The Holy Spirit by John Orr Corliss

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 31, 1910

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 21.

The Holy Spirit

By John Orr Corliss

By John Orr Corliss

VII. The Work of Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers

No needless gift of God’s Spirit has ever been conferred upon men; nor has one been given that did not have a definite mission in God’s system of government. While there are “diversities of gifts,” and “diversities of operations” of these different gifts, distributed among men as God wills (1 Cor. 12: 4, 5, 11), yet these various talents and operations must, if they do a perfect work for men, and without confusion, have each a distinct place to fill, and work harmoniously side by side, without overlapping the functions of any other gift.

A Variety of Gifts among Many

A moment’s reflection will show this conclusion to be correct; else why are these gifts divided among men? In other words, why not have one broad, strong gift, compassing every need of man, and have this administered through a single individual in the church? The reason why this could not be best, is quite clear. In such case, but one person would be looked to for direction; and that one, if swayed by human bias, as might be possible, would lead the entire church astray. Besides, the homage offered such a person would be possible idolatry. But by distributing the gifts freely, this danger was more likely to be averted.

Then again, by such discreet arrangement, the gift of wisdom would not so likely be counteracted by the gift of miracle working; or the gift of spirit discerning, by the gift of tongues; and so on through the entire list. It was therefore made apparent that each gift of the Spirit was of so great importance as to require the undivided attention of the receiver. So in the apportionment of His gifts when Christ “ascended up on high,” among other endowments imparted, He gave “some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.” Eph. 4: 11.

Before noting the order of these gifts, and the duties belonging to each, we will do well to inquire the object of their bestowal. We are distinctly told that the purpose was for “the perfecting [complete adjustment] of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying [building up] of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect [complete] man, unto the measure of the stature [greatness] of the fulness of Christ.”

What a remarkable work to be consummated! These gifts provide that men may be taken in all their native defects, and so taught and ministered to as to raise them to a full knowledge of Christ, even unto the measure of His infinite greatness. Surely no natural gift in man is sufficient for such a standard of acquirement, since to the natural mind these things can not be known, being accounted by it as folly. 1 Cor. 2:14. This uplifting power, then, belongs alone to God. But to link man with Himself in the elevation of the fallen race, God endows the human agent with the faculty of receiving the knowledge needed.

Evangelists

For this reason Christ bestows spiritual gifts upon men. Some He makes evangelists; that is, “bearers of good tidings” from heaven to earth. Such are preachers of the Gospel of Christ,—the saving mercy of Jehovah; in fact the word signifying to “preach,” in most New Testament texts is from the same original as “evangelist.” In some cases, however, a varying primitive word occurs; but it conveys the same idea, with the additional sense of proclaiming the Gospel as a herald, or forerunner, as tho the preacher were but an advance agent of the Master’s appearance and power.

The word “evangelist” occurs but once in the English text in connection with persuasive discourse; and that is where Paul exhorts Timothy to “endure afflictions,” to “do the work of an evangelist,” and to “make full proof” of his ministry. 2 Tim. 4: 5. From this and preceding texts it would appear that such a work properly performed, calls for courage and wisdom to withstand opposition; it is also evident that if one fail in doing this, success in the ministry will not be apparent.

The evangelist is called to stand before men morally blind, and so to minister as to “open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins.” Acts 26: 18. Thus to enter the realm of Satan, for the purpose of

turning souls from his service to do homage to the King of heaven, can not fail to bring the wrath of God’s enemy upon him. He has, however, the blessed assurance in his commission that Christ will be and is with him in all his labors. In case he cherishes this promise, he may know that even bonds and afflictions await him everywhere; yet with one of old he may say, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy.” Acts 20: 24.

Pastors

Endowed with such a gift, one need not languish for opportunity in the line of work assigned him by the Spirit. He may safely leave the labors of a pastor, to be cared for by one who has been called to that work by the gift of the Spirit. Having proved his calling in that branch of the ministry which leads one out into pioneer work, let those who have responded to the call of repentance be left with a pastor—a “shepherd,” or “feeder”—of the gathered flock. Pastoral work is a distinct calling, requiring a special gift of the Spirit to perform. It is not done amid the storm of opposition met by the evangelist, and the talent required for it is not adapted to breaking up the fallow ground of the unregenerate heart. The pastor’s gift should not lap over onto the gift of the evangelist, nor the gift of the evangelist too far over that of the pastor.

The pastor’s study is to feed the flock; not simply to preach an occasional discourse to them, but to lead them into nourishing pasture “beside the still waters.” As expressed in the original text in the Saviour’s charge to Peter, “Shepherd My sheep.” John 21: 17. Properly to feed the Lord’s sheep, is to lead them,—go before them in the way,—to the “comely place” of the “beautiful Shepherd,” where they may “go in and out, and find pasture.”

Teachers

The gift of teaching embraces the art of “nurturing” as of a child. This thought is suggested by the words of Paul to the Roman brethren, when referring to their supposed ability to be “teachers of babes.” Rom. 2: 20. This is in contrast with the statement in 1 Cor. 4: 15, wherein the apostle said that tho the church at Corinth had “ten thousand instructors in Christ,” yet he alone was their father in the Gospel. The word here rendered “instructor” comes from paidagogos, and means a “child conductor,” or one who attends the child to and from school with a rod of instruction. But as a father, Paul nurtured the church; that is, taught its members by personal contact, as a parent teaches his child. Persons taught the principles of the Gospel after this method, grow up stronger, and more loyal followers of Christ, than those educated simply by pulpit utterances. This, however, is a spiritual gift that not even all pastors possess, but must be in addition to the natural gift if the flock of God attains the highest efficiency.