Copyright Ó 2012 J. Neely
Ephesians 3:7
7 Whereof [hos] I was made [ginomai] a minister, [diakonos]
according [kata] to the gift [dorea] of the grace [charis] of
God [theos] given [didomi] unto me [moi] by [kata] the effectual working [energeia] of his [autos] power. [dunamis] KJV-Interlinear
7 of
which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was
given to me according to the working of His power. NASB
When Paul was still on
the road to Damascus and still blinded by the light, Christ commanded him to
arise for he was to be appointed a minister.
Paul did not seek the appointment,
nor did he ask for it. Christ simply appointed
him and that, as they say, was that.
God knows what he is
doing and what the outcome will be from that which He does.
The gospel and the
scriptures were going to be spread throughout the world and they were going to
be started by Paul and the apostles and all who God appoints throughout
history.
In every generation, God
appoints people to teach doctrine. None
are appointed so dramatically as Paul, but none the less, all appointments
regardless of the office held by any individual, come from God and from no
other source.
If you are a ditch
digger, you were appointed to that work by God.
If you are a president, you were appointed to that office by God. This appointment does not mean that you are
somehow perfect because God chose you, all it means is that God appointed you
in accordance with His divine plan, and you fit His purpose, not yours. After all there are many people in positions
from throughout history who have been totally evil, and yet their appointments
came from God, just as your appointment, in whatever you do, came from God.
Often times God will
appointment those of whom the people want, and so evil is perpetuated, however
unfortunately, but God does allow people to have that which they want and
deserve, even though their choices are really bad. In this fashion, evil chooses evil and
disaster comes upon a selfish and evil people by their own hands.
In this case, we have Paul,
who was appointed by God, to be the minister of doctrine, and not only doctrine
in general, but of new doctrines of the Church Age, so that all may know and
understand Gods plan more thoroughly.
Even in verse ten, when
we get there, angels will learn of Gods plan just as man learns it. Angels don't know the details of history, but
must view it as it unfolds, just as we learn of it.
This appointment was due
to the grace of God. Grace means favor,
and anything that God does for you, is a huge favor indeed. Your birth was by grace. Your life was and is by grace. All that you have and are, is courtesy of the
grace of God. Even obligations and
burdens and responsibilities placed upon you, are favors that God has given you
in order to help you advance in your spiritual life.
Pauls appointment came
with its drama and pressures and sufferings and so forth, and eventually ended
with his execution, and it was still the best thing that could possibly have
happened to him.
Regardless of the things
that are in your life, all that you see and hear and experience and do or don’t
do, are there for your benefit and growth.
You can either take advantage of your situation and advance in your spiritual
life, or you can grumble and moan and complain and waste your God given opportunities
for greatness.
The spiritual life is
designed for greatness for all of eternity.
Unfortunately far too many people grumble through life and do not recognize
the poor decisions they are making and what they are really losing.
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