ScriptureStream

Acts 14:15 says that God made “heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein.” In Genesis 1 we have recorded several times that “God looked upon that which He made and saw that it was good.” He made light, firmament, sun, moon, stars, plant life, fish, fowl, cattle, and man. God saw that all He made was very good. But of all that He created in six days, man was His special creation. But He was not through creating; His most glorious creation was yet to come. We read of this new creation in 2 Corinthians 5:17. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation.” (ESV) This is His most glorious work. Read Ephesians 3:3-11.

Paul’s assigned work was to preach to Gentiles, Jews, and kings (Acts 9:15). He did his work. He preached to Gentiles. He preached to Jews, and he preached to kings (Acts 26:13). He did not preach to make celestial angels see the wisdom of God as many try to make this passage say. Principalities and powers in heavenly places does not refer to celestial angels. It speaks of rulers in high places. Chapter 6 verse 12 gives us the key to how “heavenly” is used in Ephesians. “Heavenly” refers to the highest of the class being discussed. Principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness of this world certainly do not refer to things in heaven. They speak of men in high places. “Heavenly” is thus used in Ephesians 2:6; 1:20; 3:10. Just as the temple showed the wisdom of Solomon, the church the saved relationship in Christ Jesus shows the manifold wisdom God more than any other of His creation.

Man cannot improve upon the things God created in six days, and he knows it. And man cannot improve upon God’s most glorious work, but many think they can. Man today has the audacity to set aside God’s most glorious work by building and upholding manmade institutions of religion and asserting that they are better than God’s most glorious work. Every denomination is an example of this very thing. Christians have long marveled that man could be so bold and disrespectful. But today many who claim to be saints in Christ’s church are caught up in the same error.

Whatever it is called, if it solicits contributions in order to do the worship and work that God specified the church to do it has gone beyond the doctrine of Christ. And when they condemn denominations, they condemn themselves, Romans 2:21. They have become a completely different fellowship than God’s most glorious work.

In this church which is God’s most glorious work saints are to function individually. Passages like Ephesians 4:28 and 1 Timothy 5:16 show this to be so. And saints are to function collectively, under common oversight and with pooled resources. Passages like Acts 20:28, Ephesians 5:19 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 show this to be so.

The local church is all that we need for together and collective functions in the things of Christ. To build human institutions to do the work assigned the local church shows a lack of respect for God’s Word and His local church arrangement. If a work has been assigned for a local church, the local church is sufficient to do it. If a work has not been assigned for local church function local church funds should not be used to do it, nor should elders oversee it.

God’s saved relationship is the only relationship in which one can be saved and the local church is the only relationship for work assigned to be done under a common oversight and with pooled resources. When we do individual and congregationally that which has been so assigned, the church magnifies the manifold wisdom of God. But when men do not respect God’s arrangement for both individual and congregational work, they do not show God’s wisdom to anyone.

One final word: Paul considered his service in Christ to be a gift of grace and so should we. Paul’s service was and ours is to teach the unsearchable riches of Christ, and then live it.

Jesse Jenkins

“For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (Psalms 84:10) This statement demands at least four characteristics of the person sincerely making it. Ask self – can I sincerely and objectively make this statement?

One could not know if he had rather be a door keeper in the house of God if he did not know what it is. So, let us identify the house of God: “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (I Timothy 3:15) The statement modified is I had rather be a doorkeeper in the church of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Thus, those who obey the gospel and live godly lives compose the church of my God. Door keeping necessitates service.

Now let us take a look at the tents of wickedness to see if we want to give them up or be a doorkeeper. Tents of wickedness refer to anything that comes from a carnal mind. Let us look at the results to see if we want to make that choice. The carnal mind leads to death (hell). The spiritual mind leads to life and peace (Romans 8:6). What choice do you make?

Even the man in the world who has good judgment in business matters usually acts foolish relative to the soul. Good judgment is attained by application and exercise, “…who by reason of use have their senses to discern good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:8). The person who does not see wrong in drinking and dancing and missing Bible class and Wednesday night service, cannot correctly make this statement.

One can have knowledge and be able to discern good and evil yet make the wrong choice. Moses not only refused to remain in the king’s house, he chose to suffer with God’s people (Hebrews 11:24-26). Those who have “respect to the recompense of reward” will make the right choice also. When one makes a positive choice to serve in the house of God, he will not only refrain from evil, he will actively do the right. When one makes the positive choice to be a doorkeeper in the house of God, he will have the reward.

Keeping doors is a position of low esteem. The high look down on door keeping. They want to do something big. If some cannot do something big, they will do nothing at all. Naaman (2 Kings 5:13) is a good example of this. One may say if I was a preacher or had much money, I would do great things for the Lord. The truth is one would do with would much exactly what he does with the little he does have. The humble realize their dependence on God. A congregation could not be divided if it was composed of truly humble people. Humble people depend upon God for direction, and they think of the welfare of others (Philippians 2:3-4).

Being a doorkeeper in the house of God takes much faith and much effort. Is it worth it? Psalms 84:11 gives the answer. “For the Lord is a sun and a shield; the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.” I repeat “no good thing will He withhold from them who walk uprightly.”

Jesse Jenkins