Scripture… As We Live It #244
This is the 244th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are go to new places to proclaim the gospel because, as you know, we are apostles and the work of apostles is only to preach the gospel in places where it has never been preached.” (Acts 15:36 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Replay: Salvation as the motivation for edification
Two years ago, I wrote a post called “Salvation as the motivation for edification.” The post was triggered by some thoughts while reading 1 Thessalonians, specifically 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11. And those thoughts and that post resulted in a series on the topic of edification. Edification is so important for the body of Christ; and it can never be carried out through the work of one person or even through the work of a small group of people – regardless of how spiritual or mature that person (or those people) may be. Interestingly, in this passage, we find that edification is motivated by our salvation in Jesus Christ.
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Salvation as the motivation for edification
This week, I read through 1 Thessalonians. The following passage jumped out at me:
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 ESV)
Paul begins by reminding the Christians in Thessaloniki that they (and Paul and his friends and us) have been destined for salvation through Jesus Christ. He says that Jesus died “on our behalf” so that we can live with him both now and after we die. (Eternal life begins now, not after we die.)
This should give them hope and peace because they are not “destined for wrath.” Of course, Paul has already told them some of the implications of their salvation and their new life in Christ (see 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8 for example).
Next, Paul gives a command that follows from his previous statement. You could almost say it like this, “Because God has destined us for salvation, we should encourage one another and build up one another.” Thus, mutual encouragement and mutual edification are motivated by our mutual salvation.
If Paul is correct, then our salvation in Jesus Christ should urge us toward caring for our brothers and sisters in Christ with a desire to see them grow in maturity both in their relationship with Jesus Christ and in their common identity and unity with one another (Ephesians 4:13).
This passage alone is a good indication that we can’t separation our understanding of soteriology (our understanding of salvation) from our ecclesiology (our understanding of the church). In fact, if we continued to study various passages of Scripture like this, we would find that we cannot separate our understanding of the church from our theology proper (understanding of God), our Christology (understanding of Jesus Christ), our eschatology (understanding of the last days), and any other doctrine. They are all interrelated and interconnected.
Paul does not simply tell the Thessalonians to encourage and edify one another, he gives specific examples. He starts by reminding the people to respect those who labor tirelessly among them, who lead them, and who admonish them. They are to hold them in high esteem, love them, and live in peace with them (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).
But, Paul doesn’t stop there, and encouragement and edification doesn’t stop with the work of their leaders. Instead, Paul tells the Thessalonians that they themselves are responsible to “admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, [and] be patient with all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14 ESV). And, the commands continue from there.
These commands are not just good ideas. They are not just the instructions of a mature believer and an apostle.
We are to encourage and edify one another in this manner as a response to our mutual salvation through Jesus Christ.
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Some Thoughts on Mutual Edification:
Others – to equip the saints for the work of ministry
As I mentioned in my post “To equip the saints for the work of ministry,” for the last several posts I’ve been considering the work of the gifted individuals listed by Paul in Ephesians 4:11 in equipping Jesus’ followers for doing the hard work of serving others. Remember, in Ephesians 4:12, Paul wrote that this is one of the reasons that Jesus gave these spiritual gifted people. I’ve already written about some ways that some of those spiritually gifted people can equip the saints for the work of ministry: apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers.
So, since I’ve covered apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers, what’s this post about? Well, this post is about everyone else. Now, some people think that all possible spiritual giftings are variations of the ones listed in Ephesians 4:11. And, that might be true. However, there are many, many followers of Jesus who – for various reasons – do not recognize themselves as apostles, prophets, evangelists, or shepherds and teachers.
What about these brothers and sisters in Christ? Can they also prepare their brothers and sisters in Christ to do the hard work of serving others?
Yes, I think so.
But, I don’t think it’s necessary to figure out what spiritual gift you have in order to begin preparing others. Don’t try to find your place. Simple live and serve where you are and in the circumstances you’re in.
What am I talking about?
Do you know of people who have physical needs? Then, as you give to help them, also prepare your brothers and sisters to be givers as well. Do you know people who need to be served? As you serve them, equip other followers of Jesus to serve as well. Do you know people who are discouraged? While you are encouraging them, prepare other saints to serve them as well.
The most obvious scriptural examples of this idea is found in the “one another” passages. It’s not only the teachers who are told to “teach others,” but it’s all believers who are told to “teach one another.” It’s not just the servants who are instructed to “serve others;” all followers of Jesus are exhorted to “serve one another.” The spiritually gifted exhorters are not the only ones who are told to encourage others. Instead, all believers are to “encourage one another.”
Has God given you opportunities to influence others for the kingdom of God? If so, use those opportunities to equip others also. This is possible if the opportunities include giving or prophesying or serving or evangelizing or encouraging or shepherding or helping or teaching… in fact, it’s possible to equip others in many, many different ways.
And, not only is it possible… it’s necessary and important. We need to provide opportunities for God to work through us by his Holy Spirit to equip our brothers and sisters in Christ (and to BE equipped by them) so that we can all build up one another toward unity and maturity and faith in Jesus Christ.
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Series: To Equip the Saints for the Work of Ministry
Teachers – to equip the saints for the work of ministry
As I mentioned in my post “To equip the saints for the work of ministry,” for the next several posts I’m going to consider the work of the gifted individuals listed by Paul in Ephesians 4:11 in equipping Jesus’ followers for doing the hard work of serving others. Remember, in Ephesians 4:12, Paul wrote that this is one of the reasons that Jesus gave these spiritual gifted people. I’ve already written about some ways that some of those spiritually gifted people can equip the saints for the work of ministry: apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds.
So, in this post, I’m going to consider the fifth and final gifted group in the list: How do teachers equip believers for the work of serving others?
Of course, as I said for apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds, teachers (and any other follower of Jesus Christ) can build up and encourage their brothers and sisters in Christ in many different ways. But, in this passage, Paul is focusing on the spiritual gifts that God gives to his children through Jesus Christ. So, how does someone gifted as a teacher prepare the church for works of service because of that gifting?
Now, as we consider the role of teachers in equipping the saints, we need to remember something important: While Paul connected teaching and shepherding closely (they are actually one “item” in the list – i.e., shepherds-teachers), the fact that he used separate terms shows that there is some difference in the two. So, I’ve decided to deal with them separately.
Interestingly, as with the other spiritual gifts and spiritually gifted people, the terms teach and teacher are not defined in Scripture, even though those terms are probably used more than any other term related to spiritual gifts. Many people are described as teachers in Scripture, and even more are said to teach. (In fact, in several places, all believers are called to teach, but that’s for a different post.)
It would seem that a teacher’s primary role is to explain in ways that many can understand. This is important to me, because teaching is often only associated with knowledge or facts. But, knowledge – even true knowledge – is not beneficial to others if it is not explained in a way they can understanding. Often, this type of explanation occurs with words. But, just as often – perhaps even more so – explanation occurs in action.
Thus, teachers would equip the saints by helping them learn to explain as well. This means that teachers how to help their brothers and sisters to know how to ask questions, how to listen to other people, and how to determine whether or not people are understanding.
I think there are many examples of this in Scripture. For example, we see Jesus explaining the parables to his disciples. This passage also gives a good example of this type of equipping:
Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. (Acts 18:24-28 ESV)
As a teacher, have you ever helped others learn to explain the things of God to others? Has a teacher ever equipped you to teach?
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Series: To Equip the Saints for the Work of Ministry
Scripture… As We Live It #243
This is the 243rd passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, that your leaders are well-trained and well-educated and filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another you. (Romans 15:14 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Shepherds – to equip the saints for the work of ministry
As I mentioned in my post “To equip the saints for the work of ministry,” for the next several posts I’m going to consider the work of the gifted individuals listed by Paul in Ephesians 4:11 in equipping Jesus’ followers for doing the hard work of serving others. Remember, in Ephesians 4:12, Paul wrote that this is one of the reasons that Jesus gave these spiritual gifted people. I’ve already written about some ways that some of those spiritually gifted people can equip the saints for the work of ministry: apostles, prophets, and evangelists.
So, in this post, I’m going to consider the fourth gifted group in the list: How do shepherds equip believers for the work of serving others?
Of course, as I said for apostles, prophets, and evangelists, shepherds (and any other follower of Jesus Christ) and build up and encourage their brothers and sisters in Christ in many different ways. But, in this passage, Paul is focusing on the spiritual gifts that God gives to his children through Jesus Christ. So, how does someone gifted as a shepherd prepare the church for works of service because of that gifting?
Now, as we consider the role of shepherds in equipping the saints, we need to remember a couple of things. 1) While Paul connected shepherding and teaching closely (they are actually one “item” in the list – i.e., shepherds-teachers), the fact that he used separate terms shows that there is some difference in the two. So, I’m going to deal with them separately. 2) The term shepherd is the same as the term pastor, but that doesn’t mean that the way the term “pastor” is normally used today is related to the work of “shepherds” in the New Testament. I’m dealing with how shepherds are described in the NT; I’m not dealing with the position / career normally called “pastor” today.
In the New Testament, the metaphorical use of the term “shepherd” is usually in the verbal form (except this one use in Ephesians 4:11), so no one is actually referred to as a “shepherd” by the authors. However, we do know that both Paul and Peter exhorted elders among the church to shepherd others.
Shepherding is related to caring for others, and since it’s almost impossible to separate the different aspects in the New Testament, it would include both physical and spiritual care.
So, when shepherds equip the saints, they do so by helping them notice the needs of others, and by helping them actually care for others. Perhaps the most important aspect here is empathy… actually being interested in other people, especially those who are in need. Of course, this is often dirty work, so much encouragement may be needed to help others understand how important this kind of care and concern is to God and for the benefit of others.
Here’s a great example of encouraging others to be “shepherds”:
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:1-4 ESV)
Have you ever helped your brothers and sisters in Christ to shepherd others? Have you ever been equipped by shepherds to care for others?
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Series: To Equip the Saints for the Work of Ministry
To equip the saints for the work of ministry
One of my favorite passages of Scripture is Ephesians 4:1-16. In that passage, Paul begins writing about the unity of family of God – which is based in the unity of God himself. Out of that unity grows a diversity of types of service, which are all given by God for one purpose: to build up the church. Thus, even our diversity grows out of our unity in God and results in further unity in him.
In the latter half of that passage (Ephesians 4:7-16), Paul focuses on the work that it takes to help the body grow in faith, in unity, and in maturity. He continually points to the fact that this work comes from God as he works through all of his children, not just some of them.
It is interesting to me, then, that many commentators on this passage tend to focus on the list of gifted individuals in Ephesians 4:11. Obviously, that list is important, since Paul included it. (Although, like the other lists of spiritual gifts and spiritually gifted people, I do not think that Paul intended for that last to be exhaustive; instead, I think he listed some examples, again, like he did in the other lists.)
Paul says that those spiritually gifted people in Ephesians 4:11 (and perhaps others, if I’m correct that the list is only a sample) are “to equip the saints for the work of ministry.” (Ephesians 4:12) Now, we know that Paul uses the term “saints” to refer to all who are in Christ and who are, therefore, recipients of his righteousness and holiness (i.e., in the New Testaments, the term “saints” does not refer to special dead people who have been canonized by the Roman Catholic Church or the Eastern Orthodox Church). In fact, Paul had already identified the recipients of this letters as “saints.” (Ephesians 1:1)
Similarly, the term “ministry” is simply another term for “service.” It is not a special kind of service; it is just service. It is not religious service or ordained service; it is service. And, as we see, Paul says that this “service” is “work.”
In other words, those people listed in Ephesians 4:11 are to prepare God’s children (all of God’s children) to do the difficult work of serving others. (Of course, like I said earlier, I think that others besides those listed in Ephesians 4:11 are also supposed to equip the saints for the work of service…)
But, what would it look like for apostles to equip the saints for the work of service? Who should the apostles equip? What service would apostles equip others for? What about prophets? What about evangelists? What about shepherds/pastors? What about teachers? (Yes, in Paul’s list, the last two are connected – i.e., shepherds-teachers – but I’m going to consider them separately in this series.)
For the next few days, I’m going to consider these questions from the perspective of each spiritually gifted person who is listed by Paul in Ephesians 4:11. Hopefully, we’ll be able to help one another as we all work together to prepare each other for works for service.
In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you think it means “to equip the saints for the work of service”? What would this look like for apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds/teachers?
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Series: To Equip the Saints for the Work of Ministry
Scripture… As We Live It #242
This is the 242nd passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
Likewise, you who are younger not leaders, be subject to the elders church leaders. Clothe yourselves, all of you non-leaders, with humility toward one another your leaders, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble and to leaders.” (1 Peter 5:5 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Scripture… As We Live It #241
This is the 241st passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil – except on New Year’s Day when your ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ carries more weight than usual. (Matthew 5:37 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Most Read Posts of 2012
Last year was a great year for my blog. While I’m excited that my posts got more hits this year than last year (and last year was up quite a bit over the previous years), I’m more excited that so many of you continue to interact with me and one another in the comments.
Since I started this blog in March 2006, I’ve published just over 4,000 posts, and those posts have received just over 24,000 comments. That’s an average of 6 comments per post! Of course, some posts do not get any comments, and some posts get many more than 6 comments.
So, thank you for reading, and thank you also for commenting! I truly learn alot through the comments on this blog.
These are the top 10 most read posts on my blog from 2012:
- “What pastoring is NOT” (from April 2012)
- “Why is it so difficult to find organic church life?” (from January 2012)
- “From the Anabaptists: Spittlemayr on Love and Property” (from May 2012)
- “Sermons sound like a great idea, but what are people getting from them?” (from February 2012)
- “People want real examples of organic church life” (from January 2012)
- “Which Distinctive Beliefs and Practices of Anabaptists are Important for the Church Today?” (from May 2012)
- “The Call to Worship” (from November 2012)
- “A Scholar’s Convictions Concerning the Church” (from July 2012)
- “Chain Blog: One Another” (from October 2012)
- “What do I mean when I use the word CHURCH?” (from August 2012)
Several older posts (from before 2012) also continue to get alot of hits. The pre-2012 posts below were the most read during 2012:
- “Definition: Church (or Ekklesia)” (from April 2011)
- “Guest Post: How does the church respond to poverty?” (from April 2011)
- “The Day of Pentecost in the Upper Room” (from May 2011)
- “Theological Sources: Scripture, Tradition, Reason, Experience, And?” (from February 2011)
- “The ekklesia and the kuriakon” (from July 2007)
- “Was Timothy the Bishop of Ephesus?” (from December 2008)
- “Colossians – Exhortations about prayer and outsiders” (from February 2011)
- “How Does God Communicate?” (from March 2007)
- “What Scripture teaches about the church” (from March 2011)
- “Ephesians 4:11 and the Five-Fold Ministry” (from April 2007)
Thank you again! I don’t think you’ll ever know how much I appreciate you.
What was your favorite post from 2012? Is it one of the ones listed above? Or another one?