“SUNERGOS”
More and more the spirit of competition is driving men to strive to outdo others. It is tending to cause men to separate themselves from others because of the spirit of self-centeredness. It has been reported that there is not much fellowship among some because there is a fear that saints will be influenced away to other churches. A church or a minister who will permit himself to drift off into isolation will find that he will grow weaker for it. It is not the plan nor will of God that the church be made up of several small assemblies scattered over the globe, each one doing his own thing without any correspondence or relationship with other assemblies. The body of Christ is not severed into so many pieces. If you are in the Body of Christ, then there should be unity and fellowship with everyone else who walks in the same truth. If you hesitate to fellowship someone else because they do not belong to your clique, then I would question your experience in the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost brings men together in the same body — the church. It is the flesh that separates within the body.
“Sunergos”
There is an interesting verse of scripture in Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth (1Corinthians 3:9). This was the church that Paul spoke sharply to because of the spirit they were manifesting. Notice, “For we are labourers together with God.” Paul uses a peculiar word here in this verse to denote the condition in which we are to stand with one another and with God.
In the Greek text there is but one word which has been translated “labourers together.” This is the word “Sunergos.” We call it peculiar because this is the only place in the New Testament that it is found used in this manner.
The word “sunergos” is used in three other places (Philippians 4:3, 1Thessalonians 3:2 and Philemon 1:24), but the thought is not the same. In these three scriptures the idea is more of a “joint worker,” men doing the same work. But in Corinthians the word used by Paul conveys the idea that we are doing the same thing “together.”
There is another word — ergates — that is translated “laborer.” This can be found in such places as Matthew 9:37, 38:10; 1Thessalonians 3:2; Luke 10:27, 1Timothy 5:18 and James 5:4. While this word speaks of laborers, it does not necessarily denote working together. Each laborer — such as the workers in the vineyard — were working for their own “penny.”
But in Corinthians the emphasis is placed upon “together,” George Ricker Berry translates this verse “fellow workers.”
Divisions
Paul wrote to this church about the division that existed among the saints. In verse one through four Paul emphasizes the need of ceasing to walk as carnal men.
This was the church that had formed its own little cliques, some claiming to be followers of Paul, and other claiming to follow Peter or Apollos. It was this division that Paul was addressing. Men had formed their own little bands at the exclusion of all others who did not see eye to eye with them. These things Paul condemned.
In verse ten of chapter one Paul admonished them to “all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind.” It is evident that such divisions will only bring weakness to the structure. In the story of Nehemiah, that great wall builder for God, chapter three proves to be interesting. In this chapter we have the list of those who worked to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem that had been torn down. One portion of this chapter reads; “Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate, . . .and next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur.” This is the way it should be in the great family of God — each minister, each saint and church as one great body of “labourers together” until the whole encircles the globe and the message of the blood rings out loud and clear to all.
Everyone Important
Working on the wall with Nehemiah there were no doubt men who were not experienced at laying blocks and stone, yet they were important because they were working together for the same end. All cannot be pastors; all cannot be choir directors, all cannot teach a Sunday school class, but whether one can or cannot do any of these things does not lessen his importance to the family of God. Small assemblies of twenty-five or a large one of twelve hundred twenty-five — they are both precious and important in the eyes of God.
Paul emphasized that regardless whether one waters, or one sows, they both are important in the work of God (1Corinthians 3:5–8). The glory is neither in the one planting nor the one doing the watering; but the glory is in Jesus Christ the Savior of men. It is He who has called us into this holy calling and given us the privilege to work for Him. Now let us not grow proud and selfish and think that we may get by without others of like precious faith who are also workers with God.
House Builders
Beginning with verse ten Paul points out that we are building a house upon a foundation that has already been laid. It is evident that the material that goes into this house must complement each other or there will be confusion. If each contractor brings his own contract to the job site, the result will be utter confusion. It seems that this is the problem sometimes. We all are builders and have our own stubborn ideas about how something ought to be and are determined that it will be that way or else we will take our little tools and go elsewhere. What we need to do as men of God is throw away our plans and ideas and search for the book wherein is the plan for the erection of this building. Then crowd around the table and let us all look at the same plans that have been drawn up by the Master Architect Himself. Then may we turn to our own responsible positions and do the work called upon to do. Each work will blend with the work of others and there will be no confusion. The carpenters, the plumbers, the electricians, and the brick masons will all harmonize in their work and thus produce a beautiful finished product.
An Old Testament Example
We find in Exodus 37:15 an interesting example to further illustrate this point. Moses was instructed of God in making the tabernacle that when he got to the Brazen Altar, he was to make two staves overlaid with gold to carry the altar. The altar was symbolic of the crucifixion of our blessed Lord. It spoke of His death for our sins.
The message of the cross is to be carried throughout the wilderness of this world just as the altar was to be carried by these staves through the wilderness journey of Israel. But we should note that while it may sound simple, it was especially important that two staves were made to carry the altar. One stave would not suffice. It would have been difficult, if not impossible, to carry the altar with only one stave. There had to be two — one for each side. This provided a proper balance with which the altar would be carried. Two men would have looked very foolish trying to drag the altar along the wilderness floor both on one side. The idea was to have four men, one on each end of the stave, to carry the altar, this ensured balance and harmony. God did not intend for you or me to isolate ourselves from others in the work of God. We are workers “together.”
Peter and John walked to the temple at the hour of prayer “together.” On their way a lame man was healed. Is the work of God being hindered because more are not “together” with God?
May the Lord help each of us to lay aside our puny indifferences and unite our forces as one great body working together for the salvation of souls.
It is the delight and plan of the devil to bring divisions among the family of God. By doing this he knows he will weaken the efforts of the church. Those who fall into his snares should shake themselves before they become too far advanced in their error and link up with those who have been baptized in Jesus’ Name and filled with the Holy Ghost and are living a godly life. Together we become a great force that the “gates of hell shall not prevail against.”
