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The Church Built By Jesus Christ In The New testament - Lesson 5

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Lesson 5: The Work of the Church

Key Passage: Ephesians 4:12

“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”

Introduction

Why does the church exist? Is it merely a spiritual community? A charity? A worship center? The religious world today has stretched the concept of “church” far beyond its biblical role—turning it into entertainment halls, political organizations, business enterprises, or social reform centers. But the New Testament is not silent. This lesson will clarify the divinely authorized work of the church, distinguishing it from unauthorized additions and calling the church back to its God-given mission.

Historical Context

Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians was written while he was imprisoned in Rome (circa A.D. 60–62). In this letter, Paul emphasizes the unity of the body (Ephesians 4:4), the singularity of truth (Ephesians 4:5), and the divine purpose of the church. The key passage (Ephesians 4:12) comes after he lists leadership roles in the church (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers) and explains that these roles exist to equip and edify the body—not entertain or politicize it.

Biblical Context

The New Testament reveals three areas of work assigned to the local church:

1. Evangelism (Preaching the Gospel)

  • Mark 16:15 — “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
  • 1 Thessalonians 1:8 — “For from you sounded out the word of the Lord…”
  • Acts 13:1–3 — The church at Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey.

The church supports faithful preaching, both locally and abroad, as a divine priority. This includes support of evangelists (2 Cor. 11:8) and local teaching.

2. Edification (Spiritual Growth and Teaching)

  • Ephesians 4:12–16 — The church is to be built up in love and truth.
  • Hebrews 10:24–25 — Assembling to exhort one another.
  • Colossians 3:16 — Teaching and admonishing in psalms and doctrine.

Edification includes Bible study, sermons, songs, prayers, and mutual encouragement to remain faithful.

3. Benevolence (Assisting Needy Saints)

  • Acts 4:34–35 — Distribution to needy brethren.
  • 1 Corinthians 16:1–2 — Collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem.
  • Romans 15:25–26 — Relief for poor brethren in Judea.

Benevolence in the church was always limited to saints—believers in need—not general humanitarian aid. Individuals may help anyone (Gal. 6:10), but the church treasury is limited to authorized purposes.

Greek Exegesis: “Ministry” (Eph. 4:12)

Greek: διακονίας (diakonias) — from diakonia, meaning service, office, ministry

  • The word refers to spiritual service, not political or social activism.
  • It denotes work done in God’s name for His people’s benefit.

Commentary:

The “work of the ministry” in context is not building schools, clinics, or business ventures—it is the spiritual labor of teaching, guiding, and growing the body of Christ.

Full Scripture Cross-Referencing

  1. Philippians 4:15–16 — Support of evangelistic work.
  2. 2 Corinthians 8:1–5 — Sacrificial giving to help needy saints.
  3. Acts 20:32 — God’s word builds us up and gives inheritance.

Doctrinal Note:

The work of the church is spiritual in nature. It is not designed to entertain, profit, or compete with the world, but to save souls, build up saints, and relieve suffering among brethren.

Doctrinal Significance & Application

  • The church must stay within the work God authorized.
  • Congregational funds and efforts must be directed only to evangelism, edification, and benevolence to saints.
  • Entertainment, sports leagues, fundraisers, political campaigns, and business ventures—no matter how “good”—are not the church’s work.

Application Today:

Many churches have forgotten their mission. They run like corporations, engage in secular activism, or prioritize numbers over truth. True Christians must call the church back to its scriptural purpose, even if it means standing alone.

Refutation of False Doctrines

✘False View #1: The church may use its funds for entertainment or social activities.

📖 Refuted by: Ephesians 4:12; Romans 14:17

✞Truth: The church’s purpose is spiritual, not recreational.

✘False View #2: The church should help all needy people with its treasury.

📖 Refuted by: Acts 11:29–30; 1 Cor. 16:1–2

✞Truth: Benevolence by the church is limited to saints in need.

✘False View #3: The church may raise money through sales, concerts, or raffles.

📖 Refuted by: 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7

✞Truth: The church is funded only by the freewill giving of its members—not by business ventures.

✍ Conclusion and Exhortation

The Lord’s church has a distinct mission—not created by man, but assigned by God. It is not our role to reinvent or repurpose it. We are not here to make the church more appealing to the world, but to make the truth known to the world through the church.

Exhortation:

Let us be faithful stewards of the work God gave to the church. Let us not exceed what is written nor shrink from what is required. Whether in evangelizing the lost, building up the saved, or helping needy brethren—let all be done according to God’s pattern, and all for His glory.

“Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus...” — Colossians 3:17 (KJV)

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#WorkOfTheChurch #BiblicalEvangelism #ChurchBenevolence #EdifyingTheSaints #ChurchPurpose #GawainNgIglesia #Evangelismo #PagtuturoSaIglesia #TulongSaKapatiran #IglesiaSaBibliya #Evangelism #Edification #Benevolence

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Aralin 5: Ang Gawain ng Iglesia

Pangunahing Talata: Efeso 4:12

“Sa ikasasakdal ng mga banal, sa gawaing paglilingkod, sa ikatitibay ng katawan ni Cristo:”

Panimula

Bakit umiiral ang iglesia? Isa ba lamang itong espirituwal na samahan? Isang kawanggawa? Sentro ng pagsamba? Sa panahong ito, marami ang lumilihis sa orihinal na layunin ng iglesia—ginagawang lugar ng libangan, aktibismo, negosyo, at iba pa. Ngunit malinaw ang turo ng Bagong Tipan. Ang araling ito ay nagpapakita ng mga tanging gawaing ipinagkaloob ng Dios sa iglesia, at itinutuwid ang mga gawaing hindi awtorisado. Panawagan ito upang ang iglesia ay panatilihin lamang ang panukala ng Dios.

Konteksto Ayon sa Kasaysayan

Ang sulat ni Pablo sa mga taga-Efeso ay isinulat habang siya ay bilanggo sa Roma (bandang A.D. 60–62). Binigyang-diin ni Pablo sa liham na ito ang pagkakaisa ng katawan (Ef. 4:4), ang kaisahan ng pananampalataya (Ef. 4:5), at ang banal na layunin ng iglesia. Ang susi sa ating aralin (Ef. 4:12) ay sumusunod sa mga tagapagturo sa iglesia—mga apostol, propeta, ebanghelista, pastor, at guro—na may layuning ihanda at palakasin ang katawan, hindi aliwin o gawing makasanlibutan.

Kontekstong Biblikal

Ang Bagong Tipan ay nagtuturo na may tatlong pangunahing gawaing iniatang sa iglesia:

1. Evangelismo (Pangangaral ng Ebanghelyo)

  • Marcos 16:15 — “Humayo kayo sa buong sanglibutan, at ipangaral ninyo ang evangelio sa lahat ng kinapal.”
  • 1 Tesalonica 1:8 — “Sapagka’t sa inyo’y nagpakilala ang salita ng Panginoon…”
  • Gawa 13:1–3 — Ang iglesia sa Antioquia ang nagsugo kina Pablo at Bernabe sa gawaing pangangaral.

Ang iglesia ay dapat tumulong sa pangangaral ng ebanghelyo sa loob at labas ng lokalidad, kabilang ang suporta sa mga ebanghelista (2 Cor. 11:8).

2. Pagtuturo at Pagpapatibay (Edification)

  • Efeso 4:12–16 — Ang iglesia ay pinatitibay sa pag-ibig at katotohanan.
  • Hebreo 10:24–25 — Magtipon upang magpalakasan sa pag-ibig at mabubuting gawa.
  • Colosas 3:16 — Magturo at magpaalaala sa isa’t isa sa pamamagitan ng mga awit at aral.

Kasama rito ang pangangaral, pag-aaral ng Biblia, panalangin, pag-aawitan, at pagsasanay sa espirituwal na paglago.

3. Pagkakawanggawa sa Mga Banal (Benevolence)

  • Gawa 4:34–35 — Tulong sa mga kapatid na nangangailangan.
  • 1 Corinto 16:1–2 — Ambagan para sa mga dukhang banal sa Jerusalem.
  • Roma 15:25–26 — Paglilingkod sa mga dukhang kapatid sa Judea.

Mahalagang Tandaan:

Ang pagkakawanggawa ng iglesia ay para lamang sa mga banal. Maaaring tumulong ang indibidwal sa lahat (Gal. 6:10), ngunit ang paggamit ng pondo ng iglesia ay para lamang sa layuning awtorisado.

Pag-aaral ng Salitang Griyegong Ginamit: "Paglilingkod" (Ef. 4:12)

Griyego: διακονίας (diakonias) — mula sa diakonia, nangangahulugang paglilingkod o ministeryo

  • Tumutukoy ito sa espirituwal na gawain, hindi gawaing panlipunan.
  • Naglalarawan ito ng gawaing para sa ikaluluwalhati ng Dios at ikabubuti ng Kanyang bayan.

Tandaan:
Ang “gawaing paglilingkod” sa Efeso 4:12 ay hindi tumutukoy sa pagtatayo ng paaralan, negosyo, o klinika—ito ay ang gawaing espirituwal ng pagtuturo, paggabay, at pagpapatibay sa iglesia.

Buong Pagpapatibay mula sa Kasulatan

  1. Filipos 4:15–16 — Suporta sa gawaing evangelismo.
  2. 2 Corinto 8:1–5 — Kusang-loob na pagbibigay para sa mga kapus-palad na kapatid.
  3. Gawa 20:32 — Ang salita ng Dios ang nagpapatibay sa mga banal.

Mahalagang Aral na Dapat Unawain:

Ang gawain ng iglesia ay espirituwal sa kalikasan. Hindi ito para sa negosyo, kasayahan, o pulitika—kundi upang magligtas ng kaluluwa, palaguin ang banal, at tumulong sa kapwa kapatid sa oras ng pangangailangan.

Mahalagang Aral at Aplikasyon

  • Ang iglesia ay dapat manatili sa mga gawaing iniutos ng Dios.
  • Ang pondo ng iglesia ay dapat gamitin lamang sa evangelismo, edification, at pagtulong sa mga kapatid na nangangailangan.
  • Ang mga fundraising, sports activities, concerts, pulitikal na kampanya—kahit pa mabuti sa mata ng tao—ay hindi awtorisadong gawain ng iglesia.

Pangkasalukuyang Aplikasyon:

Maraming iglesia ngayon ang naging negosyo, entertainment venue, o political movement. Tayo ay tinawag upang ibalik ang iglesia sa banal na layunin nito, kahit ito’y labag sa uso o makabago.

Pagpapabulaan sa mga Maling Aral

✘Maling Aral #1: Maaaring gamitin ang pondo ng iglesia sa kasayahan at social activities.

📖 Pinabubulaanan ng: Efeso 4:12; Roma 14:17

✞Katotohanan: Ang layunin ng iglesia ay espirituwal, hindi panglibang.

✘Maling Aral #2: Maaaring tumulong ang iglesia sa lahat ng mahihirap, kahit hindi miyembro.

📖 Pinabubulaanan ng: Gawa 11:29–30; 1 Cor. 16:1–2

✞Katotohanan: Ang pagkakawanggawa ng iglesia ay limitado sa mga banal.

✘Maling Aral #3: Maaaring mag-fundraising ang iglesia sa pamamagitan ng negosyo, raffle, at iba pa.

📖 Pinabubulaanan ng: 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:7

✞Katotohanan: Ang pondo ng iglesia ay mula sa kusang-loob na handog ng mga miyembro—hindi mula sa kita ng negosyo.

✍ Konklusyon at Panawagan

Ang iglesia ng Panginoon ay may natatanging misyon—hindi itinakda ng tao, kundi ng Dios. Tayo ay tinawag hindi upang gawin itong kapareho ng mundo, kundi upang dalhin ang katotohanan ng Dios sa mundo sa pamamagitan ng iglesia.

Panawagan:
Tayo’y maging tapat sa gawaing iniatang sa atin. Huwag nating dagdagan o bawasan. Sa evangelismo, pagpapatibay, at pagtulong sa mga kapatid, gawin natin ang lahat ayon sa padron ng Dios at para sa Kanyang kaluwalhatian.

“At anomang inyong ginagawa sa salita o sa gawa, ay gawin ninyong lahat sa pangalan ng Panginoong Jesus…” — Colosas 3:17

Maaaring ibahagi, i-print, ipangaral, o i-repost ang mga artikulo dito kung hindi ito babaguhin, panananatilihin ang tema ng layunin, hindi ipagbibili o gagamitin para kumita, at may malinaw na link pabalik sa blog na ito.

#WorkOfTheChurch #BiblicalEvangelism #ChurchBenevolence #EdifyingTheSaints #ChurchPurpose #GawainNgIglesia #Evangelismo #PagtuturoSaIglesia #TulongSaKapatiran #IglesiaSaBibliya #Evangelism #Edification #Benevolence

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