HOLINESS IN OUR WORK

Read Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-12.

The Bible says in verse 12, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

In Corinthians 4:1, Paul said, “We have this ministry.”

In verse 7, he says, “We have this treasure (gospel) in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

Then in verse 13, he said, “We having the same spirit of faith.”

In 2 Corinthians 5:14, Paul gives us the motivation, “The love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead.” 

In verse 18, he gives us the holy purpose of our work, “He hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation,” and also in verse 19, “He committed (put in us) the word of reconciliation.”

In verse 20, He made us “ambassadors for Christ.”

In 2 Corinthians 6:1-10, we are “workers together with Him”

We are each given gifts—some to preach, others to teach, but all have the responsibility to get the Word of God out and to disciple those that have been saved. Not only the preacher, but all Christians have the responsibility to win people to Christ as “workers together.”

Someone has said, “Shepherds do not produce sheep; sheep produce sheep.”

Today the church is bogged down because the sheep are not witnessing. Some people will not listen to the preacher, but they will listen to you. If they have confidence in you, then you can encourage them to listen to the preacher.

We are all working for a common goal together with the Lord. Spiritual work could well be the most unfulfilling work on earth, yet the most rewarding. People by nature care little about the things of God, and that makes for a bad situation; but be of good cheer because Christ is working right along with us. “We are labourers together with Christ.” It is not our work, but His. It is not for us to produce results, but we are labourers together with Christ.

A Christ-like personality comes from the inside—friendliness, kindness, and thoughtfulness come from the Holy Spirit working in us. Kindness, courtesy, caring, and character equal Christ-likeness outwardly.

Ephesians 4:32, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

We must practice these characteristics in our own lives—and teach them to our children at a young age—thereby making them a part of our service to God.

  • PRAYER

Prayer is not just telling God things but listening and looking to God for answers. In other words, we need to get the inward man right with God.

  • PREPARATION

Somebody called preparation “arranging everything in a row” or getting our priorities right. Here are two questions to consider:

  • How important is your family to you?
  • How important is your children’s training?

Often our children get bitter on the inside because over the years we have been inconsistent on the outside.

  • PURITY

Simply live for God and let Him change your heart. Purity of heart is a matter for the entire church family.

1 Timothy 4:12, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.’

1 Timothy 5:1-2, “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” Verse 22, “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.”

  • POWER

The Power of God is the basis of our unity with one another. We fail to take the needed time for God and the inward man because we are so busy doing other seemingly important things.

Exodus 15:2, “The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

We cannot cover up what we are on the inside because character comes by honesty in our walk with God, humility in our worship of God, and holiness in our work for God.

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Hans Nikoley, GSBC Staff

Bro. Nikoley emigrated from Germany to the United States with his family at age 13. He served full time in the Nevada Air National Guard for six years. At age 32, He was saved, and in 1977, he graduated from Bible College. He pastored for over 31 years, 27 of them at Pomerado Road Baptist Church in Poway, California. Bro. Nikoley has served at Golden State Baptist College in the Bible Department and also as the Student Employment Director since 2007. He and his wife Mary have two children and have been married for 58 years.