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Israel "accepted" (Exodus 19:6, 8).
That "marriage covenant" also set
up the kingdom of Israel as one of
earth's nat ions.
The New Covenant also will be a
MARRIAGE covenant marrying the
Church, then changed to spi rit im–
mortality, to Christ. But that cove–
nant
also
will set up the
K1
GDOM OF
Goo, ruling all nations with the GOV–
ERNMENT OF Goo.
The Old Covenant was made with
a carnal-minded people on their
I'ROMISE to obey. The New Covenant
will be made with a Spirit-begotten
and Spirit-born people who have AL–
READY PROVEO THEIR OBEDIENCE!
Modern Facilities for
Mass Communication Today
The Church members, as a whole,
are not called to "Go FORTH" with
the gospel message, but to back up.
help, support the apostle in carrying
the message into all the world.
1
mentioned that one apostle to–
day. with modero faci lities for mass
communication- the printing press,
radio, television, even the telephone
by which one may reach another in
any part of the world in a matter of
minutes or less- can reach more
people by far than all of the fi rst
century apostles combined.
But this use of modern facili ties in
our day necessitates a considerable
organization of people in various ad–
ministrative capacities, besides evan–
gelists. pastors and assistants, elders,
deacons and deaconesses in local
churches worldwide.
In Jesus' parable of the talents
(Matthew
25),
He pictured Himself
as giving talents to various ones left
hereon earth while He was in heaven.
"And unto one he gave five talents,
to another two, and lo anolher one; lo
every man according to his severa!
abi lity ..." (verse
15).
These "tal–
ents"- pieces of money- symbolized
spirilual gifts and
a
measure of the
Holy Spirit given each. He gave ac–
cording to the natural ability of
each.
The twelfth chapter of 1 Corin–
thians reveals that there are various
o ffi ces of administration in the
Church- and that God gives various
spiritual gifts for those various func–
tions. The SAME PRINCIPLE holds.
since God is consislent and never
changes. He
gives,
through the Holy
The
PLAIN TAUTH August 1979
Spirit, special abilities, according to
one's own natural abilities.
1
have often talked about "fitting
lhe square peg into the round hole"
to illust rate human failure because so
many are NOT doing what by natural
ability they are fitted todo.
"Now there are diversities of gifts,
but the same Spirit"
( 1
Corinthians
12:4).
All these various
special
tal–
ents, abilit ies or aptitudes, though
severa!, are all given by the same
Holy Spirit.
"And there are differences of ad–
ministrations, but the same Lord .
And there are diversities of opera–
tions, but it is the same God which
worketh all in all" (verses
5-6).
lt is
Goo working
in us.
" But all these worketh that one
and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to
every ma n severally as he will. For as
the body is
o
' E,
and hath many
members, and all the members of
that one body, being many, are ONE
soov: so also is Christ. For by one
Spirit are we all baptized into ONE
uoov ..."(verses
11 -13).
"And now are they many mem–
bers, yet BUT ONE BODY" (verse
20).
What about those who follow a
MA , outside that ONE soov? God
says we are not to follow aMAN. Paul
said lhat "of your own selves shall
men ar ise .. . to draw away disciples
after them" (Acts
20:30).
The apostkPaul had
LO
correct the
Corinthian church because they were
following individual MEN: "Now
1
be–
seech you, brethren, by the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all
spea k the same thing ..." - and
where
did the Church receive thal
one
same thing
they were all to be–
lieve? From THI: APOSTLES! And the
apostles received it from CHRIST.
And Jesus Christ rcceived it from
Gor> the Father! Continue: " ... that
there be
no dtvisions among you;
but
that ye
be·perfectly joined together
in the
same mind
and in the same
judgment''
(1
Corinthians
1:10).
The apost le reproved them, saying,
" ... there are contentions among
you" (verse 11).
.
"Now this 1 say, that every one of
you saith ,
!
am of Paul; and 1 of
Apollos; and
!
of Cephas; and 1 of
Christ" (verse
12).
CIIRIST is NOT
divided (verse 13). o
(To Be Continued)