That Jesus Calls Friend

And He (Jesus Christ) Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head–Christ– from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:7-16).

In the body of Christ there is an order of service, an order of serving. The order of serving is apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastors and teachers. And to help us serve, God has given gifts according to our service.

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 all 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 healing 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 (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).

We are to all to grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus was the greatest servant that ever walked this earth in the form of a man, we are called to be servants. “Do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:8-12).

We are all servants, that Jesus calls friends (see John 15:15), and the whole body is joined and held together by what every part supplies, according to the useful working by which each part does its part. We are all responsible for the growth of the body of Christ. We all are to come to the oneness of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God. Jesus Christ is our teacher (and the Word of God (see John 1:1)) and He teaches through the Holy Spirit. “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26) and “For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12:12). As ministers of God, we cannot give understanding – understanding is from God through the Holy Spirit; nor do we have understanding if it is not given to us from God. One is our Teacher, the Christ, and we are all brethren. We are all servants, that Jesus calls friends.

We are to speak the truth in love. Where does the truth come from? Would you say God (Father, Son, and Spirit)? Is not the one we call Jesus Christ the Word of God? “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things” (John 14:26). One is your Teacher, the Christ (see Matthew 23:8). Then it is the Christ that teaches us through the Holy Spirit. If we are to speak truth, we need to hear the Holy Spirit and speak from the Holy Spirit. By speaking the truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him. It isn’t about what we know, but that we listen to God and obey the voice of God (“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4b)) and speak the truth.

It is not a hard thing to know, but it is to practice. The urge to control is sometimes greater than the urge to serve. It is sometimes more desirable to say, “You must hear me and obey me and I’ll tell you what God wants you to do,” than it is to say, “The Holy Spirit will teach you.” But the Lord our God said, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things” (John 14:26). It is not about the “I” or the “me” it is about being what God is within us – it is to be what God has called us to be. We are all called to be servants, that Jesus calls friends.

© 2004, 2017 Tim D. Coulter Sr.