can have on any local assembly/ministry. One of the principles that the Apostle Paul established in the first century of the Church Age, was that the local assemblies would give financial gifts to other local assemblies in financial need, and those recipients would then act in kind if the situation is reversed.
The evangelist or pastor teacher who compromises the TRUE Gospel and/or Bible Doctrine in order to obtain or retain financial, social, or political support for his ministry is guilty of pastoral misconduct that plays right into the hand of the devil himself. Many of the elegant, ancient cathedrals, as well as some of the most beautiful contemporary "houses of worship" were, are, and will be erected and/or maintained by making claims and promises that run contrary to Bible, and that engage in activities that the Church was NEVER commissioned to entertain.
Such facilities amount to no more than monuments of the false religions that they promote.
The communication gifts do not necessarily be exercised verbally. They can be exercised by writing and editing of doctrinal material for publication. The difference between a teacher and a pastor teacher, is that a pastor teacher has administrative authority and responsibility under which a "teacher" within the ministry must comply. Those who serve as writers and/or editors of material that any given ministry produces are also subject to the authority of the pastor teacher, as are all teachers who function under his authority.
In addition to the "greater" gifts of communication, there are many more spiritual gifts with accompanying forms of service that are vital to the quantity of divine good that those with the communication gifts can achieve. They include "silent" financial supporters, prayer warriors, practical forms of service such as parking lot attendants, ushers, camera, lighting, audio-visual support, IT support, clerks, secretaries, accountants, building maintenance, climate control, transportation, security, child care, legal services, etc..
Without such support services, the production of divine good of many ministries would be severely limited or impaired, but via such services qualified members of the congregation can do their part in the production of divine good that God the Holy Spirit ultimately accomplishes.
Note that the same is true of the reverse scenario. When a believer chooses to support a local assembly, denomination, or ministry that promotes FALSE doctrine, the supporter, via finance or service, becomes a partner in the EVIL (false information and practices) it produces/promotes, as well.
This is not to say that one is going to be in 100% agreement with everything that is said and done in or by ANY given local assembly or ministry. We are all at different levels of spiritual maturity, and will all have differing viewpoints from time to time. What I am saying is that before supporting ANY local church or ministry via attendance, money, or service, one would be wise to view its Doctrinal Statement concerning its position on the basic doctrines of the faith and to the extent that its ongoing practices are consistent with it.
One of the reasons we, as individuals, are given tangible blessings is so that we can then bless OTHERS with them (Eph. 4: 28). There is no greater blessings that we can offer OTHERS than what can be given in the spiritual realm. By financially supporting the ministries that do so, we engage in such blessings.
(Note that the BATMQ.NET ministry does NOT solicit or receive financial support, but does appreciate prayer support).
There is the gift of music, be it of the vocal or instrumental nature. It can enhance the worship environment and can also COMMUNICATE the Gospel and/or doctrine via the lyrics, p-r-o-v-i-d-i-n-g the lyrics are in line with Scripture.
There is the gift of encouraging and supporting others who are struggling in any given area of life.
There is the gift of administration that accompanies the office of deacons who serve in a wide range of areas, assisting the pastor teacher, depending on the size and the scope of any given ministry. The more time and functions that can be taken care of by deacons, the more time the pastor teacher can focus on the STUDY and the TEACHING of the Word of God (Act 6: 3, 4).
The list of all the possible spiritual gifts is endless and ever-increasing in light of modern day technology. Regardless of what the gift is, like a single brick in a large brick wall, it may seem to be relatively insignificant, but the wall would not be complete without it. Note that when a brick wall is defective, it is the missing bricks that people notice!
Take for instance a ministry that sends out mailers or tracts. (BATMQ does not). A $5.00 weekly offering pays the postage for ten souls to receive information of an evangelizing or edifying nature.
A prayer warrior can pray for logistical and spiritual needs of the persons we hear of on the daily news.
Don't put God in a box, or allow others to put YOU in a box when it comes to where and how you apply the spiritual gift that God has given you to serve others! Each one of us is accountable to God for how, when, and where we make use of the gift, and the accompanying form/area of ministry (service) (Romans 14: 4).
The "body of Christ" consists of each and every born again (John 3: 5, 7) believer no matter where he/she is. OTHERS can benefit from the gift that God has chosen for YOU!
ALL spiritual gifts serve the common purpose of maximizing the human side of the production of divine good produced by any given local assembly or ministry. It is the production of divine good that distinguishes any DEED as being divine in nature with eternal significance, as opposed to human good that is limited to the things of this Earth.
There is a place and a function for EVERY member of a local assembly or ministry. For some, the identity of his/her individual spiritual gift is made known right from the start (Acts 9: 15, 16), although some of the details are made known along the way. For others, it may be years or even decades before one learns what his/her gift actually is, and where and just how GOD intends for him/her to execute it.
One's spiritual gift is irrevocable (Rom. 11: 29), but where and by what means one is to make use of it may or may not change in the course of one's post salvation spiritual life. The bottom line for an advancing disciple at ANY stage of life is to be where GOD wants him/her to be and doing what GOD wants him/her to be doing while he/she is there.
Our personal gift and the accompanying assignments may take us to environments and functions that we may enjoy, but may also include environments of personal pain and suffering! The Apostle Paul experienced the two extremes frequently.
In (John 21: 18) the Lord Jesus Christ was revealing to Peter the type of death he would (and did) encounter when his time of departure came, but this principle may apply to many of us t-h-r-o-u-g-h-o-u-t the course of our post salvation spiritual life, as well as the departing phase of it.
Only a small percentage of believers are called to be martyrs, but what if the "place that we do not wish go (John 21: 18 NASB) (as Christ's "ambassador") turns out to be in the capacity of a "shut in" at home, or in intense physical suffering in a hospital or nursing home with nothing more (as far as our Earthly environment is concerned) to look forward to amounts to more declining bodily function and our earthly departure?
Until recently, I must concede that I harbored the (human) opinion that old age under such conditions was more of a curse than a blessing. I have learned that in the spiritual realm, it is NOT our circumstances that determines our usefulness to the Lord, but our ability to discern what it is that God wants of us in ANY scenario that He sends or allows to take place. Many things can happen to change OUR plans, but NOTHING can happen that can change His!
As an advancing disciple, one accepts such scenarios just as well as one accepts the ones that he/she enjoyed along the way. The principle that the advancing disciple wants to be wherever God places him/her in order to fulfill His will and not ours (Luke 22:42), will surely be put to the test under trying scenarios, but will also provide the believer with the maximum potential of glorifying God!
God sends His best trained and experienced commandos on the most difficult missions in the realm of spiritual combat, explaining in part, why "bad" things happen to "good" people.
The issue with many Christians is that they did such things as "going to Church" with the idea of getting what THEY wanted out of life or death. When they experience what human viewpoint would call tragic or adversarial, they question what good such things do instead of asking what it is that God wants to accomplish for having sent or allowed such things to come our way.
Gathering together (physically or via remote means of communication) for worship (Heb. 10: 25) is one of the many POST salvation activities that a believer is called to do in order to develop his/her post salvation spiritual life. Identifying, developing, and executing one's spiritual gift is NOT for the purpose of advancing one SELF, but for the purpose of glorifying God and ministering to others.
The (Matt. 7: 14-17) "storms" of life come against every one, be he a believer, unbeliever, advancing disciple, or back-sliding Christian. It is the advancing disciple who prepared him/herself AHEAD OF TIME that can take the worst of adversity and bring God glory in the midst of it by ministering to OTHERS!
Under such circumstances, will the evangelist still be concerned for the eternal destiny of the souls around him? Will the preacher still desire to edify others?
If called to serve in such a scenario when our time comes, or even along the way, will we have developed the spiritual maturity to be an inspiration to others by exhibiting strong faith and confidence, or will our final behavioral and verbal testimony be one of bitterness, self-pity, regret, and uncertainty?
Will we be an example of what every Christian SHOULD want to be, or an example of what no one SHOULD never want to become when the final battle and testimony of our earthy life is upon us? Either way, such a departure will send out a LOUD and enduring positive or negative message to those around us.
One's attitude about death and/or when dying, I believe, is the one exception to the general principle of ineffectiveness when it comes to witnessing to family and friends (Mark 6: 4). Could such a scenario be what God has planned for YOU in order to reach out to unsaved, or back-sliding family and friends, or attending professionals?
Most of us at least claim to "love" family and friends, but regardless of how one defines it, love can only be measured via the extent we are willing to sacrifice ourselves or the things we desire for the advancement of the ones we claim to love.
Without a doubt, the confession of faith and the promised results that were revealed in the conversation between the Lord and the man being executed on the cross next to our Lord has been used to inspire multitudes ever since! That's lot of divine good that came from a post salvation spiritual life that lasted less than a few hours.
One will never know to what extent a single deed of divine good on OUR part will lead to in the future. Did you ever consider who first presented the Gospel to such persons as Billy Graham?
The stewardship of whatever spiritual gift one has been given is a critical part of one's post salvation spiritual life from beginning to end. If God has not made known to you what your own spiritual gift is, or where and how (at the present time) He desires you to be to exercise it, just continue (John 8:31) to grow in God's grace and knowledge (2 Pet. 3: 18) and it will be revealed to you in God's timing.
Many disciples make the mistake of selecting what area of ministry WE want to get involved in, rather than learning what gift and ministry God (1Cor. 12: 11) has selected for each one of us. Once one discovers the gift that God has in mind, it will become the passion of one's post salvation spiritual life.
Some us are made aware right from the get-go (Acts 9: 15), whereas others do not even learn of it or choose to pursue it until much later in the course of one's post salvation spiritual life. Some NEVER do! Failing to identify or develop the gift and ministry that God has is mind will not diminish the integrity of one's salvation or the security of the eternal life one received at salvation, but will result in the loss of some or all the 1Cor. 3: 12-15 "rewards" that the same believer would have otherwise received and enjoyed for all of eternity to come!
If what we do does not contribute the evangelization or the spiritual edification of others, then we are not executing the spiritual gift that God gave to each one of us for that very purpose.
"Have I therefore become your enemy by telling you the truth (Gal. 4: 16 NASB)?" Better that than have you stand at the 1 Cor. 3: 12-15 and watch as ALL that you thought was going to be accepted by God goes up in smoke!
The execution of one's gift always follows a period of personal edification. One can not communicate to others what he/she does not first have an accurate understanding of him/herself.
There are different schools of thought concerning some of the spiritual gifts that were a part of the Christian experience during the early years of the Church Age.
I believe that among these temporary spiritual gifts that DID, but no longer DO exist, are speaking in tongues, and receiving words of knowledge.
There is no "knowledge" that one needs to be made aware of beyond what has already revealed in the completed Canon of Scripture.
In areas of the Christian Community where there still are claims of speaking in tongues, very few claim to have the ability to interpret what was said, a requirement for public exercising the gift when it did exist (1 Cor. 14: 28). This raises serious doubts as to the current day validity or significance of the gift.
I am not aware of any incidents involving those who do claim the ability to interpret have brought any thing new of any significance to the Church at large.
It is of my opinion, that unless what is said or done results in believers present being edified, it should be given no place in the local assemblies of the Church Age.
Never lose sight that, to the extent that God allows, the devil had and has the power to accomplish things that can appear to equate with miraculous activity of God (Exodus 7:11). The devil has the power and ability to prosper anyone (Luke 4: 6) that will bow down to him, or who knowingly (Luke 4: 6) or unknowingly (Psalms 96: 5) promotes his agenda. The devil has the power to bless ANY person or "organizations" that promote his agenda, and a large part of his agenda certainly is to promote as much falsehood as he can both inside (1Tim.. 4: 1) and outside (Psalms 96:5) of the Christian Community.
Both Satan and Man have a l-o-n g record of counterfeiting or supplying an "acceptable" alternative to something that God has established for good. This is an old trick of the devil, but remains alive and well in "religious" circles. Counterfeit or the inappropriate use of spiritual gifts are no exceptions.
Note that in the end times, the DEVIL will perform signs and wonders that if possible would deceive the people of God (Mark 13: 22).
How can a believer be deceived? By not learning the TRUTH concerning any given subject.
If I were to consider the claims of miraculous activity, the first question I would want answered is what is the Gospel Message of the group claiming the miraculous activity.
God DOES perform miracles every day. He may choose to make use of a Spirit-filled believer, but does not need to involve any human activity to accomplish what He desires. It may or not be within our means to either validate or dispute many claims of miraculous activity, but what we CAN do is validate or dispute the accompanying "gospel" or "doctrine" that such persons or organizations, who claim to have experienced miraculous activity, ay be promoting.
As we have noted along the way in this study, the devil and/or his spokespersons are not beyond producing some of the same apparent deeds as do the spokespersons of God (Ex. 7: 11). He has a l-o-n-g record of producing counterfeits and "alternatives" that appeal to the fallen nature in Man.
If the devil can produce such things as physical illness (Luke 13: 11, 16), super-human strength and bizarre behavior (Mark 5: 3-5) in the lives of the ones he or his demons possess, is it hard to accept the fact that he can withdraw such control, giving the appearance that one of his spokespersons has healed the person involved?
One of the explanations that those who denied the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ offered to account for the public miracles He performed, was that He was performing them with the power of Beelzebul (the ruler of the demons).
Scripture teach that the devil is capable of inducing physical ailments (Luke 13: 11, 16). Is it too far of a stretch to consider that he can withdraw his influence and have it appear that one of his spokespersons had healed the person involved? The plots of the devil often mimic the work of God (Ex. 7: 11).
What needs to be understood that there ALWAYS was a divine purpose in ANY supernatural event in the earthly life of the Lord Jesus. Although many persons received the temporal benefits of the miracles the Lord performed, the miracles were primarily for the purpose of providing evidence of HIs divine nature and credibility to the messages that our Lord was proclaiming.
When considering the claims of miraculous activity today, the wise will not pay so much attention to the "miracle" itself, but to the "bottom line" of the message(s) that is being communicated by those who claim to have experienced or accomplished the miracle. In the "big picture", the realty of one miracle will prove to be of little blessing (if any), but any error (false Gospel or false post salvation doctrine) that is later promoted by those involved can have eternal consequences.
God does NOT perform miracles through unbelievers (John 15:5), but there is another source of power (Luke 4: 6) that performs "miraculous" activity through those who knowingly or unwittingly promote his diabolical agenda!
The Lord Jesus Christ performed His miracles with the power of His deity. The reaction of the crowds were divided. Some correctly attributed His miracles to deity (John 9: 33); others viewed as demonic (John 10: 20). Some understood and believed the TRUE GOSPEL that He was introducing, others said they were the words of demonically induced insanity (John 10: 20, 21). Note that it was not the miracle that was in dispute, but the power source and accompanying message.
This left the "spiritual police" (the Scribes and Pharisees) with the need to come up with an explanation. They had to accept the truth and acknowledge that He was who and what He claimed to be, and that He accomplished what He did with divine power, or accuse Him of being involved in demonic activity. They chose the second option.
We certainly would never want to take the position of the Scribes (Mark 3:22), nor would we want to and falsely accuse anyone of engaging in demonic activity if God chooses to work through (John 15:5) him or her to accomplish a miracle.
At the same time, we are setting ourselves up to be deceived if we fail to learn of how the devil can be the one behind of what some claim to have been a miracle.
While God does perform miracles every day, it is also true that false signs and wonders are performed and promoted by the devil to deceive those who observe them in order to promote the advancement of false religion.
When not in a position to know either way, how are we to respond to such current day claims of miraculous activity?
The best answer I can offer is not to assume that the power source behind any claim of miraculous activity to be either divine or diabolical. Even if the event can be reasonably confirmed, the reality of its existence does NOT confirm its power source.
While the claim can generate interest and curiosity, the wise among us will wait to hear what the message is that the same person or organization has, is, or will be promoting.
We cannot always confirm or dispute a claim of miraculous activity, but ALL of us have the tool (The Word of God) to eventually discern which power source (divine or diabolical) is behind it by the Gospel or Doctrine it promotes.
The devil, I believe, being consistent with past practices, also has the means to assign and to distribute diabolical power to those he desires to use to promote his agenda, just as God the Holy Spirit selects and distributes gifts (1Cor. 12) and enabling power (John 15: 5) to promote the TRUE Gospel and accurate post salvation doctrine.
In closing, consider that in this BRIEF study, we touched on some of the major areas (time/money/body/gift) and what part our STEWARDSHIP of such things applies to the post salvation spiritual life.
In truth, virtually EVERYTHING we have had, have now, or will ever have during the course of one's post salvation spiritual life has been or will be given to us for the primary purpose of glorifying God.
"For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers of authorities---all things were created by Him and for Him ( 1 Cor. 1: 16 NASB0." We are called to be good stewards of ALL that God has placed in our hands for His glory.
This concludes our study of the Doctrine of Stewardship.