Tag: hekastos

Romans 14:12 – Personal Testimony

Posted on by Will

So then each of us will give account of himself to God.

Truth to Learn

All Christians will have to testify regarding what they have done for God while on this earth.

 

Behind the Words

Paul starts off the current verse with the Greek words ara oun, which basically mean, “So, in conclusion, …” This expression applies to what he will say in this and the following verse.

“Each” is translated from the Greek word hekastos, meaning “each one” or “every one.” It is expressed in the singular, indicating that we will be standing individually before the Judge. Only our individual actions will matter.

The word “give” is didōmi, which means “to deliver up” or “to give over.” And “account” is logos, meaning “a word” or “something said.” Thus, it appears that we will each have to talk about how we spent the life that was given to us.

“Himself” is the reflexive pronoun heautou, indicating that the account given will be that of the one giving the account not of anyone else.

 

Meaning Explained

Let me start off by saying that this verse clearly shows that Paul believed that Jesus Christ is God. You will notice that this verse is still in reference to the judgment seat (bematos) of Christ, and it is clearly Jesus Christ who is sitting on this seat. Also, in John’s gospel account our Lord taught that the Father entrusts all judgment to the Son.

For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, (John 5:22)

Yet in this verse, Paul tells us that we will have to give an explanation of our actions to God. Jesus Christ is the Creator, our Savior, our Judge, and our God.

The next thing that Paul has to say regarding our appearance before the bema seat of Christ is that “each one of us will give account concerning himself to God.” That is, when we appear before Christ’s judgment seat, we will have to give an explanation of what we have done for Him. We will not be called upon to give testimony about anyone else, nor will He be calling us as a witness to anyone else’s actions, only our own. Therefore, since God’s focus at the judgment seat of Christ will be on our works done for His glory, our focus in this earthly life needs to be on what we are doing for God, not on what other Christians are or aren’t doing.

Also, notice very carefully that this is a judgment of our works, not our sins. According to 2Corinthians 5:10, which we looked at a couple of verses back, this judgment will be “according to what each person has done.” Our sins, on the other hand, have already been judged. They were judged at the cross when Christ paid the penalty for all our sins with His blood. When we believed God’s promise, like Abraham we were declared righteous. All of our sins – past, present, and future – were judged and paid for; hence, they cannot be the subject of the judgment seat of Christ.

 

Application

Let us all judge our own actions, not the actions of other Christians, so that He will judge them worthy on that day! We would all rather receive rewards than the smell of smoke.

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 Corinthians 3:13 – The Fire Test

Posted on by Will

each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.

Truth to Learn

We need to be working in the church for God’s glory.

Behind the Words

“Each one’s” is from the Greek word hekastos, which we saw back in verse five. It refers to “each one” or to “everyone.” It implies specific application to each one separately, not to the group as a whole.

The word “work” is from ergon, meaning “a work or a deed.”

Phaneros is the Greek word translated “clear.” It is derived from phainō, which means “to shine” or “to cause to appear.” Hence, phaneros means “to be publicly apparent.”

The word “declare” is translated from dēloō, meaning “to make known” or “to reveal.”

“Revealed” is from apokaluptō, which is made up of apo, meaning “away from” and kaluptō, meaning “to cover.” Thus, apokaluptō means “to uncover” or “to expose.”

Pur is the Greek word translated “fire.” It refers to literal fire.

The word “test” is from dokimadzō, which means “to test for the purpose of finding good or value.”

Meaning Explained

Paul is talking about work that is being done in building God’s temple on the foundation of Jesus Christ, that is, the work of building the church body. Each and every Christian is responsible for using the gifts given him or her to build up the body of Christ. In verse ten we were told that we each need to take heed how we build on the foundation. In today’s verse Paul tells us why. He says that the work we do will be made publicly evident in “the Day.” Most Biblical scholars agree that this is a reference to the Bema Seat Judgment:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

This is a judgment of our works, not of our sins. Our sins were judged and paid for at the cross. These works will not be used to determine if we are saved or not because the Bema Seat Judgment happens after the rapture when all Christians are already in heaven. Also, notice in verse fifteen that even if our works are burned up, we will still be saved. The purpose of this judgment is to “test each one’s work.” The word translated “test” is dokimadzō, as we pointed out above. It is the word used of testing gold or silver in order to determine its worth. Also notice in verse fourteen that the works which endure the fire will result in a reward.

If we pay close attention to the context of today’s verse, we will see that the works being talked about here are specifically those done to build up the church, the body of Christ. This is of special note to anyone who is not serving in some capacity within the local church or the church universal.

Application

If we are not actively working to build up the church, we may find that we have no works to be judged. However, if we are working to build up the body, we need to be doing so at God’s direction and for His glory or our works may be burned up.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

1 Corinthians 3:8 – Unity and Individuality

Posted on by Will

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Truth to Learn

The work of ministry is a team effort, but the rewards given will be based on individual effort.

Behind the Words

“One” is translated from the Greek word heis, meaning the number “one.” It is written here in the neuter person, just like the word ti in verse seven, further supporting the use of ti in verse five.

“Each one” is from the Greek word hekastos (from hekas, meaning “separate”). It refers to “each one” or to “everyone.” In the case of “everyone,” it implies specific application to each one separately, not to the group as a whole.

The words “will receive” are from lambanō, which means “to take” or “to receive.” It is expressed in the future tense, indicating action that will take place sometime in the future.

Misthos is the word translated “reward.” It refers to “wages” or “a reward” that is given as payment for work done.

The words “according to” are from the Greek word kata. The primary meaning of this word is “down.” When used metaphorically, as it is here, it expresses the relationship of one thing with respect to another. In this sense it means “according to,” “in comparison to,” or “with respect to.”

“Labor” is from the word kopos, based on the word koptō, meaning “to strike,” “to hit,” or “to cut.” It refers to “wearisome or painful effort” or “hard work.”

Meaning Explained

In the agricultural metaphor that Paul has been using, he has shown that the work of the gospel involves both planting of seeds (evangelism) and nourishing of the spiritual plants that have sprung up from the seeds (preaching and teaching). Because of the divisions that had sprung up in the church at Corinth, Paul is making a strong point that all of those who labor for God are one unit. They are not divided, working in competition with each other, but working together as members of the same team.

In the upcoming verses, he will switch from an agriculture metaphor to that of constructing a building. In both of these, Paul clearly shows that the work of ministry is a combined effort, requiring hard work on the part of many people. Each person has their part of the job to do for a common objective. Each person has his or her work to do according to the gifts that God has given them to work with, but there is a unity of purpose for all.

Now, lest we get lazy and assume that the work of the ministry will get done whether or not we do our part, Paul declares a significant truth. Each one of us will be paid (rewarded) for the work that we do individually. Later, Paul will show that our payment will depend on the quality and focus of our labor; here he states that we each have our own assignment and we need to be doing the work assigned us by the Master.

Application

In any church today, eighty percent of the work is performed by twenty percent of the people. However, those who faithfully do the work assigned to them will receive the reward promised to them, while those who are not working will receive nothing.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

1 Corinthians 3:5 – Leader or Servant?

Posted on by Will

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?

Truth to Learn

A pastor leads by being an example of a humble servant.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “who” is tis, an interrogative pronoun meaning “who?” The oldest manuscripts, however, have the word ti, meaning “what?” Either one makes sense grammatically, but ti (what) makes more sense in context.

“Ministers” is from the Greek noun diakonos. This is the word from which we get our English word “deacon.” It refers to someone who serves, like a waiter serving a meal.

The word translated “through” is dia. In reference to a location, it refers to motion through a place. In reference to time, it refers to a continuance of time. When it is used in regard to a person or his action, it refers to that person and his action as being the instrument through which the objective is achieved.

Pisteuō is the Greek verb translated “believed.” It means “to be firmly persuaded about something,” that is, to believe or have faith in something. It is expressed here in the aorist tense, indicating past action that occurred at a point in time.

“Each one” is from the Greek word hekastos (from hekas, meaning “separate”). It refers to “each one” or to “everyone.” In the case of “everyone,” it implies specific application to each one separately, not to the group as a whole.

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse serves as a transition from Paul’s teaching regarding divisions in the church to teaching about serving God for the purpose of building up the church. As we previously pointed out, Paul is using himself and Apollos as the two specific people that might be seen as leaders of the church in Corinth because they are the two who have done most of the pastoring in that church. Later in this letter we will learn that Paul is about to send Timothy to take over the ministry there.

Before sending him, however, Paul needs to ensure that the members of the Corinthian church recognize that whoever serves in the capacity of pastor or teacher is not doing so as a “leader” but as a “servant.” It is true that the pastor of any local church has some leadership responsibilities. However, it is not his job to become a ruler or even a figurehead for the church.

Paul tells the Corinthians (and us) that the person who oversees the operation of a local church and who provides regular teaching from God’s Word is not a political or religious leader. This man is simply a servant, a conduit of blessing through whom God speaks to the members of the local assembly. He also tells us that these “ministers” serve in the church in accordance with the gifts that each one was given. In other words, it is God who gave Paul the ability to simply and plainly lay out the plan of salvation, it is God who gave Apollos the ability to speak eloquently, and it is God who gives salvation to everyone who believes. By declaring strong allegiance to one man over another, the Christians in Corinth were, in effect, giving individual men credit for what God and God alone has done and is doing.

Application

The position of church pastor is one of the most difficult and thankless jobs a man could have. He is to lead the people without being their leader. He is to be a conduit of God’s blessing and an example to all of how a servant is to behave.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

1 Corinthians 1:12 – Submission or Contention

Posted on by Will

Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ."

Truth to Learn

Christians must be submitted to their leaders.

Behind the Words

“I say” is the translation of the verb legō, which means “to relate in words” or “to speak.”

The word translated “each” is hekastos, which can indicate “each” or “every one.” It indicates the separation of things either individually or as a whole. The fact that Paul follows this with a singular verb (says) indicates that he is talking to each person in the church individually.

Meaning Explained

In yesterday’s verse Paul directly addressed one of the primary issues in the Corinthian church, that there were contentions (strife) among them. In today’s verse he tells them what the source of that strife was. The fact that Paul addresses this message to “each” member of the church is a clear indication that there was no unity in the church. The specific issue was that they were each following different leaders.

Any church which has a gifted pastor/teacher is truly blessed by God. Very few, however, have leaders as gifted as Paul. The church at Corinth not only had Paul as their founding leader, they also were blessed to have had a man like Apollos lead them after Paul’s departure. We first encounter Apollos in the book of Acts when he arrived at Ephesus, where Paul had gone after leaving Corinth. In Acts 18:24-19:1, we find that Apollos was very knowledgeable in the Old Testament and that he was an eloquent speaker. After Aquila and Priscilla took him under their wing and taught him further, he was sent to Achaia, to the church in Corinth. However, for some reason he left Corinth and returned to Ephesus. Then, according to 1 Corinthians 16:12, Paul tried to persuade Apollos to return to the church in Corinth, but he was unwilling to go.

What could possibly have transpired in Corinth that caused Apollos to leave and not want to return? Most Biblical scholars believe it is because of the infighting that was so prevalent in the church in Corinth. Obviously, there was a group of people in Corinth who liked Apollos and followed his teaching. Unfortunately, however, there were others who were not willing to follow him. Instead, they claimed to be followers of Paul. Perhaps some of these people were baptized by Paul and never gave their allegiance to his replacement. In a similarly contentious manner, some of the people in Corinth refused to be associated with either Paul or Apollos, claiming instead to be followers of Cephas (the Apostle Peter). And finally, others claimed to follow no mere mortal, claiming instead only to be followers of Christ.

Any time a beloved pastor is called by God to leave a church and minister elsewhere, it is difficult for the members of the church he left. However, if the new leader of the church is called by God and is preaching and teaching the truth of the Bible, we need to give him our full support and follow his lead in building up the church and proclaiming salvation to the lost.

Application

If you read Peter’s first letter, you will see that he teaches the importance of submitting to one another. If we are submitted to our leaders there is very little room for infighting. Are you a submitted Christian, or are you contentious?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

 

Romans 14:12 – Personal Testimony

Posted on by Will

Romans 14:12 – Personal Testimony

So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.

Truth to Learn

All Christians will have to testify regarding what they have done for God while on this earth.

Behind the Words

Paul starts off the current verse with the Greek words ara oun, which basically mean, “So, in conclusion, …” This expression applies to what he will say in this and the following verse.

“Each” is translated from the Greek word hekastos, meaning “each one” or “every one.” It is expressed in the singular, indicating that we will be standing individually before the Judge. Only our individual actions will matter.

The word “give” is didōmi, which means “to deliver up” or “to give over.” And “account” is logos, meaning “a word” or “something said.” Thus, it appears that we will each have to talk about how we spent the life that was given to us.

“Himself” is the reflexive pronoun heautou, indicating that the account given will be that of the one giving the account not of anyone else.

Meaning Explained

Let me start off by saying that this verse clearly shows that Paul believed that Jesus Christ is God. You will notice that this verse is still in reference to the judgment seat (bematos) of Christ, and it is clearly Jesus Christ who is sitting on this seat. Also, in John’s gospel account our Lord taught that the Father entrusts all judgment to the Son.

For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, (John 5:22)

Yet in this verse, Paul tells us that we will have to give an explanation of our actions to God. Jesus Christ is the Creator, our Savior, our Judge, and our God.

The next thing that Paul has to say regarding our appearance before the bema seat of Christ is that “each one of us will give account concerning himself to God.” That is, when we appear before Christ’s judgment seat, we will have to give an explanation of what we have done for Him. We will not be called upon to give testimony about anyone else, nor will He be calling us as a witness to anyone else’s actions, only our own. Therefore, since God’s focus at the judgment seat of Christ will be on our works done for His glory, our focus in this earthly life needs to be on what we are doing for God, not on what other Christians are or aren’t doing.

Also, notice very carefully that this is a judgment of our works, not our sins. According to 2Corinthians 5:10, which we looked at a couple of verses back, this judgment will be “according to what each person has done.” Our sins, on the other hand, have already been judged. They were judged at the cross when Christ paid the penalty for all our sins with His blood. When we believed God’s promise, like Abraham we were declared righteous. All of our sins – past, present, and future – were judged and paid for; hence, they cannot be the subject of the judgment seat of Christ.

Application

Let us all judge our own actions, not the actions of other Christians, so that He will judge them worthy on that day! We would all rather receive rewards than the smell of smoke.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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