© Gary W. Crisp 2004, 2005
• Part 3 •
• We Don’t Need Ministers or Church •
This man, of whom we’ve been speaking, and a growing number like him, represents things and thoughts that are undermining the very heart and soul of the Body of Christ today. One of the ways they are doing this is by clearly and boldly stating that there is no need for established ministry in the church. He claims that the Body, itself, ought to minister unto itself. Now, that sounds good, and I can agree with the principle of what he is saying, but I learned something many years ago...“it isn’t so much what you say that matters, as it is from what platform you are saying it”. Is it a platform of peace and grace and reconciliation, or is it from pain and frustration, or even anger or jealousy? It may even be a platform of fear or loathing. It is hard to tell why some people say the things they say. Only God can truly know the heart.
As Jesus said, in Matthew 6:
“(22) The light of the body is the eye, and if therefore your eye is single (focused on one thing), your whole body shall be full of light (well-illuminated and bright) (23) But if your eye is evil (degenerating from its original virtue), your whole body shall be full of darkness. Therefore, if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
If you hold on to that thought and couple it with Paul’s word to the Ephesians, we can see the importance and the Biblical call for the gifts and ministers in and to the Body of Christ. Here is that portion in Ephesians 4...
The whole purpose of Light in the Body, the Gifts to the Body, and the Word for the Body is to keep the Body safe from every wind of doctrine, the sleight of men (with their cunning craftiness) and anything that would prevent the Body from reaching its full and complete Potential in the Lord. These five Gifts, mentioned in Ephesians, are for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the Body of Christ. Why would we dare say that we no longer need these Gifts? Are we so arrogant and conceited that we believe that the Body of Christ is full and complete? Are we yet perfected? Are we always speaking the Truth in love, and have we grown up into Him in all things?
It simply amazes me that men and women of God -- people who know and study (and even claim to love) the Word of God -- can preach and teach that we no longer need any of the Gifts God has chosen to give us. He is the One Who has given these Gifts, and He has never taken them away. It is we, who have refused them... and why? Why do some refuse these Gifts of God? Have you ever thought about it? Using many scripture verses (to explain away many other verses), most claim that any supernatural Gifts were only for the first century church. They have their stock verses that they use to defend their position, but the bottom line is they are twisting Words of Truth to suit their own words of unbelief.
Just because I “don’t believe something” doesn’t mean it isn’t true! We all, at one time in our lives, didn’t believe we had a need for God. Brothers and sisters...we do need the Gifts that God has given us, every bit as much as the Gift of Salvation He has offered to every man, woman and child. As I said, I understand where those who deny any such Gifts come from. I can see and realize their platform, but it is shaky at best (being built upon fear and doubt) and deadly at worst (outright denial of His Truth).
I, myself, have a lot of teaching dealing with the need for the Body of Christ to accept all of God’s Gifts, so that we can function properly and accomplish the things we ought, and so that we can all grow and mature and become perfect in Him. However, I also “speak out” clearly and loudly against any and all abuses that we have mentioned or will mention in this teaching. But these exponents of whom I am speaking do away with the Gifts altogether, because they declare: “The Gifts were only for the first century Christians, and besides... they’ve never worked properly anyhow”. And they also say that anyone who “reads the scriptures” will be able to tell this is so...or so they claim.
Dear saints...I have been reading and studying the Word for over thirty years, and I cannot see this is so, and I know many other saints who take the same stand, but numbers alone will not prove or disprove anything. Only God’s Word will, and His Word shall stand forever.
Back to those who cannot accept the Gifts...they cite the abuses and misuses of the spiritual giftings to “explain away” the scriptural basis for them, and I must confess... I have seen plenty of abuse and misuse, and very likely I have seen and experienced more than they. However, let’s not only be careful, but let’s also be “fair” -- just because some things are wrong, or they malfunction, or even if they are counterfeited doesn’t mean they aren’t real and useful. Jesus was called a liar and a deceiver, and some even said He was filled with the devil.
He was even called the prince of Beelzebub (Matt.10:25, 12:24-27; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15-19) -- simply because He healed people, performed never-before-seen miracles, and because He even set the unbelieving captives free from demonic possession. And now, today, some Christians are calling other Christians liars, deceivers and “devil-filled”...just as they did our Savior. The ones being called “deceived” are those who talk of and believe in miracles, pray for healing or believe in the Gifts. Yes, dear saints, there are some “crazy & abusive radicals” out there, making fools of themselves and disgracing the Gifts, the Body and Christ, Himself, by unwisely flaunting and abusing the Gifts and the things of God. Even so, I feel the need to speak this word of caution...we need to be very, very careful what we call “of the devil” and what we call “of God”. Read the preceding verses in Matthew, Mark and Luke to see that of which I am speaking.
The church -- and, again, I speak of the Body of Christ that believes in the Blood Atonement and the Holy Scriptures (although even that seems to be in question now) -- anyway, the church is in a mess and has been for years, if not decades. But again... throwing that Baby (i.e., the church & its teachings) out with the Dirty Bathwater (all the things wrong with the church & its teachings) only admits defeat, despair and hopelessness -- all of which are definitions we saw in that little word, “chaos”.
Now...if you know anything at all about our writings and that which we teach and believe, you are very aware that we have said some critical things about the way man has usurped God’s Order of things. You’ll know how we believe that there is a mess in the Kingdom, in the Body and in the church, all of which easily translates into a mess in our own daily lives. But you don’t kill the lambs because they bleat or cry out, or because they do not walk right or live right; neither do you kill the church or its doctrine, because it is out of order or even in great error.
More error will not clear away the old error. More pain and heartache will not even begin to alleviate the smallest of pains or the most insignificant of heartaches. Paul very emphatically teaches that a “little leaven will leaven the whole lump”, meaning a little sin or error will permeate and infect the entire Body of Christ. Let us not back ourselves into a place of danger. Leaven, sin, error, misguided teachings (and teachers) can destroy the very beauty and grace of the Body of Christ, were it not for the Grace and Mercy of God, poured forth and hovered over by the Holy Spirit. So why would we grieve, deny or dispute the Holy Spirit of God, if it is He Who will keep all things afloat and everything in order?
Not Perfect...yet •
Many churches are a mess; many Christian families and marriages are a mess; the Body of Christ is a mess, but none of these areas have hopelessly “gone past” the mark of God’s Matchless Grace or His Wonderful Tender Mercies. God is Faithful; He is there for us; He is willing, which means He is also Patient. Let us not deceive ourselves into thinking that because man has gotten the church all fouled up and into this mess, it is man that must, somehow, figure out a way to make it right. Only God can take these terribly awful and messy things and apply His Grace, His Touch and His Beauty to them all, making them fit and right and beautiful once more for Himself.
Yes, He will use men (and women), as He has always done, but He will use no one who despises, makes light of or misuses His Word. A good minister will always be careful to honor the Word of God, thus honoring the Body as a result. Anything or anyone that detracts from, hinders or is directly opposed to the Word (in effect, weakening the Body) is not dwelling, abiding and following ceaselessly in the Light of Jesus Christ.
Any person who teaches that there are no such things, today, as Spiritual Gifts; anyone who represents the notion that there is not a need for ministers or even for church services and meetings; or anyone that advocates that the Bible is all wrong is not “walking in the Light of Jesus Christ”, and I do not feel bad saying that. That’s what the Word says...I’m merely agreeing. But you need to check it out for yourself, as we all should do. We need to “verify” and “validate” what we are being taught, what we are told, and even what we believe, making certain that it lines up with and is able to stand “in the Light of Holy Scripture”.
Never believe or accept something, simply because some man or woman told you you must! Even Christ’s disciples questioned and asked for clarification, on many occasions. We must never be ashamed because we do not “know it all”, but instead let us “study to show ourselves approved unto God (not man)...rightly dividing the Word of Truth” (2nd Timothy 2:15). On the other hand, let us never find ourselves ashamed or dishonored, because we naively accepted some man’s “truth”, when -- in truth -- that man’s truth is not able to “stand up” in the Light of the Word of God!
I am a strong proponent of home churches, and if the churches in America do not “get their act together”, we may still see it much like the first century churches. This means we may begin, once more, meeting in homes, instead of the gilded architecture of cold church buildings. This, in truth, was what the man (mentioned at the beginning of this page) was actually “attempting” to say, but the manner in which he said it (via an all-out frontal assault on the established Bible-believing churches) left little doubt that he had no true respect for dedicated churches, ministers and church-goers. It is easy to sit and point fingers at the problem... it is not so easy to solve them. That takes grace, patience and time.
I will admit: I am not pleased with the way that many churches run their business (and, to many, it has truly become a “business” -- where the number of dollars coming in, plus the number of people on their roles equals success), but I still firmly believe in the Five-fold Ministry Gifts of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher, as well as the Nine Gifts given forth by the Holy Spirit (see 1st Corinthians 12:4-11).
As I stated earlier, there are those today that want to do away with any and all gifts, and I sincerely understand some people’s apprehension, fear and doubt about any spiritual giftings and stirrings. Why do I say this? Because of the great misuses, abuses and chaos that some have brought into the church through their misguided (and often over-zealous) behavior. But... I, too, have seen the abuse and misuse: I have seen soulish Christians trying to place themsleves into the role of the spiritually gifted saint; I have seen terrible demonstrations of the flesh, while those doing the “demonstrating” tried to pursuade everyone that it was the Spirit; I have probably seen more horrors than some I’ve read about lately -- in the writings and articles of those so dead-set against anything “spiritual”.
However...let me quickly say: Even though I’ve been the “witness of” so much error and corruption, I have never thought to banish all such thinking from my heart and mind. Instead, I have sought that much harder to try and understand the true gifts of God. By God’s Grace and with His Help, I believe I have... and I believe I will understand even more as I continue to faithfully walk in His Light.
(and lots of Dirty Bathwater!)
1st Corinthians 5:6 “Don’t you know that
a little leaven (will continue to) leaven the whole lump?”
A “little leaven”...that’s all it takes; a “little leaven” is all that’s needed to cause problems. And the Body of Christ has had plenty of leaven “dumped” upon it in the past few decades (or longer). Do we care any more, or have we taken notice? Do we ask questions or press for explanations concerning much of what is being put forth as the meat of the Word? Just recently, I visited a site that boldly declared themselves to be a “voice in the wilderness”, and I certainly do believe that God has, indeed, called forth those who will be “voices” in the wilderness of these last days, but a true voice like that will prepare the Way of the Lord, just as John the Baptist did.
Furthermore, what that means in reality is that a true voice will prepare the Lord’s people in the process, by building, edifying and strengthening the true believers in Jesus Christ. A true voice will not confuse, divide or “scatter” the sheep of the Lord’s Pasture, and that is exactly what the Christians at this site were doing.
The “voice” at the site I visited was simply denouncing nearly all things spiritual, because of the “dirty bathwater” they had seen in the Body of Christ. Yes, I know... sadly, there is plenty of “dirty bathwater” in the church today, but this “voice” was “making fun of” and “making light of” some things Jesus and all His apostles held as dear and holy. This “voice” was anything but a true voice of God, delighting -- it seemed -- to throw out all the “dirty bathwater”, baby included. It became very clear to me that this site was speaking of (and teaching about) things that it very obviously did not understand. As I have said many times, and I do sincerely mean it...if I cannot “grasp something”, I do not bluff my way through it or around it. If I do not understand it, I leave it alone, until such time I do understand it. Many ministers and teachers today should heed the following example. As we can see in Proverbs, sometimes true wisdom is knowing when to keep silent...
Prov.13:3 “He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life, but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.” Prov.21:23 “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”
Prov.29:11 “A fool uttereth all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.”
In other words, a wise man will be able to “hold onto” his thoughts, rather than just fling them all out, not concerned with whom he may hit. Many, today, are just “wildly flinging” what they think and believe, not giving much thought as to its aftershock. I have actually known men and women who claim that their “calling” is to bring pain and discomfort to the Body of Christ. If we are faithful to the Word of God, preaching and teaching His Unsearchable Riches, and God wants to shake or “discomfit” someone, that’s another story, but if all we do is go about causing harm and bringing grief to the Body of Christ...woe to us.
Even Luke wrote of Jesus, in Acts 10:38 - “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power; (and He) went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.” If what some teacher or preacher declares is bringing division, dishonor and disgrace to the Body of Christ, I can assure you that God is not “with them”.
Many people -- claiming to be great teachers, prophets or even more -- are doing great damage to the Body of Christ, because they are “telling it like it is”, thinking to be the mouthpiece of the Lord, but they, themselves, do not have a firm grasp on “what it is” they are telling! They have not rightly divided the Word of Truth, and they certainly haven’t experienced that Truth, else they would not be dividing and condemning and ridiculing God’s Word.
Now, let me be very clear...I don’t mind someone “telling it like it is”, as long as they honor God’s Word and His people in the process. Many, however, are glorying in things (and in themselves), and Paul says that we should not be doing such a thing. Now, in me saying that some people “certainly haven’t experienced that Truth”, let me quickly address a misconception or falsehood running rampant amongst the churches and religious leaders of America.
There are many experiences “out there” today, and by that I am referring to healings, miracles, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, tongues, and all Gifts and Callings of the Lord Jesus Christ -- some of which may be accompanied by dreams, visions or even visitations of the Lord or angels. Yes, it is true...much of what is “out there” is soulish, self-serving nonsense; much of it is spawned out of lonely, frustrated lives; some of it even comes from the devil himself. But just because there is soulish, selfish and even demonic activity “out there”, we should not shrink back from the fact that God is a Spirit...and He seeks us to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Consider the following verses ~
John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”
2nd Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
John 1:4-5 “In Him (Christ Jesus) was Life; and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
This Walk with Jesus is a “spiritual” walk. I don’t know why we must continually try to place it into an “academic” or a “practical” realm. The first verse above, John 3:6, is Jesus dealing with Nicodemus, a very religious and faithful church-going man of that day. The Lord is telling him that -- no matter how good, how religious, or how faithful to a church or religious system he may be -- that is not enough! He must be born again! All that dead, lifeless religion must be changed and touched by the Spirit of God. John 4:24 finds Jesus telling a Samaritan woman that the true, Godly believers are worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth, not the ritualistic way in which she and her fellow Samaritans were “worshipping” God.
The next verse, 2nd Corinthians 3:18, explains how we, as Christians, grow and mature in Christ differently from one another...and we do not have a veil hiding Christ from us, as the unbelievers do. We behold Him “open faced” and unhindered, but we still are being changed (transformed) “from glory to glory”, and by the Spirit of the Lord. It is His doing, not our own. Now, let us suppose that God is doing His Work in you, changing you from glory to glory -- and let us suppose that I am unable to see or accept it, or maybe I do not understand it (either because I have never experienced it or because I am unsaved altogether). I make a very grave mistake if I make light of your experience, if I dismiss it as being “of the devil”, or if I actively teach “against it”.
If I do not understand it, I should either (a) leave it alone, or (b) I should honestly and with an open heart try to “study it out”, asking the Lord to lead me to His Truth. If my heart is right, and I truly desire to know Him and follow Him, then He will lead me into His Truth. If my motives are not altogether honorable and sincere, God only knows what my own deceitful heart and suspicious mind will conjure up, and He alone knows where my heart and my life might end, as a result.
“O God, please keep us from becoming critical, harsh, foolish,
or abusive as saints; keep us from becoming those who would
make light of things that are truly Spirit and Truth.”
There is so much harsh and abusive language being thrown out at spiritual things today, and we had best be careful what we call Spirit, what we call flesh and what we call the devil. There is, though, a very distinct difference in the three, and we need to address it. The apostles of the first century had to deal with it, and we must also “deal with it” today. Hopefully, that is what we are doing here, even if only in part.
Hearing, Seeing & Believing.
