The Overall Concept

THE OVERALL CONCEPT

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We of Mount Zion no longer are a congregation. We are members of the great Body of Christ, with members in Heaven and on the earth. As such we are the faculties of Christ.

Jesus Christ is the Head of the Body. The Head can think, plan, remember, understand, make judgments, and imagine. But the Head cannot do the work of the Father except through the numerous faculties which we are.

If God’s Kingdom is to be established on the earth, the faculties must be operating. This is why we no longer are to regard ourselves merely as members of a congregation. We absolutely must discover our role in the Body of Christ and begin to function.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (I Corinthians 12:27)
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:22,23)

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DEVELOPING GIFTS AND MINISTRIES

The most important aspect of learning what our gifts and ministries are, and how and when to use them, is to present our body a living sacrifice.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1,2)

SOME OF THE GIFTS AND MINISTRIES

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, (Ephesians 4:11)

To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, {or languages} and to still another the interpretation of tongues. {or languages} (I Corinthians 12:8-10)

The Gifts and Ministries are:

GIVEN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
ADMINISTRATED BY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
EMPOWERED BY GOD THE FATHER

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. (I Corinthians 12:4-6)

WE ARE TO EAGERLY DESIRE THE GIFTS AND MINISTRIES

But eagerly desire the greater gifts. (I Corinthians 12:31)

WE ARE TO FAN INTO FLAME THE GIFT OF GOD THAT IS IN US

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. (II Timothy 1:6)

WE ARE TO USE OUR GIFTS AND MINISTRIES ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF FAITH GOD HAS GIVEN US.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (I Corinthians 12:3-8)

THE GIFTS AND MINISTRIES ARE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACCOMPLISHING THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES:

Change into the image of Christ, and untroubled rest in the Person and will of God.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:29)
Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:13)
That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:21-23)
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. (Colossians 1:27,28)

Present everyone perfect in Christ

(the following objectives are taken from Philippians 3:8-14)

To know Christ Jesus my Lord.
To gain Christ and be found in him.
To gain the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
To know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.
To attain to the out-resurrection from the dead.

The objectives include a redeemed body:

Who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3:21)
Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:23)

BEING BROUGHT INTO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST AND INTO REST IN THE FATHER’S WILL ENABLES US TO PERFORM THE FOLLOWING EIGHTEEN ROLES AND TASKS OF THE KINGDOM:

1—To be a member of the Bride of the Lamb

(Revelation 21:9)

2—To be part of the Temple of God (Ephesians 2:22)

3—To be a member of the Body of Christ

(I Corinthians 12:12)

4—To be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13)

5—To be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14)

6—To be part of the vehicle for the end-time revival

(Isaiah 60:1,2)

7—To be a restorer of Paradise on the earth

(Romans 8:21)

8—To be a source of eternal life and healing for the

nations (I Corinthians 15:45)

9—To be a member of the royal priesthood (I Peter 2:9)

10—To be a witness of God (Isaiah 43:10)

10—To be a son of God (Revelation 21:7)

12—To be a brother of the Lord Jesus Christ

(Romans 8:29)

13—To be an overcomer of the accuser

(Revelation 12:11)

14—To be a governor of the nations (Revelation 2:26,27)

15—To be a soldier in the army of the Lord (Joel 2:11)

16—To be a judge of men and angels

(I Corinthians 6:2,3)

17—To be a wall of defense around the Glory of God

(Revelation 21:14)

18—To be part of the revelation of Himself—God in

Christ in the saints (Revelation 3:12)

THE FULL OPERATION OF THE EIGHTEEN ROLES AND TASKS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD LEADS TO:

Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17)

THE SEQUENCE OF OBJECTIVES

Each objective leads to the next:

Our first objective is to find out what gifts and ministries Christ desires to operate in us, and then to use them.

The operation of our gifts and ministries brings us and all to whom we minister into the image of Christ and into untroubled rest in the Person and will of God, which is the second objective.

Being brought into the image of Christ and untroubled rest in the Person and will of God enables us to perform the eighteen roles and tasks of the Kingdom of God, which is the third objective.

The performance of the eighteen roles and tasks of the Kingdom of God brings every member of the Kingdom of God into the fullness of the final objective:

RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, AND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

(“The Overall Concept”, 4019-1)