按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
as Barnabas； and Simeon that was called Niger； and Lucius of Cyrene； and
Manaen； 。 。 。 and Saul。 As they ministered to the Lord； and fasted； the
161
Holy Ghost said； Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have
called them。〃 Before being sent forth as missionaries to the heathen world；
these apostles were solemnly dedicated to God by fasting and prayer and the
laying on of hands。 Thus they were authorized by the church； not only to
teach the truth； but to perform the rite of baptism and to organize
churches； being invested with full ecclesiastical authority。
The Christian church was at this time entering upon an important era。 The
work of proclaiming the gospel message among the Gentiles was now to be
prosecuted with vigor； and as a result the church was to be strengthened by
a great ingathering of souls。 The apostles who had been appointed to lead
out in this work would be exposed to suspicion； prejudice； and jealousy。
Their teachings concerning the breaking down of 〃the middle wall of
partition〃 （Ephesians 2：14） that had so long separated the Jewish and the
Gentile world； would naturally subject them to the charge of heresy； and
their authority as ministers of the gospel would be questioned by many
zealous； believing Jews。 God foresaw the difficulties that His servants
would be called to meet； and； in order that their work should be above
challenge； He instructed the church by revelation to set them apart publicly
to the work of the ministry。 Their ordination was a public recognition of
their divine appointment to bear to the Gentiles the glad tidings of the
gospel。
Both Paul and Barnabas had already received their commission from God
Himself； and the ceremony of the laying
162
on of hands added no new grace or virtual qualification。 It was an
acknowledged form of designation to an appointed office and a recognition of
one's authority in that office。 By it the seal of the church was set upon
the work of God。
To the Jew this form was a significant one。 When a Jewish father blessed his
children； he laid his hands reverently upon their heads。 When an animal was
devoted to sacrifice； the hand of the one invested with priestly authority
was laid upon the head of the victim。 And when the ministers of the church
of believers in Antioch laid their hands upon Paul and Barnabas； they； by
that action； asked God to bestow His blessing upon the chosen apostles in
their devotion to the specific work to which they had been appointed。
At a later date the rite of ordination by the laying on of hands was greatly
abused； unwarrantable importance was attached to the act； as if a power came
at once upon those who received such ordination； which immediately qualified
them for any and all ministerial work。 But in the setting apart of these two
apostles； there is no record indicating that any virtue was imparted by the
mere act of laying on of hands。 There is only the simple record of their
ordination and of the bearing that it had on their future work。
The circumstances connected with the separation of Paul and Barnabas by the
Holy Spirit to a definite line of service show clearly that the Lord works
through appointed agencies in His organized church。 Years before； when the
divine purpose concerning Paul was first revealed to him by the Saviour
Himself； Paul was immediately afterward brought
163
into contact with members of the newly organized church at Damascus。
Furthermore； the church at that place was not long left in darkness as to
the personal experience of the converted Pharisee。 And now； when the divine
commission given at that time was to be more fully carried out； the Holy
Spirit； again bearing witness concerning Paul as a chosen vessel to bear the
gospel to the Gentiles； laid upon the church the work of ordaining him and
his fellow laborer。 As the leaders of the church in Antioch 〃ministered to
the Lord； and fasted； the Holy Ghost said； Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for
the work whereunto I have called them。〃
God has made His church on the earth a channel of light； and through it He
communicates His purposes and His will。 He does not give to one of His
servants an experience independent of and contrary to the experience of the
church itself。 Neither does He give one man a knowledge of His will for the
entire church while the churchChrist's body is left in darkness。 In His
providence He places His servants in close connection with His church in
order that they may have less confidence in themselves and greater
confidence in others whom He is leading out to advance His work。
There have ever been in the church those who are constantly inclined toward
individual independence。 They seem unable to realize that independence of
spirit is liable to lead the human agent to have too much confidence in
himself and to trust in his own judgment rather than to respect the counsel
and highly esteem the judgment of his brethren；
164
especially of those in the offices that God has appointed for the leadership
of His people。 God has invested His church with special authority and power
which no one can be justified in disregarding and despising； for he who does
this despises the voice of God。
Those who are inclined to regard their individual judgment as supreme are in
grave peril。 It is Satan's studied effort to separate such ones from those
who are channels of light； through whom God has wrought to build up and
extend His work in the earth。 To neglect or despise those whom God has
appointed to bear the responsibilities of leadership in connection with the
advancement of the truth； is to reject the means that He has ordained for
the help； encouragement； and strength of His people。 For any worker in the
Lord's cause to pass these by； and to think that his light must come through
no other channel than directly from God； is to place himself in a position
where he is liable to be deceived by the enemy and overthrown。 The Lord in
His wisdom has arranged that by means of the close relationship that should
be maintained by all believers； Christian shall be united to Christian and
church to church。 Thus the human instrumentality will be enabled to
co…operate with the divine。 Every agency will be subordinate to the Holy
Spirit； and all the believers will be united in an organized and
well…directed effort to give to the world the glad tidings of the grace of
God。
Paul regarded the occasion of his formal ordination as marking the beginning
of a new and important epoch in his lifework。 It was from this time that he
afterward
165
dated the beginning of his apostleship in the Christian church。
While the light of the gospel was shining brightly at Antioch； an important
work was continued by the apostles who had remained in Jerusalem。 Every
year； at the time of the festivals； many Jews from all lands came to
Jerusalem to worship at the temple。 Some of these pilgrims were men of
fervent piety and earnest students of