Every
local church is to be true to the Word, in other words it has to reflect the character of Christ and of God. If there is in it's leadership men and women with an obdurate heart chances are the congregation will be protractive in its nature. But a healthy congregation should have these kind
of men and occasionally a woman functioning and active in the local Body of believers, and
what are they? healthy!! But in all cases the woman is to be in subjection or under the headship of a man, if this is not the case it is out of order. We must keep in mind that man is the head of the family, as Christ Jesus is head of His Body, the Church, and Family of God, as God is our Father and the Head of Christ.
Ephesians
4:11b
"...evangelist,
and some, pastors and teachers;"
That
literally fills the need of the local church. If you can, find a
church that has an evangelist, and they have a pastor, there should also be teachers. Now we know
there’s a big difference between a pastor and evangelist. Some
people have the gift of just literally orating this Gospel. They just
simply have that gift. Others have a gift of just simply being a
friend in need, and that’s the role of a good pastor. He can call
on the sick, and he can comfort, and just fulfill a multitude of the
needs of believers. Then there is that third gifted person in a
local church, and that is a teacher. Not all pastors are good
teachers, and God does not expect them to be. All evangelists are not
teachers, so they are three distinct gifted kinds of men and women that God has
placed in the local Body of believers. You show us a church that has
these three positions going for them, and we will show you a church
that is alive and well. These are the three gifts that God has left for us
today. And then in verse 12 is given the whole reason for it. What is
the purpose for pastors and teachers, and evangelist?
Ephesians
4:12a
"For
the perfecting (or maturing) of the saints..."
It
does not say a word here that it is for the lost people. It is so, because the
saints are to become mature. In other words they know the secrets of God in Christ and are equipped to share these Truths and realities to all. They are well trained in the Way all men are to go, in fulfillment of God's Will. Why? Because they are not hears only but are rather doers, as having willingly and wholeheartedly acted upon it. And what have we taught from this
blog-site? The purpose for teaching the saints is that we can go out
and win the lost and disbelieving. That is God's program for today.
Please
allow me to remind each true believer that we are all laborers
together with our Lord. We are part of what Paul calls in 1Corinthians 3:9 "...God’s building..." As we
study we know there are countless millions who are so hung up on
tradition, and they base their very eternal destination on some of
these traditions. Tradition is something that has been passed down
from generation to generation, and many never bother to check the
Scriptures to see if these traditions are really true for the One
Body of Christ, the believer. We just thank the Lord that over
half of the New Testament was written by Paul for the One Body of
Christ, who gives us can’t miss instruction
for Eternal Life. The every
Life which the Spirit of Christ infuses into us as it is His nature and character
restored, or that past of man which had been lost by death,
separation from Him. As recorded in Genesis 3.
The traditions of man no matter how religious they maybe are but deceptions and lies. God may have certain feasts and festivals for us but they are not yet revealed. Some get hung up on their interpretation of the Hebrewisms of scripture in regards to feast days unfulfilled by Christ but for His Family none have been revealed.
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