Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

March 15
Saturday


JOB TITLES

READ:
Ephesians 4:11-16
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For the equipping of
the saints for the work
of ministry, for the
edifying of the body
of Christ, till we all
come to the unit of
the faith.
__Ephesians 4:12-13
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When the British Broadcasting Corporation asked for examples of important-sounding, obscure, and even bizarre job titles, one writer offered hers: Underwater Ceramic Technician. She was a dishwasher at a restaurant. Sometimes titles are used to make a job sound more important.

When the apostle Paul listed some of God's gifts to the church in Ephesians 4:11, he did not intend for these to be understood as high-sounding job titles. All the parts of the body are necessary for the body to function properly. No one part is better than another.
What was of primary importance was the purpose of these gifts. They were "for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to...the stature of the fullness of Christ" (vv.12-13).

It matters little what title we hold. What is important is that we strengthen the faith of God's people. When we gauge our effectiveness by the standard that the Bible gives us, it will not matter when we are moved to another role or no longer hold a specific title. Out of love for God, we serve to build up fellow believers, and we let God give His commendation in heaven as He sees fit (Matt. 25:21). __C. P. Hia

`````````````````Lord, please use me as Your instrument to touch`````````````````
````````````````````others' lives. Help me not to be concerned``````````````````
````````````````````about what title I hold but instead that my``````````````````
````````````````````````life might show others Your grace.`````````````````````
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God's gifts to us are not for us but for others

********************************Today's Bible Reading __ Ephesians 4:11-16*****************************

11 And He HImself gave
some to be apostles,some
prophets, some evangelists,
and some pastors and
teachers, 12 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
efective working by which
every part does its share,
causes growth of the body
for the edifying of itself in
love.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Today's reading records Christ giving spiritual gifts to the church, the
body of Christ. These gifts include: apostles, those who open up new
mission territories to the gospel; prophets, who apply the Word in
spiritually compelling ways; evangelists, who have a special ability to
share the gospel that often brings a positive response; and pastors
teachers, who communicate the Word so that believers are built up
in their faith. The goal of the use of these gifts is that Christians will
be "perfected" in their faith and move on to maturity. The effective
use of gifts creates a unity that bears witness to the rality of Christ
(John 13:35).