Kretzmann’s Workers Together with Him – Togo and Liberia – From the Field – March 8, 2017
What a delight to read and see of the graduation lead by Pastors Kossi and Ohlmann in Lome, Togo and know these graduates will also be workers together with God! And what a further delight to learn that the CLC Bd. of Doctrine has recommended to the CLC President that fellowship be recognized with Grace Evangelistic Lutheran Church and its pastor,Joseph Kwiwalazu, in the Monrovia, Liberia area. We work shoulder to shoulder with Him above all.
Workers Together with Him! 2 Cor. 6:1. The Biblical Precept and Example.
(material taken from Kretzmann’s ‘While it is Day’)
It is a wonderful name: “WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD!” —-
a name of rich content, a name which bestows a world of honor upon us.
The very expression “together with” is full of significance and power. It reminds us of so many other gifts and blessings of God, especially of those which were so richly imparted to us in Christ Jesus.
We are heirs together with Christ, as St. Paul so beautifully states:—
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” Rom. 8:16,17.
And it is particularly comforting to us, who are descendants of heathen, that St Paul writes:—
“That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body and partakers of His promise in Christ by the Gospel.” Eph. 3:6.
We are partakers together of the life in Christ, which will have its culmination in the enjoyment of the glory of heaven. The apostle states:—
“It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.” 2 Tim. 2: 11.12
The honor which has thereby been bestowed on the human race can hardly be estimated highly enough, for it is one point of evidence showing the greatness of God’s mercy toward us.
The very inspired writers marvel at some of the facts connected with the history of man’s redemption. In the mystery of the incarnation, for instance, one might well wonder why the Lord did not appear in the form of an angel to bring redemption to men. But we are told:—-
“Verily He took not on Him the nature of angels, but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.” Heb. 2:16.
Well may we sing in the glorious Christmastide:
Th’ eternal Father’s only Son
For a manger leaves His throne:
Disguised in our poor flesh and blood
Is now the everlasting Good.
The mystery of the incarnation of our Lord, as the first step in the perfected redemption, is so great that the “angels desire to look into” the marvelous facts connected therewith.
I Pet. 1:12.
It is true, moreover, that the Lord uses the holy angels as His messengers. Thus we find that the angel Gabriel was at various times sent to Daniel, particularly to strengthen and comfort him on account of the visions which were given him. The same angel was sent also to Mary and to Zacharias.
But angels are not honored with the name of WORKERS TOGETHER WITH GOD. While an angel brought the news of the birth of the Savior to the shepherds on the fields of Bethlehem, and while it was a chorus of angels that first sang an anthem of praise in glorifying God for this holy birth, it is true, nevertheless, that angels were not entrusted with the divine commissions, but this distinction was given to human beings.
NOT ANGELS, BUT MEN are chosen by God to preach the Gospel to every creature; upon MEN is placed the obligation of love. Those whose brother the Savior became by His sacred incarnation are to make known to all members of the human family the news of the redemption wrought by their Brother.
With the consciousness of this distinction, of this unequaled honor, we can understand the precept of the Lord. For it is not only in the divine commission itself that He speaks to us concerning the need of bringing the message of salvation to others, but also in many other passages, whose import and significance should be considered by us with the most assiduous attention.
Even in the Old Testament we find the Lord calling out to us in an excess of jubilation:—
“Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth; the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved. He shall judge the people righteously.” Ps. 96:10
And we may well consider, in this connection, passages like Ps. 117:1; Is.34:1, Jer.4:2.
But it is in the New Testament that this feature of bringing to others the assurance of the redemption gained by Christ is particularly prominent. Who could forget the words addressed by Christ to the healed and grateful demoniac:—-
“Return to thine own house and tell what great things God hath done unto thee’?
Luke 8:39.
In this case it required no second urging, for we are told that “he went his way and published throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done unto him.”
Can we afford to do less with the fulness of God’s spiritual blessings resting upon us?
The words of St. Paul to the Galatians are well known,but they will bear repetition:—
“Let us not be weary in well-doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Gal. 6: 9,10.