BISHOP: THE MOST NEGLECTED OFFICE

PASTORS AND TEACHERS: TEACHING PASTORS

By: Bishop Albert B. Gran

Speaking the truth in love may lead to spiritual growth and edification in the doctrine of spiritual gifts in view of progressive revelation with the truth of the mystery of grace in the dispensation of grace today.

PASTORS AND TEACHERS IN EPHESIANS

 In my previous article I made an explicit presentation how Pastors today are distinct from elders who HATH MADE OVERSEERS by the HOLY SPIRIT. It was plain therefore that these elders in the account of their functions in taking the church of God connect the Holy Spirit’s operation in giving spiritual gifts to the church in the early period of the dispensation of grace when Paul sees the glass darkly which is figurative when the UNITY OF THE FAITH (the body of truth for this dispensation of grace) has not been completed yet. The phrase HATH MADE BY THE SPIRIT plainly emphasized the truth or idea that their designation came from the very source of authority from the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit knowing it’s the time of the Spirit along with Spirit’s gifts such as those for healing, working of miracles, speaking in unknown tongues, etc. 

There’s a question whether those Pastors and teachers in Ephesians 4 were really the same as the elders. To be honest elders and Pastors in Acts 20 and Ephesians were totally different for the following reasons:

1.       The “elders” in Acts 20 indicate the sense that the Holy Spirit had made them overseers and they were those who would take care the church the Body of Christ. However, it has been taught traditionally that those came from the elders of the church would turn out to be ‘wolves’ which draw away disciples after them.  To weigh such a thought or idea, there would be fallacy for that because the calling which made them become overseers is a calling which the Holy Spirit himself designed where they do their function for the flock, the people of God which is the church. In my previous article I made plain explanation why these elders were not Pastors whom Christ gave for the church in Eph. 4 after He ascended up and gave gifts unto men. It’s really a fact that these “Pastors and teachers” has a conclusive sense of one identity as being gift for the church.     

2.       Here’s the explanation as the sense brought in Ephesians 4. If you have noticed as enumerated in verse 11 and it says: And he gave some, apostles; some, prophets; some evangelists; some, pastors and teachers. In the standard of writing following how nouns successively are enumerated dividing through comma, you can notice that “pastors and teachers” has only one identity. It means that a pastor is also a teacher and vice versa. Sometimes the identity of the teaching pastor was clearly set by Paul in his epistles. Take a look 1 Corinthians 12:27-31.  

27. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

28. And 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.

29. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? are all TEACHERS? Are all workers of miracles?

30 Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

31. But COVET EARNESTLY THE BEST GIFTS: and yet SHEW I unto you A MORE EXCELLENT WAY.

As stated above, the word evangelists and pastors are nowhere stated as set by God in the church however the word TEACHER is stated. This is the idea that TEACHER and PASTOR is a sense in one identity and thus, Paul said “PASTOR AND TEACHER” in Eph. 4:11 (teaching Pastor) 

To glimpse in matters of God’s operation during this time when Paul wrote this epistle in 1 Corinthians, we can clearly understand how these SPIRITUAL GIFTS were in placed in the early church when the Holy Spirit plays vital role in the delineation of these spiritual gifts. These are gifts which both include MEN FOR THE SERVICE, AND THE FUNCTIONS OF MEN DOING FOR THE SERVICE. 

Relative to this early delineation of revelation to Paul, the Spirit’s gifts engaged into diverse supernatural manifestations which include miracles, healings, speaking in tongues, and many others. While we can’t deny to include Paul’s charge to the Corinthians to covet earnestly the best gifts (v. 31) yet the fact when Paul wrote this epistle proved there’s a progressive revelation when GOD HAD SET HIS OPERATION FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST. While many ministers today emphasized the understanding of COVETING THOSE GIFTS MENTIONED as Paul charged to the Corinthian believer yet majority didn’t understand Paul told them that he’s going to show to them A MORE EXCELLENT WAY. There are two things we need to understand in the idea that Paul had explained in verse 31 based on the charge.

            EARLY STAGE CHURCH                                                                             

1.   The Godhead directly sets men and the functions of these men in the church along with sign gifts and supernatural manifestations. The Holy Spirit Himself acted in order to reveal His word so that the early church believers might understand what those signs such as those in tongues meant for.That’s the period when Paul was continuously receiving further revelation of this dispensation of   grace.
      

2.    It’s the account  in view of TRANSITION wherein  the word of God is in process of completion to mean Paul  at this time was still receiving information to write the body of truth for the UNITY OF THE FAITH in the  body of Christ.

3.      These spiritual gifts although is in view of the early church however, there is a sense to finish its operation when Paul shall reveal to them through Christ’s revelation the MORE EXCELLENT WAY. The fact of excellent WAY refers to the scheme when the whole revelation of the mystery and Paul’s epistles with an expressed plan of God can be totally delivered to Paul until there would be no more direct revelation left.

THE FULL STATURE CHURCH

Upon completion of the scripture, Paul made charge how every believer can be fully equipped to stand perfect (mature) in Christ and how every man could be edified through God’s word itself (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Holy Spirit today changed it’s operation and manifestation of communicating to man. The Holy Spirit today acted through the Final Authority which is God’s word. As the charge Paul made, he challenged every believer to take the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT which IS THE WORD OF GOD. The utterances of God’s plan in all His wisdom was purely revealed by and through HIS WORD. And thus, the setting of qualified men set through edification also undergo a process of significant change knowing it’s done through ORDINATION. Those who were ordained are elders who ruled his own house with his children. They are not single individuals who were ordained by their Pastors after they graduated from Bible schools. Those elders as per truth in Scripture particularly in Pauline epistles possessed AN OFFICE OF A BISHOP. Bishops according to Paul are God’s stewards and let’s take note that the reason why they became so because they were ordained and recognized by the church as those who are indeed bishops possessing right qualifications.

The ordination of elders to take an office of a Bishop is what lately recognized by others which is designed by God knowing that as per inspiration God called them as stewards (Titus 1:7-12). When there will be relative truth recent in our times not practice and applied before through tradition then let’s bear the full consideration of this issue in full glimpse of acceptance in view of understanding how to open our eyes and see what change took place after the completion of the Holy Scriptures. Our belief of physical intervention, miraculous sign gifts, healing, institution of Lord supper, etc. were those common doctrines affecting two classification of body believers in our times. They were categorically considered as those BABES and SPIRITUAL. Your discernment in this mystery truth in the dispensation of grace matters how you will take His word and harmonize the sense through rightly dividing principles. This is the only way you could be approved in the sight of God.

Today we have the complete word of God enough for us to have the mind of Christ. If thus His word is not complete then we cannot have idea about His will in all wisdom and understanding. As the prayer of Paul states,

                      Colossians 1:8-10

                       King James Version (KJV)

                      ⁸ Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

      ⁹ For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might  be  FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

¹⁰ That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and   INCREASING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD;

   Paul prayed and greatly desiring how believers might be filled with the knowledge of His will. It’s really impossible to have without HIS COMPLETE WORD supporting the basis of our stand and be grounded in FAITH. He also encouraged us aside from being FRUITFUL IN EVERY GOOD WORK to INCREASE IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. Which  means there’s already an available information how we could get to know God in all His will in which we have to attain to in order TO INCREASE or level up. The idea of closing minds behind bars of tradition, philosophy and vain deceits won’t qualify our cause to INCREASE IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. Satan himself will hinder this desire of God in us when man succumb to just remain stagnant and NOT INCREASE IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

  Let’s make use his word and be open to each other to teach and admonish one another in the bond of peace and love.

  Grace and peace!