Spiritual gifts: How can they function in light of the body of Christ with manifold gifts and talents?
As a rule (I'd say a certainty) naming ministries after ourselves is never a good idea. Worse still is when we characterize our nomenclature with the type of "gifting" we claim to have; i.e. prophetic or healing ministry. Not to mention the veracity or lack thereof of a claim as such; it sounds like it exalts an individual as superior; or "cornering the market" as it were as to the proclaimed gifting; and of course the motivation behind it is financial; if I were a betting man.
If I went out on the street and told someone that if they gave me 100 dollars they would be blessed and it would be returned tenfold I doubt there would be too many takers. Somehow we think a fancy suit; oratory or building exalts us to a great prominence forgetting the Pharisees used similar tactics to bilk their congregation. Food for thought...
To pull out Acts 3:6 is scriptural
"Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."
Here we don't see "seed money" to buy your miracle or favor with God.
In the two prophecies in Acts that are mentioned we see famine and persecution. What we hear today more often than not is reminicient of what we expect from "Babylon the Great" in terms of continued financial favor rather than the scriptural path of not eating if we don't work and example from Paul who worked as a tentmaker along with his many sleepless nights and other suffering lack for the sake of the Gospel. Food and clothing are something His followers are called to trust God for; we note that shelter isn't even on that list as many have to give that up for the sake of the Gospel. This is what defines a true disciple; thus by inference those not following such admonitions are by and large false disciples.
The gifts are meant to be applied for edification of the body primarily.
As a rule (I'd say a certainty) naming ministries after ourselves is never a good idea. Worse still is when we characterize our nomenclature with the type of "gifting" we claim to have; i.e. prophetic or healing ministry. Not to mention the veracity or lack thereof of a claim as such; it sounds like it exalts an individual as superior; or "cornering the market" as it were as to the proclaimed gifting; and of course the motivation behind it is financial; if I were a betting man.
If I went out on the street and told someone that if they gave me 100 dollars they would be blessed and it would be returned tenfold I doubt there would be too many takers. Somehow we think a fancy suit; oratory or building exalts us to a great prominence forgetting the Pharisees used similar tactics to bilk their congregation. Food for thought...
To pull out Acts 3:6 is scriptural
"Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."
Here we don't see "seed money" to buy your miracle or favor with God.
In the two prophecies in Acts that are mentioned we see famine and persecution. What we hear today more often than not is reminicient of what we expect from "Babylon the Great" in terms of continued financial favor rather than the scriptural path of not eating if we don't work and example from Paul who worked as a tentmaker along with his many sleepless nights and other suffering lack for the sake of the Gospel. Food and clothing are something His followers are called to trust God for; we note that shelter isn't even on that list as many have to give that up for the sake of the Gospel. This is what defines a true disciple; thus by inference those not following such admonitions are by and large false disciples.
The gifts are meant to be applied for edification of the body primarily.
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