Seven truths about spiritual gifts in the Bible

1 Corinthians 12:1-4 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit."

Some thoughts on spiritual gifts

I thought it necessary to give a brief outline of the Bible's teaching on spiritual gifts.  May you find these headings useful, since they include the key Biblical texts on spiritual gifts that are without question profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16).

1. Spiritual gifts are taught throughout the Bible
The first thought to note is that spiritual gifts are not just a New Testament phenomenon. Exodus 31:1-3 is one of the earliest mentions: "Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship." 

When God called Noah, or Moses or Solomon to build the ark, tabernacle and temple, did these men do it by their own ingenuity? Hardly. They were supernaturally graced or gifted by God in the Person of the Holy Spirit to do so.  The Old Testament sets the pattern, from the offices of the priesthood and prophet, to the abilities given on occasion to perform miracles or speak forth prophecies. Such giftings from God paved the way for what would be the more fuller and abiding character of the gifts revealed in the New Testament.  

2. Spiritual gifts are graces or gracings from God
The word we render "gifts" could be more accurately translated "gracings" or "graces". When we use the term "gifts", we are speaking of the manner in which God distributes His graces to His people - namely in a free and Sovereign manner.  

3. Spiritual gifts are given at salvation
Whenever you read 1 Corinthians 12:1-4, the understanding is that all of the spiritual graces or gifts are given to the believer at conversion.  The issue of course comes in our discovery and awareness of those gifts.  1 Corinthians 12:12-13 reinforces this point - "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."

4. The Holy Spirit is the Agent of the gifts
1 Corinthians 12:4 states - "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit."  In the main passages that speak on the subject of the spiritual gifts in the New Testament, we see all three Persons of the Trinity involved in the spiritual gifts.  For example, 1 Corinthians 12:4-5 outlines accordingly: 

a. The Agent of the gifts is the Spirit

b. The Administrator of the ministries in which the gifts will be used is the Son 

c. The Effects produced by the gifts are regulated by the Father.  

All Three Persons of course are One God, being the Agent, Administrator and Affector of the work of the graces or gifts.  The Spirit in particular is the Agent of the gifts, meaning that He is the One who Sovereignly distributes and directs where the gifts go and to whom they go.  Romans 12:3-7, when read in concert with 1 Corinthians 12:1-6, affirms the Divine authority and identity of the Spirit as the Agent of the gifts.  This is also why the gifts are called "spiritual gifts", being that their distribution is regulated directly by the Holy Spirit Himself. 

5. The gifts are designed to bless the body of Christ and to minister the Gospel to the lost
Key Biblical texts on spiritual gifts support this two-fold thought.  Romans 12:5-6a "5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly...".  1 Corinthians 14:1 communicates - "Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy." Why? Because gifts such as prophecy (which I would say is in reference to the supernatural gifting in preaching the Word in ways that relevantly and pointedly challenge the church) serve to edify the church body, a theme repeated by Paul throughout 1 Corinthians 14:3,4,5,12 and 17. 

Paul writes these words about the spiritual gifts of various spiritual leaders in Ephesians 4:12 "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ."  Peter writes in 1 Peter 4:10 -  "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

Clearly the spiritual gifts are for the purpose of edifying the body, as well as bearing witness of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. In each of those main passages on the spiritual gifts, we see reference to using the gifts properly so as to bear witness to unbelievers. (1 Corinthians 14:20-24) Paul speaks of how the Lord gives among the official giftings the office of the evangelist in Ephesians 4:11. 1 Peter 4:6 prefaces Peter's discussion on spiritual gifts with these words - "For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God."  Indeed the spiritual gifts, in their diversity and supernatural power, can beautifully demonstrate the life of God pulsating through believers to those to whom we witness.

6. The spiritual gifts are given for the glory of God
The main point of the spiritual gifts (or gracings) are not to bring attention to the person exercising them, but to the One who gave them.  1 Peter 4:11 notes - "Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

7. Spiritual gifts are discovered through God-given abilities, opportunities and burdens
As we noted earlier, spiritual gifts or graces are given at the moment of one's conversion. However, the process of defining and discovery takes time.  That concludes today's post. I pray the above seven headings have aided you in better understanding what the Bible has to teach about spiritual gifts. 

The "co" in commission - God's intention to co-operate with believer's in the Great Commission

Acts 2:47 "praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved."

Introduction:

These last several days have been devoted to thinking through God's mission to save sinners. We have looked at how the Bible describes God as the Sole, Great Missionary. The mission for which He has in saving sinners that He sets His affection upon and calls to respond, believe, repent and be saved is of His doing. God in the Person of the Father invented missions; the Son issues forth the mission and the Spirit empowers the mission.

The last several posts have intentionally labored to demonstrate that without God, there would be no mission. With that emphasis, we must now consider by what means God has ordained to execute the mission which He as Father invented, as Son issued and as Spirit empowers. It is at this point that the term "mission" must be prefixed with the little letters "co". In other words, the mission of God presented in the Bible is really the co-mission including His people telling those who are not yet His people how they can be His people. 

As I think about my involvement in the preaching of God's word, I really am just an incidental, small conduit. God really does not need me to achieve His purposes of grace in gathering those sinners whom He desires to save. Yet, God chooses to use the foolishness, fraility and at times ackward, often times weak and many times inefficient means of preaching to win sinners unto Himself. (1 Corinthians 1:17-21) God, like us, uses means as well as ends. The pre-fix "co" is small in comparison to the grander word "mission". The prefix "co" by itself means nothing. Yet in the hands of God, "co" is transformed into a powerful, effective tool. God chooses to use the church, composed of regenerate saints. This is not my plan, nor your plan, but His. 

God's intention all along in inventing, issuing and empowering His mission to save believing sinners and to redeem this fallen created order has been to have a co-operative work with His people. He intends and invites you and me believer to go forth, make disciples, baptize and teach His word. The evidence for this truth is legion in the New Testament. In the verses below it will be seen that the early church took their central identity as those who were in a "co-mission" with God to win others to Jesus. Notice....

1. Acts 4:4  "But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand."

2. Acts 4:32 "And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them."

3. Acts 5:28-29 "saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men."

4. Acts 6:7 "The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith."

5. Acts 8:4 "Therefore, those who had been scattered went aboutpreaching the word."

6. Acts 14:17  "and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”

7. Acts 14:27  "When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles."

8. Acts 16:31 "They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

9. 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

10. Philippians 1:27 "Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of thegospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel"

11. Colossians 1:6 "which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it andunderstood the grace of God in truth."

12. 1 Thessalonians 1:8 "For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything."

13. 3 John 1:3 "For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth."

As you read through the first sixty years of church history recorded in Acts And the Epistles, you see the people of God working with God in carrying forth the Great Commission. Whether persecuted, whether taunted, whether with low resources or whether in plenty, the church of living God rose to the occassion and by the Spirit's empowerment, the Son's issuing and the Father's intention proclaimed the Gospel far and wide. Such a vision is the church's today. May we go forth and work with God as he so desires to work with us!

The Holy Spirit empowers missions

Acts 1:8 "but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Introduction:

The last couple of posts have focused upon how the great commission is really God's mission. The Person of the Father is the One Who invented missions. All missionary efforts have their origin in the mind and heart of the Heavenly Father. We then saw that the Person of the Son issues forth the Great commission. The three Persons of the Godhead work together in and through One another to put forth and execute the missionary endeavor. Today's post will feature the Person of the Holy Spirit. What role does the Holy Spirit have in missions? God in the Person of the Father invented missions and in the Person of the Son issues forth the command to go into all the world. The Holy Spirit, as we shall see, empowers missions. Whenever we consider all Three Persons, we can say that God is indeed the Great Missionary.

The Holy Spirit empowers missions
Acts 1:8 is Jesus' restatement of the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20 along the lines of the Holy Spirit's specific role. Before anyone can "go into all the world to make disciples" or baptize or teach the Word of God, the pre-requisite empowerment of the Holy Spirit must be in place. The Triune God is the power source behind the Great commission - as will be seen by the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. God prescribes the Great Commission, as already seen in the achievement of the Son. God has planned the beginning and outcome of the Great commission, as witnessed in our past study of the Person of the Heavenly Father. God planned it, prescribed it and empowers the mission - we as His people need to trust Him and go forth, carrying forth the message of the Gospel to a lost and dying world. 

The Book of Acts details for us how the Holy Spirit empowered the early church to do it's missionary work. Acts 1:8 gives the reader a nice outline of the entire book. Thus notice the following key thoughts in our consideration of how the Holy Spirit empowers the Great commission.

1. "but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you...."
This first part of Acts 1:8 covers the first two chapters of the Book of Acts. The disciples waited in the upper room and the Holy Spirit descended. Power from on high was given and the flame of the Spirit has burnt in the church ever since those early days. 

2. "and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem....."
As the early church began to meet, worship, break bread and adhere to the Apostle's teaching, word spread quickly with regards to this new Christian movement. As the Apostles preached the Word of God, multitudes were converted (Acts 2:41; 4:4), miracles were wrought and the early church grew. Acts 4:33 notes - "And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all." As the church grew and spread through Jerusalem, persecution arose. Though greatly afflicted by their opponents, the early church thrived under hardship. Acts 8:4 records - "Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word." The Spirit empowered the church to go from Jerusalem into the next region....

3. ...."and in all Judea and Samaria...."

Acts 1:8 continues to explain the overall spread of the church by the Spirit empowered strategy given by Jesus. The church would eventually spread into the surrounding regions of Judea and Samaria. Just as there was a Jerusalem Pentecost with the brithing forth of the church in general, Acts 8:14-17 records a Samaritan smaller version of the Spirit's outpouring: "Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent themPeter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for themthat they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply beenbaptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then theybegan laying their hands on them, and they werereceiving the Holy Spirit." Once again the Holy Spirit was empowering the church to go on mission and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However there was one more element to the overall strategy we read of in Acts 1:8....

4. ...."and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

The Samartian and Judean mission of the church, led by Peter and eventually featuring the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, would stretch from Acts 9-12. With the conversion of Saul of Tarsus to becoming Paul, the early church would expand into Gentile lands. How would this be possible? The Holy Spirit would pour out Himself not just once, but twice in Acts 10:44-48 and Acts 19:6-8. By the end of Acts, we see Paul's missionary journeys early completed. Within a span of 30 years the early Christian movement would come to encompass nearly the entire Roman world, growing from over a 100 to tens of thousands. Acts 28:30-31 closes out the book with these words: "And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered."

Thus we can see that the Great Commission is God's mission due to the fact that it is empowered by the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. He is the One who convicts and calls forth sinners unto salvation. (John 16:8-16)

The Son Issues forth missions

Matthew 28:18-20 "And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Introduction

In yesterday's post, we saw that God in the Person of the Father invented missions. God sought after sinners such as Adam, Abram and the children of Israel. We then saw secondly that He spoke the Gospel to them. Thirdly God chose to send His grace so that those whom He sought would respond in faith and repentance and be saved. Then finally we witnessed the fact that God supplied a substitute for Adam and Eve in the form of two innocent animals, foreshadowing what would be the sending of His Son in human flesh. (John 3:16) It must be noted that God the Father did not invent missions after the fall, rather God had His missionary strategy in His mind from all eternity. (Ephesians 1:1-5; Titus 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:9-10) 

Today's post wants to continue on uncovering this remarkable truth of the fact that the Great commission is truly God's mission. We saw already that the Father invented missions. But now what about the Person of the Son? In the opening passage of today's post, we see the Son issuing forth the great commission. As we shall see, the Son has equal authority and status as the Father, which is why it can be said that the mission of the Gospel is as much the Son's mission as it is the Father's. Below we will point out a few thoughts....

1. The Son's Supremacy is the basis for the Great commission. Matthew 28:18
Christ's supreme Lordship is revealed through His Word.  The great late pastor and theologian Dr. W.A Criswell writes in his commentary on Revelation about Revelation 1:19 - "The Great Executor of this Divine plan is none other than Deity Himself.  Christ is not one thing in one age and another thing for another age and another time and another country and another people.  Christ is the Lord God, 'the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).  

2. The Son's Strategy guides the Great commission. Matthew 28:19
Notice the four-fold strategy laid out by the Son: 

a. Go 
b. make disciples  
c. Baptize these disciples  
d. Teach the disciples. 

How is a disciple made? We pray to the Lord of the harvest that laborers would be sent, that those laborers (all true Christians) would share the Gospel and that the Spirit of God would attend such communication with conviction leading to faith and repentance. (John 16:8-12; Acts 13:45; Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:25) God makes disciples through our efforts of presenting the Gospel. (Romans 10:8-17) So then when a disciple has been made through Spirit wrought faith and repentance, what's the next step? Baptism. I puzzle over how people can confuse this plain order and teaching of Jesus, yet the commands are plain: make disciples first, then baptize them. Then finally teach them. We teach them the Word of God which is effective in the saving of their souls and ours. (1 Timothy 4:16)

3. The Son's Spiritual presence encourages the great commission. Matthew 28:20 

How can it be that God the Son is able to remain with His church while being in Heaven? This final verse speaks volumes to both the humanity and Deity of Jesus Christ, and how much the ministry of the Holy Spirit makes such a reality possible. On the one hand, we know that Jesus ever remained a human being with a glorified, physical body. He ascended and is awaiting the time the Father tells Him to return back to earth. Thus touching His humanity, Jesus Christ is localized in heaven. Yet the Person of the Son is also Divine, sharing in the same nature as the Spirit who brings His Person and power to His people. By the Holy Spirit we are able to enjoy the Person of the Son. As God He is able to be with us. As man, his humanity and all its properties, though localized in heaven, yet are communicated mystically by the Spirit in the union we have in Christ. Thus it can be literally said that when the church is carrying out the great commission, the Lord Jesus Christ is ever with His church.

Closing thoughts
We saw today that the Son issues forth the Great Commission by way of His Supremacy, His Strategy and His Spiritual presence. Bryan Beyer, Professor of Old Testament at Columbia Internation University Seminary and School of Missions in Columbia South Carolina, writes: "Jesus plays the central role, as the living Word, in prosecuting the mission of God in the world. His coming was repeatedly announced with anticipation by the Old Testament writers. Jesus' titles and roles from both Old and New Testaments likewise point to his central role. Jesus taught the Word of God with authority, but more than anyone else he embodied the Word of God by his life. Our challenge and calling as Jesus-followers is to lay hold of that Word, to lay hold of God's mission, and to allign ourselves totally with His purpose. To know Him is life itself (John 17:3), and to make Him known is our only reasonable response (2 Corinthians 5:14-21).1

Endnotes:
1. Mike Barnett, Editor., Robin Martin, Assoc. Editor., Bryan Beyer: Jesus Christ and the Living Word in the book: "Discovering the Mission of God." IVP Academic. 2012. Page 128

God the Father invented missions

Genesis 3:7-9 "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. 8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”

Introduction

When it comes to considering missions in the Bible, where is the first place to look? Many would rightly point out Matthew 28:18-20, which is called by many "The Great Comission" by Jesus to His church. Others may point back much earlier to Genesis 12:1-7 wherein God is calling forth Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees to be a blessing to all the nations and thus laying the ground work for the Abrahamic Covenant. Indeed both of these texts are fundamental when it comes to understanding missions and evangelism in the Bible. Both Genesis 12:1-7 and Matthew 28:18-20 demonstrate that God's missionary heart runs from Old to New Testament. However there is one text that I would suggest gives us the very first mention of the great commission, a text that features God as the first and lone missionary - Genesis 3:7-21. 

God the Father invented missions

Genesis 3:8-21 presents the tragic scene of Adam and Eve right after their epic rebellion in the Garden of Eden. The following pattern witnessed in Genesis 3:8-21 gives us a general pattern for which we see God's master plan missions throughout the Bible.

1. God seeks sinners. Genesis 3:8-14
God as the Person of the Father pressed further into the garden with the idea of having a face to face conversation with his now estranged created son and daughter. The Hebrew of this text suggests that God is persisting in His efforts, with the Spirit of God blowing away the path directly to fallen man. The Father ever sends forth His Spirit to engage the heart of sinners, and that initial pattern is what we see here. Genesis 3:8 depicts the man and his wife going into hiding and shame from God. Thus we see that it was not man who invented missions - but God. The Father's first missionary effort involved Himself seeking after a lost son - Adam. 

As one scan the remainder of the Old Testament, we can see this pattern time and time again of the Father initiating the effort to seek after those who are lost and whom He has set His affection. Abram was such a man in Genesis 12 whom God called out of Ur of the Chaldees. Though Abram was lost, an idolater and foreigner to the things of God (Joshua 24:1-2), yet God called Him forth out of darkness into light. Or how about Abraham's descendants some 430 years later. God called Moses to call them and lead them out of Egypt. After they left Egypt, God then gave instructions to Moses for the construction of the tabernacle. The Father desired to be in the midst of His people and thus tabernacled Himself in a tent. 

Is it no wonder that Jesus told the famous parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, featuring a father and not just one but ultimately two estranged sons. The Apostle Paul would later write in 2 Corinthians 5:18 "Now all these things are from God,who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." The Father's will and the Son's will are not at odds, but rather are in perfect unity. The origin of missions began with the Father. The Apostle Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." God as Father is the One who seeks after sinners. But notice secondly...

2. God speaks the Gospel. Genesis 3:15
Genesis 3:15 has been termed by some as the first mention of the Gospel or the "protoevangelium". It is the first time God sets forth the promises of a redeemer who will defeat Satan. The "seed" of the woman will defeat the Serpent. This Gospel was stated by God and is developed in progressive, revelatory detail throughout the Bible. The "seed" promised in Genesis 3:15 is reitterated in sharper detail to Abram in Genesis 12:7. Through His bloodline is promised an ultimate seed who will bless the nations. A millennia later the "seed promise" is even more specified to King David in 2 Samuel 7:13-16 by means of the Davidic Covenant. Jesus of course is the fulfillment of both covenants in a specific sense as traced out in the opening genealogy of Matthew 1:1-17. Whenever we read 2 Corinthians 5:19, we discover God the Father making his appeal through the church: "namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation." So God as Father seeks after sinners and speaks the Gospel. Now notice the third pattern of God's invention of missions in Genesis 3:8-21...

3. God sends grace. Genesis 3:16-20
What is grace? Grace is God doing for us what we could never do for ourselves. In Genesis 3:16-19 we see how utterly helpless man is in repairing the covenant of works that was broken. God had issued forth commands to the man and his wife, and they chose not to heed that original covenant. Thus the man and his wife were naked both physically and spiritually before God. When Adam calls his wife "Eve" in Genesis 3:20, that is his "confession of faith" with regards to her role as a life giver. Adam had heard the first mention of the Gospel and God's promise to Eve in Genesis 3:15. 

The terms by which God chose to deal with man was going to be grace alone. No effort of man would be adequate to bridge the infinite chasm between himself and Holy God. Thus the salvation needed by man needed to come from God. God's dealings with man had always been by grace, even prior to the fall. God revealed His word - an act of grace. God placed Adam and his wife in a lush garden - an act of grace. Despite their rebellion and well deserved penalty of death, God chose to extend grace by means of the Gospel and thus the official covenant of grace. Adam's response of faith was a product of God's graceful dealings. Salvation from Genesis 3:15 forward would be totally from God, by God and for God. 2 Corinthians 5:20 reminds Christians of their role in God's great mission - "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."
So God seeks sinners, speaks the gospel and sends grace. The pattern being almost complete requires one final element from God the Father on behalf of his estranged son and daughter, namely...

4. God supplies a substitute. Genesis 3:21
Genesis 3:20-21 records the first blood sacrifice in the Bible - "Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. 21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them." Unless innocent blood had been shed on behalf of the guilty, Adam and Eve would had to have borne the penalty due to them in the Garden. The resulting shedding of innocent blood and the covering of our original parents' nakedness provides a riveting picture and foreshadowing of what God had planned in the sending of His Son. 2 Corinthians 5:21 states - "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Other texts could be cited to demonstrate how God supplied the subsitute, Jesus Christ, on behalf of sinners. (John 3:16; 1 Peter 3:18 and many others)  

Closing thoughts
The point is clear, God the Father invented missions, as seen in the four following ways from Genesis 3:8-21

1. God seeks sinners. Genesis 3:8-14
2. God speaks the Gospel. Gen 3:15
3. God sends grace. Genesis 3:16-20
4. God supplies a substitute. Gen 3:21

The Bible's greatest missionary

IDENTIFYING THE BIBLE'S GREATEST MISSIONARY

As we consider today the greatest missionary in the Bible, we need to ask two questions: What is a missionary? Who is the greatest missionary in the Bible?

To answer the first question, a missionary is one who is sent to communicate a particular message to a particular people on behalf of the God of the Bible.  The word “mission” itself comes from a Latin word “missio”, which in its most ancient meaning referred to artillery that was “shot out” to a given target. Thus in the Old Testament, oftentimes the prophets were the ones sent by God to speak forth the message of salvation and repentance to the people. The term "prophet" in the original Hebrew refers to one "bearing forth" a message. In the New Testament, the original twelve disciples came to be called "the apostles" or the "sent ones" as the word translates from the Greek. These "Apostles of Christ" were directly called by Jesus, had witnessed His earthly ministry and post-resurrection appearances and did miracles in His name. (2 Corinthians 12:12) Though "Apostles of Christ" were a restricted group including the twelve and the Apostle Paul, another class of "sent ones" were called "Apostles of the church" and correspond to missionaries today who are laying new ground and expanding the frontiers of the Gospel. (see 2 Corinthians 8:23)

With regards to the second question: Who is the greatest missionary recorded in the Bible?  some may say the Apostle Paul, who wrote two thirds of the New Testament. Paul was declared to be the “Apostle” or “Missionary“ to the Gentiles (that is, the non-Jewish Nations).  Others may try to argue for the Apostle Peter, since he preceeded Paul's ministry and dominates the first 12 chapters of the Book of Acts and was the inaugural preacher on the day of Pentecost. Peter's sermon resulted in the salvation of 3,000 souls, so surely he would qualify. Still others may name a prophet like Moses, who was “sent” to the Jewish people in Bondage in Egypt. God used Moses to proclaim the Gospel to them, and by God's power Moses divided the Red Sea and the Children of Israel walked across on dry ground.

Though these are good suggestions, they are not even close.  The greatest missionary in the Bible is none other than God Himself. 

GOD'S FIRST MISSION

The first mention of missions in the Bible is found in Genesis 3:8-21.  The circumstances in the text follow the great rebellion of Adam and Eve against God’s command to them to “not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil”.  This command is the foundation behind what Bible teachers call “The Covenant of works”.  It was an arrangement given by God to man whereby Divine blessing and eternal benefits would be granted conditioned upon man’s obedience.  If Adam and Eve would had fulfilled the Covenant of works, they could had eaten from the tree of life, and entered into eternal communion with God.  Instead they chose to heed the voice of the serpent, and the Covenant of works was broken.

What was needed was another covenant, another arrangement.  God would have to be the one to do the work.  Man would never and could never attain right relationship with God through obedience.  It was going to have to be a covenant of grace, whereby God would extend Himself to man, with man receiving such grace by faith alone.  It is in this context we find God, the great missionary pursuing man.  Below is a brief outline of what God did, and is still doing today in His great missionary activity in this world.  Genesis 3:8-21 provides the seeds for understanding the missionary activity of God throughout the rest of scripture. 

SO HOW IS GOD THE GREAT MISSIONARY?

1. God seeks after the sinner Genesis 3:8-14

Notice how the man and the woman hide from God.  God is the one calling after them.  God is the One who comes down to them.  They are lost, needing to be found. Man blames God.  Man has no interest in reconciling with God.  He is content to remain where He is.  God is the one needing to affect the reconciliation

2. God states salvation to the sinner  Genesis 3:15

This verse is the first verse we see referring to God’s promises of a Redeemer.  “The Seed” is a term that when traced throughout the scriptures, leads to Jesus Christ. Genesis 3:15 also points to the great conflict between the people of God saved by Grace alone through faith alone and those who persist in their rebellion and unbelief.

The salvation that begun in a garden would find its resolution in another Garden, the Garden of Gethsemene.  In the first Garden Old Adam failed and refused to allign with God's will.  At Gethsemene the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, alligned his human will with the Father's Divine will and agreed to pay for our salvation.

3. God sends Grace to open the sinner’s eyes Genesis 3:20

Adam calls his wife “Eve”, the mother of living, in response to the promise given through her in Genesis 3:15.  This is what I term his confession of faith

The Bible is pretty clear that faith is a gift given by God, whereby we are set free to freely trust in Christ and confess with our mouth Jesus is Lord (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9)

4. God supplies a Substitute to die in the sinner’s place  Genesis 3:21

God provided coats of skins from two animals He killed in place of Adam and Eve.  This sets the pattern of the innocent dying for the guilty and the blood being the payment in appeasing the wrath of Holy God.  God’s clothing of Adam and Eve meant He reckoned to them the fitness to be in His presence due to the innocent life of those slain in their place.  This is what we called “imputed righteousness”.  This is the cornerstone of salvation.  God’s declaration of this truth over us the moment we believe is what is termed “Justification by Faith”.

As we close out this post today, let us say: "Thank you Lord for being the Great Missionary!"

The belt of truth & breastplate of righteousness

Ephesians 6:14 "Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness."

Introduction:
In our last post, we completed our study of the four kinds of righteousness spelled out in the Bible. To review, let the reader be reminded of what those are:
1. God's righteousness
2. Christ's righteousness
3. Credited righteousness
4. Practical righteousness

As we labored to explain these major types of righteousness in the scriptures, we discovered that the first two are absolute and belong to God and then specifically to the Lord Jesus Christ. These first two types of righteousness (which in all reality are equal) is the only type of righteousness deemed acceptable by God. For the Christian, unless they have by faith received the righteousness of Jesus Christ (as so credited or imputed unto them by the Father), no other righteousness (self-righteousness, works-righteousness) will be adequate. We then concluded the series by noting that practical righteousness is the Christian's daily Christian life flowing from Christ's righteousness that was credited unto them in salvation. 

Understanding such truths aid us in in heeding the command to "put on the full armor of God". The spiritual armaments listed in Ephesians 6:10-18 would had corresponded to the accoutrements worn by Roman soldiers. The aim of today's post is to unpack the meanings of two of them: "the belt of truth" and "the breast plate of righteousness". 

What is meant by the "belt of truth"
The phrase "belt of truth" corresponded to the piece of the soldier's equipment that held everything together, which could also be termed a "girdle". Adam Clarke notes in his commentary: "The girdle went to the loins and served to brace the armor tight to the body, and to support daggers, short swords and such like weapons which were frequently stuck in it." 

Christians need to be those who are all about the truth. Whenever we study the necessity of truth in the scriptures, we discover the following:

1. Truth is the priority of the Christian
-Priority in conversion 2 Thess 2:13; Jas 1:18;

-Priority to our walk 2 Peter 1:12; 1 John 2:27;

-Priority for our joy 2 John 4; 3 John 3

2. Truth personified by Jesus
-Isaiah 11:5; John 1:18; John 14:6

3. Truth promotes spiritual health
-Lk 12:35; 2 Cor 6:7; Eph 5:6-9; 1 Pt 1:13-15

So that's the belt of truth. Now let's consider the second piece of the spiritual armor - "the breast plate of righteousness".

What is meant by the breast plate of righteousness?

As we mentioned earlier in this post, Paul's metaphor of the spiritual armor corresponded to Roman armament. Other sources of antiquity describe what a Roman soldier would had worn in terms of a "breast plate". The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia, Volume 1, Page 320, has this to say about Ephesians 6:10-18 and the ancient literary evidence that would had been available from the Greco-Roman world:

"Polybius (6,22 and 23) describes the Roman soldier as wearing such a helmet, a breastplate of brass or chain mail (lorica) to cover especially the heart and greaves; and as carrying a javelin, a sword hanging from the right side of the waist, and a shield, either one circular or one about two and a half feet by four feet in length. This description compares favorably with Paul's metaphorical statement (Ephesians 6:14-17) about the Christian armor...".

In thinking back once more on our previous lessons on righteousness, the question is: which type of righteousness composes the breastplate of righteousness? Truly just as the literal breastplate served to guard the soldiers heart, lungs and vital organs, there needs to be a righteousness that can serve to guard the saints heart and vital faith. 

The only type of righteousness that can perform such a function is that righteousness credited to the believer in salvation - namely Christ's righteousness. The New Geneva Study Bible has this insightful comment on this point: 

"Believers are protected by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them (Rom. 4:6–11; Phil. 3:9), and they can stand up to the accusations of the devil; devil in Greek means “slanderer” (Rom. 8:31–34). Simultaneously, Paul sees believers taking on the righteous character of Christ (4:25; 5:9), while their growing conformity to His image gives them confidence in resisting temptation."

Paul himself daily donned the breastplate of Christ's rightousness that had been imputed to him at salvation, as seen in Philippians 3:9 

"and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."

Closing thoughts

Today we considered the two pieces of the spiritual armor found in Ephesians 6:14 - the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. May we as Christians put on the whole armor of God and be all about the truth and ever in dependance upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ, our salvation.