Read 1 John 5:1-3.
Divine love is not recognized in God’s children by our feelings but rather by our obedience. There are those who are children of God whose personalities clash with our own. It is absurd to think we will ever come to the place where we “feel good” toward them. Is this proof that we do not love them? Are feelings like these contrary to the love that we must have for our brothers in Christ? John does not say so.
We are commanded to love every one who is a legitimate child of God. When we remember what love is, then it is not as impossible as it might at first seem. It is from the example of Jesus that we learn the true nature of this love. He gave His life not only for His friends, but for His enemies. He prayed through clenched teeth for those who drove the spikes in His hands and feet. When other men would have kicked and cursed, He voluntarily laid down to be nailed on the cross for those who accused Him falsely, who spit in His face, and who laughed at His claim to be God’s Son. If we love as He loved we will also lay down our lives willingly for those who mistreat us.
We know we love our brothers when we keep God’s commandments. If the habit of our life is to respond with instant obedience to any command of His, we will love those we cannot like before considering “our feelings” toward them. If we love someone long enough and sincerely enough, we may even get to like them! Practice does make perfect. John does not say that the keeping of God’s commands is easy. Remember, it is a cross, not a cushion, to which we are called! The idea is that the commandments of God do not seem unreasonable to the ones who love Him.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
"CHURCH OFFICES"
In this devotion we will consider a portion of the offices in the Church given by God’s Holy Spirit.
1) The apostles were the special messengers, the eyewitnesses of Christ’s resurrection(Acts 1:21-22; Luke 6 :13). Men may still be called apostles, in the sense that anyone who is sent is an apostle of the one who sends him. But strictly speaking, the twelve apostles had no successors.
While the office of apostle was temporary, the teachings of the twelve apostles should always be that which directs the church. In one sense, we can say that the church still has apostles, that is, the same ones it had in the beginning.
2) The prophets held another temporary office. These were both forthtellers and fortellers of God and His Words (See Zechariah 13:1-3; I Corinthians 13:8).
3) Preachers such as Timothy, Philip, and others, were called Evangelists (2 Timothy 4:5 ; Acts 21:8). The word evangelist means a bringer of good news. Evangelists may be called ministers (I Timothy 4:6). This office,by its very nature, must be permanent in the church. Evangelists will be needed as long as any person on earth has not heard the good news.
3) The pastors and teachers are those who are elsewhere called elders (presbyters ) or bishops (overseers) (Acts 20:17; Titus 1:5-7). These men are the overseers and teachers of individual congregations, and there should be more than one pastor in each church (Acts 14 :23).
The absence of the article ‘the’ before teachers in the Greek text, plus the fact that it is connected with pastors by a different conjunction than is used to separate the other offices, seems to indicate that the pastors and teachers are the
same office viewed from two different aspects, that is, from the teaching and shepherding aspect.
The common notion that an evangelist is a traveling preacher who holds revivals, and a pastor is a located preacher, has no foundation in the Scripture. Any preacher or minister of the gospel may be called an evangelist, and the elders ought to be called pastors.
Pastors and teachers are also permanent officers in the church. Let’s call Bible things by proper Bible names.
1) The apostles were the special messengers, the eyewitnesses of Christ’s resurrection(Acts 1:21-22; Luke 6 :13). Men may still be called apostles, in the sense that anyone who is sent is an apostle of the one who sends him. But strictly speaking, the twelve apostles had no successors.
While the office of apostle was temporary, the teachings of the twelve apostles should always be that which directs the church. In one sense, we can say that the church still has apostles, that is, the same ones it had in the beginning.
2) The prophets held another temporary office. These were both forthtellers and fortellers of God and His Words (See Zechariah 13:1-3; I Corinthians 13:8).
3) Preachers such as Timothy, Philip, and others, were called Evangelists (2 Timothy 4:5 ; Acts 21:8). The word evangelist means a bringer of good news. Evangelists may be called ministers (I Timothy 4:6). This office,by its very nature, must be permanent in the church. Evangelists will be needed as long as any person on earth has not heard the good news.
3) The pastors and teachers are those who are elsewhere called elders (presbyters ) or bishops (overseers) (Acts 20:17; Titus 1:5-7). These men are the overseers and teachers of individual congregations, and there should be more than one pastor in each church (Acts 14 :23).
The absence of the article ‘the’ before teachers in the Greek text, plus the fact that it is connected with pastors by a different conjunction than is used to separate the other offices, seems to indicate that the pastors and teachers are the
same office viewed from two different aspects, that is, from the teaching and shepherding aspect.
The common notion that an evangelist is a traveling preacher who holds revivals, and a pastor is a located preacher, has no foundation in the Scripture. Any preacher or minister of the gospel may be called an evangelist, and the elders ought to be called pastors.
Pastors and teachers are also permanent officers in the church. Let’s call Bible things by proper Bible names.
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