God’s Diversities of Operations

“And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.”* (1 Corinthians 12:6)

“For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!”* (Luke 7:33-34)

We are frequently baffled by the diversity of human nature, but God (who created human nature) is not the least frustrated by it. He has designed the work of the gospel to sift and sieve each and every kind of human being, until those who really love Him and His ways are brought to light. And to accomplish this end, God does not approach unity as we would expect. Men expect unity (actually union) to be cookie cutter in its nature; mass production, turning out row after row of identical preachers, gospel workers, all clearly identical by outward characteristics. It is not quite like this. All of God’s people are holy in life, inward motive, and speech, just as all the individual birds of a species build a nest, but each nest is distinctive. So it is with salvation. Bible salvation ends the sinning and makes each possessor a new creature in Christ Jesus, yet each experience is individual and distinguished from another. We might say that God cherishes each person’s, each congregation’s, individuality. We might well keep in mind that He created the amazing diversity of human beings.

When it comes to public ministry, God is just as comfortable with His ministers’ differences as He is with the individuality of experiences of salvation. We are not speaking of having a different message. That is not the case. “Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.”* (Isaiah 52:8) “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”* (1 Corinthians 1:10) It is plain from these scriptures and others that God’s ministers possess a high degree of cohesion and sameness in the message. And they are not crossed up, disagreeing and contradicting each other. In no way could that be “perfectly joined together in the same mind and judgment.”

What is the diversity, then? And why?

This diversity is plainly demonstrated in the work of John the Baptist and the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Luke 7 we read, “And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about. And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things. And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?”* (Luke 7:17-20) We see from this that God frequently raises up a work separately from another (at least for a time), as far as the human instrumentalities know. I do want to say that the works are not separate in the mind of God. But the persons involved do not know each other, or whether they should recognize each other at a certain point. This ignorance of what God is doing overall will keep us humble and trusting of Him if we will acknowledge it. Please note the simple, childlike inquiry: “Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?” At first glance, this appears incredibly naive. How could the children of God be so unwary? But it is not so naive, after all. Brother John and the disciples there would not be satisfied with a simple “yes.” They would expect any claim to be substantiated. They would examine the fruit. Behind this lies a remarkable trust in God. I can afford to ask a plain, blunt, unsophisticated question, such as what they asked, because God is my Guide, my Defender. Praise His name! He will keep me from going astray, so I have no need to be cunning or shrewd.

And their trust was rewarded. The fruit was on hand. It would bear examination, both cursory and profound. “Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”* (Luke 7:22-23) It is very plain from this that the validity of any work that claims to be of God is established by comparison with the standard revealed to us by God. This way of comparison discredits the idea of succession, that is, the tracing a line of heritage from generation to generation. As an example: the Roman Catholic Church attempts to prove that it is the true church by tracing a supposed line of succession back to Peter, the alleged first pope. But even a shallow investigation of this claim, comparing what this organization is and has been with the New Testament church, quickly reveals that the claim is false.

Now the outer form of godliness (2 Timothy 3:5) can be passed from generation to generation, but the genuine power and life of the gospel cannot. The real thing is only obtainable from heaven by any who put in for it and get it. It is God to man only, not man to man. Perhaps you, dear reader, do not like to think about this, and perhaps you will quote to me 2 Timothy 2:2: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” “See,” you might say, “the gospel lies in the hands of the faithful men who are able to teach others.” No, you are mistaken. Yes, faithful men can teach others, but it takes more than teaching to have a gospel experience. The reality of the gospel goes beyond teaching. Learning to talk the talk is not the same as learning the walk. Head knowledge of salvation, even accurate head knowledge, is not at all the same as possessing a clean heart and living a holy life.

Most of the splinters of the 1880 Evening Light Reformation teach the same basic doctrine, especially with regard to light on the church question. (What church should I join?) But how right they are can only be established by comparison with the New Testament church as revealed in the scriptures. Indeed, the validity of that truth taught back in 1880 (or any other time) can only be established by comparison with the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Some would have us believe that they are right because their ministers came from such and such a group, who came from such and such, until finally they trace their roots back to an original that is recognized to be genuine. We might well reply, “Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?” That is, “Are you a valid, living demonstration of the gospel? or should we continue to look elsewhere?” As you can see, this is a comparing question. And we, too, as well as Brother John the Baptist and his disciples, must needs trust God to help us to discern between who serveth the Lord and who serveth Him not (Malachi 3:18). Let us humbly and patiently, with complete trust in God, try the spirits, to see whether they be of God (1 John 4:1).

Our main text at the beginning of this article emphasizes a certain outwardly-perceptible difference between the ministry of John the Baptist and the ministry of Jesus. Suppose that I lived in the time of these two ministries, and I’m trying to figure out who is right. I observe that one hardly eats or drinks at all, while the other eats more or less as people normally do. I must needs look deeper than the surface to observe that the two ministries are the same spirit—both of God and in His order.

It is at these surface differences that the prejudices of people kick in (Luke 9:53)—some like the way Brother John does it, while others like the way Jesus does it. Some appreciate Brother Paul, others lean to Brother Apollos. Some say that Jesus is a gluttonous man, while others conclude that John just likes to live an abstemious life. These prejudices are not focused on the truth; they are focused on the outer appearance. Above all, they illustrate that people looking on are following their own ideas and are not interested in the ways of God. And God has designed His diversities of operations to allow people to become entangled in their own prejudices. It is very plain after a while that the prejudiced do not really love God and His ways above their own ideas. “For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.”* (1 Corinthians 3:19) “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.”* (Jonah 2:8) “With all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”* (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

“But wisdom is justified of all her children.”* (Luke 7:35) God has designed a criss-cross of different ministering vessels to deal with the hearts of all His own children. A sister arose in a prayer meeting. She had been thinking about things. She said, “You know, there are many among the children of God that you would never choose for your friends. But now they are brothers and sisters in the Lord.” She was right. Most people choose their friends on the basis of how well they get along in outward things. They share a common bond in the flesh. But God takes people who are not a people in this sense, and makes a holy people out of all these disparate elements (1 Peter 2:10).

There was a minister who grated on the nerves of many other people. Some of these were children of God, and he was used of the Lord to feed them, but his personality was rather crude and just did not set well with people in general. For all that, he really loved the Lord. God accepted him and answered his prayers. He had faults and they were of a glaring, obvious nature. Those who did not love the truth, who were just going along with the doctrine, etc.; they despised him. This minister got up on a Sunday morning at a general meeting, before a large congregation, and he brought a message, a precious message, from God. The reaction was typical. Children of God fed on the message; others criticized.

After the brother finished speaking, another brother got up. This brother was much more refined in his delivery, general impression, etc., but he also walked with God. He knew he would be crossing the general impression of the crowd there, but he felt a burden to say something. He kind of put his head at a thoughtful angle, and in a voice of supplication, he said, “Brethren, we must receive what God sends through whatever vessel He sees fit to send it.” I wish I could say that everybody there received that, but I can’t. Most just immediately categorized the second brother with the first and felt free to reject them both. Yet the Lord was in both the message and the admonition.

“It is the same God which worketh all in all.”* (1 Corinthians 12:6)

Let us now notice several other scriptures in the New Testament.

“And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”* (Luke 9:49-50)

“But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.”* (Mark 9:39-42)

We observe that God is doing many things—saving souls, raising up ministries, healing people, etc.—without discussing it or clearing it with us at all. We are given a little spot in the great vineyard of God in which to labor, and it is not our business as to what He is doing elsewhere. Unless, of course, in the doing of our assigned work, we need to know whether something is of God or not. Then we need to ask and be taught of God. But we have no right to just draw our own conclusions and direct our own steps. We will get into trouble if we try. Maybe what we will learn is that we are not in as good a shape as we thought we were. Maybe there is more of self alive in us than we knew, and God designed through this diversity of operation thing to expose ourself to ourself. Oh, how needful is this sense of humility! “Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear.”* (Romans 11:18-20) I got in by mercy through unmerited favor (grace), and everybody else that got in, got in the same way. How inappropriate, how out of place, it is that I should rise up and usurp the place of the Holy Ghost in the name of doing God service. “I forbade him because he was not with us.” I take too much upon me; I am only a worker in the vineyard; it ill behooves me to take upon me the place that God only can fill and does fill. His work is a stone cut out of the mountain without hands. It is a kingdom not left to people (Daniel 2:44-45). “Be not highminded, but fear.”* (Romans 11:20)

I will quote from a sister’s experience with God’s diversities of operations.

…I haven’t known how to say anything in answer to the things that you expressed. I have been praying all these months that the Lord would help me to understand just what happened when we were with you, and how I could have been wrong. I could not believe that I was so wrong! [Husband] and I together felt the way that I explained to you! He couldn’t understand this either. This morning I felt that the Lord gave me some understanding. It is the first time I have seen this, and I know it has taken me a long time to get here. You’ve had to wait on me, and I’m sorry. Please forgive my silence, and try to understand.

I think what happened, was that you had a little different order of service than we were used to. We usually begin a service with singing, which is Scriptural, as far as I understand. (You also began with singing.) Then, usually, there is a time for sharing thanksgivings and requests, in preparation for a time of prayer. After prayer, there is usually a space given for the one who has the Word to give it out; or, in the case of prayer meeting, time for various testimonies and exhortations, prayer again, a song, or whatever the Lord leads the saints to do.

In your particular service, after singing, there was general sharing, and I remember that you began with an exhortation, which was rather lengthy. I took it that there would be no other “message,” and that’s when I felt that my chance was closed out. Since I was a visitor, I had also anticipated some sort of invitation to be free to express what the Lord may have given me, since that is what we usually do when a visiting saint, or minister, visits the congregation. That was not given. After you spoke, there were some other things said by different ones, and then, last of all, we all knelt for prayer. My heart was so heavy by that time. I did pray aloud, but I felt that I had not had a chance to speak the message the Lord put on my heart.

That was Wednesday; we were with you again the following Monday…. I was still trying to sort things out, and we all really didn’t speak together about these things at length during that day, except you and [husband] shared quite a bit as you drove.

Anyway, the Lord brought to my mind this morning that the order of service confused me, and that, had I understood that you were waiting on me to speak, I would have spoken. This answer was not what I expected. I was asking, “Lord, who was wrong, they or I?” Instead, the Lord is gently letting me see that possibly neither had done wrong; just some differences in administration tested me, and actually, I failed that test.

Would it be possible to take the test over? I would hope for such an opportunity. I pray that, wherever God’s people are, when we meet together, I will be able to partake of God’s blessings with them.

Now this is very honest, and I have little doubt that God designed things for this to all come out. Oh, praise His name! “God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.”* (1 John 3:20) We trust Him to make of His work what He wants to make of it in these latter years. We are content to stay in the littleness of our place and understanding and leave it to Him. He is so able! He handles us so easily—although it doesn’t seem so easy to us! “And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem.”* (Ezekiel 8:3) We marvel at the greatness of God. My soul doth greatly magnify the Lord. “Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”* (Psalm 2:12)