“The Just Shall Live By Faith”
New King James Version Written by: David Hicks
Romans 1:17 “ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
Galatians 3:11 “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."
Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."
“Articles of Faith”
The Church of Christ
(A Study in Ephesians)
Lesson 15 - The Work of the Church:
In our previous lessons, we have worked with specific tools given to Christians in order that they as the body of Christ might be unified in the Spirit and fulfill a worthy walk in the vocation to which we were called (service to God, through Christ ‘IN' the church). With the notion that we have been given specific tools, it should not be difficult to realize that there is a specific work that is to be achieved with them. It is this work that we want to take a look at now.
Before we get to our text, there are two things that we want to look at in preparation:
I. There are many specific instructions given to Christians, and in them is the righteousness of God. It is vital however to understand that there are instructions to Christians for individual living and instructions to Christians for their collective work. Some instruction conveys a universal application (that is it has application for an individual Christians life as well as for their collective work in the church), for example:
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
In these two verses are universal instructions that transcend to both individual and collective Christian work. However, in other places we find specific Instruction for Christians that has application only in the collective work of the church, for example:
1 Corinthians 11:20 “Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.”
1 Corinthians 16:1-2 “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: 2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.”
In these two passages of scripture we notice that this work is to be done in a collective form. Understanding the difference between specific instruction and collective instruction provides us an understanding of the work of the church and individual Christian work (this understanding can help us prevent the church from being engaged in things that God wanted individuals to do!). Our text for this lesson will be instruction in collective church work and its parameters.
II. In addition to knowing the difference between these two kinds of instruction we also must understand that the church is a spiritual entity. It was Jesus Himself that explained this to Pilate, note:
John 18:36 “Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."
If the kingdom of Christ , His church, that which we have been translated into ( Colossians 1:13 ), is not of this world, why do men continually try to make it a physical enterprise?
It was never intended to be a worldly social service headquarters! It was however, to be a Spiritual institution, and a light to the world of God's eternal purpose.
Ephesians 3:10-11 “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,”
These two points are vital in defining God's intention for the kingdom of Christ and our true role therein.
Lesson text:
Ephesians 4:12-16 “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
In order to keep these lessons brief, we will in the remainder portion of this lesson, only deal with verse twelve. Remember that it was Christ that gave spiritual gifts to men (to edify, until the written word was complete), and it was He Himself that placed specific offices in the church. All this was done so that the church could complete its specific work.
I. Perfecting of the Saints.
The word ‘perfecting' comes from the Greek word, ‘katartismos' , and means, a fitting or preparing fully. The idea being to place all parts in there proper order and to educate Christians to proper spiritual living and collective work in order to be complete, functional, and regenerating.
This passage teaches that the church is to be a self-edifying body. It is not to be edified through some human educational society or any other human institution, but is to edify itself. This establishing of Christian wisdom in the church is vital in order to regenerate itself to this continual proper order.
So in this we learn that a vital and essential work of the church is to edify itself. Even though Christ Himself established certain offices for this purpose (evangelists, pastors, and teachers), much of the edifying of the saints rests squarely on their own shoulders ( II Timothy 2:1-8 , 15 ; I Peter 3:15 ; II Peter 1:5-11 ). In addition, Christians are to edify and build each other up ( Hebrews 3:13 -14 ; 10:24 -25 ).
II. For the Work of the Ministry.
The word ministry here is from the Greek word, ‘diakonia', and means to minister or serve. It is very similar to the word that we get the word deacon from (one who serves). It is used here to understand the work of the church in rendering service to its members both spiritually and physically. We can derive a good point of reference from the use of the word by the Apostle Paul, note:
2 Corinthians 9:1 “Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you;”
2 Corinthians 11:8 “I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you.”
In the first passage, Paul is talking about the benevolent collection for the needy saints in Judea , who are suffering from a severe famine. In the second passage, Paul's reference to the word is in regard to his preaching to the church at Corinth . In these two passages we see the ministering on behalf of the brethren for their physical needs and the ministering on behalf of their spiritual needs.
The benevolence work of the church is only for its own needy citizens. The church was never commissioned to take on the needs of all humanity except as a beacon for the Gospel of Christ. In reality , it could not do so if it tried !
Please take some time and examine these specific passages, in order to grasp the scriptural work of benevolence for the church: Acts 2:44-45 ; 4:32-35 ; 6:1 ; 11:27-30 ; Romans 15:26 ; I Corinthians 16:1 ; II Corinthians 8:3-5 ; 9:1 ; I Timothy 5:5 .
As an added note! There are those who say that II Corinthians 9:13 , which reads: “while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,” includes all men. However, the words ‘your' and ‘men' in this passage are an exclamation supplied by the translators. The passage actually says, “unto them, and unto all”. The context specifically is talking about the ‘saints' and therefore the ‘all' refers to all saints and not to all men. There is nothing which indicates anywhere in the New Testament teaching that the churches at any time distributed unto all men!
III. For the Edifying of the Body of Christ.
The word edifying comes from the Greek word, ‘oikodome' , and means, “the act of building”. This is the same word used by Jesus in Matthew 16:18 , when He promised to build His church. Here Paul uses it in the sense of planting, establishing it where it is not known. It is the work of extending the borders of the kingdom by taking it into new territory or by bringing others into it through the preaching of the Gospel. The expression therefore designates the work of the church in evangelizing the world with the Gospel of Christ.
Next: “ The Goal and Production of the Work ”