The Lord’s Work – Part 46

 

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The Lord’s Work – Part 46

The Lord’s Work – Part 46

1 Timothy 6:18  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

Galatians 6:6  Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

2 Corinthians 9:9-10  (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.  10  Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

Multiplying seed is in the Bible 7 other times.

Genesis 22:17  That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

Jeremiah 33:22  As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.

Each time seed is multiplied in the Bible, it is a reference to increasing the children of one person into many. Taking one person and turning his house into a great multitude.

So, if you give seed to the sower, what is the effect? It multiplies your seed. Multiplying seed is multiplying children. You increase your spiritual children. And when the sower, who is sowing the word of God, brings forth children, you do too. You take part in the ministry of the sower and will reap the rewards of the SPIRITUAL seed sown. Not the physical seed that YOU sow, rather YOUR spiritual seed that HE sows. HE is doing the true good work, he is the only one bringing forth spiritual fruit. And communicating carnal things to him, you partake in the harvest of the spiritual sower. But you have to draw the line between flesh and Spirit. He is doing the true good work, not you. But if you communicate to the sower… you partake in his spiritual ministration, and will reap his spiritual fruit with him… if so be, that that sower is bringing forth fruit – winning souls.

In both cases above, that SEED is Jesus. So what seed are we multiplying? The seed of Jesus Christ. The Lord’s children. Jesus is the seed. In preaching the gospel, we are sowing Jesus Christ.

Romans 15:16  That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

And not only is Jesus the seed, but Jesus Christ is the true Sower.

Matthew 13:37  He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

Jesus does the true good works. He ministers the true good things. And if we want spiritual fruit to abound to our account, we need to take part in His ministry. We need HIM to minister bread to us for our spiritual food. If you give your carnal things to Him, and to His ministers, He is able to sow spiritual things to you.

But remember that the carnal things are the figures, the patterns, the shadows, the images, the IDOLS, of the true. Don’t trust in the works of your hands. Don’t trust in giving carnal things. The unsaved can do those things. The unsaved can give carnal things. The unsaved can be righteous carnally. And that is exactly what they are trusting in.

Luke 18:9-14  And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.  11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  [If a man can give carnal things and receive eternal fruit in return, then this man was saved] 13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The Pharisee trusted in his own righteousness. He trusted in his giving of carnal things. But he wasn’t justified.

We need to trust in the sowing of the Lord’s things, not our own sowing of our own carnal things.

This Pharisee trusted in carnal things and carnal good works.  To trust in one’s own righteousness is to trust in one’s own riches.

Jeremiah 48:7  For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together.

1 Timothy 6:18  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

There is a very strong connection here between works and riches.

And for the self-righteous, their carnal works become their riches.

Remember the young rich man’s problem … Riches. But it wasn’t that he HAD riches. It was that he was trusting in his riches. But it wasn’t that he was trusting in his money. It was that he was trusting in carnal things! It wasn’t that he was obeying the law, it was that he trusting in his carnal works. And those two things (trusting in riches and trusting in good works) are the same problem.

Mark 10:23-27  And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!  24  And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!  25  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.  26  And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?  27  And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

When Jesus said, how hardly shall they that trust in riches … he was saying how hardly shall they that trust in CARNAL THINGS. This includes all carnal things, including carnal good works.

The rich in carnal things (those that trust in carnal good works) cannot be saved.

But the rich in spiritual things (those that trust in spiritual works only), can easily be saved.

To be saved spiritually you have to have NO riches, NO good works carnally. You cannot keep or save any good works (riches). If you do, you cannot be saved. Because if you have them, if you’ve not denied them all, given them all away, repented of them, then you’ll be trusting in them. And if you trust in carnal things… It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for you to enter into the kingdom of God.

And going back to the beginning of this topic, this is exactly why this is said by Paul to the church: that we even as saved Christians would remember to divide the carnal from the spiritual. That we would treasure the spiritual riches, and not trust in the carnal things.

1 Timothy 6:17-19  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;  18  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;  19  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Carnal things are not true riches. But God gives us the true riches.

Paul says this so we will be ready to give away the carnal things. And truthfully.. he says it that we be ready to distribute the true riches; the gospel.

That we be ready to communicate to the necessity of those doing the true spiritual good work. And truthfully, that we be ready to communicate spiritual things to the spiritual necessities of men.

Don’t trust in carnal riches, or in the giving of your carnal things – that is, your own righteousness!

Your riches are your righteousnesses, and the giving of your riches is your righteousness.

His riches are His righteousness and the giving of His righteousness is the true good work.

Because it is the spiritual things, the true things, the Lord’s things that HE gives richly. Those are what we ought to distribute and communicate, in order to lay up for ourselves an eternal good foundation.

But if we give carnally, The Lord is able to give to us spiritually. I believe this is what is being taught in Hebrews 13.

Hebrews 13:11-19  For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.  12  Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.  13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.  14  For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.  15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. [After he has made a difference: the true things are the spiritual things. After he has destroyed the carnal works… ] 16  But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.  17  Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.  18  Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.  19  But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

After he has demonstrated and hammered home the point that the true things are the spiritual things, and that it is by faith a man is justified (Heb. 11), and that the true fruit is spiritual fruit of our lips, the word of God, the wisdom of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the praise and thanksgiving to the Lord out of our mouths, the writer then says this: But, to do good and communicate forget not.

We ought to do good in the figure of the true as well as in the true.

We ought to communicate – to give to the necessity of the Saints.

We ought to obey and submit to those over us in the Lord… that we might profit.

We ought to pray for our spiritual rulers: the apostles, elders, bishops, deacons.

Communicate, obey, pray. If we will do good and communicate, and submit ourselves, and pray for our spiritual rulers, what will the Lord give us?

He will give THEM to us. Do this, that you might have an apostle, or a preacher given to you, that you might have a spiritual benefit!

2 Corinthians 1:15  And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;

I think this works similar to how Israel’s kingdom’s worked. If the people would fear the Lord, the king would too. Likewise, if the people seek the Lord and do right and give, obey the ministers, and pray for them, the Lord will give them a true minister.

If that’s true, there should be true ministers in every church, right? Unfortunately no. The problem is not just the ministers. The problem is also the people. The problem is, the people mostly just don’t want true ministers:

Jeremiah 5:31  The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

Mostly, people love the lies. They want their carnal good works to be counted good. They want to trust in their carnal riches (their good works, their charity, the works of their hands, their idols).

But I believe the way carnal giving works is that if you will give the carnal things to the Lord’s ministers with a sincere heart, not trusting your own righteousness, but waiting on the Lord for your food, the Lord will give you the spiritual things (true things) to receive.

I think this is the way it works. I believe this is what is being taught in 2 Corinthians 9 also.

2 Corinthians 9:1  For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

From which came this:

2 Corinthians 9:9-10  (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.  10  Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

2 Corinthians 9:7-8,11  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:  (…)  11  Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

In return for giving carnal things to the Saints, the Lord is able to (He can – and He will if your heart is spiritual and sincere) make grace abound towards you that you may have sufficiency (enough supply) in order to abound to (to be greatly supplied, even to overflow/pour out/distribute) every good work.

To those that give carnal things to God’s ministers, God is able to give them, supply them, with spiritual things, and the giving of the spiritual things is the true good work.

Cornelius – What did Cornelius get for all his working righteousness after the flesh? An opportunity to receive the spiritual things. He gave him a minister, and supplied him with something: words, whereby he would be saved.

2 Corinthians 9:12-14  For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;  13  Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;  14  And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.

Not only does carnal communication provide for the needs of the flesh of the Church, but when the brethren see it, they do two things, which results in spiritual fruit:

  • They glorify God and give thanks to Him. (Hebrew 13:15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.)
  • They pray for us, longing for us. (And God may answer that prayer, and though they be far, or in sickness, or in bonds, He may deliver the saints unto us to be comforted together over our mutual faith. A spiritual benefit for both us and them.)

These spiritual fruits are the true things that God desires. These are the true good works that He rewards. These are the true good things that we ought to be sufficient and bountiful in.

Isaiah 32:5  The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.

What the Lord gives we should be bountiful in. To be bountiful is to give liberally.

Proverbs 22:9  He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

We need to distribute and communicate the true things. The Lord’s bread.

But feed the brethren, clothe them, house them, bind up their wounds. Communicate with their afflictions, distribute to their necessities. Relieve their afflictions. Both in truth with the gospel and with your faith, and carnally in figure, with the things they need for their bodies, so they can keep preaching – doing the true good work. But divide the true from the figure of the true.