Have you ever been surprised at the number of titles some people in the body of Christ carry? Reverend, Right Reverend, Doctor, Apostle, Prophet, Priest, Father, Bishop, Archbishop, Primate (yes, that is an ecclesiastical title [!]), and so on…It seems like some folks almost need a second marquee in front of their church just to hold their title—or their church’s title, as the case may be.
Maybe in other countries, but especially in America, the Church not only operates a lot like a business, but its collective parishioners also view themselves and one another as being of various rankings and importances. The preacher, the teacher, the choir director, the deacons, et cetera, are looked at as being much more important than John Q. Public who mows the church lawn or Jane Doe who cleans the church toilets and sinks. But is that really true? In the sense of responsibility, a teacher or preacher of God’s Word does have more responsibility than someone in a non-leadership position, but they are not more important as far as their intrinsic value to God is concerned.
1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 11: 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. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:…But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
The Holy Spirit is the author, distributor and initiator of spiritual gifts. He decides who does what in the body of Christ, so if you are reading this and you are one of those who exalts the pastor but looks down on the church janitor, for example, you had better stop it and repent. The Lord put them in their positions, and all are equally important to Him. Look at what Paul went on to say:
1 Corinthians 12:12, 15-27: 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…If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 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.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
That should be sufficiently clear to make the point, but just in case it is not, read the words of Jesus:
Matthew 10:40-42: “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
One Response
Amen! Good word! The Church needs to learn to come together in unity of the Spirit and the bond of Peace! :). We could get so much more accomplished for the Kingdom of God and the cause of Christ if we weren’t so hung up on titles and minor garbage infiltrating the church today! 🙂