Interpreting The Call Of A Man Of God, Apostle Paul As A Case Study. ‣ Godsword

The call to ministry has five parts, according to Ray Gilder, a bi-vocational pastor. Exodus 3, 4, Moses. Jeremiah 1:5-10, Isaiah 6, Amos 7:14-15, and Jonah 1:1-2 are all examples of prophetic writings. Many Old Testament prophets’ precise calls are detailed in the Bible.

RECEIVING THE CALL

In deference to the role of the Old Testament high priest, the writers of Hebrews made this statement and no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron (Hebrew 5:4).

A new testament example of this call is seen in the early church when God called Barabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them out Acts 13:2-3.

VERIFYING THE CALL OF A MAN OF GOD.

Unless a man is called by God, he will find it difficult to survive the stresses of the ministry. One who thinks that God may be calling him needs to concentrate on three specific arrears;

– First, he needs to give himself to prayers for the call must come from God.
– Second, he should seek Good advice from proven ministers.
– Third, it would be wise to explore education and training.
Interpreting The Call Of A Man Of God, Apostle Paul As A Case Study.

ANNOUNCING THE CALL

A major step for every young minister is to announce before the church that he is sensing a call of God to enter the ministry. Some call it announcing your call to preach, others use the term surrendering to the ministry. This allows the church to know what God is doing in your life and also encourages them to pray that you will follow Christ to succeed in your ministry.

AFFIRMING (CONFIRM) THE CALL.

As people become aware of your call to preach, you will be given opportunities to supply preaching when pastors are away, bring devotions at various events. It is very important that the young minister take advantage of each opportunity because some things can be learned only by practice. Nobody expects a new preacher to preach like Billy Graham. You will be tempted to9 give up and quiet, but if you work hard and stay faithful, God will make you the preacher he wants you to be.

SOLIDIFYING THE CALL

After the church has had sufficient time to write the evidence of your call, you will want to ask the church to license you to preach. This is done by an official vote of the church and is a statement of their approval of your preparation for the ministry. This is not the same as ordination.

QUESTION FOR ALL INTENDING MINISTERS

(HAVE GOD CALLED ME ?)

According to watchman nee in his book the secrets of spiritual power. This is the most important question every minister needs to ask himself or herself before answering, for many have answered even when the voice of God did not call them. Though all Christians are called to serve both God and man, God calls certain persons to serve the church as pastors and other ministries. Writing to young Timothy, Apostle Paul confirmed that if a man aspires to be a pastor, it is fine to work he aspires to do (1Tim. 3:1). According to Albert Mohler Jnr. The President and Pastor of Southern Theological Seminary and Boyce College on the Calling of the Christian Ministry July 5, 2012. First, there must be an inward call through the spirit. God speaks to those persons He has called to serve as pastors and ministers of the church. To this topic, the great reformer Martin Luther described this inward call as God’s voice heard by faith. Those whom God has called know this call by a sense of leading, purpose, and growing commitment. According to Charles Spurgeon, the call identifies this call as an intense all-absorbing desire for the work. John Newton, is famous for writing Amazing Grace. Once remarked that none but he who made heaven and earth can make a minister of the gospel. Only God can call true ministers.

APOSTLE PAUL’S VIEW OF CALLING AND HOW IT SHOULD BEGIN

Viewing from some of Paul’s letters to the churches in;

– Rom. 1:16 – We are called to belong to Christ.

– Rom. 8:28 – All things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose for them.
– 2Cor. 5:17-20 – God entrusted unto us the message of reconciliation.

It was Oswald J. Smith in his book “the man God uses” with the question “have you made peace with God?” have you given your life to Jesus Christ? It is just after this; one can perfectly stand in the office of a man of God that works with God rather than a man that works for God. Watchman Nee in his book “the secret of spiritual power” made us know that God’s call can be on one’s head even as an unbeliever (sinner) but no man answers God’s call outside Christ (sinner). Every man that passed through Adam in sin must pass through Christ (the way to righteousness). He also wrote that God doesn’t see our past sins once we are in Christ, all he sees is Christ in us the hope of glory. God also looks to see if we have answered and as well fulfilled our call (ministry).

Walking through the Bible and studying the lives of apostles and others called prophets and preachers, proved that God can use anyone so long as God’s seal of call is on them. Even an armed robber as recorded in Nigerianeye.com known as Omokenwa aka Shina Rambo who have previously terrorized the Southwest in the 1990s with the notorious robbery gang had in the year 2012 became the leader of a prison ministry and aims at leading a power crusade to Lagos.

According to Brimoh, Evangelist Shina Rambo shared his testimony of conversion in the three-day crusade organized by Word of Life Bible Church Lagos branch with the team “Divine visitation” August 2-4 2012, as he preached an undiluted word of God. All this points out that God is busy in every dispensation looking for a man he will use to work.

THE MINISTER AND THEOLOGICAL EDUCATIONS AS KEY TO ‘SCRIPTURAL INTERPRETATION’

According to research on the life of the apostle Paul. I found out three outstanding things to be avoided by every minister in handling the word of God.

– Misinterpretation of the scripture
– Misapplication of the scripture
– Dislocation of the scripture.

To him, many souls have gone to hell for total negligence to these three topics and he on this issue advised ministers to pass through theological education and training.

It was Carl. B. Gibbs in his book “PRINCIPLE OF BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION” stated that no generation of believers since as our generations have today. We are bombarded daily with false doctrine through mass media every sort, books, magazines, schools, and even churches join in decrying our beliefs. Even from within the church, false teachers have effectively via mass media.

What are we to do? Run and hide? Surrender our Christian faith, standard, and ethics? ‘No’ I believe that the answer is clear – the church must be reinforced and strengthened by the consistent, accurate preaching of God’s word. Such a need not only required a commitment to bible study but also careful attention to the principles of Bible interpretation. Principles that expand our minds to understand the truth while restricting our imaginations from going beyond it.

However, as communication becomes increasingly complex, controversial, or removed from its sources, specific rules of interpretation must be used consistently in order to understand and correctly the transmission. Such rules apply specifically to the interpretation of the bible are called biblical Hermeneutics

BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS

To him, this is the science and art that teaches us the laws and methods for interpreting communication, i.e. General and specific hermeneutics, ministers must know how to use the word; exegesis and eisegesis. Exegesis on its own means guide out while eisegesis means guide in. thus exegesis is a process of going to the bible text to determine what it means.

Eisegesis, on the other hand, occurs when one approaches a bible text with prejudices and twists the bible’s message to make it say what’s on their mind.

Eisegesis usually occurs whenever a minister (flow of thoughts of the context in which it happens. interpreter) ignores a rule of interpretation because it conflicts with his preconceived notions, and also when one ignores states that a verse cannot be interpreted in a manner that contradicts the

MINISTERIAL ETHICS AND CONDUCTS

Speaking on ministerial ethics, Archbishop P.C. Chukwumah of Kings International Theological Seminary on the convocation 2016, advised that ministers should allow themselves the opportunity to be trained to know their ethics which is the science that examines sources and issues of morality in the light of the inspired scriptures in addition to the light of nature and reason. This is the branch of theology that deals with Christian living, morality, decision making, and implementation of ministerial principles in the lives of ministers. The central task of ministerial ethics is to provide ministers with instructions on living ass a biblical Christian in the modern world. The next purpose is to bring the desired change, maturity, promote uniformity in beliefs, help today’s ministers to love one another. It also stresses what God does not want ministers to do.

In addition to ethics, He also advised that ministers be trained to understand the word “Homiletics” as it is the art and science of the preparation and delivery of sermons. To him, sermons today are spiritless, irrelevant, dull, and badly delivered for lack of knowledge in the study of Homiletics. Paul in his admonition of Timothy his son in the faith told him to study to show himself approved unto God 2Tim. 2:15.

THE MINISTER AND HIS PULPIT, MANNERISM

It was D.A. OCHS ministry magazine.org on pulpit manners 2017 general conference of Seventh-Day Adventists in dealing with this topic, we are concerned with the conduct, style, and manner of the messenger. The minister must know that favourable and or unfavourable impressions are made upon his hearers by his deportments in the pulpit, his attitudes, his manner of speaking, his dressing, being calm, being heard, his gestures, neatness, courtesy, and refinement of manner and should carry himself with a gentle spirit. Ministers have no license to behave in the desk like theatrical performers, assuming attitudes and making expressions merely for effect – undignified, boisterous actions and shouldn’t lend any force to the truth uttered.

SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITIES OF A MAN OF GOD ‘PREACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD

According to prof. L.O. JACOBS of Kings International Theological Seminary in his address on “ADVANCED HOMILETICS 2018 back to the bible program” said the Lord had ordained that by the foolishness of preaching, men should be saved 1Cor. 1:21, God manifests his word (message) through preaching Titus 1:3. explaining Apostle Paul’s preaching from Jerusalem and roundabout into Illyricum Rom. 15:19. This word affects conversions James 1:21, 1Peter 1:23. It enables newborn babes to grow 1Peter 2:@. It has sanctifying power and by it, men are kept from sin. It is a command that we must preach the word 2Timothy 4:2, Mathew 28:19-19.

WARNING TO PREACHERS

Let’s beware that we don’t preach ourselves 2Cor. 4:5, our education, our achievements, or anything that reflects credits to us. Let us forever preach Christ and the wonderful word he gave to us. Many ministers by not knowing their called task lost focus of the vision of Christ which is to reconcile men to God by the preaching of the word and not to make names, money and fame by preaching the minds of people and making them comfortable in their sinner state.

TEACHING OF GOD’S WORD

It was on record that Jesus went about all the cities and villages teaching in the Synagogue and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and to this effect, He is always called and referred to as a teacher more often Mathew 9:35. Even in the great commission, He gave us an injunction to ministers and believers to teach the word of God Mathew 28:19-20. Apostle Paul’s ministry consisted of preaching and teaching Colo. 1:28.

Finally, the Lord has set the office of a teacher 1Cor. 12:28, likewise the gift of teaching is listed among the gift of the Holy Spirit which is imparted to the church in Rom. 12:7. Among the daily activities of a man of God, Jesus wants ministers of this dispensation to be what Paul and the early church fathers were to the church for it was by preaching of the word that men are brought into the kingdom and by teaching they are held and confirmed as heirs and co-heirs with Christ.

MAINTAINING THE CHURCH/MINISTRY IN PEACE LOVE AND UNITY

A favourite tactic of the devil is to break the unity of the spirit in a church and replace it with the spirit of envy, strife, covetousness, pride and anger etc. wherever these are found, there is confusion and evil woks James 3:16. Do not show favouritism to certain people because they are close to you. See everyone with the same eye level, show them you care, and protected them equally. Avoid petting God’s flock to hell because they favour gifts and money. Tell them their sins so you can save their souls. It is the minister’s responsibility to keep close contact with his people for it was the unity that prevailed on the day of Pentecost that brought down the promise of the father to all men.

Finally, he should always pray for the church for Jesus always prayed for his disciples and converts the outstanding prayer of the master was that we should be one as he is one with the father, that we should also love one another John 13:34.

PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS (Eph. 4:13).

The Bible in Eph. 4:13 stated that the work of a man of God is to perfect the saints. This was Apostle Paul’s objective when he declared in Col. 1:28 – striving mightily to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. From spiritual birth, till we come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, it is the ministers part to feed and lead, to stimulate and inspire and do all that he can towards perfecting the saints Acts 20:28. At the end of our Lord’s earthly ministry, he was bold to report to the father “those that thou gavest me, I have kept and none of them was lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture may be fulfilled John 17:12.

May God give his ministers the same faithful, diligent care and love for the flock that ministers of today can finally stand at last to declare how faithfully they kept all that God committed unto their care.

DISCOVERING AND DEVELOPING NEW TALENTS

It is the ministers’ responsibility to keep an eagle eye towards talents or incipient talents among the members of their church. It is his duty to stimulate and give spiritual exercise and training to those individuals who manifest gifts of the Holy Spirit or evidence of being called into Christian ministry. Every talent should be investigated to make sure they are from Lord Matt. 25:14-30. All gifts of the Spirit should be given the opportunity for development and use. The Lord Jesus Christ himself spent time in training the twelve apostles; He took them with him where ever he went. He gave them valuable teachings and also sent them out to exercise their budding gifts and develop their incoming power.

This strategy was most successful at his ascension, his disciples were already trained and equipped and able to carry on the ministry and vision of the master. Apostle Paul also followed the same pattern of the Christian ministry 1Cor. 4:17. A man of God must impact into his people an evangelist spirit and vision for continuity.

BALANCING FAMILY LIFE, WORK, AND MINISTRY

According to Perry Stone in his book ‘PURGING YOUR HOUSE, PRUNING YOUR FAMILY TREE’, He shared the story of a theologian and pastor Jonathan Edwards known for his sermon (sinners in the hands of an angry God) preached to his congregation in Northampton Massachusetts. He was blessed in a single marriage with eleven children. Pastor Jonathan Edwards would make out time as he sits down in his special chair conversing with his children and he took time praying special blessings over each child. By this act of balancing his family time and separating it from his work and ministry times, he was able to produce a great congregation and to prove his prayer and blessings was effective.

In 1900. A.E Winship tracked down fourteen hundred descendants of Edwards including 300 preachers, thirteen noted authors, five college professors, one hundred lawyers, thirty judges, three U.S.A Senators, one vice president, etc. whenever a minister shifts his family time to do other things, it becomes a sin of lack of knowledge for the devil will use that time to do in your children what he did in the lives of Eli’s sons. Ministers should build a bridge to strike a balance between Family Life ministry life and job life.

WARNING TO MINISTERS

We must be conscious of our own ability and insufficiency 2Cor. 3:5 = with me ye can do all things but without me, ye can do nothing. This goes to those ministers that sell anointed handkerchiefs, blessed water, sacrifices animals for prayer, that hat place their pictures as signposts to their ministry, the sale of bangles and anointing oils. These are only ways to rob the flock to become more than rich. Ministers must at all times present Jesus as their ability John 15:5. His grace is sufficient for us as ministers 2Cor. 12:9. Faith in these texts inspired the apostle Paul to say I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. We should always be that believer that lives for Godliness without worldliness. According to Pastor (Dr) W.F. Kumuyi in his Monday Bible study on 15th February 2016, he advised the children of God to hold on to the things that will last, he talks about three things we should watch out against as ministers.

LUST OF THE FLESH

To this, he explains that God Himself created us with some desires such as hunger, thirst, marital affections between a man and a woman, but Satan would want us to fulfil or satisfy these desires in a wrong way.

THE LUST OF THE EYES (Covetousness, Greed, and Possession) Psalm 119:37.

On this, he cited the case of Sodom Lot with the lust of the eyes built his tent and lived there, but when the fire of God’s anger came, he lost all including his wife. Beware as a man of God to know your place of call and remain there.

THE PRIDE OF LIFE (To raise high position)

Satan uses passion, possessions, and position to lure men in life – Psalm 10:4, Dan. 4:27-31.

Speaking about King Nebuchadnezzar and pride of all he possessed, which brought down the anger of God upon him in his case, he used the grace that God gave him to repent. Many might not be so lucky for this world is looking for men of God to corrupt their minds gradually till they fall unknowingly. Watch out, beloved.

thanks for joining this intense study. I shall stop here for now till the next update.

From this part of the world, It is all thanks and be rupturable, from pastor Godstrong.

modernbibleinterpretationunderstandinghermeneutics.com

5 thoughts on “Interpreting The Call Of A Man Of God, Apostle Paul As A Case Study.”

Cal Mbano

January 29, 2021 at 11:21 pm

The five elements to interpret the call of a man of God are:

Using Moses and Isiah’s experiences of the old testament, the number 1 element is one must sense that special touch or call of God in his life. The rest are verifying the call, announcing the call, affirming, and solidifying the call.

I’m not a religious enthusiast, but I think the five elements seem to make a lot of sense particularly, verifying the call. However, the ‘honest answer to the most important question, “HAVE GOD CALLED ME?” rides everything. As you said, many assumed or thought they were called but were not. Some clearly know they were not but deceive themselves or others and give the impression they were called. The good thing is the truth will show itself in a matter of time.

As a non-religious fanatic, I would like to ask whether God does call some people for certain duties or functions? The ‘call’ implies that God remembered something He forgot and then had to send somebody to do it for Him! Could this scenario be true? No!! The Creator of all ‘things’ can’t forget. Time is for living things, not God. The creation of the earth and the universe is complete.

For discussion sake: does God ‘call’ or ‘send’ other living things to do things for Him or their kinds? Who tells an orange tree the time to bear fruits or chicken to take its young ones out to look for food in the mornings? You know where I’m going with this.

Anywhere, thanks for sharing.
admin

January 30, 2021 at 12:01 am

thank cal. you just blew it up here even more like a theologian would theologize, you are right when u said The Creator of all ‘things’ can’t forget. God doesn’t forget things for he is omniscient (all-knowing). it is just that to all he created, he called to one destiny or the other with a final destination which is ‘bringing Him glory’. I’ve been posted to remote village churches as a pastor were on waiting for my members to arrive at church and God would tell me to start up with those present but looking around to see if there is a single soul in the church, God will tell me ‘preach and worship me with these creatures (the pews, chairs, desks, etc). it was then I remembered the gospel ‘go ye into the world ….preach to all creatures’.every creature in its own ways returns glory to the creator, and that is their call. thanks for such an educating comment and God bless.
Willik

January 31, 2021 at 12:18 am

Fwfwy the best way to get a better idea on the time of the team and the fact is that I am not able leave the house at be hung in there and back in a few weeks I will get back to me as it is pivotal I am good with the kids and I will get back with the kids but I don’t want to go and I will get
Sean

January 31, 2021 at 12:19 am

Hello there thank you for sharing this wonderful information about this post and that is really a good thing to see the new year with a new one of the most important things to do in the future and the other is a great way to get the best out of the way and I have to say that I am not going to get the job of it as an alternative embodiment, the invention relates
Nnokwara Godspower

January 31, 2021 at 11:55 pm

anyhow Sean, thanks for the comment

Interpreting The Call Of A Man Of God, Apostle Paul As A Case Study.