The Assembly – Diversity of Gift but Unity of Operation – Part 1

[All quotations are taken from the New King James Bible]

The New Testament pictures the church, not as a monarchy (with one person in charge), nor as a democracy (every sheep with an equal vote), nor as a pyramid-like hierarchy ruled by bishops and archbishops, but instead, as autonomous churches governed by a plurality of leaders (variously called elders, overseers, or shepherds) and an every-member ministry.

The New Testament picture of church life is not that of a cult (uniformity but little diversity), nor a multicultural society (lots of diversity but no shared unity). Instead, it involves unity and diversity. This unity and diversity is particularly connected in the New Testament with the use of spiritual gifts. Here we will look at three of the four passages that deal with this topic.

Romans: mutual acceptance

The Epistle to the Romans has been called ‘the cathedral of the Christian faith’,¹ and ‘the most profound book in existence’.² It is the first of the New Testament letters, both in place and importance. In it, the apostle sets forth in systematic fashion the doctrinal truths of the gospel: Gentiles and Jews have all sinned, and justification by God’s grace through the redemption in Christ is available to all who believe in Him.

Yet Romans is motivated by practical concerns too, one of which is unity among Jewish and Gentile believers. Paul writes this letter as he sets out on his journey to Jerusalem with a gift for the poor saints there, Rom. 15. 25. His hope is that this demonstration of Gentile generosity will bind the Jewish and Gentile wings of the church together. Chapters 9 to 11 also speak to this problem, showing that God has not abandoned the nation of Israel, for one day ‘all Israel will be saved’, 11. 26. Gentile believers should not boast against Israel in its present unbelief, nor should Jewish believers give up hope for their nation.

The same message of acceptance, despite differences, is seen in the last main section of Romans chapters 12 to 16. In chapters 14 and 15, Paul writes about Christians who have differences of opinion. Some ate meat whereas others only ate vegetables; one person felt that certain days were special, but others considered every day alike. Paul tells these strong brothers (who felt they had liberty in such disputed matters) and weak brothers (who were more strict) that they must accept one another without judging or despising each other, because Christ died for both. We should ‘receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things’, 14. 1; we should ‘receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God’, 15. 7.

Romans chapter 12 commences this last section of the letter by highlighting the attitudes required for believers to live in unity. In view of the mercies of God, we should offer our bodies as living sacrifices for God, our ‘reasonable service’, v. 1. This service is characterized by humility that produces unity, vv. 3-5. Paul uses the metaphor of the body with many members and goes on to speak of the diversity of our spiritual gifts, vv. 6-8. A lifestyle of humble service should also be seen in living wholeheartedly for God, vv. 9-13, and in selflessness, vv. 14-21. Paul’s treatment of spiritual gifts in this passage emphasizes the fact that each one has a gift, and that a wide variety of different gifts exists: prophecy, ministry (serving), teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and showing mercy.

D. Barnhouse writes, ‘A great error in our modern way of doing things is to expect one man to possess all the gifts for leadership. Thus, a church may have several hundred members but only one pastor. He is supposed to be able to preach, comfort, and so on. In fact, of the eight gifts mentioned in our text (Rom. 12. 6-8) seven are usually considered to be the function of the ordained minister, while the eighth is the function of the congregation. And what one gift is left to the congregation? It is that of paying the bills. Something is out of order here. Someone may ask if I am suggesting that laymen should preach. Without question, when a layman has a grasp of the Scriptures he should exercise his gift and preach at every opportunity. The growth of laymen’s movements is significant and is a step in the right direction -back to the New Testament way of doing things’.³

The message of mutual acceptance, despite our differences in gifts, nationality, or opinions on secondary matters, has been summed up in the saying, ‘In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity’.⁴

Ephesians 4: mutual edification

Unity and diversity is also one of the main themes of Ephesians. The apostle is concerned that Jews and Gentiles, who have both been brought near to God by the blood of Christ, 2. 13, should live together in unity in the church.

Ephesians shows us that our unity and diversity as believers is based on the same unity and diversity in the Godhead. Thus, in Ephesians chapter 1 verses 3 to 6, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing by God the Father, while verses 7 to 12 teach that the blessings of redemption, forgiveness, and an inheritance are ‘in Christ’, and these blessings are applied through the work of the Spirit, vv. 13, 14. Paul’s great prayers in the Epistle are also both Trinitarian, particularly in Ephesians chapter 3 verses 14 to 19, where Paul prays that they might be ‘strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith … that you may be filled with all the fullness of God’.

The importance of unity despite our diverse spiritual gifts is seen in chapter 4 verses 1 to 16, the first matter to be dealt with in the practical section of the letter. These verses balance ‘the unity of the Spirit’ (‘one body . . . one Spirit . . . one hope . . . one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all’, vv. 4-6), with every-member gifting, ‘but to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift’, v. 7. In verse 11, five important gifts are listed - apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Then, seven purpose statements follow, starting in verse 12 with ‘for the equipping [or perfecting] of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ’, and culminating in verse 16 with ‘according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love’.

Traditional interpreters have taken verse 12 (‘perfecting the saints’, etc.) to refer to the work of the ordained clergy, while others more recently see in it the church leader as a spiritual ‘coach’ who equips the saints (principally by his exposition of scripture on Sundays), leaving the saints in turn to do the more humdrum work of ministry. However, this passage does not demarcate a division of labour between the clergy who preach and the laity who do the rest. Instead, it balances the two truths that all God’s people are to use their spiritual gifts to mutually edify the body, yet there are also some spiritual gifts (those listed in verse 11) which are more important in the building-up of the church. The church is to be a collaborative unity, with all involved in full-time Christian service.

J. Stott writes, ‘What model of the church, then, should we keep in our minds? The traditional model is that of the pyramid, with the pastor perched precariously on its pinnacle, like a little pope in his own church, while the laity are arrayed beneath him in serried ranks of inferiority. It is a totally unbiblical image, because the New Testament envisages not a single pastor with a docile flock but both a plural oversight and an every-member ministry’.⁵

1 Peter 4: mutual encouragement

Peter draws a contrast between the Christian’s former behaviour among the pagans with life in the new Christian community. The Christian should no longer ‘live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God’, v. 2. Instead of ‘doing the will of the Gentiles’, v. 3, by living in debauchery, the believer is instead encouraged to ‘have fervent love for one another’, v. 8, ‘be hospitable to one another’, v. 9, and minister spiritual gifts to one another, v. 10. Having left the world behind, the Christian enjoys fellowship in a new spiritual family. The ‘one another’ commands emphasize the New Testament’s message of mutual encouragement, for despite our many differences we all need each other.

Peter envisages a mutual encouragement society. His picture of an ideal church involves every member no longer thinking of themselves but using their spiritual gifts to serve one another, loving fervently, and showing hospitality much like the early church, Acts 2. 44-46.

Peter reinforces the truth taught elsewhere in the New Testament that each believer has received a gift by which we may serve others, ‘as each one has received a gift, minister it to one another’, v. 10. Here there are two broad types of gifts - speaking and serving gifts, ‘If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers [i.e., serves], let him do it as with the ability which God supplies’, v. 11.

S. Short wrote, ‘This verse [1 Peter 4. 10] is one of several which emphasizes that there was a pronounced element of mutuality in the preaching within the New Testament churches; in other words, that there was no “one way traffic” here (as with a ‘pastor’ addressing his congregation), but a “two way traffic”. What the Bible shows is that in the churches of the Apostolic period, the Christians admonished one another, taught one another, edified one another, exhorted one another, and ministered to one another’.⁶

Those with serving gifts are encouraged to use them with all the strength which God supplies. Not everyone has a speaking gift, and (thankfully) people who do not have the gift of teaching usually steer clear of trying to exercise a gift they do not possess. However, this passage does not try to exclude people from speaking, either by insisting that preachers must be appointed or ordained or have some educational qualification. After all, who would have thought that a fisherman like Peter would become the chief public spokesman for the Messiah? There are times and occasions when we must all speak up for Christ.

How does the New Testament describe the use of these diverse spiritual gifts in the church gatherings? We will see in the next article.