The Gifts of Grace

Equipping the Church

Part 3

 

By Nick Bibile

 

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ

 

 

Here we see the there is a fundamental difference between the church and all the other worldly organizations.  All the other organizations works upon man’s education, experience and skills.  You have to learn a skill, go to school and find a job to perform what you have learned.  Our worldly organizations are equipped to perform the demands of the people.  And by doing that they make a profit and you get paid. It all works upon supply and demand.

 

Now when it comes to equipping the church it says, it was the Lord Jesus who chose to give the gifts for the ministry and he specifically chose people who have no education of God, when they are enmity with God, haters of God, lost in darkness on the way to hell, He chose them and brought them from the pit of hell to the marvelous light of God, changed their hearts and fill them with the Spirit of God and they were able to understand and learn of God. Then he appointed them to different ministries of the church.  Basically all the glory goes to God.

 

Some of the greatest men of God never went to a University or to seminary.  Jesus said, “I will make you fishers of men.” (Mat 4:18-19) Jesus did not chose highly educated people to his ministry but poor fishermen. 

 

Ac 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

 

John Bunyan never went to college, just learned the basic of reading and writing. He said, “I never went to school to Plato or Aristotle.” In modern terms did not go to a University. Charles Spurgeon who is called the prince of preachers never went to a University.  But how is it that a men who never had such a great education were able to write some of the best written books and sermons?  Today we find ministers, evangelists and pastors who are very rich, living in great comforts.  Apostle Peter said, “Silver and gold I have none, but such as I have I give unto you.” The apostles did not have an academic training. The Master himself gave them the gifts and it was the Holy Spirit that taught them.  The best educated apostle was Paul. He said, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing.” (Ro 7:18) And also he said, “My message and preaching were not with persuasive words, but with the demonstration of the Spirit’s power.”

 

Now we need to be careful here. I am not saying University’s and Seminaries are bad. I am not saying education is bad.  Education was intended to be an aid to the preaching of the gospel. But it is sad to say in many cases, especially today’s professors in University’s come against God and many children are brain washed as their intention is to erase the gospel with humanism.

 

At the same time there are people who come with wild doctrines as they say the Holy Spirit spoke to them but we need to test them by the light of the word if they are telling the truth or not, many are persuaded into emotional sensational preaching than what is truly in the word of God. I my self have not been to a seminary, I praise God he gave me the thirst to learn the truth and I am blessed by many great Puritan and other great Christian materials which God has provided for my learning. Even if you go to a seminary we need to test all things by the word of God.

 

There is a small but a very serious error here and it involves a comma.

Let us see verse 11 again from the King James version.

 

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

 12 For the perfecting of the saints, (That is the comma) for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ

 

 

James Montgomery Boice in his commentary on the book of Ephesians writes the following.

 

“In this version of the text God is said to have given the teaching gifts, which we normally associate with ministers, so that the ministers may do three things:

  1. Perfecting of the saints, 2. To do the ministry. 3. Edify and build up the body of Christ.  That is, the professionals do it all. They have the gifts, and they are to use them to do all the church’s work.

 

But the translation was wrong! Armitage Robinson was probably the first commentator to notice it and insist that it was a mistake. He argued and virtually all commentators since have agreed with him, that the comma should be eliminated. Without the comma, the passage says something entirely different. Instead of giving three tasks to “ministers” it gives one taks to the clergy. (“equip the saints.”) and another to the laity. (“do the ministry”) As a result of both fulfilling their proper, God given function, “the body of Christ may be built up.”

 

The New King James Version

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

Ephesians 4:11-12 (New American Standard Bible)
   11And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12(for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

It is God who gives the gifts.
 Dan. 2:21-Hebrews 2:4

Apostles

There are some churches that tech there are apostles today. But the Bible says otherwise. What is the meaning of the word apostle? The Greek word for apostle is apostolos. Literally it means to send forth. The Greek word apo means forth and the Greek word stello means to send.

Christ personally appointed apostles.

Lu 6:13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.

3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.  (Acts 9:3-6)

The apostles have seen Christ and his resurrection.

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:33)

Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? 2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. (1 Cor 9:1-2)

 

Apostles were fallibly guided by the Holy Spirit. Had the power to work miracles and confirm the doctrine they preached.



I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. 12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. (2 Cor 12:11-12)

 

Acts 2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

 

They were not limited to one place but had the authority to go everywhere and preach the gospel and plant churches. Although the apostles were before Christ yet they were not given the fullness of the spirit. The church is compared to a building and the cornerstone of the church is Christ Jesus but the foundation of the church are the apostles and prophets.

Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

When there is a building already we cannot build a another foundation on that same building, foundation is already being laid and we the church is standing upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ being the chief cornerstone.

Prophets.

GK word, propheteia signifies “the speaking forth of the mind and counsel of God” It is forth-telling of the will of God, whether with reference to the past, the present, or the future.

The ministry of the prophet is to teach and exhort the church.  Teaching the word of God so the people can understand and to edify the church.

 

1 Cor 14:2-3)

For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandetha him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.  3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

 

But here in Ephesians not speaking of one who teach, not the ordinary ministers of the word but ones who had the ability of telling the future.

2 Peter 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old timed by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 

Majority of the church today people get excited on  prophecy than any other subject and if there is a prophecy seminar on the book of Revelation or Daniel the church will be packed. Prophecy gurus are making good money on trying to predict the future events and they are getting rich as many ignorant gullible people buy what they say.

1Jo 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

But the true prophet speaks for God. He says, “Thus says the Lord.”

And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. (1 Kings 20:13)

Were there prophets in the New Testament times? Were they different than the Old Testament prophets? The New Testament records of a person named Agabus as a prophet.

And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth [Famine] throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. (Acts 11:27)

And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle [Belt], and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. (Acts 21:10-11)

How to test a prophet?

Deut. 18:21-22 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? 22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Are there any prophets today who can tell the future? The answer is no.

Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;  20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;  21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

When there is a building already we cannot build a another foundation on that same building, foundation is already being laid and we the church is standing upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,  2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.

To be continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



a understandeth: Gr. heareth