You've Got A Job To Do
Paul has a list of roles and duties for believers. Now, as most lists in the Bible, the context does not support this being an exhaustive list, either in roles or duties. But still, in nit-picking the list, I discovered something that could change the way it reads.
If you look in verse 12, (at least in the NASB), you'll see that there is no comma after the word "saints". Now what does that mean?
If there were a comma, it would mean that one purpose of the saint would be to build up other saints, AND another purpose would be to be a servant. But it's not that way.
Without the comma, the phrase indicates that every saint is to be equipped to be a servant. That's like my U.S. Marine training - every Marine is a rifleman first... you are trained to fight effectively before you learn your other specialty skills (mine was communications). Now, others may go on to learn more specific combat skills, but any Marine unit should be able to go on the front line and be expected to fight effectively.
The same concept is true here. God expects us all to be servants - of Him, of each other, and servant to all the other, non-believing, people that God loves so much. Yes, He gives us all different roles and specific duties, but that most basic of tools he has to reach the world, servanthood, should be a trait that every believer is known for.
Are you?
Created about 1 year ago
