Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The Lord has not raised
up a ruling class by putting elders and overseers in His churches.
Rather, He sends men among His flock to be servants, who lead
by example and exhibit patience and prudence, with the knowledge
that none of us know anything as we ought to know. Knowledge
puffeth up, but love edifieth. Those who are called to be teachers
are to do so in a fashion which encourages the body to minister
one to another, rather than the notion that ministry is singularly
carried out by teaching and preaching. Now there are diversities of
gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of
administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities
of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in
all. But the manifestation of the
Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. The body is
a living organism which has but one head, from whom the whole
body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every
joint supply, according to the effectual working in the measure
of every part, making increase of the body unto the edifying
of itself in love. With this very truth in mind,
Paul writes in his second epistle to the Corinthian church pointing
out that all of the saints are established, anointed, and sealed
by the same spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead and
does presently dwell in the sons of God. He clearly states that
his desire is to be their servant and not their lord or taskmaster.
All of God's children share in that one faith which is applied
by his spirit to their hearts according to the measure which
pleases him. Paul ascribes the activity of establishing, anointing,
and sealing completely to the Lord. There is no cooperative
effort spoken of. Rather, this is an operation
which is carried out solely by the Lord according to His will
and purpose. Those upon whom He is pleased
to perform this operation are but objects of His mercy and
tender care. This is called sovereign grace.
He points out that this establishing is mutually applied to all of
the saints together. Now he which establisheth us
with you in Christ. The word establisheth means confirmed
or fixed. As Paul says, for other foundation
can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ. The sons
of God are built together upon the rock which the Lord said
he would build his church, against which the gates of hell cannot
prevail. Now, therefore, you are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints
and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation
of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the
chief cornerstone, in whom all the building fitly framed together
groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are
builted together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit. Then
he says that God hath anointed us. Anointing must be applied
by someone other than the one being anointed. The Greek word
which is translated as anointed in the King James Version literally
means to smear or rub with oil, which by implication refers to
the consecrating or setting apart under some office or service.
The sons of God are anointed by Him who has called them from
darkness to light. They are each given gifts according
to his purpose, for the profit of the whole body. But the manifestation
of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. But unto
every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the
gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, when he ascended
up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto
men. Let none say that they have no
gifts, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
It is unfortunate that the gifts of many are relegated to a place
of nonimportance by those who would exalt their own teaching
gifts to the exclusion of them in the assembly. Finally, he
speaks of being sealed and given the earnest of his spirit. While
being sealed is akin to being anointed, they are not identical
concepts. This seal is a stamp of approval
which cannot be overturned. Christ himself is one sealed
by the Father. For him hath God the Father sealed.
As he is that one who is sealed in the courts of heaven, then
it follows that all who are found in him abide under that same
seal. To prove that he is so, he has
given us an earnest, that is, a pledge or binder, until he
comes to claim that which is his, in whom ye also trusted
after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation, in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed
with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance
until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of
his glory. Are you established, anointed,
and sealed in Christ? He which hath begun a good work
in you will perform it until the end. For a free CD containing
15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at
windstream.net.