164 – Ministry How Conferred
MINISTRY HOW CONFERRED
§ 164. The ministerial office 1 is conferred upon its incumbents by God,2 by the Holy Spirit,3 by Christ,4 the Head and Archbishop of His Church,5 through the congregations,6 which, by the call extended through them,7 delegate or transfer upon the men 8 thus called the public exercise of those functions of the priesthood of all believers 9 which, by virtue of such call, the ministers of Christ 10 and of the Church 11 perform in the name of the congregation and of Christ, who mediately called them through the congregation.
1. The ministerial office…
I Corinthians 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
I Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2. …is conferred upon its incumbents by God
I Corinthians 12:28 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.
3. ...by the Holy Spirit,
Acts 20:17, 28 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. (28) Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.
Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
4. …by Christ,
Ephesians 4:11 And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.
I Peter 5:1–2, 4 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind. (4) And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
5. …the Head and Archbishop of His Church,
I Peter 5:4 And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
I Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.
Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ.
Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
6. …through the congregations,
Acts 6:1–6 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the Word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
7. …which, by the call extended through them,
Acts 13:2, 4 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. (4) So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
8. …delegate or transfer upon the men
I Corinthians 14:34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the Law.
I Timothy 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
9. …thus called the public exercise of those functions of the priesthood of all believers
I Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Matthew 18:17–20 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.
10. …which, by virtue of such call, the ministers of Christ
I Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God.
Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead).
11. …and of the Church
II Corinthians 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
I Corinthians 3:21–23 Therefore let no man glory in men: for all things are yours: whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.
…perform in the name of the congregation and of Christ, who mediately called them through the congregation.
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