The work of the ministry is labor. It does not get done by lazy people. There is a work to be done and it must get done. Your pastor is not to engage in this labor alone. The work is best done with other believers and that includes you. We accomplish far more together than we do on our own. 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 tells us that we are 1) laborers, 2) to be laboring together, and 3) to be laboring together with God. We need to be in line with what God is doing when we labor. We need to know the will of God for this age and since God is in us, He is doing the work through us (Col 1:27; 2 Cor 6:1).
Does your pastor, priest, or preacher do the labor necessary, as defined within the Bible? Is your pastor co-laboring with God, doing the work of the ministry God’s way? For example:
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Rom 16:25
This verse, Romans 16:25, is in your Bible. Does this verse describe what it is that your pastor does on Sunday mornings?
God does not care about our thoughts and opinions about His work. God reveals in His word what the work is and He wants us to get in line with that. The work of the ministry today is exactly what it was when the apostle Paul was doing it and it has been defined for us within the word of God.
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Eph 3:9
Do you know what the fellowship of the mystery is? Is your pastor laboring weekly to make you and others see what the fellowship of the mystery is?
The work of the ministry begins with getting people saved. That is evangelism and that is the spreading of the gospel that saves today (1 Cor 15:1-4). Once that is accomplished, the work of the ministry then means bringing those evangelized people to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4). Those who get saved need to be rooted in the Word and they need to be built up (Col 2:6-7). They are to be built up in Christ, in the knowledge of God, and who they are in Him.
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1 Cor 2:7
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
1 Cor 4:1-2
Does your pastor speak the wisdom of God in a mystery? Do you hear that terminology on Sunday mornings? Do you, your pastor, and the leadership team of your local church consider yourselves to be stewards of the mysteries of God? These verses are in your Bible. Are you familiar with them? If not, is your pastor effectually laboring for and with the Lord and what He is doing today?
The Bible tells us that the apostle Paul was as a wise master-builder, he was like an architect and he laid the foundation with a blueprint, so to speak, for the spiritual temple that God is building today:
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Cor 3:10-11
The Bible teaches that God used Paul to be His spokesman for the dispensation of the grace of God just as He used Moses to be His spokesman for the dispensation of the Law (Eph 3:1-12). Unfortunately, many a pastor is building upon the wrong foundation today. Though sincere, most are preaching Christ according to Prophecy, attempting to “advance the Kingdom,” and are primarily following and teaching the doctrine found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They are thus building on the wrong foundation with the wrong plans and the result is your not being familiar with the work that God is doing today.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1 Cor 3:12-15
The issue at the Judgment Seat of Christ, which the verses above discuss, will be the quality of every man’s work. Notice within the verses above that the word is “work,” singular, not “works,” plural. So what is the “work” that you, I, and your pastor are to be engaging in?
We are to do the work of the ministry according to the doctrine that God has defined for us today.
Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
1 Cor 9:1
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
1 Thes 2:19
The apostle Paul emphasized “every man’s work” within 1 Cor 3:12-15 and the two verses above tell us that that work refers to the people that you, I, and your pastor minister to. The work of the ministry is what we need to be in line with. Your pastor needs to reach people, but he needs to reach people God’s way.
For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
Titus 1:7
If your pastor is not a steward of the mysteries given to the apostle Paul for the body of Christ (1 Cor 2:7-8; 4:1-2), preaching Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery (Rom 16:25) and teaching Paul’s doctrine (1 Tim 6:3-5), then he is not a true minister of Christ and we are actually instructed to mark and avoid him (Rom 16:17) since his doctrine is counter to what it is that God is doing today (1 Tim 1:3; 4:16; Titus 1:9).
If your pastor considers himself to be a steward of God, can he tell you what the mysteries of God are (1 Cor 4:1-2)? Does he understand what the mystery of the faith is and is he teaching it to others?
Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
1 Tim 3:8-9
The question that each of us needs to ask is, “what is God doing today?” Once we properly understand the correct answer to that question, we then need to ask whether or not we are in line with that. Your pastor, as a steward of God, needs to be in line with that. The perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry can only be accomplished through your pastor providing those saints correct doctrine:
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:11-13
How one serves God is based upon their doctrine. If one has wrong doctrine, they will have wrong service in the eyes of God. If one believes wrong, they will behave wrong. If one believes right, they will behave right. The Church is to be the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim 3:15). We must have right doctrine in order for that to be true. We can only be used for the work of the ministry when our doctrine is correct.
The doctrine for us today includes “the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery,” “making all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,” “speaking the wisdom of God in a mystery,” and being “stewards of the mysteries of God.” If that does not describe your pastor, if that is not what you are hearing on Sunday mornings, if that does not describe your pastor’s ministry for and with the Lord, then this website is for you and you are in need of continuing forward with the articles that will follow.
Thank you for this. I have yet to find a church that does this and am trying to talk with others about seeing right division. I am very discouraged but am praying and continuing my study of the word and bringing up questions. Unfortunately churches that I have talked to continue to hold onto traditions of men. I know they will be judged more harshly. Sadly as well, people do not want to be like Bereans and search themselves. We are indeed getting closer to end times. Please pray for me and my family as I am trying to reveal to them this truth as well.
Thank you for sharing your experiences, William.
I have lived and I am living everything you have described. You are not alone. “Right Division” is a lonely road and that is just how our chief enemy wants it to be. You’ve seen the truth. You’ve come to recognize correctly what it is that the Bible teaches. That can only be accomplished through the Holy Spirit, His illuminating of Scripture, and through prayer. So with your family, take it slow and methodical and always lead out with prayer. I’ll be joining you in that.
WWURD.com is here to help. I pray that your family members will find a resource or two on the site quite beneficial to their understanding of Scripture.
Praying,
-Paul