We can say from Ephesians 4:11-12 that the whole point of having apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers is to support you and teach you, that is, be a servant to you (not vice versa), so that you can come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of the Most High.
Lessons from the book of 1 Corinthians — Did God appoint a hierarchy in the religious system/church?
1 Corinthians chapter 12 is always used by churches in conjunction with Ephesians chapter 4 to promote and make the church members believe that God ordained a hierarchy of rulership in the church.
Let us read 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verses 1 to 31 (New King James Version) and see what is actually being said here:
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.
Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works in all.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
For in fact the body is not one member but many.
If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
- To be Continued
Compiled by Bro. Samarpan, Mumbai