Fellowship Of Ministering To The Needs Of Saints Part 1.


The foremost practise & order of giving in the new testament church is the fellowship of ministering to the needs of saints or collection for the saints. This precedes giving to ministers/those who labour in the word. The fellowship of ministering to the needs of saints is the foremost aspect of giving practised by the early church. It is an aspect of giving which reflects body life and the oneness of all the members of the body as the needs of all are met by it. The early church & apostles by the Spirit practised the fellowship of ministering to the needs of saints who are all priests in Christ and afterwards the order concerning the collection for saints was delivered through the inspired epistles of the Apostle Paul.




The foremost order of giving in the church yet never done by compulsion. The HolyGhost is so particular about it for it is an aspect of giving that reflects the oneness of the body into which he(the HolyGhost) has baptised/immersed every believer in Christ. The Spirit thus did not spare Ananias & Sapphira when they feigned to participate/share in it but not in the oneness of heart and soul. They decided to give a certain percentage and keep back some for themselves yet they presented it as all, however they were never compelled to give in the first place. 




Acts 2
44  And all that believed were together, and had all things common;  45  And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

Acts 4
32  And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
 33  And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.  34  Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
 35  And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
 36  And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
 37  Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Acts 5
 1  But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
 2  And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
 3  But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
 4  Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
 5  And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
 6  And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
 7  And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
 8  And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
 9  Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
 10  Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

Acts 6
1  And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
 2  Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3  Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

1 Corinthians 16
 1  Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
 2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 

2 Corinthians 8

1  Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
 2  How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
 3  For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
 4  Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

12  For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
 13  For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
 14  But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
 15  As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

1 Corinthians 9
 1  For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

 6  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
 7  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 
8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

 11  Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. 
 12  For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
 13  Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

*When body life and oneness represented in the fellowship of ministering to the needs of one another is not in place, our testimony and witness of the resurrected Christ becomes empty and void of true heavenly power.

* Acts 4
32  And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
 33  And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.  34  Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
 35  And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Comments

Popular Posts

False Assertions About Sin. Part 6.

Who Is A Man Of God? Part 1.

GREATEST ENCOUNTERS FROM THE PAGES OF THE BIBLE.