Churchwork
06-25-2006, 08:39 PM
There is much to be found in chapter 18 of Numbers. Here we shall deal with this matter of responsibility.
(1) The children of Israel bear their own sin (v.22).
(2) The Levites bear the iniquity of the sanctuary (v.1) as well as the iniquity of the tent of meeting (v.23).
(3) The priests bear the iniquity of the sanctuary with the Levites but also bear the iniquity of the priesthood (v.1).
God gives responsibility to each according to his position in His work. Today such position is not viewed through the eyes of the Church but viewed through the eyes of God. To those whom God judges to be more spiritual and talented He puts more responsibility upon their shoulders. For to whomever He gives more, of them He requires more (see Luke 12.48b).
Man’s position in the work is decided by his life. This is because God cannot and will not use an unholy person. He cannot use one who is not fully consecrated and is not obedient to His will. Whoever pleases Him in life He will use. He looks at what a person is, rather than at what a person does. The more humble one is at God’s feet, the more useful he is in His hand. God’s work is holy, therefore He requires a holy person to do it.
Man’s holiness is not derived from his own works but from his appropriation of the experience of the Lord as his own experience. The more he appropriates of Christ, the stronger his life becomes. To him who appropriates more of Christ, more responsibility in the work of the Lord is laid upon him. He who does not take Christ by faith is not able to do effective work for Him. How can he preach the word of salvation if he has not received Christ? Where does he obtain the grace to kneel before God and plead for men if not from Christ?
All who appropriate Christ as their sanctification are today’s Levites. All who are separated from the world unto God are qualified to be today’s Levites.
All who appropriate Christ and join with Him, drawing near to God through Him at all times and communing with God; all who, under whatever circumstance, wherever they are, and whoever they meet, are able to know the presence of God in faith and in experience; all who are always led by the Holy Spirit in receiving prayer burdens and faithfully executing them before God—they are the real priests of today.
God is now seeking for people whom He can use. How few there are! Shall we too fail God?
(1) The children of Israel bear their own sin (v.22).
(2) The Levites bear the iniquity of the sanctuary (v.1) as well as the iniquity of the tent of meeting (v.23).
(3) The priests bear the iniquity of the sanctuary with the Levites but also bear the iniquity of the priesthood (v.1).
God gives responsibility to each according to his position in His work. Today such position is not viewed through the eyes of the Church but viewed through the eyes of God. To those whom God judges to be more spiritual and talented He puts more responsibility upon their shoulders. For to whomever He gives more, of them He requires more (see Luke 12.48b).
Man’s position in the work is decided by his life. This is because God cannot and will not use an unholy person. He cannot use one who is not fully consecrated and is not obedient to His will. Whoever pleases Him in life He will use. He looks at what a person is, rather than at what a person does. The more humble one is at God’s feet, the more useful he is in His hand. God’s work is holy, therefore He requires a holy person to do it.
Man’s holiness is not derived from his own works but from his appropriation of the experience of the Lord as his own experience. The more he appropriates of Christ, the stronger his life becomes. To him who appropriates more of Christ, more responsibility in the work of the Lord is laid upon him. He who does not take Christ by faith is not able to do effective work for Him. How can he preach the word of salvation if he has not received Christ? Where does he obtain the grace to kneel before God and plead for men if not from Christ?
All who appropriate Christ as their sanctification are today’s Levites. All who are separated from the world unto God are qualified to be today’s Levites.
All who appropriate Christ and join with Him, drawing near to God through Him at all times and communing with God; all who, under whatever circumstance, wherever they are, and whoever they meet, are able to know the presence of God in faith and in experience; all who are always led by the Holy Spirit in receiving prayer burdens and faithfully executing them before God—they are the real priests of today.
God is now seeking for people whom He can use. How few there are! Shall we too fail God?