Chapter 20
PURPOSE AND OPERATION OF THE CHURCH
Before we begin our study into the purpose and operation of the church, let us pray.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come before You, through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Lord I ask for Your blessing upon this time of my reading. Please reveal to me Your desires for Your church. Help me to understand and perform the function to which You have called me. Dear Lord God, please open my eyes, my ears and my heart to see and understand things as You intend them to be. In the Name of Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ I ask.
Amen
INTRODUCTION
For us to better understand God’s purpose and intended operation of His church, let us first refresh our memories of what His church, that is the body of Christ, is. Specifically, in our previous study, we came to realize that the church is not a physical building or place. The church is the spiritual body composed of all the born again believers in Jesus Christ. This collection of people, called the church or body of Christ, is being molded together as a habitation of God in which He dwells by His Spirit. To see this let us read from,
Ephesians 2:19-22
"[19] … , you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, [20] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. [21] In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. [22] And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."
With the above in mind, let us begin our study and address the questions of: (1) “What is God’s purpose for His church?” and (2) “How does God intend His church to operate and function?” With respect to the purpose for the church we will find that,
1. In addition to being a habitation for God the Holy Spirit here on earth, God’s purpose for the earthly church is to bear witness to the peoples of the earth and all the Heavenly hosts of His Wisdom and Glory.
2. The second purpose of the church is for its membership to help one another attain the spiritual growth and maturity necessary to accomplish the task of bearing witness to God's Glory and Wisdom.
As for the operation and function of the church we will find that:
1. The task of fostering spiritual growth is to be accomplished through the ministry within the church. Hence, our Lord has given each member of His body at least one spiritual gift to be used to help, encourage and assist one another in their new life with our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. To protect and guard His children against spiritual deception and confusion, our Lord has given His church: (a) tests to determine the validity of a spiritual gift and (b) rules of order when gathering together.
3. Since the body of Christ is composed of people who are to interact with each other, we will find that God uses many avenues by which He manages and provides direction for the operation or activities within His body. The most prominent method is through the elders.
Since the study of all the above aspects relative to the purpose and operation of the church is too large for one study, item 3 will be addressed chapter 21.
As one reads the New Testament, we find that in addition to being an earthly habitation for God the Holy Spirit,
THE CHURCH IS TO BEAR WITNESS OF GOD'S GLORY AND WISDOM FOR HIS REDEMPTION OF MAN
We begin with the,
WITNESS TO THE PEOPLE UPON THIS EARTH
During the days of the apostles our Lord Jesus Christ gave them the commission to preach the Gospel to those who were upon this earth. To see this let us read from,
Mark 16:15
"[15] He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."
For the days after the apostles, including today, our Lord has anointed some members of His church to be evangelists. This is revealed to us in,
Ephesians 4:11
[11] And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
In addition, when asked, each one of us is to share with the unbeliever the reason for the hope we have in Jesus Christ. To see this let us read from,
“[15] But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;” [16] having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
It is noted that according to Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon the word fear as used in verse 15 mean with reverence and respect. Thus, when sharing the reason for the hope we have in Jesus Christ we are to do it with gentleness, reverence and respect.
Let us now move on to the,
WITNESS TO THE HEAVENLY HOSTS
As we study the Scriptures further we find that the purpose of the church is far more reaching than to those dwelling upon this earth. What we find is that through His church God's Wisdom and Glory is also being made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. To see this, let us begin by reading the explanation Paul gave for his apostleship and the purpose for the church,
Ephesians 3:8-11
"[8] Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, [9] and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. [10] His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, [11] according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Let us notice the following verse,
10 … God's intent is that through His church, His unfathomable Wisdom and Glory, for extending His Grace and Mercy to save mankind, will be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms!
This raises the question of; "How is the church to make known to the powers of the heavenly realms God’s Wisdom and Glory?" To find out let us look to,
THE EXAMPLE OF JOB
We begin by reading from,
Job 1:6-12
"[6] One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. [7] The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." [8] Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." [9] "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. [10] "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. [11] But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." [12] The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD."
Let us notice the following verses,
6 … Through the Scriptures, God has given us the privilege to enter into Heaven and ease drop on a conversation He once had with Satan and the Heavenly hosts.
8 … Just like a proud parent, God brags about Job. He told Satan that there is no one like him on earth. In fact, God said Job is blameless and upright. He also said Job fears and respects God and avoids evil things.
9-10 … Satan replied to God by saying in effect; “Yes, Job loves and respects You. Why shouldn’t He? You (God) have protected Him from harm and have increased his possessions.
11 ... Satan told God that if He would take away Job’s possessions and allow affliction to come upon him, then Job will surely turn against Him. In effect, Satan was saying to God that the only reason Job loved Him and remained faithful to Him was because God had blessed him.
12 … To show Job’s true love, devotion and faithfulness, God permitted Satan to assault Job. In other words, Job was to bear witness to Satan and the Heavenly hosts of God’s Wisdom in choosing him to protect and bless.
As we read the account of Job we find that Satan inflicted upon him terrible afflictions, sicknesses and horrors. However, in all of his misery Job never once cursed God or charged Him with any wrong. In fact, through it all, Job’s faith, love and trust in God remained steadfast. To see this, let us first consider what Job said after Satan’s first assault of terror.
Job 1:20-22
"[20] At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship [21] and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." [22] In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing."
After Satan’s second wave of terror Job’s wife questioned Job as to why he continues to maintain his integrity. To read Job’s response we go to,
Job 2:9-10
"[9] His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" [10] He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said."
Let us notice the following verses,
9 … With all the misery that had come upon Job and his household, his wife questioned Job’s faith and suggested he should give up and curse God for their misery.
10 … Again we read of Job’s unconditional love for and devotion to God. Job was clearly bearing witness to the rulers and authorities in Heaven of God’s manifold wisdom in choosing him for salvation. Job also demonstrates to us that we are but pilgrims upon this earth and that our love and desires should be focused upon our Lord and the eternal life that is to come.
THE APPLICATION FOR US AND THE CHURCH
In reflecting upon the above incident, we realize it is through this type of faith, love and devotion that we too will honor and glorify God. In effect we, as Job, will bear witness to all the Heavenly hosts of God’s Wisdom in choosing us for His salvation. To see this, let us read the attitude of the apostles after they were beaten for presenting the Gospel in Jerusalem,
Acts 5:41
"[41] The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name."
With Job and the apostles in mind, let us now read a description of the kind of love and devotion we, the born again believers, are to have for God in Christ Jesus,
Romans 8:35-39
"[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? [36] As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." [37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, [39] neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
The Bible teaches us that to possess this type of love and devotion; we must grow and mature in faith and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thus, the second purpose God has for His church is that
THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH ARE TO HELP ONE ANOTHER GROW AND MATURE IN THEIR FAITH
To see this, let us read why God gave spiritual gifts to His body,
Ephesians 4:11-16
"[11] It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, [12] to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. [14] Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. [16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."
Let us notice the following verses,
12 … God gave the various positions or functions within His church to equip it for ministry. This ministry is to be performed to edify, that is strengthen, His body.
13 … The body of Christ is not strengthened or grow by numbers or quantity of people, but by becoming mature in faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God.
14 … The reason for growth and maturity is so that, when faced with various lies and schemes of men motivated by the evil one, we can stand firm in our faith.
15-16 … By speaking, in love to one another, the various doctrines and principles of the Bible, we will become mature in Jesus Christ. Also notice that each one of us is to do our part. This brings us to the topic of the,
OPERATION AND FUNCTIONIONING OF THE CHURCH
To see that it is God's desire for each member of His body to actively participate in the building up of each other's faith and love we will,
1. Find that through the ministry of the Holy Spirit each member of the church has been given a spiritual gift to be used for the common good.
2. See that each and every member of the body of Christ has an important part to play in its healthy operation.
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To equip us for the task of building up the body of Christ, God has given each born again believer at least one spiritual gift. To see this, let us read from,
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
"[4] There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. [5] There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. [6] There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. [7] Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. [8] To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, [9] to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, [10] to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. [11] All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines."
Let us notice the following verses,
4, 5 & 6 … God has given to His body various gifts, functions (ministries or works of service) and effects (degrees or different kinds of workings). It is noted that the gifts identified above are only a sample of the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit imparts. A few more examples are the spiritual gifts of: charity, leadership (Romans 12:8), apostleship and evangelists (Ephesians 4:11).
7 … Each born again believer is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
11 … All born again believers have the same Holy Spirit. Also note that it is He who determines what gift we are to have. Another significant point to make is that these are spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit, not natural talents. For example, a person who may be a janitor, within a manufacturing plant may be given the spiritual gift of leadership. On the other hand a manager of a corporation may be given the spiritual gift of charity or helps.
DETERMINING OUR GIFT AND PLACE WITHIN THE BODY
Since we all have a part to play within the body of Christ, the question arises of; “How does one know the spiritual gift and function God has given to them?” The Bible shows us at least three ways through which the Holy Spirit leads us to our assigned task. These are: (1) through His elders, (2) through desire and (3) through circumstances and situations.
The Elders
One of the functions of the elders of a given body of believers is to impart and/or recognize a spiritual gift within a member of the body of Christ. For example, we read that through the laying on of hands by the presbytery, that is the body of elders, Timothy received the gift of preaching and teaching. To see this let us read what Paul wrote to Timothy to encourage him to use his gift,
1 Timothy 4:14
"[14] Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you."
Notice, when the elders laid their hands on Timothy, it was through the spiritual gift of prophecy that God announced the gift He imparted to Timothy.
A second example of how God uses the leadership within the church to direct the efforts or activities of its membership was when Paul and Barnabas were sent on a missionary journey. It is recorded in,
Acts 13:1-3
"[1] In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. [2] While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." [3] So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off."
Let us notice the following verse,
2 … It was the Holy Spirit, speaking through the prophets and teachers, who set apart Paul and Barnabas for the work God had for them.
Desire
The second method God uses to confirm a person’s function within His body is that He will place an almost irresistible desire within us to do it. To see this, let us read how Paul described the desire that God placed within him to preach the Gospel. It is recorded in,
1 Corinthians 9:16
"[16] Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!"
The third manner in which God may use to move us to the position or activity that He has for us is through the,
Natural Circumstances of Our Life
For an example of this method let us read about the anointing of King Saul. In this case God used some lost donkeys to lead Saul to the prophet Samuel. He did this so that Samuel could anoint Saul to be King of Israel. To see this, let us read from,
1 Samuel 9:1-6
"[1] There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. [2] He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites--a head taller than any of the others. [3] Now the donkeys belonging to Saul's father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys." [4] So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them. [5] When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, "Come, let's go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us." [6] But the servant replied, "Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let's go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.""
When Saul and his servant met with the prophet Samuel, Samuel first told Saul to not be concerned about the donkeys. He told him that they are back with his father. Then, knowing that God had selected Saul to be King over Israel, he invited Saul to a feast. Samuel did this so he could prophesy over Saul and anoint him for the kingship,
1 Samuel 9:25-10:1
"[25] After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house. [26] They rose about daybreak and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, "Get ready, and I will send you on your way." When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together. [27] As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to go on ahead of us"--and the servant did so--" but you stay here awhile, so that I may give you a message from God.""
"[10:1] Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, "Has not the LORD anointed you leader over his inheritance?"
As we read the Old Testament we find many times God used seemingly natural circumstances to move His people to the place and activity He had for them. As another example, we read in Genesis (chapters 37 through 47) how God used the jealousy of Joseph's brothers to get him to Egypt. In Egypt, Joseph ultimately became second in command to Pharaoh. He did this to move Joseph to a position where Joseph could save his father and family from the devastating effects of a severe famine.
A New Testament example of how God used circumstances to get His people to where they should be is by noting that it was through a ship wreck that got Paul to the island of Malta. It was here that Paul found himself in a situation where he was to utilize the spiritual gift of healing. To see this, let us read what happened while Paul was on the island of Malta,
Acts 28:7-10
"[7] There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. [8] His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. [9] When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. [10] They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed."
Now that we have seen that each one of us has been endowed with a spiritual gift for service and that God will move us to the place where He wants us to use it, it is important for us recognize that,
EVERY MEMBER HAS AN IMPORTANT PART TO PLAY
To help us better understand this, the Holy Spirit gave us an analogy of the functioning of the body of Christ to the human body. To see this, let us begin by reading from,
1 Corinthians 12:12-14
"[12] The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. [13] For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. [14] Now the body is not made up of one part but of many."
Let us notice the following verses,
12 … As the human body is composed of many members or parts, so it is with the body of Christ (the church).
13 … All born again believers have been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. Also note that, all true born again believers are filled with the Holy Spirit.
With the analogy of the human body in mind, it follows that as each member or part of the human body has an important function or role to play, so too with each member of the body of Christ. To see this, let us first read what the Holy Spirit is says,
To Those Who Feel They Have Nothing to Contribute
These are those who may not feel worthy to perform a function or exercise the spiritual gift they were given. These members may also feel that their role or gift is not very important and wish they had a more visible position within the body. The instruction for these members is given in,
1 Corinthians 12:15-20
"[15] If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. [16] And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. [17] If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? [18] But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. [19] If they were all one part, where would the body be? [20] As it is, there are many parts, but one body."
To Those Who Feel They Have No Need of Others
These are those who may have highly visible gifts and functions. As a consequence they may not appreciate the importance of the less glamorous, humanly speaking of course, positions within the church. The instruction for these members is given in,
1 Corinthians 12:21-27
"[21] The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" [22] On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, [23] and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, [24] while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, [25] so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. [26] If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. [27] Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."
SUMMARY
What is the message? Well, it is pretty much summarized for us in,
Romans 12:3-8
"[3] For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. [4] Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, [5] so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. [6] We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. [7] If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; [8] if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
RECAP
Before we continue, let us pause for a moment and quickly review all we have covered thus far.
1. The church, that is the body of Christ, composed of the born again believers in Jesus Christ, is an earthly habitation of God the Holy Spirit.
2. One of the main purposes of the church is to bear witness to the peoples of this earth and to the principality and powers of Heaven God’s Wisdom and Glory for saving them.
3. To be an effective witness of God’s Wisdom and Glory, the church must grow and mature in faith, love and devotion to Jesus Christ.
4. To bring about the church’s spiritual growth and maturity, God has equipped and called each born again believer to perform an important function within a specific area of His body.
PROTECTION AGAINST SPIRITUAL DECEPTION AND CONFUSION
As mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, to protect His children from spiritual deception and confusion, the Holy Spirit has given to the church, (1) tests for determining the validity of a spiritual gift and (2) rules of order for when the church gathers together.
Some Tests to Determine the Validity of Spiritual Gifts
Since the evil one and his servants masquerade as angels of light, 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, God has given (in His Word) tests or criteria to determine whether or not what is being said or manifested is of the Holy Spirit. These tests are extremely important for our protection. Thus, we are to diligently use them. To see this, consider,
1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
"[19] Do not put out the Spirit's fire; [20] do not treat prophecies with contempt. [21] Test everything. Hold on to the good."
Let us notice the following verses,
19 - 20 … We are not to prevent the Holy Spirit from manifesting His spiritual gifts.
21 … However, we are to test all that we see and hear.
With this short background, let us now examine three tests for discerning the spirit behind a spiritual gift. These tests are:
1. The spirit must bear witness to Jesus Christ.
2. The spirit must bear witness to the Gospel.
3. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are to be manifest and growing.
The Spirit Must Bear Witness to Jesus Christ
With respect to the test of bearing witness to Jesus Christ, the spirit must bear witness to the fact that: (1) Jesus is Lord, (2) Jesus came in the flesh and (3) Jesus is our savior.
To insure the Holy Spirit is behind any spiritual gift, Jesus Christ must be proclaimed Lord. This test is provided to us in,
1 Corinthians 12:1-3
"[1] Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. [2] You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. [3] Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit."
As we reflect upon the above Scriptures, we must be careful to remember that the words of the Bible are spirit and not to be taken carnally. Consider what Jesus said in,
John 6:63
"[63] The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life."
In other words just because someone said the words; “Jesus is Lord” does not mean the spirit said; “Jesus is Lord.” To illustrate this point, let us consider some of the ways a person can tell you that they love you.
1. They can say they love you as a cliché. Does this mean that their spirit is bearing witness or proclaiming their love for you? No!
2. They can say they love you out of admiration for what you may have done or said. Again, does this mean that their spirit is proclaiming their love or devotion to you? Or, was it just a nice way of telling you; “A job well done?”
3. They can say they love you out of intimidation. In other words, they do not have the courage to admit that they don’t.
The list goes on. Thus, for this and all other tests we must listen to or hear what the spirit is actually saying. In other words, the whole being and circumstance created by the individual or individuals must bear witness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Hence, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is that of spiritual discernment (1 Corinthians 12:10).
The next criterion is for the spirit to bear witness to the fact that Jesus Christ walked upon this earth in a human body. Specifically, it must bear witness to the fact that Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, came to earth in human flesh. To see this, consider,
1 John 4:1-3
"[1] Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. [2] This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, [3] but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world."
This test will normally expose the deceptions being created through religious thoughts or systems that acknowledge Jesus as a great prophet or teacher, but will not acknowledge Him as God. This test also exposes the teaching that only identifies Jesus Christ as an ideal or concept or spirit and not as God who came to earth in human flesh.
The last test relative to bearing witness to our Lord Jesus Christ is that the spirit must proclaim that Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior of mankind. To see this let us consider,
1 John 2:22-23
"[22] Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist--he denies the Father and the Son. [23] No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also."
Let us notice the following verses,
22 … To help better understand the depth of this verse, we must remember the title; “Christ” means “Messiah” or “Anointed One.” We must also remember in this position of Messiah or Christ, He (Jesus) is the only way to God the Father (see John 14:6 and Acts 4:12). Thus, when one denies that Jesus is the Christ, in effect the spirit is saying that Jesus is not the one and only savior of mankind.
As one reflects upon this test, we can see that it will expose the deception of any religious system or thought that teaches or implies that all religions lead us to God. It also reveals the deception of teachings that states there are many paths to salvation.
The Spirit Must Bear Witness to the Gospel
In addition to bearing witness to Jesus Christ, the spirit must also bear witness to the Gospel that is revealed in God’s Word, the Bible. Paul clearly reveals this test when he admonished the church in Galatia for following teachings that were not consistent with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Galatians 1:6-9
"[6] I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- [7] which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. [8] But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! [9] As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!"
Let us notice the following verses,
8-9 … If an angel or anyone presents a different Gospel, let him be condemned. These are extremely serious words. This instruction is so important and serious that to insure we get the message, the Holy Spirit repeats it. Thus, it is in our best interests to heed His warning.
This test will expose the deception of any religion, thought or doctrine that takes us away from following sound Biblically based teachings/doctrines.
The Fruits of The Spirit Must Be Present And Growing
The third and last test we will discuss is that the person operating in a spiritual gift must have the fruits of the Holy Spirit manifest and growing. To refresh our memories let us read what Jesus said about recognizing the false teacher or prophet in,
Matthew 7:15-23
""[15] Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. [16] By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? [17] Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. [18] A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. [19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. [21] "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' [23] Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
In other words, if someone is speaking or operating in a gift from the Holy Spirit; then, the fruits of the Holy Spirit should also be present and growing in their lives. Specifically, out of love and devotion to God, they should be trying and wanting to live their lives in obedience to Him. Another way for us to understand the implication of this instruction is for us to seriously consider the following instruction of the Apostle Paul,
1 Corinthians 11:1
"[1] Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ."
Thus, when confronted with spiritual manifestations, a good way to determine if the Holy Spirit’s fruits are manifest would be to ask yourself; “Would Jesus or Paul behave this way?” “Is this what my Lord Jesus Christ or the apostle Paul would do?” An honest answer, based upon the Biblical record of the actions, behavior and attitude of Jesus Christ and Paul, to these questions will reveal the spirit that is being manifested.
SOME RULES OF ORDER
To avoid confusion when the body of Christ formally gathers together, our Lord has given us some rules of order. To begin, let us read from,
1 Corinthians 14:26
"[26] … When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.”
Let us notice the following,
26(a) … Again the Holy Spirit is reminding us that, when gathering together we are all to participate in the meeting.
26(b) … The purpose for gathering together is to strengthen the church so that it will grow and mature in faith and in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, all activities are to be focused to that end.
With the above in mind, let us now read the rules of order for the gathering of the church. They are identified in,
1 Corinthians 14:27-40
[27] If anyone speaks in a tongue, two--or at the most three--should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. [28] If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God. [29] Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. [30] And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. [31] For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. [32] The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. [33] For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, [34] women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. [35] If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. [36] Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? [37] If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. [38] If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored. [39] Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. [40] But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way."
Let us notice the following verses,
27-28 … In the formal gathering of the church speaking in tongues without interpretation is to be avoided. The reason for this is given to us in,
1 Corinthians 14:2-5
"[2] For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. [3] But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. [4] He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. [5] I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified."
Let us now return to where we left off and notice the following verses of the rules of order for the gathering of the body,
29-31(a) … Each person is to take turns.
32-33(a) … God has given control of the spirit to the individual. He did this so that we can take turns to speak to the gathering. In other words, it is not God’s desire for us to speak or act in an uncontrollable manner.
33(b)-35 … Women are to be silent during the time the body has formally gathered together. This does not mean that women have not been given spiritual gifts and functions to perform within the body of Christ. In fact, by reading Acts 21:9 we find that Philip had four unmarried daughters that prophesied. However, what we do find is, as we saw earlier, in His Wisdom, God has assigned places and times for everything and everyone. Thus, during the formal gathering of believers, the women are not to undermine the God ordained relationship between man/woman (see 1 Timothy 2:12 and 1 Corinthians 11:2-16) and husband/wife (see Ephesians 5:22-29).
36-37 … The Holy Spirit tells us that these instructions or commands were not referring to the social or cultural norms of the day. These commands were not, as some say, the biases of Paul. These commands came from our Lord and Savior Himself!
SUMMARY
Before we close this chapter, let us quickly summarize all that we have covered:
1. The church or body of Christ, composed of all the born again believers, is a habitation on earth for God the Holy Spirit.
2. God’s purpose for His church is to be a witness to the peoples of this earth and all the heavenly hosts of His Wisdom and Glory.
3. To effectively witness to God’s Glory and Wisdom, the church and its members must grow and mature in their love, faith and devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. To facilitate the spiritual growth and maturity of His body, our Lord has equipped and called each born again believer to help nourish, encourage and correct one another.
5. To guard against confusion and spiritual deception, our gatherings are to be conducted in an orderly fashion and all things are to be tested and weighed for their validity.
With all this in mind, let us now close this by reading,
Psalm 1:1-3
"[1] Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. [2] But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. [3] He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
Blessed be the Lord forever,
AMEN and AMEN