WORKING TOGETHER IN UNITY TO ACCOMPLISH GOD’S MISSION
2 Cor. 5.16-21
(Series)
A. The Mission of the Church: Reconciliation of God and Man
Paul called the Christian ministry as the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5.18). To reconcile is “to end a relation of enmity and substitute for it one of peace and goodwill” (Volander, 169). This ministry of reconciliation cannot be separated from the preaching or sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
1. In the context of 2 Cor. 5.16-21, the call of reconciliation is addressed to the church of Corinth. It calls for renewal or revival of individual believers and churches that became cold or disobedient to God.
KEY INDICATORS OF A REVIVED CHURCH:
(a) Passion for God – worshipping/praying church
(b) Love for the brethren – fellowship and concern
(c) Passion for the lost souls
2. But 2 Cor. 5.16-21 is applicable also in the context of unbelievers. God sent His Son to seek and save the lost (Lk. 19.10, Jn. 3.16). Evangelism and world missions are not only important ministries of the church, but the logical extension of the church. This is the Great Commission of the Risen and Reigning Christ (Mt. 28.18-20). It has an Old Testament basis in the call of Abraham (Gn. 12.1-3) where God’s saving purpose is given, namely, to bless the whole world through Christ. Harry R. Boer believes that “throughout the Book of Acts Luke makes it plain that the impetus for mission came from the Holy Spirit…..Acts is governed by one dominant, overriding and all-controlling motif. This motif is the expansion of the faith through missionary witness in the power of the Holy Spirit….Restlessly the Holy Spirit drives the church to witness and continually churches rise out to witness…The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is in and by reason of its very nature the effectuation of the Great Commission in the life of the church” (Boer, 161-162).
KEY INDICATORS OF GROWTH IN MISSION:
(a)Numerical growth of members of the local church.
(b)Numerical growth of churches planted
3. However, the ministry also “has its efforts to influence society towards a form of life which is more just, pure, honest, and compassionate, a closer reflection of God’s own character and more honoring to Him” (Milne, 226). The primary means by which the church does it evangelistic and mission works is “through the creating men and women of strong, resolute Christian character whose daily presence influences the tone and color of society” (Milne, 226). And then the necessity of preaching the Gospel must always go hand in hand with Christ-like character (Rom. 10.9-17).
KEY INDICATORS OF A GODLY SOCIETY:
(a)Social Justice and Freedom
(b)Moral Improvement
(c)Economic Advancement
B. The Theological Nature of the Mission of the Church
1. It is God’s strategy in mission to work in and through the church.
Three Kinds of God’s Works:
a. CREATION: “It is by which God produced the world and all that is in it, partly without the use of pre-existent materials, and partly out of material that is by its nature unfit, for the manifestation of His glory” (Berkhof, p. 49).
b. PROVIDENCE: “It is by which God preserves and upholds all things, rules all things, and He co-operates with all creation, and causes them to act precisely as they do according to the purpose of their existence” (Berkhof, pp. 57-48).
c. COVENANTAL WORKS: “This is by which through His word and in His acts God has established with His chosen people a permanently binding personal relationship” (Volander, p. 169). The key historical events through which God has acted to make a people for Himself are the Exodus event (Dt. 6.20-24, Ex. 19. 3-6) and the Gospel event (Acts 2.23-26, I Cor. 15.3-4). The Gospel event refers to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son of God, establishing the new Covenant that fulfilled, annulled and replaced the old Covenant of God with the Israelites (Hb. 8.6,13, 10.12-16).
In God’s covenantal works, God is always personally involved and always the initiator. God sent His Son Jesus Christ, who through His Person and Works, became the only Mediator of God’s covenant with man (Jn. 14.6, Ac. 4.12). It is because God “find in the death of His Son a way in which His love for the sinner and His wrath against sin would be accommodated, so that He might be both righteous Himself and justify sinful men who relies on faith in Jesus Christ” (Hammond, p. 140). Hence, belief in Jesus Christ, in His person and works, is the means for man to enter a covenant with God. However, God beforehand had already elected those who will enter a covenant relationship with Him (Eph. 1.4, Rom. 8.29-30, 2 Tim. 1.9). Through the revelation or preaching of God’s Word and the illumination of the Holy Spirit of their hearts and mind, the elect is convinced of his sin, repents and puts his trust in Christ Jesus as his personal Savior and Lord (Jn. 16.7-14, Rom. 10.9, 17). Simultaneous with man’s response of faith and repentance, God works in him the covenantal works of regeneration, justification, and adoption.
Regeneration “is an act of God whereby a soul, previously dead to Him, experiences a spiritual resurrection into a new sphere of life, in which he is alive to God and united to Him in Christ”.
Justification “is an act of God’s free grace, wherein He pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone” (Hammond, pp. 141-142).
Adoption, on the other hand, “is that act of God by which upon our being justified by faith in Christ, we are received into the family of God and entitled to the inheritance of heaven” (Mueller, p. 221). These are all made actual to us by the Holy Spirit who seals and indwells the believers (2 Cor. 1.22, Eph. 1.13-14), gave birth to the church of Christ as the community of those who enjoy God’s covenantal works (Acts 2), and who continues to dwell with His people to sanctify them and use them for God’s glory. The last work of God is glorification when He will take us to our eternal home with Him in resurrected glorious bodies. These are God’s covenantal works in the church.
In God’s covenantal works, the result is the “church” which is the people of God, the Body of Christ, and the Temple of the Spirit from which God’s presence and all His works will continue in this world. The church has no biblical definition except what God has done in her and will continue to do through her. Through the church’s message and in the context of the church, people know they are elected, called, regenerated, justified, and adopted by God. Through the church’s teaching and preaching of God’s word, God illumines their hearts and minds to know Christ and to have fellowship with Him. And through the church, God’s presence is experienced and His power displayed particularly through the Spirit’s work of sanctification and the spiritual gifts He has given to the church. Whatever God has done in the church, God’s purpose is to do it all over again to other people through the church.
IMPLICATIONS:
(a)The local church is the tangible expression of God’s presence in the world.
(b)The primary context of unity occurs is in the local church.
2. The proper response of the church to God’s work in and through in her is obedience to His calling and giftings.
Serving God is plain and simple “obedience to God”. Obedience to God must be supreme to the people of God because relationship to Him is paramount. Hence, any kind of work or relationship can be delayed or terminated in favor of God’s calling and giftings of God.
Two Kinds of God’s Calling:
a. GENERAL CALLING: For the Reformer’s, “call” refers to “the station in life or to Christian’s place on the social order”. This definition in the modern setting created two misconceptions: if work is located in the social order or particularly to paid jobs, unpaid work is downgraded; and it created uncertainties as to one’s “real” calling in the social order (Berbaum/Steer, p. 23). Thomas E. Brown rightly said that the best synonym for “calling” in the biblical context is “discipleship, definitely more than work or occupation” (Brown, 5) (I Pt. 5.10, I Cor. 1.9, 7.10, Hb. 5.4, Ac. 13.13, Lk. 10.25-37). Hence, all Christians are “called” because all Christians are to be a disciple of Christ.
Obedience to the general call of God is synonymous with obedience to God’s inspired written Word or the Scriptures, the Bible. The Bible is “of divine origin, and that God was active Himself in its composition, breathing into the writers and carrying them along” (Thomas, p. 16) which is able to instruct people to salvation and is the church’s supreme authority with regards to doctrine and conduct (2 Tim. 3.15-17, 2 Pt. 1.20-21). As the people of God, we are instructed to study God’s Word and to obey what is written on it (Joshua 1.8, Ps. 1, 2 Tim. 2.15). Hence, all Christians, as they obey God’s words, are in the ministry wherever and whenever they are. This is true for the words “diakonia” and “leitourgia”. diakonia is discipleship in general (Jn. 12.26) and the full sweep of ministrations and activities by which Christ’s work is carried on in the church and in the world (Ac. 21.198, I Cor. 16.15, Eph. 4.11, 6.5-8, Col. 4.17, 2 Tim. 4.5). leitourgia is used in the New Testament in sacred ministrations but cannot be limited as well in the gathered church (Phil. 2.17, 30, 2 Cor. 9.12) (Bodey, p. 233).
b. SPECIFIC CALLING: This is based on the particular gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit in the Body of Christ (I Cor. 12). The Body of Christ is the church, “the worldwide and the local community of believers called out of the world into identification with Christ to function as the people of God doing the work of God in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, commissioned to proclaim the message of the Kingdom of God” (Walker, p. 193). The Bible clearly emphasized the need for individual believers to gather together because the church “is not a group of individuals going separate ways; rather, it is to be marked by unity and love” (McMahan, p. 63) (Jn. 13.34-35). In I Corinthians 12, the church as they gather is like a “body”, with order, that organizes and operates in unity. The church’s organization and operation must not be based on human abilities but on the gifts and offices given by God. Gifts are given to all believers within the church as “the enabling power” to do God’s work. God gives these spiritual gifts out of His grace, not because of our faith (I Cor. 12.11). However, we exercised them by faith and for God’s glory. Offices in the church should be conceived not as positions but as functions by those enabled by the Holy Spirit. Hence, because all Christians have at least one spiritual gift, all Christians are ministers and the “particular ministry to which Christ calls them is likely to be determined by their spiritual gifts”.
The “offices” in the church include the apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor/teacher (Eph. 4.11). There are also the office of the elder (I Pt. 5.1-4), the presbyter (I Tim. 3.1), and the deacon (I Tim. 3.8). These offices are filled-up by those called and gifted by God. “Each has a special emphasis of ministry and function within the body of Christ. Their importance is equal, while their function is different” (McMahan, p. 69-70). I believe that, in the local church, the pastoral ministry and office is the priority and all kinds of ministries submit to this office.
All types of ministry are a gift from God (Eph. 4.7). Hence, every ministry is representative in function. Individual believers and the whole church are involved in the ministry “in the name of Christ” or as “ambassadors for Christ”. It demands that all ministries be in unity since all represent Christ. Also, since the ministry is a representative function, no one can claim the ministry his own. Every representative functions and persons come and go depending on God that calls and sends them. Hence, God may choose to call you somewhere else and give you a work that is different from your previous works.
If ministry is the obedience of the church to the call and giftings of God, it makes the ministry human. It will be a lot more of a blessing, joy and success if ministry is always done in obedience to God’s call and giftings. But we see that it is not always done in obedience to God when believers and ministers of God become stumbling-blocks (Mt. 18.6-7), selfish (Phil. 1.15-17), greedy (I Tim 6.1-9), and sometimes heretical (2 Pet. 2.1-3).
IMPLICATIONS:
(a)The church is a group of people that decided to follow God together.
(b)Unity is biblical and legitimate only if done in obedience to God.
3. The worship of God gives power to the church to obey God’s calling and giftings.
Worship is recognition and a response to who God is. The Bible acknowledges only one God (Ex. 20.2-3, Dt. 6.4). That one God is God the Father who is the Father of Christ Jesus and distinct from Him (Mt. 11.25, Jn. 5.36). However, Jesus Christ is God (Jn. 1.1-3, Rom. 9.5), the Son of God (Jn. 1.18) who is “one” with the Father (Jn. 10.30, 14.9) and “in Him the whole fullness of the deity dwells bodily” (Col. 2.9). The Holy Spirit is also called God (Ac. 5.3-5) and is distinct from the Father and the Son (Jn. 14.26, 15.26). However, God the Spirit is also the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8.9, Ac. 16.6-7) and the Spirit of God (I Pet. 4.14).
The goal of Christian worship and prayer is God the Father (Jn. 14.6, Mt. 6.9) and the Mediator of this worship is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, by His atoning death and triumphant resurrection and ascension purchased the right to act as the Mediator of His people. He is “so exclusively the Mediator that it is only on the basis of His work that we dare approach the Father” (Colson, p. 143). The great truths about Christ Jesus and His works are the context of worship – His finished work at Calvary, His reigning in heaven, and His Second Coming. Hence, essential to the worship of God are the sacraments whereby people identify with and remember Christ and the preaching and teaching of the Word centered on Christ as the final Word of God to man. The Reformers consider these two as the true marks of the true church (Carson, p. 38).
The Holy Spirit empowers and helps us to worship God. With Him we could not even begin to worship. Hence, all true worship is worship in the Spirit. It is Him who in worship makes clear to us the Word of God and who creates a deep awareness that believers belong to each other in the Body of Christ. This belonging-ness to one another is the Holy Spirit’s work in the hearts of every believer. Dr. Oliver McMahan emphasized this in his term the “gathered church” (McMahan, p. 74). In the gathered church the priority is not the gathering itself, nor the Christians that gather, but God who is working in their midst. In the Book of Acts believers gather together for fellowship, worship and blessing, for prayer in response to persecution, to minister to others and to one another, for missionary and evangelistic work, to solve internal problems, and for times of commissioning or to affirm the calling of individuals for specific ministries.
IMPLICATIONS:
(a)The local church finds its identity and power in worshipping God.
(b)Unity is a consequence of understanding our common identity in God.
4. The church needs to be administered by pastor(s) “called” by God, exhibit exemplary Christian character, know how to manage their family and have the ability to teach Christian truths.
The local church is the most important organization in the Kingdom of God. All ministries flow from it and benefit it. When it comes to the local church, a pastor or a pastoral team must administer it. Local church administration is “the study of the process of the means of organizing and planning, guiding and promoting the church activities that lead to the better proclamation of the Word, celebration of Christ’s presence, care for the flock and service to the world” (Ellis, 120). As a pastoral act, it has three theological principles. First, is the acknowledgement and firm belief that the Body of Christ is visible, a community of believers that gathers for worship, edification and mission. Secondly, is the fact that God is a God of order (I Corinthians 14.33,40). There is the need to maintain order and proper procedures in the church. Manual and directories will also be a clear implication of the idea that God is the God of order. And thirdly, it facilitates harmony of functions in the church. The pastor is the one that gives license for other ministries in the church to function (Ellis, 120).
The pastor that administers the local church must be “called” by God. This call must have the recognition of the church elders or the leadership to whom he is accountable with. For a local church to be guided in “calling”, three important areas of the pastor’s life must be considered. First, is the personal character of the pastor as stated in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1. This is the emphasis even of I Peter 5.1-4. Secondly, the family life of the pastor. He must be able to manage his own household particularly his own children. And thirdly, he must know the fundamentals of the Christian faith and has the ability to teach them to others. It takes all of his life and it will cost everything in his life when a person follows God’s calling to be a pastor!
IMPLICATIONS:
(a)The local church needs to exist with an appropriate leader.
(b)Actual unity of the local church is a product of the church leaders’ integrity, commitment and leadership/administrative skills for the ministry.
5. Churches and their leaders must have a structure or organization that facilitates accountability in order to maintain its integrity and truthfulness.
A structure of accountability must be established or maintained in the practice of the ministry. The first structure of accountability is the “Statement of Faith” summarizing the major Evangelical doctrinal stands. Ministries without doctrinal accountability will later on loss their doctrinal integrity. It necessitates therefore that those in pastoral authority must have strong theological education. The second structure of accountability in the ministry is the organizational structure where relationships and functions are defined and where all decisions are made in consensus with one another. This may be an organizational structure of the local church, denomination or comity groups. The third structure of accountability is the so-called long-term and short-term goals made by the organization. And the last structure of accountability is the personal accountability by the local church ministers. I believe that all Christians involved in the ministry should maintain a daily prayer and Bible reading habit for their souls. All failures in the Christian life are due to the neglect of this important personal accountability. I believe therefore that as a minister of Christ I have the primary responsibility to myself to maintain a close walk with God through prayer, Bible reading, and meditation.
IMPLICATIONS:
(a)The local church exists in the context of temporal structures which guides church members’ behaviors and direction.
(b)Actual unity of the local church(es) needs structure/organization.
6. Church pastors and leaders have the responsibility to build up (strengthen, edify) the church through regular and varied activities – activities that are holistic and culture-sensitive.
Ministry is so varied as the parts of the “human body”. I believe that Romans 12, I Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and I Peter 4 did not listed all the spiritual gifts in the Body of Christ. Hence, in this definition of the ministry para-church activities (Bible Schools and Seminaries, School Ministries, Bible Translations, etc.) and any other specialized form of Christian works can be accepted as "ministries". Whatever form of activities, it can be called a ministry if it builds up the Body of Christ.
Ephesians 4.11-16 states the goals for the church’s five-fold ministries: “to equip the saints for the work of ministry”; and “for the building up of the body of Christ” (v. 12). The first has something to do with the individual believers in the church to train and help them find their place and ministry in the body of Christ. Hence, the five-fold ministries of the church, (i.e., apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor/teacher) aim to multiply ministries. They are not to be the only ministries but in doing their ministries they help others minister. The second goal has something to do with the whole church “working properly…in love” (v. 16). This is about the unity, the cooperation and mutuality, and love within the church. Love is the most excellent attribute of every Christian and the church (I Cor. 12.31-13.3). In fact, in loving one another, other will know that we are Christ’s disciples (Jn. 13.34-35).
I believe that the Christian ministry must be holistic; it prioritizes evangelism but never neglects that a person does not only have spiritual needs and struggles but has a variety of material, social and physical needs. Our Lord Jesus came primarily to “seek and save those that are lost” (Lk. 19.10), but He also healed diseases, counseled them, became a friend to the lonely and outcasts, and created a community, the church, where forgiveness, love and care are dominant.
I believe that the ministry should be culture-sensitive. Ministry is not a form of conquest and of humiliating other persons’ personality and background. Ministry is service, “diakonia”. It takes the context of those whom it serves very seriously. Jesus Christ did it when He became a man to save us. This calls for ministers to learn not only their message but also the context and the people where the ministry will be done. Ministry has been rejected in many places, not because of its message, but because of ministers who have no regard to the culture of others.
IMPLICATIONS:
(a)The local church needs meaningful regular and other form of activities to grow and mature.
(b)Actual unity is shown through active attendance, participation and contribution in meaningful church’s activities.
