EVERY ONE TO HIS OWN WORK.
The endowment of two men by the Holy Spirit for service does not always mean that they are to do the same work, or to do a like work in the same way. Failing to understand this fact has been the cause of much, if not all, the friction and division and factional bickering that ever has come in to distract the influence and hinder the work of the church. Failing to grasp this fact caused division in the Corinthian church, when one said, “I am of Paul;” another said, “I am of Apollos;” another claimed to be “of Cephas,” and still another “of Christ.” Now all these instrumentalities were endued by the same Spirit, and called to the same general work. But each one’s manner of work differed from the others’, and each had his peculiar style of preaching and of laboring. In the same letter in which Paul rebukes the spirit of controversy and factionalism, he also sets forth the manifold workings of the Spirit in different individuals:— “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.” 1 Cor. 12: 4-11. Then the apostle, by the Spirit, aptly illustrates the principle by applying it to the human body: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.” Verse 12. Every member has its special office, or duty, to perform. The tongue can not see, the eyes can not hear. The hands can not walk, nor the feet do the work of the hands, to advantage. God knows the work to which the member is best adapted, then why not trust Him to direct, and to give gifts to every one “as He will.” Then shall I find fault with some one else because he does not work as I do? I am not to say to this brother, “That is not the way I do;” or to this sister, “I always do so and so.” I am not to assume that any work of the Lord is not done right just because it is not done in my way. Nor am I to endeavor to imitate some other person’s work, or manner of work. One may make a success in the way in which the Spirit leads him, with the gifts with which he is endowed, while another, with different endowment, endeavoring to do a like work, or to work in the same way, would make an utter failure. But the Lord’s people are to work to the one grand end, with the glory of God in view, and His Word for a guide, and the Spirit for interpreter. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might,” remembering always that “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” When the heart is yielded up to God, He will do through that individual the work which he is qualified to do by the gifts with which he is endued, “according to the measure of faith.” Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but it is God that gives the increase.