work of the ministry

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The ministry:

Previously posted:
> 
> >The gifts of the five fold ministry is to build up the body of Christ
> >and to perfect the saints and to equip the saints to work in the
> >ministry.
> >
> >I have been taught that the five fold ministry is for the perfecting of
> >the saints, to do the work of that ministry, to build up (edify) the
> >Body. It now occurs to me that these gifts are to be used to equip the
> >saints for the ministry, to bring them into the ministry that GOD calls
> >them into.
> 
> 
> Yep....This is a concept that is missed by many the last generation or
> two... a lot of the people with these talents....or to word it so it will
be

This is something that has been on my heart for a long time.  I was 
especially sensitive to the 'heirachal system' having come out of 
Catholicism.  God showed me that the purpose of the apostles, 
prophets, etc was to equip the saints so that they could minister. 
(I even had the opportunity to preach this in the congregation I 
was in, praise be to God.)  It may just be characteristic of American 
saints but I see so many people who just don't want to do anything 
but 'stay saved'.  I firmy believe that if you are not sowing, you may 
not make it into God's harvest.

We are **all** given the ministry of reconciliation.

"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to 
himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the 
ministry of reconciliation;"    2 Corinthians 5:18

(The verse immediately preceeding the above one 
specifies 'any man' who is in Christ).  

We are **all** to be witnesses, so long as we have the 
Spirit of God.  The job of the apostles, prophets, etc. is to 
equip us to be able to do the work, that we might serve 
reconciliation to the world.  God has already taken care of 
the world's sin problem.  It is up to us to let them know. 
As someone recently mentioned, we are Ambassadors. 
It is every saints job to let all men know that the Master 
has paid the price for their sins and that they can freely 
come to God.  The 'Ministry' (I now use this term in the 
classical sense) has the job of letting the saints know 
their job.  They have the responsiblility to completly  
furnish us with the tools necessary to build the church.

A note about the analysis scripture: whenever you see 
punctuation, it was inserted by the translators. Just 
remember that, because there was no punctuation in the 
Greek or Hebrew.

Ephesians 4:12 could read, "For the perfecting of the 
saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of 
the body of Christ:"    Ephesians 4:12

Or in the KED translation, "unto the complete furnishing of 
the saints to do the work of service in order to build the 
Church." (KED = my initials)

Yes, I know Jesus said **He** would build His Church, but 
we are the laborers.

Kathy (willing servant for Jesus' sake, desiring to be fully equipped)
Dimick
Falkville, Alabama
kdimick@colsa.com
kedimick@hotmail.com

"For to me to live is Christ"