In the course of my life of several decades I have seen a great deal being promoted as Christianity. I have seen all sorts of doctrines take hold contrary to the word of God in the Bible. The apostle Paul called these “winds of doctrine” when he wrote to the Ephesian believers in chapter 4.
His subject was the various key authority ministries God has given the church – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Those ministries were given for a reason and those reasons are outlined from verse 12 onwards:
FOR THE PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS, FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY, FOR THE EDIFYING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST: TILL WE ALL COME IN THE UNITY OF THE FAITH AND OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD UNTO A PERFECT MAN, UNTO THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULNESS OF CHRIST: THAT WE BE NO MORE CHILDREN, TOSSED TO AND FRO, AND CARRIED ABOUT WITH EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE …..
Now let me just point out that there are no longer any apostles and prophets – the Word of God has been written down once for all time in the Bible, and no man may change it. Those ministries remaining therefore have the job of articulating that written message by evangelism to the lost [the evangelist] and by upbuilding in the faith [the pastor&teacher – they are one and the same ministry !].
When a man is equipped as both evangelist and as a teacher-pastor combined, then that is a missionary – not an apostle !
These critical and foundational ministries are given for a purpose, as outlined in the passage above. Maturity in Christ and harmony with each other are their purpose. That being so, such men [and yes I did say men, not women – women support their husbands in the God given work] must themselves have a very real and daily awareness of their own role and their own faith. They must be living it, not just preaching it.
In fact, God will take particular interest in such men. When they sin, God will take particular care that they are brought up short and recognise their responsibility to him and to the church. And of course, they are not without sin. The question is whether they are basically looking in the right direction and endeavouring to live faithful lives.
But I have seen many men, especially the ones claiming titles like prophet or apostle, whose lives and attitudes are at variance with clear apostolic teaching in the Bible. Obvious ones are the tv-evangelists who keep asking for money and drive around in expensive cars, and even have private jets !
Such men stand in stark contrast to both the teaching of the New Testament and the example and ministry of the men portrayed in the New Testament as servants of Christ.
Others are more subtle.
And the institutional organisational structures of church denominations do not help this problem. They trap genuine ministries within a man made framework and man made preoccupations instead of God’s concerns and priorities which are spiritual and eternal and outlined also in this passage in chapter 4:
BUT SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE MAY GROW UP INTO HIM IN ALL THINGS WHICH IS THE HEAD, EVEN CHRIST. FROM WHOM THE WHOLE BODY FITLY JOINED TOGETHER AND COMPACTED BY THAT WHICH EVERY JOINT SUPPLIETH – ACCORDING TO THE EFFECTUAL WORKING IN THE MEASURE OF EVERY PART – MAKETH INCREASE OF THE BODY UNTO THE EDIFYING OF ITSELF IN LOVE.
The church – the body of Christ here referred to – is organic and living: it is not an organisation with hierarchy, titles, committees, property and buildings etc.
When Jesus gave the great commission to the church he did not say go forth and build ornate buildings and call them Churches. He told them to preach about him and to make disciples for him – i.e. people who live obeying the teaching of Jesus Christ, and shunning all other lifestyles and philosophies which conflict with that teaching.
To take the true Biblical message of Christ and to teach it faithfully requires a person prepared to obey that teaching themselves. Yes they are gifted and called by God so that they are able to preach and teach, regardless. But they of all people must live as obedient servants of Christ.
Jesus set the example. And Jesus gave the teaching. In chapter 9 of Mark’s Gospel account and verse 35 Jesus said this:
IF ANY MAN DESIRE TO BE FIRST, THE SAME SHALL BE LAST OF ALL AND SERVANT OF ALL
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