Answers to Questions for June

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26. A “gift” was a distinctive ability and capacity to serve the Church of God on earth. It was universal in its scope of exercise, and was the direct bestowal of God Himself apart from and human mediation (Gal. 1:11Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) (Galatians 1:1); Eph. 4:11-1311And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:11‑13)) An office was of only local administration and was accompanied by apostolic ordination (Titus 1:55For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: (Titus 1:5); 1 Tim. 3:11This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. (1 Timothy 3:1); Acts 6:5-65And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. (Acts 6:5‑6)).
27. To the Giver, God Himself (Gal. 1:15-1715But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, 16To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. (Galatians 1:15‑17)).
28. Apostles and prophets, as no longer needed now as distinct gifts (Eph. 2:2020And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; (Ephesians 2:20)).
29. Evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Eph. 4:1111And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (Ephesians 4:11)).
30. Because there is no example in Scripture of any such practice. Because no servant of the Lord can know positively where the Lord is going to want him a day ahead. Because such a contract would nullify the leading of the Holy Spirit. See Acts 8:5,265Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. (Acts 8:5)
26And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. (Acts 8:26); Acts 16:6-76Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. (Acts 16:6‑7); 1 Tim. 3:1414These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: (1 Timothy 3:14).