“A
bishop then must be…not given to wine, not violent…” (1 Timothy 3:2 ,3 NKJV)
Anger is
a powerful emotion, and wrongfully expressed becomes a destructive force. It is the seed of murder.
The
pastor must not allow anger to get the best of him—to allow it to lead him to,
“fight fire with fire.” He cannot excuse
a disposition toward being hot-tempered with, “That’s just the way I am,”
because by the Spirit of God, he no longer is what he once was.
The NASB renders
the word, “pugnacious.” That is, beware the pastor who is always
spoiling for a fight. Doubtless there
are things that will properly stir anger, but we must also channel that in a
productive way, rather than allow the passion to channel us into igniting a
fire that may consume a ministry and even leave a church in ashes.
People
will wrong us—that’s guaranteed. Do not
look to “settle the score.” Give it to
God to handle. He is qualified to do so,
and we are not.
HCSB has
this as, “not a bully.” You can be a bully without being in a
literal fist-fight. A pastor can do it
with his words—berating and belittling people from the pulpit and in personal
conversation. It is never appropriate to
use the Bible as a club to bludgeon people!
Charles Spurgeon told his Pastor’s
College students, “Don’t go about the world with your fist doubled up for
fighting, carrying a theological revolver in the leg of your trousers.”[1]
Some of the brethren would be
well-served to heed this counsel.
A PRAYER
Lord of
Love,
I know
that we are in a battle. Please remind
us that our war is not with people, but with the power of the Evil One that
moves them to rise up against us. Help
your preachers to never be bullies with a Bible!
In the Name
of the One Who Reserves Vengeance for Himself,
Amen.
[1] Wiersbe,
W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition
commentary (Vol. 2, p. 220). Wheaton ,
IL
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