“Set some in the church” (1 Cor. 12:28), 3/17/13
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT HAVING A “POPE”? 1 Cor. 12:28– READ
1) The word “set” is a word we might easily overlook, but it is a very important term.
a) Paul said God “set” people as well as activities in the New Testament church.
2) We can either follow God’s plan for what has been “set” or we can choose another kind of arrangement.
3) Paul could have said “things in the church were set by God.”
4) Rather than word the thought in this way, Paul said “GOD” set things in the church..
TWO OF THE KEY WORDS IN 1 COR. 12:28 ARE “GOD” AND “FIRST.” A THIRD WORD WHICH MERITS CLOSE ATTENTION IS THE WORD “FIRST.”
1) Who or what is “first” in the church built by Christ?
2) Some in our world tell us the position of “pope” is first in the church.
3) Let’s read the verse again – READ 1 Cor. 12:28
a) “Apostles” were put “first in the church.”
b) If God has a place for a pope, this function must be in second or some other place besides first place.
4) The apostles were a group of specially chosen men, so it is right to call them “first” in the church.
5) Eph. 2:20 describes the Lord’s church and it says the apostles are part of the church’s “foundation.”
6) The church received its foundation more than 2,000 ago.
7) 1 Cor 3:11says Jesus is the foundation for the church, and He does not need to be replaced.
8) Along with Jesus, the foundation of the church was also associated with the apostles (Eph. 2:20).
9) The foundation for the church was laid once, and there is no more room for another Messiah or more apostles.
a) Jesus chose apostles to serve as “witnesses” (Acts 1:8); he also gave these men the “keys of the kingdom.”
b) Catholicism has used Mt. 16:18-19 to say that Peter “received the keys.”
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10) READ Mt. 18:18
11) Peter did not receive the authority in Mt. 16:18-19 because he was the “first pope.”
12) He received this authority because he was an apostle; Mt. 18:18 show how the other apostles received this same power.
13) Because the apostles had the power to “bind and loose,” they are rightly said to be “set first” in the church.
14) The apostles were also first because Jesus said they would receive “all the truth (Jn. 16:13).
15) Jesus said these men would be supernaturally guided by the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:26).
16) These men were baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:2-5, 8), so they were rightly called “first” in the church.
17) If the apostles were first, we must ask who was placed second in the church.
a) 1 Cor. 12:28 tells us “prophets” were set second in the Lord’s church.
b) As we heard earlier from Eph. 2:20, prophets were also part of the church’s foundation.
18) Since God did not set a “pope” in the first or second position for the church, what about the third position?
19) After apostles and prophets Paul turned to “teachers.”
a) In the first century there were supernatural (miraculous) gifts that helped people teach.
b) God gave at least some of His people the information they needed when it was time to talk. Mt. 10:19-20.
20) Here in 1 Cor. 12:28 we do not know if these teachers had special (supernatural) abilities or not. Jas. 3:1.
21) In 1 Cor. 12:28 – supernatural gifts that existed in the first century.
22) God placed teaching PRIOR to the information about supernatural gifts.
a) The apostle spoke of miracles, healings, tongue speaking, and the interpretation of tongues.
b) Paul next spoke about “miracles” (we might describe this word as signs and wonders).
23) In addition to miracles, God put “healings” in the church.
24) The next two items – “helps and governments” are a little less clear. Elders and deacons?
25) It seems these things refer to various helpers in a congregation, perhaps elders and deacons.
26) God arranged His church in such a way where it has all the things it needs to be successful. Will we follow God’s plan?
