For we are not over
extending ourselves
(as though our
authority did not extend to you),
for it was to you
that we came
with the gospel of
Christ;
not boasting of
things beyond measure,
that is, in other
men’s labors,
but having hope, that
as your faith is increased,
we shall be greatly
enlarged by you in our sphere,
to preach the gospel
in the regions beyond you,
and not to boast in
another man's
sphere of
accomplishment.
2 Corinthians 10:14
-- 16
When an
examination done in regards to the writers of the Bible we find that they acted
and exercised their faith in a completely different way than what many churches
are teaching their congregants. What do
I mean? With such events, as the
Toronto experience, and the Azusa experience, a major push developed in regards
to the gifts that God gives freely to whomever He chooses. Though
this is what we must hold as a priority in our spreading of the gospel. This is not true for we have never been told
and we never find with the Bible writers and others in the Bible persons who are
spreading the gospel that the supernatural has any priority over the gospel of
Christ. Signs and wonders and miracles
do not save anyone or bring them to become true Christians of Christ. When the supernatural has priority over the
gospel then all that will come from this is a boasting of things beyond
measure. This is what was occurring in
the Corinthian church and this is what Paul has had to address and to
straighten out bringing them back to true Christianity. This is what needs to be done in those
churches who are teaching that a true Christian must have these gifts and must
exercise those gifts when in fact it is that we are to teach people that they
are sinful and in need of a Savior and that Savior is Jesus Christ who hung
on the cross. God gives gift to
whomever when He has need that those gifts be exercised and removes them
when that need is no longer needed. It
is the gospel of Jesus Christ that people need and that gospel includes firstmost that a person comes to know that they are in sin and sinful and are in
need of a Savior. You don't read that
Paul went about exercising some supernatural gift. No! He was spreading the
gospel of Jesus Christ. What more does
a person need? Nothing! Furthermore we are not to revel in what
others have accomplished an attempt to inculcate what they have done to raise
up our boasting of ourselves. No! When Paul wrote his first letter he makes mention
of something that we must come to understand.
Once again our English word does not give us the actual full meaning and
even the word has come to mean something different than what the original
Greek word indicates. The Greek word is: ά́γιος,
and is translated in English saint and this word means that one is to be
separate from common condition and use; dedicated, that is to be pure,
righteous, ceremonially or morally holy.
If this is so, then you are a saint, and a saint is one who is called
out by God: ὲκκλησία, those who are called out. And as the Greeks understood this an assembly and God calls us
out to be holy, sanctified, morally pure people and has committed to us the work of a
witness for Him, His ambassador and as His ambassador our work is to take the
gospel, that is what Jesus Christ has done for sinners to the world. God saves whomever He chooses to save and we
do not know who that is so we preach to the world the gospel and God will call
out His children by our preaching of the Word of God: "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God" (Romans 10:17). This is
one place where I have a hard time with the New International Version Bible for
they do not add the second part of this verse and only speak of hearing the
word of God and this leads people to think that all they've got to do is tell
people the good things and this is wrong.
We are to verbally speak the word of God and by this faith comes to
those who hear. If our focus, our
priorities are not to be abandoned in our identification to Jesus Christ and are place as our priorities and our focus upon the gifts thinking that by
demonstrating those gifts someone will come to faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible does not teach this and to do so
is to teach that which is in contradiction to the word of God. Many people glory and what they are doing
for God and this is wrong: "But ‘he
who glories, let him glory in the LORD.’
For not he who commends is approved, by the home of the Lord
commends." (Jeremiah 9: 24; 2
Corinthians 10: 18). It is our
faithfulness to the Lord, this is our testimony and our glory in the Lord. The fact that Jesus Christ is our salvation,
any other thing that occurs, either as gifts, or in our daily living, according
to the will of God, are evidences of his love, and a means to promote His
glory. We are not to commend ourselves
or seek the praise of men for we are to desire and aspire after the honor that
comes from God only.
Return, return, O Shulamite;
return,
return that we
may look upon you!
Song of
Solomon 6:13
You are called out to be holy
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