Tag: diakoneo

Romans 15:25 – God’s Saints

Posted on by Will

But now I am going to Jerusalem ministering to the saints.

Truth to Learn

All Christians are saints.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “ministering” should be a familiar word to us by now. It is the Greek word diakoneō, a verb meaning “to serve or wait upon, with emphasis on the work to be done and not on the relationship between the served and the servant.”

The word translated “saints” is the Greek word hagios, which means, “holy one.” This word is believed to be derived from hagos, meaning “that which causes awe.” The root meaning of hagios is “that which is set apart from common use to the service of God.” It also carries with it the notion of ceremonial cleanliness and purity.

 

Meaning Explained

As we pointed out previously, Paul’s plan was to go to Spain and to stop by Rome on the way so that he could visit the Christians. First, though, he was planning on going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints there. We find a reference to this visit to Jerusalem and his subsequent plans to visit Rome in the book of Acts:

After these things, Paul resolved in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." (Acts 19:21)

It is not entirely clear whether Paul meant that he had purposed in his own spirit to make this trip or whether it was the Spirit of God who was directing him in his journeys. I suspect that it was the latter. Either way, he was not planning a vacation; he was planning to “minister to the saints.” Paul was going to Jerusalem as part of his calling to work, not to relax. He was taking money from the churches in Macedonia and Achaia (both part of modern day Greece) to give to the saints in Jerusalem.

Let’s talk about the “saints” for a moment. In the New Testament this term is used frequently. It does not refer to extraordinary people who have performed miracles and have been subsequently proclaimed “saints” by the church. It refers to anyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as savior. All of us who are born again Christians are saints according to the doctrines of the apostles. As we learned in the beginning chapters of this letter to the Roman Christians, when we were saved God bestowed His grace on us by proclaiming us to be righteous. In other words, in God’s record book, you and I are without sin because the blood of Christ has washed us clean. And because we now have the righteousness of Christ, legally in God’s court room we stand as holy as God, and we are set-apart for His use.

 

Application

If you’re a Christian, you’re a holy saint!

“But I don’t feel very holy!” you may say.

Fortunately, our position in God’s eyes doesn’t depend on our feelings or our actions. It depends only on God’s precious gift of grace which we didn’t, don’t, and never will deserve.

Why not get on your knees right now and thank Him for this gift of righteousness and holiness!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 4:10 – Ministering Gifts

Posted on by Will

each one as has received a gift, ministering it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Truth to Learn

God has given every Christian gifts. These are to be shared with the rest of the church, liberally and humbly.

 

Behind the Words

The expression “one another” is translated from the Greek word hekastos, which means “each one,” but it has the force of a superlative (as in good … better … best, better is a comparative and best is a superlative). So we could translate this word as “each and every one of you.”

“Gift” is the from the Greek word charisma, which means “a gift,” that is, “something which is bestowed gratuitously.” Some translations have this as “the gift,” but the definite article (the) is not in the original. So, this is not talking about some specific gift, rather any gift which God has bestowed on you. These gifts can be spiritual gifts such as are talked about in 1Corinthians12:4-10, (i.e. wisdom, faith, and knowledge), or in Ephesians 4:8-13 (i.e. evangelism, teaching, and pastoring). But these could also be any possession (spiritual, physical, or mental) which God has bestowed on you.

“Minister” is from the Greek word diakoneō (the word from which we get our English word deacon). This word means “to run errands, to wait on (like a waiter in a restaurant), or to serve.”

The word translated as “stewards” is oikonomos, which means “house manager” or “overseer,” one who is entrusted with the care of something belonging to someone else.

The word “manifold” is from poikilos, meaning “variegated” or “many faceted.” It means that God gives various different gifts to individual  members of the body of Christ as He determines.

 

Meaning Explained

In today’s verse Peter continues his description of how we should agape-love each other. He starts out by talking about something that each one of us should do: we should minister to one another. That is to say that we should learn to be each other’s servant. Peter intends that all Christians are included in this call to action.

After all, the gifts that Peter is talking about are not things that we have earned ourselves, but things that God has entrusted to us. Peter makes that very clear when he admonishes us to be “good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” The gifts (abilities, talents, possessions, etc.) are bestowed upon us by the graciousness of God Himself and, as Peter points out in this verse, are to be shared in a ministering manner within the body of Christ. Hence, you can see that everything we have is really a gift from God, and we are entrusted to use and take care of these gifts for the good of the church universal.

If we put this all together, we see that Peter is telling us that we are to unselfishly serve one another (Christians) with the gifts that God has freely bestowed on us (spiritual or material) in a manner that will please and glorify God.

 

Application

Are you sharing with the rest of the church the gifts and abilities that God has given to you? Or are you a Christian sponge, taking in all that others give you (materially or spiritually) but not giving anything back to the body of Christ? God wants you to share liberally with other Christians.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 1:12 – Heavenly Observation

Posted on by Will

It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels long to look into.

Truth to Learn

Angels are watching us to learn about salvation.

 

Behind the Words

The words “they were … serving” are translated from the Greek verb diakoneō, which means “to serve” or “to wait on” just as a waiter does at a restaurant. It is the word from which we get our English word deacon; a position of servanthood within the church. The verb is expressed here in the imperfect tense indicating past, ongoing action.

At the end of this verse, the word “long” is from the Greek verb epithumeō, meaning “extremely strong desire.” It is the word used of the prodigal son’s desire to satisfy his hunger with the husks in Luke 15:16 and of the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes in 1 John 2:16.

The word translated “to look” is the Greek verb parakuptō, meaning “to bend down” or “to stoop down” or “to peer into.” The implication here, as with the prophets, is that the angels are intently looking into these things. James uses this same word in James 1:25, “but whoever looks intently into the perfect law of liberty …” and it also is used of Peter himself in Luke 24:12 when he had arrived at the empty tomb and stooped down looking in to see the grave clothes.

 

Meaning Explained

The purpose of Peter’s message in these verses is to impress upon those to whom he was writing in the 1st century (and to us who read these words today) not only the value of the message contained in the scriptures, but also our very privileged position in being able to understand what was written in a way that saints of old were not permitted. The prophets of the Old Testament searched with effort for the true meaning of the message, which was inspired by the Holy Spirit, in order to understand the things of the Messiah and this salvation that we have. Now Peter tells us that the angelic beings have an intense desire to know more about these things as well.

An angel cannot experience salvation as we can. Each angelic being is a separate creation and is responsible to God for his own actions. It is because of the procreation of mankind from a single created being that Christ was able to atone for the sins of Adam’s entire race. Since angels can’t experience salvation themselves, they have to understand it by studying those of us who are experiencing it.

So, the next time you feel like someone is watching you (other than the omnipresent God we serve) it may well be that it is an angel, trying to better understand more about the salvation so freely offered to us, even though we don’t deserve it.

 

Application

Let’s give praise to God for our salvation, and let’s be a witness of His grace to those around us who we can see, as well as to those who we can’t see. Be a witness to an angel today!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 15:25 – God’s Saints

Posted on by Will

Romans 15:25 – God’s Saints

But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.

Truth to Learn

All Christians are saints.

Behind the Words

The word translated “minister” should be a familiar word to us by now. It is the Greek word diakoneō, a verb meaning “to serve or wait upon, with emphasis on the work to be done and not on the relationship between the served and the servant.”

The word translated “saints” is the Greek word hagios, which means, “holy one.” This word is believed to be derived from hagos, meaning “that which causes awe.” The root meaning of hagios is “that which is set apart from common use to the service of God.” It also carries with it the notion of ceremonial cleanliness and purity.

Meaning Explained

As we pointed out previously, Paul’s plan was to go to Spain and to stop by Rome on the way so that he could visit the Christians. First, though, he was planning on going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints there. We find a reference to this visit to Jerusalem and his subsequent plans to visit Rome in the book of Acts:

When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” (Acts 19:21)

It is not entirely clear whether Paul meant that he had purposed in his own spirit to make this trip or whether it was the Spirit of God who was directing him in his journeys. I suspect that it was the latter. Either way, he was not planning a vacation; he was planning to “minister to the saints.” Paul was going to Jerusalem as part of his calling to work, not to relax. He was taking money from the churches in Macedonia and Achaia (both part of modern day Greece) to give to the saints in Jerusalem.

Let’s talk about the “saints” for a moment. In the New Testament this term is used frequently, not referring to extraordinary people who have performed miracles and have been subsequently proclaimed “saints” by the church, but to anyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as savior. All of us who are born again Christians are saints according to the doctrines of the apostles. As we learned in the beginning chapters of this letter to the Roman Christians, when we were saved God bestowed His grace on us by proclaiming us to be righteous. In other words, in God’s record book, you and I are without sin because the blood of Christ has washed us clean. And because we now have the righteousness of Christ, legally in God’s court room we stand as holy as God, and we are set-apart for His use.

Application

If you’re a Christian, you’re a holy saint!

“But I don’t feel very holy!” you may say.

Fortunately, our position in God’s eyes doesn’t depend on our feelings or our actions. It depends only on God’s precious gift of grace which we didn’t, don’t, and never will deserve.

Why not get on your knees right now and thank Him for this gift of righteousness and holiness!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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