(Concluded from page 293.)
Lowliness, love, the bond of peace, are first presented as a walk worthy of our vocation to be the habitation of God in unity. Then follow the individual gifts; “to every one is given” according to the measure of the gift of Christ, the exalted Head of this body.
These gifts are, properly, that which is called ministry. The apostle does not here speak of miracles, of healings, or of tongues; these displays, the signs of power in the face of the world, were not the direct channels of His love to the church. Every gift is a ministry; for as there are diversities of gifts, yet but one Spirit, so there are divers ministries, but one Lord.
By the possession of a gift I become the servant of Christ, from Whom I hold the gift by the Spirit, and Whom the Spirit reveals as Lord.
Hence every gift, in exercise, is a ministry-service discharged under responsibility to Christ. But the gifts mentioned in the fourth chapter of Ephesians are more especially gifts of ministry, of service rendered to Christ in His body, “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” It was work, and not merely signs of power.
We have here enumerated apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. The first two, in the exercise of their highest functions, have laid the foundations of the church, either by revelation, or by the authority of Christ which was committed to them; for it is thus that the apostles were distinguished from prophets. A prophet revealed the mind of God, and his work was in this respect finished. An apostle was sent direct as an architect, authorized by Christ to build His church. They ordained or made rules (1 Cor. 7:1717But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. (1 Corinthians 7:17)), put in execution, took the oversight, governed, established certain rulers in the churches, and, as having authority, took cognizance of everything that took place in them, in order to regulate it. In a word, they were authorized, on the part of Christ, to found and to build, and to establish rules in, His church. In this sense we have no apostles since they fell asleep. Paul knew that after his departure grievous wolves would come in. Peter takes care, by his Epistle, to remind them of what he had said to them.
But it appears to me that, in a lower sense, there may be apostles and prophets in all ages. Barnabas is termed an apostle; Junias and Andronicus are called apostles. It is said of them that they were “of note amongst the apostles” (Rom. 16:7, 87Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. (Romans 16:7‑8)); so that there were others who were not named.
As regards the revelation of God, it is complete; as regards any authority to found the church, it no longer exists; neither the twelve, nor Paul, have had any successors. The foundation cannot be twice laid; but one may act under an extraordinary responsibility as sent by God, and by a faith which depends upon communications made only to him who receives them (although there can be no new truth which would not be found in the word), a line of conduct which is only vindicated in the eyes of others by its resulting in blessing to the children of God. This may still exist. We may cite as examples, without pretending to justify all that they did, a Luther, a Calvin, a Zwinglius, and perhaps others. So for prophets, although there be no new revelations of truth, there may be, as proceeding from God Himself, a power of applying to the circumstances of the church, or of the world, truth hidden in the word; such as, in practice, might render the ministry prophetic. Moreover, all those who expressed the mind of God to edification were called prophets, or at least prophesied.
We may add that the apostles never speak as if the church would last long, or as if the faithful were not always waiting for the coming of Christ.
Teachers and pastors, to guide and to instruct the flock, are, in this Epistle, joined in one gift (for the Holy Spirit is speaking of edification), although the gift of teacher is mentioned separately elsewhere. It is by these gifts that Christ nourishes, cares for, and strengthens the sheep, as it is by evangelists that He calls and brings them to Himself. The distinction between teacher and pastor is easily perceived, although connected together; for the one is occupied about the things taught, the other about the sheep. An obvious distinction, but a very important one; because there is an affectionate interest in the progress of the sheep, an exercise of heart in the gift of pastor, a care for the sheep, which is not necessarily presupposed for the simple act of teaching. It is thus that this gift of pastor gives occasion to the most tender affections, and to the strongest ties, as did also the gift of an apostle, and as does the gift of the evangelist in regard to those who have been converted through his testimony.
I notice here that the apostle does not speak of gifts, but of the persons who possessed them. He gave some pastors and teachers. The gift, without doubt, was in the vessel; but God had attached it to the person; and this person, known by his gift, was given to the church. We cannot be united to a gift, but to a person. God has given not a mere apostolate, but an apostle.
It is certainly possible that he who possesses the gift may be unfaithful; even that the gift itself may be withdrawn, or at least that it may not be in exercise. But generally we have to do with a person having a certain function permanently committed to him; we have to do with a joint of the body, and that joint is always that joint.
3.—Responsibility of Ministry.
Furthermore, the exercise of gift, although subject to the directions of the word, is in no wise dependent on the will of the body, but on that of the Head. He has given; He has placed in the body such or such a joint; and they are responsible to the Head for the fulfillment of their functions. The wisdom of the Head is disputed, if the employment of the gift be gainsayed. This responsibility is to be exercised in love, and for edification, not otherwise; but responsibility to Christ cannot be set aside; nor may we touch Christ's claims upon the service of His servant.
The circumstances of the church may occasion difficulties in this matter; but humility and faithfulness to the Lord will always know what to do. Love and obedience always find the path. The Spirit will ever be with him who obeys Christ in love. This responsibility of the individual to Christ is of the utmost importance—as important, in its place, in regard to service flowing from gift, as it is when the question is one of moral conduct. Whatever affects this affects the rights of Christ, and the responsibility from which none can be exempt. We sometimes see both destroyed by the spirit of corrupted Christianity, and men exempted from their individual responsibility in matters of moral duty. God, however, never foregoes His claims upon them.
To hinder this service does not hinder heretics or false teachers. The flesh, in the most true Christian, must be everywhere kept down; and it needs to be so in the use or abuse of gifts real or supposed, as in other things. The flesh is never a gift of God. I cannot think that to strengthen the sense of individual responsibility is to open a door to the flesh.
These gifts placed in the church as a whole, in the body of Christ, become joints and bands; and it is in the church, in the body, that they are placed. A gift is a gift in the body, and for the whole body; as a member of the human body acts for the whole: my eye sees for my whole body; my foot steps for my whole body. To give them a charge over that which is not the body is to dislocate them. They may, indeed, be exercised in a given locality, but as the expression of the grace and of the claims of Christ; and this grace and these claims of Christ extend to all the body. Let us remember that they are never to be used by the will of man; where his will comes in, sin enters. This may happen, as may any other sin; but, as in the case of any other sin, it becomes the subject of discipline. We see this in the abuse of the gift of tongues at Corinth. On the other hand, the narrow spirit of man is often corrected by the inalienable and universal rights of the Spirit of God, Supreme and One in all the body. No human arrangement can supersede His claims; but He, as we have seen, has the right to direct the exercise of each individual gift. He it is Who exercises the government of God in the church.
There are other very precious practical passages, besides the two we have been considering, which take up the subject of ministry in its highest connection, with the glory of Christ and of God; we desire not to omit them.
The first of these passages, Rom. 12, enjoins particularly the modesty which leads the servant of God to confine himself to the assiduous and faithful employment of the gift committed to him. The second requires that if any man speak, he should speak as from God, in order that God may be glorified.
“Let each one,” says the apostle, “think soberly” of himself (how truly gracious and good; how encouraging to the heart; and, at the same time, how wholesome is the word of God). Let each one “think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” “Having them gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy,[let us prophesy]according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, [let us wait] on our ministering; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation.” Hence we may also remark that we find not only special gifts, as joints, in the body, but, generally, the humble and faithful use of the talent confided to the servant: a talent with which he trades, according to his responsibility towards the Master, from Whom he had received it.
In the First Epistle of Peter, 4:10, there is the same responsibility operating in love towards others. “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.” I know that many fear such a principle; but that does not change the truth; if anyone does not speak to me as announcing the truth of God, I do not know why he speaks to me at all, Moreover, this is what the apostle says; not “according to” the word of God, as some translate, but “as” His oracles, as announcing the word of God. This is what every man does who preaches the gospel; he has no doubt of the certainty of what he says: otherwise he ought not to teach.
This responsibility would often prevent a man from speaking, when he is not taught of God; and if, as among the Bereans, even what an apostle says is judged by the word, there is no danger. It is not a question of new revelations, nor that the things spoken should be received without examination: but that the speaker should have the assurance that he is giving utterance to the mind of God, and not merely to his own thoughts. If any one undertakes to teach me, and I ask, “Are you sure that this comes from God, that it is the truth of God, and that God would have you teach it to me?” and he answers me that he is not sure of it, what confidence can I have in him? Yet supposing that he replies he is sure, I have still to examine it by the word. The more we place him who teaches under such a responsibility, the more solemnity and sobriety will there be in his teaching; and where there is love, and real gift, he will not shrink from this responsibility. If he does, let him reflect upon the parable of the servant who buried his talent. If he has not sufficient love to trade, because of its responsibility, he is exactly in the position of the wicked servant; he is not acting according to grace. We are thus reminded of the great principle: direct responsibility to Christ, by Whom the talent has been entrusted to us; a responsibility from which no earthly relationship can disengage us. The claims of Christ and His judgment are ever there.
Responsibility, power, liberty, according to the Spirit, and the restraint of the flesh, these are the main principles of the Christian walk in this matter; a walk of which love will ever be the spring, the moving principle, and the aim. A service which is rendered to Christ, in independence of man, without which responsibility to Christ would be made void; it acts on, the unity of the whole body: otherwise the unity of the One Spirit is denied. Such is the order that the Spirit alone can produce, because He alone can put man out of sight, and subject his will by communicating a liberty which is not the liberty of self, but of the Spirit of God; a liberty which ever recognizes with joy, and as its blessedness, the authority of the Lord and entire submission to His will; a liberty which exists only to serve Him, and considers independence as the miserable pride of sin.
He that speaks of the rights of man, whether of an individual or of mankind, only speaks of sin. He that does not acknowledge the rights of the Holy Spirit resists the sovereignty of God, Who, by means of these gifts, exalts that same Jesus Who once visited this earth in humiliation. The church—the dwelling-place of the Holy Ghost Himself on earth—this is the grand truth of ministry, and of the glory of Christ, and of His service upon this earth. The presence of God gives joy, liberty, responsibility, and solemnity. Man, in the presence of God, is set aside as to his vanity and pride, and in his service and fidelity strengthened.
IV. CONCLUSION.
Such is the source, power, and order of ministry, as set before us in the word of God.
Essential to Christianity (because Christianity, in accordance with the active energy of the love of God, seeks that which was lost, testifying to the work and to the victory of Jesus, the way of salvation to the lost), this ministry of Jesus, Who alone is worthy to be thus glorified, receives all its power from, and has its only source in, the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. It is the ministry of the Holy Ghost in the choice and employment of His servants. In all this God is sovereign. The exercise of the gifts bestowed by Him is regulated by the Holy Spirit, Who is supreme in the church. The proofs and examples of this are found in the word. As a source of ministry, or as authority for its exercise, man interferes only to sin.
It will be seen that I have not touched the question of local charges, as not exactly entering into my present subject. It is evident that the apostle Paul, and those delegated by him, established, according to his direction, several elders in the churches which he had gathered, and that servants or deacons of the assemblies, and even deaconesses, had been, at least in certain cases, appointed for the temporal affairs and necessities which were ministered to by the charity of those female servants. Peter speaks of elders much more vaguely. There is no proof that elders were appointed among the Hebrew converts. It would rather appear that men of gravity and of character acted among them upon their own responsibility; a responsibility laid upon them in this matter by love. In the Epistles to the Corinthians, where details of discipline are given, there is no mention made of elders; the Holy Spirit has, perhaps, permitted this in order that we might have these things directly by the hand of the apostle. It is only, I believe, in the Epistle to the Philippians that we have the expression “with the bishops and deacons.”
The ruin in which the church is found at the present day acts more directly upon the apparent order in this respect than upon ministry itself; because, in this matter, man can more easily come in with exterior arrangements. But we must not confound gifts, and the service flowing from such gifts, with office. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is sufficient for this, as for every other need of the church, provided she take the position in which the Holy Spirit sees her. Love will then suffice for all that God requires, and will make the best improvement of the means of blessing bestowed by Him; and He ever bestows that which is suited to His own glory, and to the real welfare of His believing people.
I see no more real difficulty, as regards authority, than as regards the ministry of the word; because authority in the church is not a place with certain powers, limited by a written law; nor something confided by men, jealous lest the authority they have given should be overstepped through the lust of power, or the ambition of the person to whom it has been entrusted. Authority in the church is always, like the ministry of the word, the power of the Holy Spirit upon the conscience, which, moreover, will not be found wanting. Where it exists, God will enforce, even by chastisements, the authority of His Spirit which He has lodged in a man, if that authority be despised. The discipline of the church also confirms it in certain cases; examples of this may be seen in the Epistles to the Corinthians. If we do but believe in the presence of God in the church, we cannot doubt that He is able to compel respect to Himself, and that in the authority which He has entrusted; to whomsoever it may have been given.
As to the spirit in which this ministry should be executed, I say nothing; for it does not become me to speak of it. An entire self-renunciation (and that goes very far when we know the subtlety of the heart) is the only means of walking with the full blessing which belongs to this happy position of service to God, our brethren, and mankind. We must always remember that if, by the power of God, we are free from all men, and responsible to God alone for the employment of the gift which He has confided to us, it is in order that we may be the servants of all. Let us remember that no one is able to give liberty to himself; and if the love of God has given us liberty, it is in order that by this love in us we may serve one another. He has made us free from self, free from independence, free from our own wills, to act as God acts, as He has acted in Christ; not to please ourselves, but to love and to serve one another.
There is nothing more blessed in this world than ministry in this kind. We shall quickly find how much faith is needed in order thereto, and how much of that holiness which keeps us near to God that we may draw strength from Him. May God teach us to keep near to Him every moment, that we may not in detail be following our own wills, even although, on the whole, we may be seeking to do His.
I would here remark that grace is required in these days to realize, at the same time, the two principles, of brotherhood and the exercise of gifts; because the latter necessarily gives externally an appearance of superiority. The flesh, it is true, may use these gifts to seek an earthly superiority, instead of the love and service of others. The humility which seeks only the good of all makes everything easy. In worship there is an entire equality of position; more holiness may give a nearness to God in which the worship will be more true. What we have to seek is spirituality, this is the principal thing. The priest was in a higher place than the Levite; and all the priests were one, save the high priest; this is our position as worshippers. There was another position, which was very blessed, and where God, as Sovereign, assigned the occupation. This was the position of the Levite. The glory of the Levite was to do that which God gave him to do. A Merarite was not to touch the vessels of the sanctuary, nor a Kohathite the different parts of the tabernacle. The Gershonites and the Merarites had a more extensive charge, more oxen and chariots; but they were not entrusted with such precious things as the Kohathites.
It is thus that the apostle reasons, in reference to gifts, comparing them to the members of the body. All the services, all the gifts, are inferior to worship. In the distribution of gifts, God is sovereign, and puts more external honor upon that which is least honorable. The gifts, which are not set off with so many external adornings, are sometimes the most precious. If we are in a low state spiritually, we shall look at the outward appearance, and thus at those gifts which are more external. The Gershonites and the Merarites will have more importance in our eyes, with their oxen and their chariots. Nearer to the sanctuary we shall discern that the Kohathites, who carry the vessels on their shoulders, are as much honored, or even more than the others. At all events, each will be esteemed happy, in proportion as he shall have accomplished the task that God has given him to do. In the fourth chapter to the Ephesians we see, in the first place, that which is common to all: that which is special to each comes after; and these latter things are only to accomplish the former. Let not brotherhood displace gifts, but let gifts subserve brotherhood. The sense of the presence of God will keep everything in its place. The same Lord has said, “All ye are brethren,” and “strengthen thy brethren.” In order truly to strengthen them, some painful experience of self will always be necessary, as in the case of Peter. It is not thus that man would have appointed, but God has so ordered. To deny the Savior, with Whom he had companied three or four years; to destroy, if he had been able, His name from the face of the earth—such, as regards worthiness in us, is the preparation through which God causes us to pass, when He is pleased to put us forward in His service. Perhaps, in addition to this, a thorn in the flesh, because the other is insufficient; for what are we, and who is sufficient for these things?
May God Himself direct His church according to her need, according to the love, and to the riches of grace, which are in Jesus, by the Holy Spirit Who dwells in her. J. N. D.
Courtesy of BibleTruthPublishers.com. Most likely this text has not been proofread. Any suggestions for spelling or punctuation corrections would be warmly received. Please email them to: BTPmail@bibletruthpublishers.com.