Wednesday, March 13, 2013

THE SHEPHERD’S STANDARD: The Man of God




“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.” (1 Timothy 3:1 NKJV)

The office of elder in the church is reserved for a God-called man.  God has established roles and responsibilities for human institutions—and some of these are gender specific.  Men are to be leaders in their family and among God’s flock.

It must be stated emphatically that this has nothing to do with one sex being superior to the other—that is a misguided notion of subordination.  The Spirit is subject to the Father and the Son and the Son is eternally submissive to the Father.  Yet, each Person of the Godhead is fully divine and equal in their standing, although having a different role and being a distinct Person.  There is perfect harmony and equality.

Note these verses:

Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.  For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.  The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.  For “He has put all things under His feet.”  But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted.  Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.  (1 Cor.15:24-28)

Women may serve in many capacities in the church—and thankfully so many do!  As they serve in submission to their husbands and/or elders their gifts are incredibly useful in building up and extending the Kingdom.

We are equal, as men and women, but different.  That is by God’s design and extends to the Garden of Eden—before the fall.  However, since the fall and because of the curse of sin, the battle between the sexes still exists.  Yet, Christ came to redeem us from the curse and part of that extends to redeeming sexuality.  It is vital that the church portray a redeemed community and proper exercise of authority is a facet of that.

Men are hard-wired to the side of objective thinking, as a general rule; likewise, women are instinctively more subjective in their thoughts and feelings.  Both aspects are essential, yet better suited for particular roles, both in the home and in the church.  Because of this, men are better fitted to teach Scripture authoritatively and guard doctrine against heresy.  This is crucial for the church and therefore the elders who are to insure this are to be holy men of God.

Just before Paul gave these qualifications for the pastors and deacons in chapter three, he wrote the following words and this helps us understand the context,

Let a woman learn in silence with all submission.  And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.  For Adam was formed first, then Eve.  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.  Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.  (1 Timothy 2:11-15)

I know such thinking is not politically correct, but our aim is to be theologically correct.   The purpose of this brief post is not to discuss all the dimensions of this complex and, in the present day, controversial nature of gender roles.  My heart is to charge men—and young men in particular—to be open to the call of God and if the Lord is dealing with them about Gospel ministry to devote their lives to His church.

A PRAYER

Lord, You are Sovereign over the Church.  You appointed Your Son as Head, and the Church is His Bride.  May we submit to the Spirit’s order for how the church is to be led as given in the Word.  Thrust out men into the fields that are ripe and ready for harvest.  Oh, Lord of the Harvest, the laborers are few!  Give us men of God.  Father, make me a holy man of God.  Thank you for the inexpressible privilege of serving You and Your flock.  In the name of the Your Son, Jesus, Amen.

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