Topical Study~SPIRITUAL NURTURE AND DIVINE WORK (I)
SPIRITUAL NURTURE AND DIVINE WORK (I)
All Christians need to understand the importance of spiritual nurture and divine work. Many people neglected their spiritual nurture or did not engage in divine work because they were ignorant. As a result, they were unable to do things that glorify God and edify others, making it difficult for the church to carry out her work.
Let us study the Bible to understand the significance and relationship between spiritual nurture and divine work.
I. Divine Work
1. What Is Divine Work?
Divine work refers to the work of God. The most basic work that we should do is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 6:28-29 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?"29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
When we believe in God, we should do God’s work. This means we should do things that are pleasing to Him, such as praying, reading the Scriptures, attending church services, singing hymns, making offerings, etc. These things are acceptable to God, and they are our reasonable service.
Rom. 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
In short, doing good is a divine work that God has prepared for us to do.
Eph. 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Doing good encompasses serving one another with love, caring for the sick, giving alms to the poor, taking in strangers, managing church affairs, helping with church cleaning, teaching children, conducting hymnal practices, and playing the piano, among other tasks. All these divine work are done for the Lord, and they are performed to glorify and edify others.
Matt. 25:34-4034Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'37Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'40And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
Col. 1:10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Doing the divine work include tending the flock of God (within) and spreading the gospel (without). These two tasks were the Lord’s most important instructions to His believers before His ascension to heaven.
John 21:15-1715So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."16He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." 17He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Everyone who has believed and been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ has become a member of the body of Christ. As members of Christ’s body, no one is exempted from performing the divine work, whether the work is great or small. Just as different parts of a body have distinct functions, though many, we are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. Therefore, we all share the various kinds of work entrusted to us by the Lord.
Rom. 12:3-83For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.4For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.6Having then gifts dif ering according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;7or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;8he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
2. The Importance Of Divine Work:
We must never despise divine work. As Paul said, “…be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,…”. He also said, “not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord”.
1Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Rom. 12:11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
The words "be" and "always" clearly indicate the importance of divine work and that it must be done. We must repay the great grace of the Lord.
Matt. 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
2Cor. 6:1-21We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.2For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
We must actively work for the growth of the church.
1Pet. 5:2-32Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
We must preach the gospel in order to save others and expand the church.
Rom. 9:1-41I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,2that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.3For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,4who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises;
Isa. 54:2-32"Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes.3For you shall expand to the right and to the left, And your descendants will inherit the nations, And make the desolate cities inhabited.
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
If we fail to do the divine work, woe will come upon us, for we have been entrusted with a stewardship.
1Cor. 9:16-1716For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!17For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
We should do the divine work willingly and diligently. Paul considered the divine work more important than his own life.
Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
(~ to be continued ~)
ACTS-2025-0304-Eng
