From Gary... Being the proper kind of hater

I remember a conversation with a supervisor in which he called me names because I said that I hated evil. In his way of thinking, to hate at all proved that you were a hypocrite, bigoted, stupid and a poor example of a Christian.  Well, the LORD hates and some things should be hated...

Proverbs 6:16-19 NASB
(16)  There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
(17)  Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,
(18)  A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil,
(19)  A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.

 

 

People can say a lot of things, that does not make them right. As for me, I intend to go right on hating evil.  I admit, sometimes it is extremely hard to care for those practising it, but who ever said following God was easy.  Hate evil and love the good. Forgive and try to understand others. God did, does and always will. Remember Jesus?

From Gary... Bible Reading September 6

Bible Reading   

September 6

The World English Bible

Sept. 6

Psalms 43-45

Psa 43:1 Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.

Psa 43:2 For you are the God of my strength. Why have you rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

Psa 43:3 Oh, send out your light and your truth. Let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy hill, To your tents.

Psa 43:4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy. I will praise you on the harp, God, my God.

Psa 43:5 Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him: my Savior, my helper, and my God.

Psa 44:1 We have heard with our ears, God; our fathers have told us, what work you did in their days, in the days of old.

Psa 44:2 You drove out the nations with your hand, but you planted them. You afflicted the peoples, but you spread them abroad.

Psa 44:3 For they didn't get the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your face, because you were favorable to them.

Psa 44:4 You are my King, God. Command victories for Jacob!

Psa 44:5 Through you, will we push down our adversaries. Through your name, will we tread them under who rise up against us.

Psa 44:6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

Psa 44:7 But you have saved us from our adversaries, and have shamed those who hate us.

Psa 44:8 In God we have made our boast all day long, we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah.

Psa 44:9 But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor, and don't go out with our armies.

Psa 44:10 You make us turn back from the adversary. Those who hate us take spoil for themselves.

Psa 44:11 You have made us like sheep for food, and have scattered us among the nations.

Psa 44:12 You sell your people for nothing, and have gained nothing from their sale.

Psa 44:13 You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and a derision to those who are around us.

Psa 44:14 You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.

Psa 44:15 All day long my dishonor is before me, and shame covers my face,

Psa 44:16 At the taunt of one who reproaches and verbally abuses, because of the enemy and the avenger.

Psa 44:17 All this has come on us, yet have we not forgotten you, Neither have we been false to your covenant.

Psa 44:18 Our heart has not turned back, neither have our steps strayed from your path,

Psa 44:19 Though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.

Psa 44:20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread forth our hands to a strange god;

Psa 44:21 won't God search this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart.

Psa 44:22 Yes, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep for the slaughter.

Psa 44:23 Wake up! Why do you sleep, Lord? Arise! Don't reject us forever.

Psa 44:24 Why do you hide your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression?

Psa 44:25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our body cleaves to the earth.

Psa 44:26 Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness' sake.

Psa 45:1 My heart overflows with a noble theme. I recite my verses for the king. My tongue is like the pen of a skillful writer.

Psa 45:2 You are the most excellent of the sons of men. Grace has anointed your lips, therefore God has blessed you forever.

Psa 45:3 Gird your sword on your thigh, mighty one: your splendor and your majesty.

Psa 45:4 In your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand display awesome deeds.

Psa 45:5 Your arrows are sharp. The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king's enemies.

Psa 45:6 Your throne, God, is forever and ever. A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom.

Psa 45:7 You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

Psa 45:8 All your garments smell like myrrh, aloes, and cassia. Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made you glad.

Psa 45:9 Kings' daughters are among your honorable women. At your right hand the queen stands in gold of Ophir.

Psa 45:10 Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear. Forget your own people, and also your father's house.

Psa 45:11 So the king will desire your beauty, honor him, for he is your lord.

Psa 45:12 The daughter of Tyre comes with a gift. The rich among the people entreat your favor.

Psa 45:13 The princess inside is all glorious. Her clothing is interwoven with gold.

Psa 45:14 She shall be led to the king in embroidered work. The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to you.

Psa 45:15 With gladness and rejoicing they shall be led. They shall enter into the king's palace.

Psa 45:16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers. You shall make them princes in all the earth.

Psa 45:17 I will make your name to be remembered in all generations. Therefore the peoples shall give you thanks forever and ever.

 

Sept. 6

1 Corinthians 2

1Co 2:1 When I came to you, brothers, I didn't come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.

1Co 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

1Co 2:3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

1Co 2:4 My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

1Co 2:5 that your faith wouldn't stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

1Co 2:6 We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown; yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing.

1Co 2:7 But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds for our glory,

1Co 2:8 which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn't have crucified the Lord of glory.

1Co 2:9 But as it is written, "Things which an eye didn't see, and an ear didn't hear, which didn't enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him."

1Co 2:10 But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

1Co 2:11 For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except God's Spirit.

1Co 2:12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God.

1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.

1Co 2:14 Now the natural man doesn't receive the things of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can't know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1Co 2:15 But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one.

1Co 2:16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him?" But we have Christ's mind.

From Mark Copeland... The Christian's Duty To Government (Romans 13:1-7)

                      "THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS"

              The Christian's Duty To Government (13:1-7)

INTRODUCTION

1. Christians are blessed to be citizens of a heavenly kingdom...
   a. Our citizenship is in heaven - Php 3:20
   b. We have been conveyed into the kingdom of God's dear Son - Co 1:13; Re 1:9
   -- As such, we are described as "sojourners and pilgrims" in this
      world - 1Pe 2:11

2. As "pilgrims", we live and work under the governments of men...
   a. With a variety of political systems:  democracies, kingdoms,
      dictatorships, etc.
   b. Offering varying degrees of freedom, responsibilities, etc.
   -- What is our duty to such governments?

3. The Lord's church began and thrived during the Roman Empire...
   a. To Christians in the capital city of Rome, Paul wrote of their
      responsibility
   b. To Christians dispersed in outlying areas of the Empire, Peter did
      also
   -- The Christian's duty to government is made very clear by the
      apostles

[Using Paul's comments in Ro 13:1-7 as our starting point, let's review
what our duties are...]

I. BE SUBJECT

   A. THE RULE...
      1. Stressed twice by Paul
         a. "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities"
            - Ro 13:1
         b. "Therefore you must be subject..." - Ro 13:5
      2. Peter likewise taught this duty - 1Pe 2:13-14
         a. "Therefore submit yourselves..."
            1) Submit means "be subject to"
            2) Signifying "to place one's self under subjection; to
               render one's self subordinate"
         b. We are to submit "to every ordinance of man"
            1) The word "ordinance" literally means "a creation"
            2) The Greeks and Romans described the appointment of
               officers as the "creation" of them
            3) Thus the expression "ordinance" actually refers:
               a) Not to a particular law passed by government
               b) But to the civil government or institution itself
               c) Cf. "to every human institution" (NASB, NRSV)
            4) Note that we are to submit to every human institution
               (whether it be a monarchy, democracy, totalitarian state,
               etc.)
      -- Our responsibility is clear:  "Let every soul be subject" - Ro 13:1

   B. THE REASON...
      1. Governing authorities that exist have been appointed by God!
         - Ro 13:1
         a. As emphasized in the book of Daniel - Dan 2:20-21; 4:17,25a,
            32a
         b. Even those that are evil, which God often uses for His
            divine purposes and then replaces - cf. Exo 9:16 (Egypt);
            Isa 10:5-12 (Assyria)
      2. Therefore to resist government means to resist God Himself!
         - Ro 13:2-4
         a. To resist is to bring judgment upon one's self
         b. For government is a minister of God, designed to avenge evil
      3. Peter adds two good reasons - 1Pe 2:15
         a. First and foremost, "this is the will of God"
            1) Cf. also, "for the Lord's sake" - 1Pe 2:13
            2) This will suffice for all true servants of God
         b. That we may "put to silence the ignorance of foolish men"
            1) Because of their allegiance to a heavenly king,
               Christians are often falsely accused of sedition or
               treason - e.g., Ac 17:5-8
            2) By doing good (e.g., by submitting), we can "silence"
               (lit., muzzle) ignorant charges
      -- To avoid wrath and have a good conscience, "you must be subject"
         - Ro 13:5

   C. THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE...
      1. It is not whenever government is oppressive
         a. Consider the government and conditions when Paul and Peter
            wrote
         b. The government was totalitarian, under Nero's evil and
            despotic rule as emperor
         c. Under Nero's reign, Christians suffered greatly - cf. 1 Pe 4:12-13; 5:8-9
         d. Paul and Peter were eventually martyred
      2. The only exception:  we must obey God rather than man!
         a. As illustrated by Peter and the apostles - Ac 4:18-20; 5:
            27-29
         b. When government tries to force us to disobey God, we must
            disobey the government
         c. Even then, we may break only the particular law designed to
            force disobedience to God
         d. We have no authority to break other laws in protest to the
            unjust law
      -- When government seeks to stifle our service to God, we must
         obey God rather than man!

[As we return to our text, we note additional duties to government...]

II. PAY WHAT IS DUE

   A. WE ARE TO PAY TAXES...
      1. As an act of submission we should pay our taxes - Ro 13:6
      2. Also other fees that are due, such as customs - Ro 13:7
      -- We may not approve of how the taxes are spent, but I doubt the
         early Christians approved of how Nero spent the government's
         money either

   B. WE ARE TO PAY RESPECT...
      1. Fear to whom fear is due - Ro 13:7
         a. Such as police officers, judges
         b. And if you do evil, be afraid! - Ro 13:4
      2. Honor to whom honor is due - Ro 13:7; cf. 1Pe 2:17
         a. Such as presidents, kings, governors, local leaders
         b. Out of respect for the office, if not for the man (or woman)
      -- Our duty is not limited to those whose political or personal
         behavior we approve

[Before we end our study, we should certainly note another duty to
government that is ours...]

III. PRAY

   A. FOR KINGS AND ALL IN AUTHORITY...
      1. We are to offer supplications, prayers, intercessions - 1Ti 2:
         1-2
         a. Praying for those who lead, not only our country, but those
            around the world
         b. Praying that they rule with wisdom, righteousness, and mercy
      2. We are to offer thanks - 1Ti 2:1-2
         a. Taking time to thank God for those who rule well
         b. Thanking God for when we live in peace and prosperity, and
            for protecting us when we do not
      -- An invaluable contribution Christians can give their country
         are their prayers

   B. THAT WE MIGHT LEAD GOOD LIVES...
      1. Good in a material sense, to enjoy quiet and peaceful times
         - cf. 1Th 4:11; He 12:14a
      2. Good in a spiritual sense, free to be godly and reverent - cf.
         He 12:14b
      -- As God works through the governments of men to bestow peace,
         prayer should be a priority for those who wish to live in peace

CONCLUSION

1. The duties placed on Christians toward their earthly governments are
   clear and simple...
   a. Be subject to governing authorities
   b. Pay what is due in taxes and respect
   c. Pray for all those in positions of authority

2. Beyond this, our involvement in the affairs of government may fall
   into the realm of judgment...
   a. Should we enter politics, serve in law enforcement, enlist in the
      military?
   b. Such questions have been debated by Christians for centuries
   -- One thing is clear, we must obey God rather than man, and avoid
      becoming entangled with the affairs of this life to the neglect of
      our service to God (2Ti 2:4)

As a Christian, are you faithfully fulfilling your duty to earthly
government, while sojourning as a citizen of a heavenly kingdom...?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

The Only True God by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=5014

The Only True God

by	Eric Lyons, M.Min.

The Bible is full of scriptures that, when quoted without any consideration of the immediate and remote contexts, a person can misuse in all sorts of ways. As proof that we do not have to work to provide for our family’s material needs, some may quote Jesus’ statement, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life” (John 6:27). In order to show that Jesus was a liar, the Bible critic might quote Jesus’ acknowledgement: “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true” (John 5:31). Those who exclude baptism from God’s plan of salvation often quote John 4:2: “Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples.” When the Bible reader is “rightly dividing” (2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV) or “handling accurately the word of truth” (NASB), however, he will remember that “[t]he sum of thy [God’s] word is truth” (Psalm 119:160, emp. added). Since the Bible teaches “if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10; cf. 1 Timothy 5:8), Jesus never implied that working to help feed one’s family is wrong (John 6:27). “He simply was saying that spiritual food is more important than physical food, and as such, should be given a higher priority” (Butt, 2003, emp. in orig.). Jesus did not confess wrongdoing in John 5:31. He simply acknowledged that, in accordance with the law (cf. Deuteronomy 19:15), His testimony apart from other witnesses would be considered invalid or insufficient to establish truth (cf. John 8:13-20; see Lyons, 2004). Likewise, Jesus never taught that baptism was unnecessary for salvation. In fact, He taught the very opposite (cf. John 3:3,5; Mark 16:16; Matthew 28:18-20; see Lyons, 2003).
Consider another proof text from the Gospel of John regarding the nature of Christ. Some (e.g., Jehovah’s Witnesses) contend that Jesus was not deity since, on one occasion, He prayed to the Father: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3; cf. “Should You Believe...?,” 2000). Allegedly, by calling the Father, “the only true God,” Jesus excluded Himself from being deity. Such an interpretation of John 17:3, however, contradicts numerous other passages within John’s own gospel account. From beginning to end, John bore witness to the deity of Christ. Some of the evidence from the Gospel of John includes the following:

• In the very first verse of John, the apostle testified: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (emp. added; cf. 1:14,17).
• Two verses later the reader learns that “[a]ll things came into being by Him [the Word], and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being” (John 1:3, NASB).
• Still in the first chapter of John, the apostle testified that John the Baptizer was the one whom Isaiah foretold would “prepare...the way of Jehovah” (Isaiah 40:3; John 1:23; cf. 14:6). For Whom did John the Baptizer come to prepare the way? Isaiah called Him “Jehovah.” The apostle John, as well as John the Baptizer, referred to Jehovah as “Jesus” (John 1:17), “the Christ” (3:28), “the Word” (1:1), “the Light” (1:17), “the Lamb” (1:29), “the Truth” (5:33), etc.
• When the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well told Jesus, “I know that Messiah is coming” (John 4:25), Jesus responded, “I who speak to you am He” (vs. 26). Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would be called “Mighty God” (9:6) and “Jehovah” (40:3). Thus, by claiming to be the Messiah, Jesus was claiming to be God.
• In John chapter nine, Jesus miraculously healed a man with congenital blindness (vs. 1). When this man appeared before various Jews in the synagogue and called Jesus a prophet (vs. 17), he was instructed to “give glory to God,” not Jesus, because allegedly Jesus “is a sinner” (vs. 24). Later, after the man born blind was cast out of the synagogue, he confessed faith in Jesus and worshiped (Greek proskuneo) Him (vs. 38). In the Gospel of John, this word (proskuneo) is found 11 times: nine times in reference to worshiping the Father (John 4:2-24), once in reference to Greeks who came to “worship” in Jerusalem during Passover (12:20), and once in reference to the worship Jesus received from a man whom He had miraculously healed, and who had just confessed faith in Jesus. Indeed, by accepting worship Jesus acknowledged His deity (cf. Matthew 4:10; Hebrews 1:6).
• While at the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, Jesus claimed: “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). “Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him” (vs. 31). Why did Jesus’ enemies want to stone Him? The Jews said to Christ: “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God” (vs. 33, emp. added; cf. 5:17-18).
• After Jesus rose from the dead, the apostle Thomas called Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus responded: “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (vs. 29). Notice that Jesus did not deny His deity, rather He acknowledged Thomas’ faith and commended future believers. Believers in what? In that which Thomas had just confessed—that Jesus is Lord and God.

It was in the overall context of John’s gospel account, which is filled with statements testifying of Jesus’ deity, that the apostle recorded Jesus’ prayer to His Father the night of His betrayal (John 17). But how can Jesus’ statement about His Father being “the only true God” (17:3) be harmonized with statements by Jesus, the apostle John, John the Baptizer, Thomas, etc. affirming the deity of Christ? When a person understands that Jesus’ statement was made in opposition to the world’s false gods, and not Himself, the reference to the Father being “the only true God” harmonizes perfectly with the many scriptures that attest to the deity of Christ (including those outside of the book of John; cf. Matthew 1:23; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:5-13). On the eve of Jesus’ crucifixion, it was completely natural for Him to pray that “all flesh/people” (John 17:2, NKJV/NIV), many of whom were (and still are) pagan idolaters, would come to know “the only true God” and receive eternal life (17:3). Thus, Jesus contrasted Himself not with the Father, but “with all forms of pagan polytheism, mystic pantheism, and philosophic naturalism” (Jamieson, et al., 1997).
Furthermore, if Jesus’ reference to the Father being “the only true God” somehow excludes Jesus from being deity, then (to be consistent) Jesus also must be disqualified from being man’s Savior. Jehovah said: “Besides me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:11; cf. Hosea 13:4; Jude 25). Yet, Paul and Peter referred to Jesus as our “Savior” several times in their inspired writings (Ephesians 5:23; Philippians 3:20; 2 Timothy 1:10; 2 Peter 1:1,11; 2:20; etc.). Also, if Jesus is excluded from Godhood (based on a misinterpretation of John 17:3), then, pray tell, must God the Father be excluded from being man’s Lord? To the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote that there is “one Lord” (4:4, emp. added), and, according to Jude 4 (using Jehovah’s Witnesses own New World Translation) “our only Owner and Lord” is “Jesus Christ” (emp. added). Yet, in addition to Jesus being called Lord throughout the New Testament, so is God the Father (Matthew 11:25; Luke 1:32; Acts 1:25) and the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17).
Obviously, when the Bible reveals that there is only one God, one Savior, one Lord, one Creator (Isaiah 44:24; John 1:3), etc., reason and revelation demand that we understand the inspired writers to be excluding everyone and everything—other than the triune God. As former Jehovah’s Witness David Reed explained: “Jesus’ being called our ‘only’ Lord does not rule out the Lordship of the Father and the Holy Spirit, and the Father’s being called the ‘only’ true God does not exclude the Son and the Holy Spirit from deity” (1986, p. 82).

REFERENCES

Butt, Kyle (2003), “Wearing Gold and Braided Hair,” Apologetics Press, http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2264.
Jamieson, Robert, et al. (1997), Jamieson, Faussett, Brown Bible Commentary (Electronic Database: Biblesoft).
Lyons, Eric (2003), “The Bible’s Teaching on Baptism: Contradictory or Complementary?” Apologetics Press, http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/617.
Lyons, Eric (2004), “Was Jesus Trustworthy?” Apologetics Press, http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/516.
Reed, David (1986), Jehovah’s Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).
“Should You Believe in the Trinity?” (2000), http://www.watchtower.org/library/ti/index.htm.

From Jim McGuiggan... Church Unity And Reality With Structure

Church Unity And Reality With Structure

Unromantic as it might seem church unity is a reality with structure. Psalm 68 speaks of God accompanied by his elect enthroned on high and receiving gifts from nations all around. Perhaps quoting a Targum that scholars tell us was available to him, Paul has the exalted one (Jesus) giving gifts rather than receiving them. (Peter speaks of such a giving and receiving when he speaks of Jesus who, precisely because he is exalted, pours out this that you now see and hear—the Spirit and all his gifts—Acts 2:33). Since Paul is proclaiming the God who has shown himself in and as Jesus Christ he wants to connect the exaltation of God in the psalm with the self-emptying that's seen in the incarnation and cross experience of God, so he includes Jesus' descent in the picture (4:9-10).

It's as if Paul is giving us two pictures of God. One from the OT and here in the NT. But he connects the two pictures with the one text (Psalm 68). The God who has shown himself in and as Jesus Christ is at one and the same time the victorious and exalted one and the self-humbling one.

The victory and enthronement of God in the psalm is worked out in the exalted Jesus Christ who is exalted precisely because he came down. This would surely have deeper force in a section that calls for meekness and love. And the gifts to the church are gifted people.

They are gifted people so they have no reason to be arrogant.
Gifted people so there are no grounds for worshipping them.
Gifted people so they need to be faithful to their ministry.
But they are gifted people so we do need to recognize them as called by God to function for the body
(and therefore the world).
The gifted ones in this section are more centrally concerned about bringing the word of God to his people
with a view to maturing and unifying them in their confession.

One of the blessings of the Reformation was the freedom from intellectual, religious and spiritual tyranny.Once our parents were chained and walked the line they were told to walk until some of them stood up and struck for freedom, saying they would have no more of it. The days are long gone when we will allow people to stick a verse up to our heads like a revolver and insist that we put our intellectual hands up. We won't go back to that.

But the Reformation wasn't all gain. With the loss of a single voice (if there ever was one) we finally got ten thousand, all claiming that full equality in Christ must mean everyone has been gifted to teach. Churches sprang up like mushrooms in the dark and church splintering continues to this day as teaching men and women draw away disciples after them. But "mutual ministry" (4:16) doesn't mean the whole body is a mouth! God gave some to be teachers and however we need to balance that, we first must gladly accept it as the will and work of God. And those who profess to be gifted by God for the ministry of the Word need to be obedient to their call and resist the temptation to be a "jack of all trades". It may be unromantic to think of church unity in terms of structure but it would be crass foolishness to think of a body as a single part.

It is perfectly true that there can't be many parts without a body but it's also true that there can't be a body without many parts. An eye is not a body and 1 Corinthians 12:17 insists on that. So there is no life or growth without some structure and there is no true imaging of God in a solitary part or function. We are glad our bodies have various parts able to do the needed things for the benefit of the whole. Our hands aren't jealous of our feet and our ears are pleased that there are eyes. Our inter-body diversity is a blessing that God has given us and is a means to bring about his even more glorious purposes.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, theabidingword.com.