When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of Gods grace which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose which he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart...(Ephesians 3:4-13 RSV) The purpose of the church is to refresh the saints. Right? It is a place to go where we can see friends, to end our week on a good note, and to renew our spirits for the next week. Right? It is a place where we go to receive blessing. Right? Well those things might result from faithful and heartfelt attendance, but they are not the foremost reasons we practice attending church services. According to Paul the church of God exists to reveal the manifold wisdom of God to the others outside the church, specifically our rulers and civic leaders. The church exists to bring the good news of Christ to the world! In doing so, the spirits and souls of those worshipping and serving inside or outside its walls will be blessed with a refreshing by the Spirit. They will also receive an anointing of grace and will be honored with the presence of God. But, the desire of our attendance should not rest solely on what we will receive while we are there, but to learn how to and be encouraged to reach out to a lost and dying world that Christ died to save! We are called to action, not recreation. We are called to act in agape love, not to be apathetic and selfish. We are called to minister (to serve), not receive. A look at Jesus teaching in Matthew 25 will remind us that Jesus spoke of works of service in Him as a proof of our faith. Nowhere did He indicate that proof of faith is found in simple church service attendance. It is the true faith—a belief that causes us to respond in Christ-like and Christ-glorifying actions—that offers us the hope of a favorable welcome into our eternal joy. Mere church attendance cannot offer that hope, but it is in those church services that we are refreshed and encouraged to perform the actions of our faith. Look for a moment at what Gods manifold wisdom means. According to Barnes notes on the passage above, it could be literally translated much-variegated. It means the greatly-diversified wisdom. It does not mean merely that there is great wisdom, but that great wisdom shown is also diversified and varied. Barnes continues describing that manifold wisdom as a beautiful and well-ordered variety of dispensations toward that church, all of which tended to evince the wisdom of God. It is like a landscape, or a panoramic view passing before the mind, with a great variety of phases and aspects, all tending to excite admiration. In the redemption of the church, there is not merely one form or one phase of wisdom. It is wisdom, ever-varying, ever-beautiful. There was wisdom manifested when the plan was formed; wisdom in the selection of the Redeemer; wisdom in the incarnation; wisdom in the atonement; wisdom in the means of renewing the heart, and sanctifying the soul; wisdom in the various dispensations by which the church is sanctified, guided, and brought to glory... Wow! That is what the church is supposed to offer the world! That really gives us something to chew on next time the sanctuary is just a little too cold or a little too hot, or next time were asked to help out someplace in the church, or next time when... Well, you get the picture. Hmm, thats good food for thought. Don’t you think? Have a wonderful day in His grace! Ron
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 12:17:34 +0000