In 1 Corinthians 12:28 we find that God has “appointed” various assignments of operations within His Ekklesia. And in Ephesians 4:11 we see where Christ “gave” offices of operational ministries to His Ekklesia to equip the saints for works of ministry, to build up the body of Christ.
Nowhere in all of HOLY SCRIPTURE does Christ or GOD speak of the divine appointments or gifts as offices of hierarchy or chains of command where one Saint is superior to another or where one Saint is subordinate to another.
Neither does Christ or God speak of any appointments or gifts within The Ekklesia of GOD as having any particular prestige, status, honor or power above another.
The very notion of an ecclesiastical hierarchy in the Body of Christ is repugnant and opposes the teachings of the Messiah and the SPIRIT of YHVH.
Saints of GOD in Christ are not to behave or function like the world and we should never relate to each other in terms of who is subordinate to whom relative to their ecclesiastical title or office – appointment or gift. Any religious system or organization whereby persons are ranked one above another in importance, honor and power cannot be of GOD. These things breed pride, conceitedness, contention and selfish ambition. They are not consistent with the teachings of The MESSIAH and His chosen Apostles.
And you should not do anything with contention or empty glory, but in humility of mind, let every person esteem his neighbor as better than himself. ~ Philippians 2:3 (Aramaic Bible)
After all, what makes you so special? What do you have that you didn’t receive as a gift? And if in fact it was a gift, why do you boast as if it weren’t? ~ 1 Corinthians 4:7 (CJB)
For I say to all who are among you through the chesed (unmerited favor, grace) given to me, that you should avoid a false sense of superiority in your thinking; rather exercise shlitah atzmi (self-control), thinking with seichel (soberness), as YHVH has measured to each a measure of emunah (Trust.)
For just as there are many parts that compose one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function; so there are many of us, and in union with the Messiah we comprise one body, with each of us belonging to the others. But we have gifts that differ and which are meant to be used according to the grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, use it to the extent of your trust; if it is serving, use it to serve; if you are a teacher, use your gift in teaching; if you are a counselor, use your gift to comfort and exhort; if you are someone who gives, do it simply and generously; if you are in a position of leadership, lead with diligence and zeal; if you are one who does acts of mercy, do them cheerfully.
Don’t let love be a mere outward show. Recoil from what is evil, and cling to what is good.
Show mishpochah (family) affection to one another in ahavah shel achvah (brotherly love). Be first in esteeming one another, in showing mutual respect. ~ Romans 12:3-10
In the Ekklesia of Christ there aren’t any hierarchies. Yet, in today’s Christianity there is a class called the clergy wherein there are ranks of power and authority whereby one’s titled position makes him subordinate or superior to another. This is unprecedented in the HOLY SCRIPTURE.
In the beginning, every Saint was a serving member of the Ekklesia. From the day they were saved, they were separated from the world by GOD’S gifting of the HOLY SPIRIT and their trust and obedience to THE LORD and His Apostles.
Their primary occupation/vocation was to serve God. Their secular means of livelihood was secondary to their devotion to GOD and to Christ. They didn’t view nor treat the appointments and gifts of GOD in His Ekklesia as means of wealth building, power, status or worldly honor. To the contrary. To be appointed and gifted to serve in any capacity in the Body of Christ was a living sacrificial endeavor whereby one didn’t seek self-exaltation but humility and holiness for the GLORY of GOD.
We must REPENT and become like the early Saints if we intend to serve God. We cannot serve GOD using the self-serving, self-aggrandizing, adversarial political system of hierarchical ranking. We must change our way of thinking about the appointed offices and gifts of operations within the Body Of Christ. We must return to the authentic Faith of The Messiah.
WE MUST REPENT!!!
Copyright © Othealor W. Prince April 2017
All Rights Reserved
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!