Discipleship Considered 4

Discipleship Considered (Continued)

Disciples will be People with Gift (Ability)

Those that are commissioned will be equipped, they will be gifted. It may mean that they have an aptitude for a particular service that the Lord enhances and consecrates, or it may mean a special ability given above and beyond natural expertise. In any case, it will be evident that it is a spiritual capability provided by the Spirit of God. Of course, not all disciples will have the same gift, but each will be equipped to do the service that God has called them to do. Some will be gifted to the degree that they themselves will be God's gift to the Church, as it is recorded in Paul's letter to the Ephesians. "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 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." (Eph. 4.11-13)

There are other ministries also recorded in the New Testamant, important ministries, that we may be called upon to fulfil. In Romans Paul mentions some of them, describing both their diversity and unity. Diversity inasmuch as he list different gifts: and unity declaring they are all part of the one body, the body of Christ, the Church. "For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them; if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness." (Rom. 12.2-8)

And he would remind us that these are gifts that are granted by the Spirit of God; therefore there is no room for the gifted to think more of themselves than they should. - they did not earn the gifts, they received them through the grace of God. No place for unsanctified pride here! And for the gifted there is always the one caution: God expects them to be faithful in the exercise of that gift.

Next time : 'Along with gift there will be guidance'.