Divine life and activity on earth

Chapter 19

Divine Life and Activity on Earth

We are not considering here God's sovereign work in the affairs of men and nations, but the working out of His purpose in and through His own people.

The distinction made here is seen most clearly in the life and ministry of the apostle, Paul. As the Lord chose to give us a full-length portrait of Paul only, chose to use Paul and his fellow-worker, Luke, to write approximately half of the New Testament, and gave to Paul, above all others, an understanding of His purpose for His church, it is to Paul, the "wise master builder, that we must look for the clearest pointers to God's building plans and methods (1 Corinthians 3:10).

We must also bear in mind that not all the actions of people recorded in the Scripture are necessarily right. We are told, for example, that the Holy Spirit initiated the ministry of Paul and Barnabas from Antioch, whereas from what we are told of Apollos, some doubts attach to his independent ministry, good man though he was. Again, in the light of the Word, a question mark must stand over the position of James in Jerusalem, and over the whole position of the church there, 25 years after Pentecost (Acts 18:24-28, 21:18-20).

The local expression of the Church and the wider work of the Kingdom of God are spiritually related yet distinct in operation. There is no mingling or overlap. This distinction is essential for the life and true development of the local church, and for the wider work to fulfil its appointed role. The wider work should emerge from local churches and in some way help their growth and testimony. It is the Church that is central to God's purpose; the work must never become a rival to it, as so often happens. All work exists for the building of His Church and the extension of His Kingdom

Paul's ministry illustrates this distinction and the relationship.

After his conversion and 14 years' preparation, we find Paul sharing responsibility at Antioch. He is then sent forth with Barnabas from that local church. While maintaining fellowship with those in Antioch, he never returns to settle down. He has moved out of local responsibility into the work. A worker such as Paul cannot bear local responsibility, unless, of course, he settles down locally. Philip, the travelling evangelist seen in Acts 8, appears to have done this. Many years later, in Acts 21, he is a family man with a home in Caesarea. The elders are local men who reside in one place, while the workers are usually on the move and non-resident. Workers may become elders, as Philip possibly did, and elders may become workers, as Barnabas and Paul did, but a person cannot be both an elder and a worker at the same time. We need to know and be clear about our calling. Workers may obviously share in the life of the local church wherever they are, but only as one of the brethren, not as local elders.

Paul's band of workers emerged from local churches, just as he did. For example, Timothy came from Lystra. Notice how the Lord trains younger men by harnessing them to older and more mature servants of God. Notice also how Paul, and those with him, moved in dependence on the Lord alone, without guaranteed support, and how they were prepared to work to support themselves if necessary.

While Paul and his team might stay for an extended time in one place or area, as they did in Corinth and Ephesus, they never took over local responsibility. Timothy was left behind at Ephesus to sort out the problems there. Titus was left in Crete to complete the founding of the church there. However, neither became local elders.

Paul kept his work separate from the local churches, so that they would not become dependent on him. For example, he hired the hall of Tyrannus for his public ministry in Ephesus, while also visiting the church and meeting in homes (Acts 20:20).

Personal leadership plays its part in the wider work of the Kingdom - Paul acted like a general, deploying his men on the spiritual battlefield, and his team accepted his leadership in the Lord. However, in the local church there can be no such personal leadership, for Christ is present as the living Head. This is a very important distinction.

NOTE:

We have used the words 'worker' and 'work' for two reasons:

In the New Testament workers who are sent out from local churches are called apostles. Apostle means, one sent. Unhappily, some harmful ideas on authority have become associated with the word. Apostles are simply those sent to found and help local churches, although the Twelve, and also Paul, are unique.

The word work not only covers the primary purpose, but also anything the Lord may sovereignly choose to do beyond the activities of members of a local church in its own locality There are varieties of workings, but the same God. George Muller's orphan homes are an example of this.

The chart provided below provides some further signposts pointing to the Lord's will. The existing widespread confusion cannot be completely ignored or undone, but we can and should seek to co-operate with Him and adjust to His will by following these signposts.