WORKING TOGETHER
C.R.Byng
As Paul writes to the brethren at Corinth as a local assembly, the instruction that was needed by the saints there would, no doubt, be needed by the saints in every locality. Whilst Paul refers to Apollos and himself, the point that he makes is that God is the One from whom all true increase comes, as he leads up to this remarkable expression "we are God's fellow-workmen". Not that we are working with God but we are to be working together for God. It is not limited to ministering servants such as Paul and Apollos, because Paul goes on to say "let each see how he builds". He is not exactly exhorting that we should build, because we necessarily are building something, but the exhortation is as to how we build.
The prosperity of the beloved brethren in any local assembly is bound up with the working out of this great matter as to whether we are fellow-workers under God. As God is the giver of the increase and we desire to be working together rightly under God, we would need to take account of the greatness of what God Himself is doing by way of work. One of those simple but profound expressions of the Lord Jesus in John is "My Father worketh hitherto and I work", John 5: 17. That could, no doubt, be taken back as covering the whole of the Old Testament Scriptures, but it is wonderfully true even at the present time. It was true at Pentecost - what a building that was, built by Christ, into which the Spirit could come. The Lord Jesus is the great Builder of His assembly and He has gone on building right through all the Dark Ages, as men speak of them, or, as we would perhaps more rightly speak of them, the Middle Ages, through the times of revival to to-day. Christ is the great Builder and the Spirit of God is building in relation to Him, and surely we can take account, feelingly and reverently, of the Father Himself as working.
So we are related to what divine Persons are doing on a universal scale. Whilst we would need to work this out in this city, we think of what divine Persons are doing universally, much of it hidden as far as we are concerned. Let us be in faith that God is working, perhaps far more extensively and deeply than at the moment we understand. If the fruit is to be rich and abiding for God, the roots have to be deep and God often takes much time and patience to cause the roots to go down deeply before we even understand He is working at all and before the fruit that is for His own pleasure comes to light. As we think of places where we used to be able to take account of a representation of the assembly according to God, do not let us regard them as deserts but as areas where divine Persons are working. The fruit of Their labours may be coming to light far more quickly than perhaps we at the moment think. Our direct responsibility is to be working together in this city as under God, and what a work there is to be done! Working together means that we need to be able to fit in with one another, everyone having his own particular part. There were not two Pauls and there were not two Apollos, there are not two of any of us; everyone of us is distinct from everyone else. Later in this epistle Paul, with, I think, a bearing back on this setting, speaks of star differing from star in glory (chap 15: 41). So everyone of us has some particular impression from the Spirit which is for profit. The Spirit gives to each. Sometimes we need a word of wisdom, sometimes a word of knowledge, sometimes faith, and normally it is not the same person who contributes the word of knowledge, or wisdom, or faith. There are at least nine different kinds of manifestations of the Spirit that come into 1 Corinthians 12.
So, beloved brethren, let us be freshly encouraged that God is expecting everyone of us to take our place more actively in working together as having in mind conditions where God can dwell. Do not let us forget the word of last Saturday on the tabernacle. If that is to be worked out in this city, it means we need to be working together, not working against one another and not occupied with petty issues which just militate against work. It was a prophetic word of beloved Mr Coates that ninety per cent of the differences amongst the people of God are personal 'things not worth five minutes' consideration' (Deuteronomy, page 9). Let us have help to judge the personal issues that like little foxes militate against this great constructive work, the most glorious work that has ever been committed to the hand of man. Think of all the work that men commit their hands to as under the control of the enemy of souls; and what is going to happen to it? It is all going to come down flat. The great structures in this western Europe are all going to come under the condemnation of God as yielding nothing for Him. The great structure that we have the privilege and responsibility of being related to is going to be seen as the holy city "coming down out of the heaven from God, having the glory of God", Rev 21: 10. That is to be found increasingly taking expression in every local assembly. Little matters need to be judged and taken out of the way so that this great work may proceed. It is to be for the glory of God eternally and yet it is committed for the moment to the hands of people like our selves. Let us understand humbly that we have failed like everyone to whom God has entrusted something. God sets things up in perfection and man, as putting his hand to it in responsibility, fails. Let us be persons who are in the spirit of having judged this, not occupied with it, but having judged it and thus able to go on together as those who have increasing impressions of the glory of the work of ensuring conditions where God can dwell and where God's praises and worship can be more fully secured.
May we be encouraged to understand the privilege of working together under God in relation to this great matter, so that God Himself can bless and give the increase, for His Name's sake.
LONDON
18 September 1973