Topical Studies
What the Bible says about
Positions of Responsibility
(From Forerunner Commentary)
|
1 Corinthians 12:27-29
Paul does not just list various positions of responsibility (and thus authority); he puts them in a definite order. What Paul is describing here is a hierarchy of spiritual gifts. Sadly, the word "hierarchy" has come to be despised by some because of the baggage that comes with it rather than what the term truly means. What is often affixed with the label of "hierarchy" is actually authoritarianism, which is a grave error on the opposite extreme. An-archy means "without a leader." Hier-archy has the same root—archos—meaning "leader," but the prefix hier- means "sacred" or "set apart." Hierarchy, then, literally means a "set-apart leader." It can mean a "holy leader" or "a leader of sacred rites." In its highest sense, our hierarch is our High Priest, Jesus Christ. A second, and more common, meaning of hierarchy is "any system of persons or things ranked one above another." When Paul says that God has appointed "first apostles, second prophets, third teachers," etc., he is ranking these positions. The ranking is not based on worth or potential but on gifting, authority, and responsibility. God has not given everybody in the Body the same gifts. The Parable of the Talents shows that even though everyone has the same potential, God gives us differing levels of spiritual gifts—and "to whom much is given, from him much will be required" (Luke 12:48). This directly contrasts with Gnostic thought, which holds that everybody is completely equal since everybody ostensibly has a divine, immortal soul. While it is true that believers are equal in some ways, this passage in I Corinthians 12 shows God has gifted some in the Body differently than others. He has given responsibility (and thus authority) to some that He has not given to others. God has made us different in this, though Paul also teaches that these differences should not be a cause for boasting because they are God-given rather than inherent (I Corinthians 4:7). Just a few verses prior to his ranked list in I Corinthians 12:28, Paul warns against one part of the Body saying it has no need of another part of the Body: "But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you'; nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you'" (verses 20-21). If we are going to discern the Body properly (I Corinthians 11:29), we cannot discriminate against parts of it that we feel we do not need. Following this principle, we do not get to decide that we have no need for someone to whom God has given greater authority and/or responsibility. Those who claim that "God hates hierarchy" often work from a personal rather than a literal definition. Adding in the instruction in I Corinthians 12, God is clearly very much in favor of hierarchy. For example, and along the same lines, Paul mentions another hierarchy of authority in the previous chapter, writing, "The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God" (I Corinthians 11:3). What God does hate is sin, wickedness, and oppression, and sometimes, men, acting carnally, have misused the God-given structure of authority, both in the church and in marriage. What follows this chapter concerning the workings of the Body of Christ is I Corinthians 13—the "more excellent way" (I Corinthians 12:31)—that should be everyone's governing principle, regardless of what spiritual gifting he or she may have received. However, many stop their reading with the listing in I Corinthians 12, never continuing on to the "love chapter" to complete the instruction. There will always be those who desire to be "in charge," to rule by their own authority rather than God's. Those without true knowledge of God lord authority over others rather than using it to serve as Christ did (Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-45). The problem is the carnality of those involved, not the order and authority that God has established. Therefore, modifying the order might ameliorate the symptoms of authoritarianism, but only complete conversion will actually heal the spiritual disease.
David C. Grabbe
Anarchy in God's Church? (Part Two)
|
|
2 Corinthians 10:12-16
Paul explains that, even as an apostle, his authority has limits. The word that Peter coined for this is allotriepiskopos, translated as "busybody" or "meddler" (see I Peter 4:15). Episkopos is "overseer," one having authority. He is referring to an overseer who has stepped outside the bounds of his authority and meddles in areas he has not been given responsibility for. As Paul writes here, even an apostle has a sphere, meaning simply "an area over which a person has responsibility." In this case, Paul seems to have been thinking primarily of a geographical area over which he had been given specific authority. One could also say it was limited to particular ethnic groups since Paul had been appointed to preach to the Gentiles. In the division of responsibilities in the places where the apostles preached, Paul had been given a particular sphere of influence, responsibility, or authority. He assures the Corinthians that he would not encroach into someone else's—Peter's or John's or any other's—area of responsibility. So, Paul is saying that it would not be wise to move beyond what he had been given; he would not do that. Why should he boast or glory in something that is another person's responsibility? He would go specifically to those people to whom God had told him to go. Notice in verse 13 that Paul says God had "appointed us" (meaning the apostles) and given them certain "limits." This proviso is crucial. In the church, especially concerning its ministry, God's servants have been set apart for a specific responsibility. It is essential that a minister not go beyond that specific calling and appointment. We should not limit this appointment of responsibility just to apostles, ministers, the church, or matters concerning the church. Why? Because God has given us all a sphere of influence, responsibility, and authority. Each one has limits. If we are a father, we have specific responsibilities, authority, and limits that correspond with that role. The same for mothers. The same for children. The same for elders and deacons in the church. The same for employers and employees. We find that God says in Romans 13 that He has appointed governmental leaders to their areas of responsibility. The implication is that He can take them down at will if they step outside the responsibility He has given them. We should be careful not to limit this idea of a sphere of responsibility to the church. It includes aspects of our lives far beyond what we might consider normal church activities. God has given us all spheres of responsibility that we must stay within and not stray beyond.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
What's So Bad About Busybodies?
|
|
Colossians 3:1-4
In reality, every leader follows someone who trod the path before him. We follow Christ. Though we cannot literally see Him, we walk with Him. However, we can read what He did and taught because God has provided us a faithful witness of what we need to follow to be prepared to serve under Him in His Kingdom. We must faithfully abide by what we are shown in His Word. God promises He will be faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9). The apostle Paul declares God is faithful (I Corinthians 1:9). Both Jesus and Moses are declared faithful (Hebrews 3:1-2), and all of those leaders named in Hebrews 11 were faithful in their times of service. Now is our time to walk faithfully beside them. To be faithful is to be trustworthy, reliable, and responsible in our interactions with both God and man. What must we do? What must we follow? The same basic things the heroes of faith did. It is easy to say we must keep God's commandments, which is certainly true. However, notice that those great leaders of the past are all mentioned for accomplishing some task more specific than keeping the commandments. Keeping the commandments is a general responsibility for all, and doing so is important in itself. Yet, each leader also achieved a specific responsibility: Abel made a sacrifice, Enoch walked with God, Noah built an ark, Abraham offered Isaac, Moses stood fast before Pharaoh, etc. We need to understand our calling to be more specific and distinct than being “merely” one of a multitude in the church. How specific it is for each called individual is not yet known. Even so, being individually and personally called by the Father is awesome all by itself. The apostle Paul shows in I Corinthians 12 that we must not think our calling is merely random, a coincidence. Such thinking glorifies neither God's genius nor His magnanimous generosity in stooping to call us. God is following a plan. He is creating a family team, and within His actions, nothing happens by chance, not even our calling: For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. . . . But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. . . . Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. (I Corinthians 12:12-13, 18, 27-31) God is expanding His Family, the church, and at the same time filling positions of responsibility to be faithfully performed by the elect. The church is called and formed as a body of people led by the Holy Spirit to do works representing God. There is undoubtedly some overlap in what the elect are required to achieve, but plainly, everyone does not perform exactly the same specific responsibilities. No employer, be it a large corporation or an individual entrepreneur, looks for potential employees who cannot perform the available positions. No one, when first converted by God, is prepared to perform the tasks He has in mind for him, but each one has the potential to do just that if he will submit to the training God assigns. God is calling, training, and fitting us into the Body to follow Christ faithfully wherever He leads.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Leadership and Covenants (Part Three)
|
|
 |
The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment
Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day.
Email Address:
|
We respect your privacy. Your email address will not be sold, distributed, rented, or in any way given out to a third party. We have nothing to sell. You may easily unsubscribe at any time. |
|
|
