This upcoming March, we here at Chapter and Verse will have the honor and privilege of ordaining Chuck Incarvite into the Christian ministry.
Chuck and his wife Dolores have been faithful servants of the Lord Jesus Christ for many years.
Their love for God and his people has been an inspiration to us all and I am very blessed and humbled to be able to recognize this call of God upon their lives.
The greatest commitment ever made, was made by God almighty, when he committed himself to his Word.
No greater commitment can be made by man or woman than to accept God's ordination.
Ephesians 4:7-11 7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same also thatascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
According to verse 7 unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Again we read Jesus gave gifts unto men in verse 8.
The Greek word rendered gift in verse 7 is the word dorea. A dorea is a gift which is a benefit to the individual.
The Greek word rendered gifts in verse 8 is the word doma. A doma is a gift which is a benefit to the church. It's a gift of service.
Verses 9 and 10 are a parenthesis. A parenthesis is a figure of speech an explanatory word or phrase inserted in a passage. As such you can read from before the figure, skip the parenthesis and read the verse that follows.
If you do this in Ephesians 4:7-11 reads as follows.
Ephesians 4:7-11 7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Gifts doma gifts of service unto the church to benefit them.
For a man or woman to accept ordination is to give your life as a gift to the church, the body of Christ. To serve the purposes of God, and to be faithful and fruitful unto God that he may be glorified.
Ephesians 4:11-12 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Verse 12 sets the gift ministries 3 fold purpose. Perfecting of the saints. The word perfecting is the word katartismos {kat-ar-tis-mos'} It means to complete, furnish, equip or mature. The work of the ministry. For the edifying of the body of Christ.John 15:16a Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:
Verse 12 sets the gift ministries 3 fold purpose.
The word ordained means to set, to place or appoint to mark out. To put in readiness and to set forth in public.
1 Corinthians 12:27-28 27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
We mentioned some of these ministries earlier in Ephesians chapter 4.
Here in Verse 28 we see that it is God who sets the ministries in the body. "God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers..."
God calls men and woman at appointed times and seasons and they respond to the call of God on their life.
This response is called ordination.
To serve as one ordained of God there are a number of things one must be.
I did not say remain faithful to a man or ministry I said faithful to God. I know that in stating this, that my statement could be used by some for self-gain and pride.
NIV Philippians 4:15-18 15It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, butothers out of goodwill.16The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.17The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
There are people, Christian people who sometimes walk in darkness to promote their own agenda. This is why as one ordained your first allegiance is always to God.
3 John 1:9-10 9I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
The New Living Translation reads:
NLT 3 John 1:9 I sent a brief letter to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, does not acknowledge our authority.
Diotrephes never read Colossians 1.
Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
There is only room for one head in this church and that is Christ.
You see the 4th principal I set forth before you was "You must remain faithful to God, who has called and ordained you to serve His purposes."
There is always the possibility that any ministry at any given time may become corrupt.
As long as the clergy and leadership of that ministry remain humble servants of their God and to their fellow man and continue to walk in love that ministry will continue to have God's blessing upon them.
However if any ministry continually hardens their heart against God and his holy word then the men and woman ordained of God are to remain faithful to their God and not to any organization.
That's the word of God and as long as I live that's the way it will be. My concern is after I'm gone that is why I want this to be a law and statute in this ministry forever this will keep everyone honest.
No person is ordained of God unless they are called of God. Once you have made the commitment and accepted ordination that decision is for life there is no turning back.
As one who is ordained, your pulpit is the world.
Ordination is a call of service into the Christian ministry.
To be continued… ÿ