“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us” (3 John 1:9).
True apostolic fathers are not young men who are concerned about making a name for themselves and having any preeminence. They are wise master builders who help nurture love and unity into the fabric of the diversity of the body of Christ.
I heard an old apostolic father use this analogy recently:
“Many people have enjoyed broadcasts of Bill Gaither Reunions. These are excellent examples, types and shadows that illustrate the equipping ministry of apostles. (We might say that Bill is an apostle to the world of Christian choral music.) He takes groups of people with various gifts (sopranos, altos, baritones, tenors and base) and blends them to function as one embodiment of harmonious music - each member doing his/her own part with excellence.”
The apostle Paul was a master builder of God’s great Church who penned these words by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:
“There are DIVERSITIES of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are DIFFERENCES of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are DIVERSITIES of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the PROFIT OF ALL” (1 Corinthians 12:7)…
We are to function harmoniously in LOVE as one, even as Gaither’s choral musicians, with each joint supplying.
“…but, speaking the TRUTH in LOVE, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, JOINED AND KNIT TOGETHER BY WHAT EVERY JOINT SUPPLIES, ACCORDING TO THE EFFECTIVE WORKING BY WHICH EVERY PART DOES ITS SHARE, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in LOVE” (Ephesians 4:15-16).
When we are ruled by LOVE, we grow up into maturity in Christ Who is the Head, and it’s a beautiful thing. Satan’s chief tactic is to diffuse this unity and stunt our maturity by marring and obscuring this divine love. This is the reason the Bible says to pursue LOVE and then to covet and desire the gifts, in that order. The devil opposes DIVINE LOVE because it leads to the unity and maturity of the body.
Today we have splintered groups, cults, and cliques, and various divisions and denominations, that do not have any understanding of these diversities of ministries and spiritual gifts and do not contribute to the unity of the body, because often it’s religion and tradition that rules them and not DIVINE LOVE. Sadly, if they are even born again, most have no power to be an effective witness and rightly fulfill the great commission. Satan immediately removed Acts 1:8 and 2:4 from their handbook.
Even among so called full gospel Pentecostal/Charismatic works, so often we are divided by differences of doctrine, style, governing philosophy, leadership structure, and persuasion.
Here is the good news:
For centuries now there has been an ongoing restoration of DOCTRINE, CHARACTER, POWER, and AUTHORITY in the body of Christ. The light of God’s Word and Spirit is getting brighter, and amidst global chaos of an Antichrist system, a global awakening is on the horizon.
My heart is burning for the full restoration of these things in an unprecedented way, and my love for Christ’s body and His glorious Church is at boiling point. ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
TWO FORTHCOMING BOOKS ON THIS THEME ARE IN THE OVEN
Stay tuned…
