Looking for a job but not sure what you want to do? Are you bored with all the choices out there because nothing interests you? How about becoming an iceberg mover? Or a professional bridesmaid? You can teach dogs how to surf! Or serve as a professional line-stander and earn up to $1000/week. Business Insider describes these and other career options in case you want to expand your employment search.
But the article doesn’t explain how to get started in one of these unusual occupations. How do you get trained? How does someone know that you can perform the job?
It’s a question of qualifications.
This issue dominates the attention of our educational and vocational institutions. People go to college to learn the information and skills they need for a career in a particular industry or field. Many companies will hire promising candidates right out of school and then train them in the specifics of the job.
People spend gobs of time and money striving to earn their qualifications for a career.
But what role do these play in the Christian life? Are spiritual qualifications something we’re born with or do we create them? Are they based on God’s grace or our efforts?
Funny thing is, the term doesn’t occur too often in the Bible. Using three translations (the English Standard Version, the New International Version, and the New American Standard Bible), I found only five passages that have the word.
And every one of them point to the Holy Spirit. In the Christian life, He is our qualification.
Let’s look over the Bible passages. The first two deal with the consecration of priests.
Identification
“You shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing will qualify them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.” – Exodus 40:15 (NASB)
“Aaron then shall present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, that they may qualify to perform the service of the LORD.” – Numbers 8:11 (NASB)
In both verses, the verb translated “qualify” is hayah which means “to be.” Speaking through Moses, God tells the Israelites that the priests are to identify themselves with their office and duties. The rituals of anointing and a wave offering exemplify this identification.
Christians recognize that the anointing oil symbolizes the gift of the Spirit. As the descendents of Aaron and Levi required the Spirit of God to enter into service, so we believers need the Spirit to qualify us to conduct priestly ministry: to intercede, instruct, and reconcile. God has bestowed on us His Spirit so that we might serve Him with honor and effectiveness.
“Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.” – Romans 15:15-17 (NIV)
If we doubt our suitability, we can let the Spirit calm our souls. He qualifies us to promote the greatest act of priestly sacrifice–the cross of Jesus Christ. And through the gospel, we offer to God those souls who believe in Him.
Power
“All these were of the sons of Obed-edom with their sons and brothers, able men qualified for the service; sixty-two of Obed-edom.” – 1 Chronicles 26:8 (ESV)
This verse is set in a passage listing the men appointed to oversee the security of the city of Jerusalem. The family members of Obed-Edom could fulfill their responsibilities as guards because they had sufficient strength to defend the city. (The Hebrew word translated “qualified” [koach] has to do with strength.) These men had the power to do their job well. They were bold, they were strong, and they were committed.
Exactly what the Holy Spirit instills in us!
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8 (NIV)
Does it seem like Jesus demands a lot from His disciples? Sometimes, yes! We can feel overwhelmed by what the Lord calls us to do. But we needn’t despair; we have the power of the Spirit dwelling within us and He makes all things possible!
Wisdom
“Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility– 4young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.” – Daniel 1:3-4 (NIV)
When the Babylonian Empire conquered Judah, destroyed the Temple, and tore down the walls of Jerusalem, the soldiers carted off many of the Jews into exile. The leaders of Babylon were smart enough to recruit top candidates from among the captives and train them for governmental service. This would have the effect of reducing the risk of rebellion. When you have a stake in the well-being of the government, you’re less likely to undermine it.
The same Hebrew word (koach) occurs here as in the previous passage, but it refers more to mental ability than to physical strength.
After screening several young men among the Jewish exiles, the Babylonians sent them off to get trained.
Will the Holy Spirit train us to serve God? We can count on it! The Spirit who possesses the wisdom of God delights to share it with us so that we can be agents of positive change wherever we find ourselves. Just like Daniel.
“There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. 12He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.” – Daniel 5:11-12
People may misinterpret the working of the Spirit through us, but they’ll acknowledge that something special happened and can happen again! We must trust Him to do things through us that others will notice and depend on. They will treat us as qualified.
Love
“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” – Colossians 1:9-12 (NASB)
In this final passage, Paul brings together what we’ve been looking over in the other verses. He prays for the Colossians so that they might grow in their spiritual identity and fruitfulness, their power and wisdom given by God, and one additional value.
Paul reminds these Christians that they share the inheritance with others. God has qualified them; the Greek verb (hikanoo) means to make sufficient or to render fit.
But the apostle tempers their expectation of future glory by telling them that they will share that inheritance with other saints.
God intends for us to enjoy His treasures together. And the only way we can do that is if we love fellow believers. Love rejoices in the success of another. Love celebrates the blessings of God in the life of other people. To show that God has qualified us to partake of His riches, we must be always inspired by His love.
And where does this love come from? How do we get it? From the Spirit!
“You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.” – Colossians 1:7-8
The Spirit of God
The job we have in God’s kingdom, the role that He wants us to play–we qualify because He’s given us His Spirit. The Spirit draws us to Christ, teaches us about Christ, and enables us to serve Christ.
Degrees, diplomas, and certifications don’t qualify us to walk with the Lord. The Spirit does.
Seek Him and you will find your qualification.
