The God-Men

  • Carlton Williams
  • Feb 17, 2009
  • Series: Chew On This

1 Corinthians 3:9 ‘For we are labourers together with God…’

THE GOD-MEN

The Amplified version renders our text this way, ‘For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, labourers together) with and for God…’ William F. Beck’s modern translation puts it best in my view, he says, ‘for we are God’s men, working together…’  We are God’s men in the earth, labouring together with Him to accomplish His will.

In John 15:5 Jesus said, ‘I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.’  He is the life source, He is the vine. We cannot be productive without Him, yet He has chosen us to be the fruit-bearers. It is the branches that bear the fruit, not the vine. God has chosen us to be the vehicles through which the world will experience the life of the vine. Through tasting the fruit of our lives, the world will experience the beauty of God. In other words, we are the only ‘God’ the world will ever see. God has chosen us to be His representatives, His ambassadors to the world.  We are the interpreters of God to our world.

In verse 4 of John 15, Jesus said, ‘…As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.’  Just as an ambassador is sent to a foreign land with the resources and might of the sending nation, we too are connected to our life source on this divine mission. 

We are God-men, backed by all the resources of heaven in the accomplishment of His will. 

He has sent us out with His authority:
Matthew 28:18-19, ‘…All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth.  Go therefore…’

He has sent us out with the presence and power of His Spirit:
Acts 1:8, ‘But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses…’  (Amplified)

He has sent us out with overcoming faith:
1John 5:4 ‘For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.’
 
He has sent us out with His Love:
1Corinthians 13:8 ‘Love never fails…’

He has sent us out with His angels to serve us:
Hebrews 1: 14 ‘Surely the angels are no more than spirits in the service of God, commissioned to serve the heirs of God’s salvation.’ (J.B. Phillips)

As God’s men in the earth, serving His interests, we have been sent with divine equipment to accomplish His will.  With this understanding, Paul challenges God’s co-labourers in 2Corinthians 6:1, ‘We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.’  J.B. Phillips version puts it this way, ‘As co-operators with God himself, we beg you, then not to fail to use the grace of God which you have received’  (emphasis mine). 

You are not on your own. You are not representing yourself. You are representing God here. Don’t fail to use the equipment that God has provided for this assignment. You have His authority, you have the power of His Spirit, you have overcoming faith, you have His love, and you have His angels at your disposal. Don’t fail to use this grace that is available to you.

The world is waiting to see God, and He has sent you to demonstrate Him to the world.  You are God’s man in the earth. Go demonstrate.