Roles In The Church

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The Roles Within Jesus' Church

It is important to note that each Christian has a different part or role within the local congregation of Christians.  The New Testament defines the roles that we have within the church.  Some of these are described below. 

Note:  The information below is not intended to be an all-inclusive list; but rather to help illustrate some of the roles that the scriptures give.  It is important for each Christian to search the scriptures to find out more and more about Jesus' will for his or her life. 

All Christians Do Not Have the Same Function:

If you look at the human body...not all parts of the body are hands or feet or eyes or ears.  If the human body consisted of 1000 eyes and no hands or feet or other parts, the body would not be able to function properly.

The same is true in the Lord's church.  Consider the following scripture:

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body, which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness, 24 whereas our seemly members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (NAS)

Role of Christians in General:

As we have studied so far in this lesson and in Lesson 1, the role of a Christian is to serve God, to be a light to the world, to love others and have compassion for them, to obey the commandments, to worship in spirit and in truth, etc.  Each Christian should be searching the Bible daily to see what God's will and purpose is for them.  It is not the intent of this lesson to fully define each Christian's role in specifics.

Each Christian should commit themselves to being an active participant in the activities and worship of the local congregation of Jesus' church so as to encourage others and to grow closer to the Lord.  Consider the words of Hebrews 10:23-25:

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more, as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:23-25(NAS)

Role of Christian Children:

Children who are old enough to believe and have faith...and have obeyed the gospel have a defined role in scripture.  They would have the same role as Christians in general, but the scripture also adds some instructions to them, including the following:

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. Ephesians 6:1-3 (NAS)

Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Colossians 3:20 (NAS)

As a child reaches the adult age, they have additional responsibilities for providing for their parents or grandparents in need (e.g., widowed), if and when necessary:

"...but if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family, and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God." 1 Timothy 5:4 4 (NAS)

Role of Single Christian Adults:

Single Christians would have the same role as Christians in general.  Although there is a lot of discussion in the scripture about families and marriage, there is no requirement that a Christian marry.  In the 1st Century AD when the church was facing severe persecution, the apostle Paul recommended that people not marry (as Paul was not married), unless they could not control their sexual desires:

Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that. 8 But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. 9 But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. 1 Corinthians 7:7-9 7 (NAS)

But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; 33 but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, 34 and {his interests} are divided. And the woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 And this I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is seemly, and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. 36 But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she should be of full age, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry. 37 But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well. 38 So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better. 1 Corinthians 7:32-38(NAS)

Role of Married Christians:

Married Christians would have the same role as general Christians.  In addition, as Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians 7:32-33 above, a Christian who is married must be concerned about pleasing the Lord, but also at the same time how to please his wife.  There are many scriptures that discuss the marriage relationship, including:

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; 26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of His body. 31 For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. Ephesians 5:22-31 (NAS)  

Marriage is a lifelong commitment.  Divorce and remarriage is not an option, except in the one situation permitted by Christ:

"And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." Matthew 19:9 9 (NAS)

And He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; 12 and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery." Mark 10:11-12 11  (NAS)

The apostle Paul gave the following instructions for a Christian who is married to a non-Christian (or is considering marriage to a non-Christian):

But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband 11 (but if she does leave, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not send his wife away. 12 But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, let him not send her away. 13 And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, let her not send her husband away. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. 15 Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. 16 For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 (NAS)

Role of Christian Parents:

In addition to the role of general Christians...and the role of married Christians, Christians who have children also have additional responsibilities including:

Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 2 Corinthians 12:14 (NAS)

And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 (NAS)

Fathers, do not exasperate your children, that they may not lose heart. Colossians 3:21 21 (NAS) 

Role of Teachers, Elders (also called overseers, pastors, bishops), Deacons, Preachers, etc:

Each Christian should strive to grow in their knowledge of God's word and in their faith:

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Hebrews 5:12-14  (NAS) 

With respect to teaching, as an example, older women should teach the younger women:

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored. Titus 2:3-5 (NAS)

...and parents should teach their children:

"And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; 7 and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.  Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NAS)

However, the scriptures put restrictions on those who should teach...or those who have authority over other men:

Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment. James 3:1  (NAS)

But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 1 Timothy 2:12 (NAS)

As we read earlier in this lesson, elders are given a big task to shepherd or pastor the local congregation.  Deacons are charged with serving in special areas as the congregation may have need.  However, the scriptures restrict the role of elders and deacons to married men with children who meet certain other requirements:

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any man be above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.... Titus 1:5-6 (NAS)  NOTE: read through the end of the chapter and also 1 Timothy 3:1-7

Let deacons be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. 1 Timothy 3:12 12 (NAS) NOTE: Read 1 Timothy 3:8-15 (Note: the word "deacon" comes from the Greek word "diakonos" meaning a "special servant.")

Why the Limitations on Certain Roles?

The Lord has set forth certain requirements for the different roles for the Christians who make up His body, so that the body will work effectively.  Men should not be upset that they cannot bear children.  Single men should not be upset that they cannot become deacons.  A deacon is to be "married to one wife and good managers of their children." Each Christian has a very vital and important role in Jesus' church...the household of God.

We should also not look down on those having different roles in the church.  Let's look again at 1 Corinthians 12:

But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body, which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness, 24 whereas our seemly members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.  1 Corinthians 12:20-25

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