JUST WHAT IS ORDINATION?

The generally accepted view is that if you want to be paid to be good you apply for “ordination” to your denomination, you attend a bible or training college, and then you are appointed to a ministry and then paid for the job you do.

The main authority for such is the scriptures as most denominations find and use the scripture to support their theory, and I use that word advisedly.

I have looked at every case of the word “ordained” in the New Testament and not one of them refers to being appointed to a position that means you are paid to be good as opposed to the laity who are not.

Let’s look at some of them.

Mar 3:14,15. And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them out to proclaim, and to have authority to heal sicknesses, and to cast out demons.

The Greek word here is poieo, which means to make or do. What is made or done? To heal the sick and cast out demons. Nothing about becoming a church leader.

Act 14:23 And when they had appointed (ordained) for them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.

The Greek word is cheirotoneo which means hand reach or voter; to select or appoint. In New Testament parlance, an Elder is a senior man from the local assembly who along with several others has oversight of the congregation. Again, no mention about anyone becoming the church pastor or priest and being paid to be good.

Ti 2:7 To this I am ordained a preacher and an apostle (I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie), a teacher of the nations, in faith and truth.

The Greek word is tithemi, which means to place in a passive or horizontal posture. So Paul in his ordination took up a passive, horizontal posture. There is nothing here to suggest a standing position at the front on a platform behind a pulpit.

Joh 15:16 You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you.

This is the same word in the Greek as Titus 2:7. Ordination to bring forth fruit is to assume a passive horizontal posture. You might say let people tread all over you.

1Co 9:14 So also the Lord ordained those proclaiming the gospel to live from the gospel.

The Greek word for ordain is diatasso which means to arrange thoroughly; to institute or prescribe. The Greek word for “live” is zao which means to live, life, quick. This obviously does not mean being paid because the word for money or pay in Greek is ‘misthos’ or ‘opsonion’. Therefore if ‘live from the gospel’ meant being paid it would have used one of the other two Greek words, not ‘zao’ . I believe that what it means that those who proclaim the gospel should benefit from what they preach. In other words, they enjoy God’s salvation and fullness for themselves on the basis that you can’t preach what you haven’t experienced yourself.

Looking at the original Greek, we find that the idea of ‘ordination’ for denominational leadership does not exist in the scriptures. It is the construct of institutionalised religion that has used it to create a superior class who have special duties which only they can do so they have to be paid for the privilege.

This is contrary to the New Testament teaching of the priesthood of all believers which means that everyone is ordained to bear fruit and to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, man made ordination and pay is not necessary because you have either got it or you haven’t. if you haven’t, all the ordination in the world won’t give it to you.