The ‘teaching of one another’ need not come from “specialists”

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In Colossians 3:1-17 Paul talks about Body-of-Christ Ministry including teaching.  He talks to Christians about their new life in Christ, having a mind set on heavenly, not earthly things (a) because they are “in Christ,” so they need to starve to death their earthly behavior that is bringing God’s wrath on the world (b), because they have already “stripped off”  their “old (c) self” that had been motivating this fleshly behavior and that they had already put on (d) their completely different-in-kind “new self”, who is ongoingly ‘renovated, renewed, freshly strengthened’ to the extent (e) of [their] genuine, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge [that is] down-from/according-to the image of Him that create him (the new self). . . but Christ is all and in all . . . Therefore, definitively/wholly put on (f) then, as God’s chosen ones . . . [a list of godly traits within relationships] . . . and above all these unconditional-love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony, and/coupled let the relational peace of Christ rule in you-all’s hearts – to which you were called in one Body [to], and/coupled be thankful.”  So Paul went from individual to corporate behavior. <Notes> a) vv. 3:1-2, b) vv. 3:5-9, c) worn out, useless, d) like clothes, e) eis, f) Get those fresh clothes back on.

Now Paul expands on the “New” corporate “mindset” they should have:  “I strongly urge you to ongoingly let the logos gospel message of Christ dwell in/among you-all richly, by the means of all wisdom, routinely teaching and/coupled routinely admonishing (a) reciprocally one another in/by/with psalms (b), hymns, Spirit-kind-of odes (c) with unconditional-favor-of-grace (d) routinely singing/praising in/by/with your hearts to God, and/thus whatever you do, in logos message or deed, do everything in the name/authority of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father thru-the-realizing-channel-of Him (Christ).” The 2 “routinely teaching . . . admonishing” participle phrases describe “logos messages and deeds” that are to be done “routinely one to another reciprocally in Body-of-Christ Ministry so that teaching, encouraging, and music was to be equally shared!  <Notes> a) ‘placing in mind’ by warning through reason or instruction, b) psalmos: “hit, twanged, plucked, or twitched” out songs with/without singing, c) spontaneous hymns or psalms rather than pre-composed, d) here we are to be aware of/recognize “grace in/by/with your hearts,” and naturally our response would be thanksgiving expressed through “singing/praising in/by/with” those same “grateful hearts!”

In Ephesians 5:17-21 Paul similarly says:  “What the will of the Lord is  . . . instead routinely [passively] become filled (a) by the means of the Spirit (g), routinely conversationally speaking (b) to yourselves (reciprocally one another) by the means of psalms (c) and/coupled hymns (f) and/coupled Spirit-kind-of odes (d), routinely singing/praising and/coupled routinely psalming (g) in/by/with the hearts of yours in/by/with the Lord (Jesus), always routinely giving thanks in behalf of all things in/by/with the name/authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the God and Father, routinely submitting to (e) one another reciprocally, mutually in/by/with reverent awe of Christ.” Again note the “routinely” participles that pertain to Body-of-Christ ministry, all introduced by the main point of “routinely conversationally speaking to one another” – this absolutely is not a speaker-audience format!  Comparing it to Colossians 3:16-17 above, we know that “routinely conversationally speaking” includes “routinely teaching and admonishing.” <Notes> a) pleroo: completely to overflowing, b) laleo: conversational words emphasizing the social aspect, c) psalmos, psallo is the verb: “hit, twanged, plucked, or twitched” out songs with/without singing, d) a general word for song, instrumentally-accompanied or not, of any subject, but the ‘Spirit’ adjective narrows it to spontaneous praise, e) voluntarily subordinating, being subject to, f) acapella songs, g) see Spirit-Baptism.

We also see from 1 Corinthians 14:26 Paul says that: “When you ongoingly come together, each/every one (a) actually, presently has a psalm (b), a teaching (c), a revelation (from a prophecy), a tongue, or an interpretation.  Let all be done for building up.”  Earlier in v. 14:6 Paul says that “If I come to [plural] you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching (c)?”  He is describing what others should be bringing!  He explains in vv. 14:1-5 that “unless someone interprets” nobody is going to “understand him, because he utters mysteries by the Spirit.”  Interpretation is the only way to reveal “revelation . . . teaching,” but prophecy in a language people understands is more direct.  So you can see that in both cases many things were reciprocally shared one to another by ordinary saints, including teachings, who were “doing the work of the ministry” (d).  Again, this is all Body-of-Christ ministry, not a select few paid “pros” doing it for everybody else. <Notes> a) hekastos, b) psalmos, c) didache, d) Ephesians 4:12.

That’s what real fellowship (a) means:  sharing together your grace-gifts!  It’s sure rare to see this in a modern church service!  That’s because a few people “who think more highly of themselves than they ought” (b) are doing all or most of the “ministry” instead of simply being “equippers (h) of the saints for the work of the ministry” (c).  The Lord showed me that a key aspect of The Great Wall blocking or quenching the Holy Spirit and keeping the Church from revival is just this – the equippers think they are the ministers!  They are also unaware they contradict so many passages that speak of the equality of the Body’s members (d) and that God shows no favoritism or partiality (e).  Even the so-called “pillars of the Jerusalem church, who seemed to be influential (f) meant no difference at all” to Paul, for “God shows no favoritism or partiality” (g). <Notes> a) koinonia, b) Romans 12:3, c) Ephesians 4:12, d) Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, e) Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9, f) Peter, James, and John, g) Galatians 2:6-9, h) Coaches and Facilitators.

As Christian musicians, Body-Ministry doesn’t mean assigning 1 or a few hired or volunteer members to do the church services!  The verses about how the churches were to function when they “come together” all make it clear that it was an “each and every one of you” and “reciprocally one another” and koinonia sharing experience of ministry, which in no way would resemble most churches today with their stage-audience structure.  The problem started when the churches allowed “those who think more highly of themselves than they ought” to “hog the ball” or “where all the hats” and act as the “ministers doing the work of the ministry” when they were only part of the Body and at best simply “equipper” coaches and facilitators.  The result is the sin of showing partiality within the Body, especially by leaving out “the least among you.”

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