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The Acts of the Apostles
Ghost and wisdom.” These men were to take their position unitedly on
the side of right and to maintain it with firmness and decision. Thus
they would have a uniting influence upon the entire flock.
Later in the history of the early church, when in various parts of
the world many groups of believers had been formed into churches,
the organization of the church was further perfected, so that order and
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harmonious action might be maintained. Every member was exhorted
to act well his part. Each was to make a wise use of the talents
entrusted to him. Some were endowed by the Holy Spirit with special
gifts—“first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that
miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of
tongues.”
1 Corinthians 12:28
. But all these classes of workers were
to labor in harmony.
“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
selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will. 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.”
1 Corinthians
12:4-12
.
Solemn are the responsibilities resting upon those who are called
to act as leaders in the church of God on earth. In the days of the theoc-
racy, when Moses was endeavoring to carry alone burdens so heavy
that he would soon have worn away under them, he was counseled
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by Jethro to plan for a wise distribution of responsibilities. “Be thou
for the people to Godward,” Jethro advised, “that thou mayest bring
the causes unto God: and thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws,
and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work
that they must do.” Jethro further advised that men be appointed to act
as “rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and
rulers of tens.” These were to be “able men, such as fear God, men