Can Change the World Again
With a Praying People.
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A Brief Analysis of the Philosophy and Practice
Chapter IV.
The Structure of the Church.
Set up for
Holiness or Perpetually Replicating Imperfection.
"And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love."
Ephesians 4:11-16
HOWEVER things may differ in our gatherings today, these words speak the truth of the heart of God. If we depart from this purpose and standard we may well have a body that is moving along in deception, but we will not have Christ as our Head, nor will our love be true and genuine.
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"Unless the Lord builds the house,
they labor in vain that build it."
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The fact is, even though people quote this verse so often, few ever consider what it really means. Most professing Christians allow the Lord to only build part of it, or include His name and a few standards in the operation. How many stop short of letting Christ have full authority to bring every member into the fullness of Christ. Why, because people have so prejudiced themselves by the slander that there is no perfect church, that they have utterly blunted themselves from participating in the great kingdom of God that exists both in heaven and on earth. Yes indeed, there is a kind of perfection that we will not see on earth. In fact what people suppose by perfection will not even be found in heaven! There will always be growth or progress without end. God is the only one that will never be able to grow. He is the only perfect church in His three Persons. But the above verses show that He expects us to have a perfect church in the sense that we can be perfect—in the only sense which He commands us: To be perfect in love through faith in the full knowledge and filling of Christ. If you carefully consider our text you will clearly see this. In fact this teaching is found throughout the bible.
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"Whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him. Whoever says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. . . By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world." 1 John 2: 5-6; 4: 17.
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If we ever hope to "have fellowship with one another" in truth, we must "walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light" and take Him at His word in these matters. Otherwise, as we have seen, "we lie and do not the truth," while "holding to a form of godliness but denying its power." This is done by selectively obeying parts of the bible, and substituting a gradual improvement of a carnal and imperfect body for a holy people under the ministration of the fullness of Christ. But what shall we have? This traditional humanistic system with no "confidence in the day of judgment", or to have Christ live again in this world just as He pleases? Remember it is not those who try to live up to His word that are in Him, but those who actually "keep His word" that are born of Him and comprise His real body.
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"No one who is born of God does sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin because he is born of God." 1 John 3: 9
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Again, it is only those who are born of God that are part of His body; and it is only those who are presently "walking in the Light as He Himself is in the Light" that can have "fellowship with one another" without deception.
Let us conclude then, that this is sound and essential doctrine for the existence and progress of the church of God. In this teaching we are guarded from basing our fellowship merely upon agreement with historical or philosophical teachings, on the one hand, or with social preferences and selective pietistical reforms on the other. People usually fellowship with others because of agreement with the one or the other of these. But it is rather in looking at the Person and purity of Christ, unprejudiced against any of His words, that we must consider all doctrine and practice. The mass of the professing church has either become united in philosophies that touch little of the heart and life, or in selective conservative values that expect no complete reformation of all areas of life (spirit, soul, mind, and body). Or these last mentioned so react against the cold dogmatism of the formal and heady groups, that they reject systematic and sound teaching for impulsive and contradictory methods of instruction and administration. Both groups react against the other's delusion until we have great confusion that hinders billions from ever finding God in truth! How hard indeed it is to be saved, when all the pressures of the world are thrust upon an inquiring soul to give themselves to one or the other camp! Oh the pressures to commune with such prejudice or reactional compromise! It is no wonder that men complain that they know not how to walk with God—and in fact deny they ever can "walk in the Light just as He Himself is in the Light." How vehemently do men resist this to dwell "in the darkness, and not know where they are going because the darkness has blinded their eyes."
Again, we must stop closing our hardened hearts to the truth with our selective religion that stifles our conscience with partial obedience. If we do not, then God will be left to give us what we really wish. He will indeed grant many followers and much apparent success. Friend, if you have not cared to consider these matters beyond the surface, than you can be sure that you also "do not know where you are going" while you "fellowship" with those who "walk in the darkness" and "keep not His word."
Having said all this to prepare us to approach the subject of the structure of the church in the fear of God, let us first consider the Pastoral epistles of Paul as containing the most important teachings about this subject, and then give the remainder of the chapters as practical developments of these truths.
We have seen in our text above that the entire leadership and foundation of the church is to bring the church to perfect purity in the faithful revelation of Christ. It is not merely to be nominally unified under the name of Christ, as we shall see later, but to be in unity with the church, spirit, and movement of heaven. For if we seek unity while looking at each other and our own experience, then we shall have only human uniformity, rather than heavenly progression and the will of God through looking to Jesus.
Let us consider 1st and 2nd Timothy and Titus for a clear teaching of what the church and its leaders are to be, and what they must believe and do to accomplish God's will on earth as it is in heaven. We are assuming that it is now settled in every reader that there is no real conversion to Christ, or walking in fellowship with God, while we resist His word and truth. Let us therefore take courage to lay down our worries of how all our relations will work out, and trust God to see His word fulfilled in our lives.
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"As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculations rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions."
1 Timothy 1: 3-7
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The first thing we notice in this letter is that the church did not exist as an aimless social club without any solid foundation, and where people could say and do according to their own fancy. Influential man were to be put in their place and prevented from just saying whatever came to mind, even if it had relation to religion. It seems with many people that if they can get a listening ear, they will gladly share their opinions and unorganized thoughts. And if they can tell stories well enough, and give some insights about doctrines and experiences, then they will easily work their way into the pulpit, and be granted a position of teaching. The fruit of such a ministry will be a fascination with the speaker.
But the truths of the kingdom of God will be merely a speculation with the people. For they will not know how to live out the gospel. They will be dependent upon the preacher for spiritual growth and not be pointed to Jesus as the only real Teacher. Indeed, any body of people that allows itself to "stray" from the true "goal" of the "administration of God by faith," which is "love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith", will be fruitless. When men are allowed to share many unproven arguments that feed people's emotions, prejudices, or speculations, then it does not matter if they use the words: faith, love, Jesus, or holiness in their ramblings; they will utterly miss the true goal of all instruction in the church. Notice that Paul mentions a sincere faith and a good conscience, as opposed to a merely zealous and sensational religion. There might be no greater evil in the churches today, than that these kinds of men, and ignorant people, are allowed to share all kinds of wild and unjustified thoughts with much hype. Such an environment becomes the bed of prejudice, confusion, and fanaticism. How often do truths get mixed with errors, and scriptures and sacred doctrines become corrupted by zealous people with wild imaginations and unsound minds. How many times have we heard people give mere experiences as proof of some form of justified carnal lifestyle, or of some wild idea. As we shall see throughout these letters of Paul, these things ought not to be allowed for the sake of truth and the protection of the church.
It seems today that we would rather not offend such people, because we either allow many of our own words to be unproven, or we suppose zealous expression is more important that the truth, a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. Indeed, zeal and excitement are often misunderstood for sincerity, instead of scrupulous integrity, honesty, and manifest efforts to be free of all prejudice, and that which would promote the same.
Oh that young Timothy would be welcome to set things in order in our loose churches today! Sadly he is not allowed to disturb these practices because they are, after all, a unity of people, claiming the name of Christ, and supposedly doing their best.
Yes, as we see in our text, men today also want to be, or think themselves to be, teachers while they confess that they have not considered the matters fully in which they teach about. There seems to be no shame anymore in "making confident assertions about matters that they do not even understand". Let it be clearly understood that such practice is wrong and ought to be prevented. Paul tells us that when this happens men have "strayed from" the true goal of all instruction.
When people are allowed to just say what they think, soon the whole assembly is ready to swallow all manner of teachings through the many fallacies that such people use. The fallacies, or errors in thinking and reasoning, are all sanctified and protected by their great zeal and devotion to the cause of the people. And cover such teachers in plain clothes and with pious words in Elizabethan English, and you have an influence in a worldly day that is more impressive than honest instruction that is faithful to only say that which is mastered and well proven.
We have mentioned at least one fallacy already. To prove a doctrine of religion by mere experience is to open the door for endless delusion and every contrary experience. This error can be made with the individual who knows that such and such principle is true merely because it works, or that such and such scripture means whatever some warm feeling and strange happening prove it to be. There is no further need for commenting about pragmatism as mentioned before.
Another fallacy often used is to create a shallow or false picture of the other side of an idea and conclusion of a person. How many times is the abuse of a good thing upheld as reason to reject an idea? Or how many times will people unfairly tell only part of the story while making someone out to look sinful or proud. Sometimes people will even make an opponent appear to say the very thing that they equally reject. In the opening days of this book, someone had spread a rummer that we actually "mocked" these Charity Churches for sending missionaries to the mission field because they could get malaria. This was in light of the fact that we had actually commended the movement for such things. Yet people who did not read it quickly accepted this as what we said, and actually dismissed the book because of that slander. When the actual words were pointed out in the context of this commending chapter (as it still stands in the first chapter) to one such person—in light of the fact that one of the authors had actually contracted malaria on that mission field—they soon confessed that they had been tricked. We mention this not make anyone embarrassed, but because there is no telling just how many people had spread such misrepresentation and prevented people from giving it any serious thought. First impressions die hard even if bad ones are cleared up. And if such wild misrepresentations are allowed to be believed by many people, when they are so obviously wrong, then it can only be expected that (if this practice is not stopped,) they will do the same things with harder matters they do not understand. Once we have an enemy we wish to discredit and destroy, we will not care to verify whether anything that makes them look bad is true.
Along similar lines many teachers give us only two sides or choices, when in fact there is three. "Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?" Jesus saw through this erroneous logic and pointed out the third alternative.
There are many more fallacies that the ignorant and superficial use when they are placed inappropriately in a position to teach, or rather, say whatever comes to mind. We will have occasion to look at more of them throughout the remainder of this book. There is no way to list here all the fallacies that can be found in any logic book, and show just how dangerous and unrighteous it is for such people to be made teachers and judges of peoples and doctrines—such people who "make confident assertions about things they do not understand." So we remind you that Paul says all such teaching is "fruitless discussion", that is practically and essentially opposed to "love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." His urging Timothy to "instruct men not to teach" in this way, means that Paul expected all teachers to "understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions." History has shown that all departing from this leads to poisonous error, pride, prejudice, superstition, injustice, and fatal delusion. Trying to just be simple is not in fact pious.
And what shall be done when sermons are continually preached in this movement from state to state, and hundreds of tapes are being passed around, that inform us that a man who basically can lead family devotions, and keep his family in order, is ready to preach and lead the church of God! Is it true that any such man is free from speculating about his own opinions in his messages, and is ready to instruct and lead the church in all doctrine and practice? Or is this message "wanting men to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions"? We would not want new converts, or men with ordered families, to feel useless by our comments. They may be very useful in many things; only let them be careful not to allow themselves to be pressured into being dogmatic or dishonest with their opportunities to preach or lead a group of people.
Notice further how important Paul thought this was:
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"Pay close attention to yourself and your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you." 1 Timothy 4: 16
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But how can someone be doing this while they are free to say just whatever comes to mind? It does not matter if our speculations are about the scriptures or the most serious pressing matters, if we do not carefully understand the things we say and teach, and all the arguments we use to do that with, we will not be guarded against straying from the truth to error. This is the teaching of Proverbs. You will notice that with such men there is a terrible imbalance in their teaching. On the one hand, they will overly believe and support wild ideas that are really incredible and without good evidence, and on the other hand, there will be strong disbelief and manifest unfairness in opposing obvious truths. The ignorant and superficial might not care to detect it, but a man who breathes Proverbs chapters one and two will notice this incredulousness and unbelief. Anyone who honestly wants to "ensure salvation for themselves" will care to understand whether their teachers do this or not.
And be not deceived by such people claiming to be lead by the Holy Spirit, and thus not needing to worry about logic or taking the time to really prove all that they teach. Such reasoning is contrary to all the scriptures mentioned and thus a gross perversion of true leading of the Holy Spirit. We have found much of this kind of reasoning in this movement, especially in some sermons by Zac Poonan, even though he proves many good things by logic nonetheless. It is one thing to claim to be lead by the Holy Spirit, but Jesus, Paul and John told us to test the prophets and know such people by their fruit. The Holy Spirit will never lead people to teach fallacies and false things. So when we find people that do and claim that the Holy Spirit is leading them to say them, then we know they are mistaken and need to come down from the throne until they can learn how to be truly taught of Christ's Spirit.
It is assumed that if such a family man (as mentioned) is invited to teach, and is zealous for the movement or group, and is plain in dress and lifestyle, that this is enough, and not very much more attention needs to be made as to how he uses the scriptures and presents his arguments. This might not always be the case, and sometimes people have been corrected after a sermon, but it generally holds true that people can speak their minds within the doctrinal boundaries of the movement. If Timothy, a student of the greatest Christian teacher, must pay close attention to everything in his life and teaching, could we be exempt from such labor? Are we that interested in our own salvation and those we teach? Or is the form of religious instruction, the impressive growth of a movement, or the desire for an unexamined glorious ministry worth more than the honest truth?
No doubt this sounds rather harsh to many people who say they are only doing their best. If there was nothing that God said against such things, and if it did not create so much confusion and error, it would not have been mentioned. If people really could avoid all the fallacies and wrong teachings that take place by a simple prayer and good intentions, then this might be harsh. In that case Paul would not have warned against all these things, and Proverbs would be not worthy to call the Word of God. But if we would just take the time to seriously ponder these things we would be awakened to what God says. Notice what Paul says further:
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"The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." 2 Timothy 2: 2
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A certain type of man is to be entrusted with the leadership of a church and the instruction from the pulpit. He is not to be a shallow man who is ignorant of how to share with the people all the issues they need teaching in, or ignorant of his own potential fallacies. If he is to be "able to teach" before he is entrusted with teaching, then he must have "faithfully" taken all the time necessary to study to:
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"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2: 15
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But how are we assured that good men, who can give devotions to their families, can do this? If we are unfamiliar with the rules of biblical interpretation, and if we do not even know how to tell when we are speaking about things we do not understand, then how can we be so entrusted with teaching? No doubt this is why Paul said:
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"Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility of the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin."
1 Timothy 5: 22
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We can sin with our minds and mouths and not just with our bodies. There is no responsibility in those who quickly set up such men over groups of people to be spiritual overseers and teachers, who freely speculate and make confident assertions about things they do not understand, who are not able to teach their listeners how to walk in the Light just as God is in the Light, and who do not fulfill all the rest of the requirements of God below. And when these teachers then do not even claim to be blameless or free from sin, what shall we suppose of the hasty hands that sanctified them?
Let us consider more specifically other qualifications for having oversight over a people under God:
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"For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any many is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, and not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not combative, not fond of crooked gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it." Titus 1: 5-9
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Is it even pretended by most elders today that they ever measured up to this? Most will tell you that they are striving to be such. But if you ask them when they are alone, or hear their confessions in the prayer meeting, they will clearly confess to not measuring up. And more often than not, they will also confess that they suppose they will never 'arrive' to the place that they think they 'are able' to fulfill such things. And what kind of men shall we suppose will these hastily lay hands on in the future!
Shall we acknowledge men as elders and teachers who are not "able to exhort in sound doctrine", and while the only way they know how "to refute those who contradict it," is in ignoring them or speaking evil of things they do not understand? If men have not even studied doctrine enough so as to be able to know the different views on all the doctrines relating to salvation, godliness, and the issues of the day, how will they be able to protect the flock of God and counteract all the erroneous influences with the truth?
Shall men rather continue to be teachers, and keep their people ignorant and secluded enough from other people that they simply do not come in contact with differing views; or so fearful of change that they dare not consider a different perspective? We should hope that no one would do this. For this is evidence of a cult. But if we do not know how to refute those who oppose sound doctrine, just how shall we save the people? Just remember that this was the ever-present grief of our Lord while He walked with us. The people were as sheep without shepherds. If the shepherds that be cannot refute error with truth in all fairness, what will we refute it with? Oh how many men we have met that are in this very place of torment after a few or more years of being put in the ministry prematurely! People come and go whom they do not know how to deal with, because they did not study to show themselves approved before the approval of man set them up in pride, to speak their mind to their itching ears. They do not know what it means to be "just" to people with differing views, or "sensible" enough to know how to divide the truth from error. They are too busy to get into these things you know! There must be a simple way to preserve the unity and silence that which threatens! Now how can a man faithfully begin to deal with issues while in the ministry? Anyone will tell you with any experience that there is little time to do it then, especially when children multiply and private businesses distract. They will also tell you that such people are thus sorely tempted to only partially consider the matters, and make premature conclusions according to their preferences. Perhaps they will only have time to study all the arguments in favor of the conclusion they first assumed or desire. Who is it that does not know that this is the case for 'leaders' in such positions? But are such 'wise' men "just" and "impartial?" They will either resort to abusive or diverting fallacies to silence those who contradict sound doctrine (or what they perceive to be sound doctrine); or will open their congregations up to confusion by passively allowing error to be mixed with truth. Something will be done; and the outcome of history reveals all such violations of biblical teaching results in sin or error.
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"But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth"
2 Timothy 2: 23-25
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Here we have more examples of how men of God are to teach, and respond to those who differ. There is to be no close-mindedness, resorting to fallacy or abuse. Well friend, how is a man able to do this when he does not have time to patiently correct those who are in opposition, and while he was not prepared to patiently study the things he is to later teach about? And can all such men who are thus set up in the ministry "gently correct those who are in opposition"? How can they correct them if they have not even studied out the subjects completely?
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"Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is blameless, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us." Titus 2: 7-8
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It would be a worthy pursuit to ask what it meant for young men to be instructed to be sensible. How are they to value just dealings of truth, and learn to divide the truth, when their elders are unbiblically set up to instruct them before they can fairly teach on sound doctrine, and while they make strong assertions about things they do not understand? What shall we expect of the future generations if the structure is set up for perpetually replicating imperfection? Surely there will be little "purity in doctrine." We assure you that this book would not be written if each elder ordained were "dignified, sound in speech which is blameless," and were "an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine." Now if this is admitted to be contrary to common experience in private, shall it be confessed publicly? And shall men begin to agree with God's word in all these respects? Shall people be content to get ahead of God, and set up their best people as elders, just because they have no one else better? Or shall they follow the great Shepherd and obey His teaching faithfully? Remember that an biblical elder is not simply an older religious man who can tell stories. While people allow these things to go on, or while they close their eyes to investigating God's word, they will blind themselves by plain clothes, just as they have criticized the Amish and Mennonite groups they came out of.
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"If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing."
1 Timothy 6: 3-4
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This is obvious to all fair and sound minds. Even though the above "doctrine" referred to has primary reference to being respectful to employers, it is clear in light of the preceding verse, and placement at the end of the letter, that it also has reference to the general teaching we have been advocating. As we saw in the opening of the letter, unsound men were imprudently speaking about things they should not have, because they did not really understand them, and missed the goal of true biblical instruction. Would it be too much for us rich Americans to expect our teachers to be trained to only use sound arguments before they expound upon, and defend the truths of Christianity?—so that they do not mix the same with error and false reasonings. Some people will just have nothing to do with theology or mental training. It often happens that such people will have right conclusions but will so poorly present their case, and so dishonor its sacredness by their presentation, that their listeners will begin to suspect the conclusion, or become dissatisfied with the idea, by such a demonstration.
History is filled with the ruined lives of many skeptics and Antichrists that had such reactional experiences. They rightly rejected the faulty logic or the presentations that blinded them from the conclusions. We do not excuse any for believing lies, but we do not fault someone for rejecting dogmatic claims, like someone who "makes confident assertions about things they do not understand." Scores and scores of the worst and embittered of society have experiences of unsound or false representations of Christianity taught and exemplified to them. And it just so happens that some of the only ways such people have been brought to the faith is when these obstacles have been prayerfully removed from their view of God and duty. These are some of the reasons why it is very important for teachers to not only use sound arguments, carefully considering their words, but to display the truth in a way that faithfully represents the idea. For example, if we talk in a mild manner with little emotion or alarm about the doctrine of the destiny of the ungodly, what greater proof will men have against the reality of such a place; or at least it will demonstrate the fact that we do not understand the things we speak about.
We see also in the verses above, that if men do not agree with the words of Jesus Christ then they also understand nothing important. How can any self- righteousness, or resolutions to obey selective principles, be anything but "conceited" teachings, while not "agreeing with the doctrine conforming to godliness," which says, unless we "walk in the Light just as He Himself is in the Light" we can have no cleansing of our sins, and no fellowship with the Father, or with His people? (1 John 1: 5-7) We must be careful not to use unsound words to exhort people in righteousness, or else they will be diverted from the simple path of duty, and light of heaven, and find many excuses for neglect and sin. We must not be ashamed of the sound words of scripture when men deny them for lack of experience and understanding. And if God has set up only one way of salvation, and ordained certain requirements for people to be suitable to oversee and teach those that have come to walk with Him in the Light just as He walks, then these must be very important requirements that are essential for the salvation of the church and world. God knows more than some teachers think.
It is clear that no one can agree with the doctrine in these letters of Paul, nor with the doctrine of godliness in Christ Jesus, while they continue to allow people to be elders who do not meet these requirements, and teach something less than these truths.
Now we must all realize that anyone can agree with mere words without at all understanding what they mean to any important degree; or how they apply to our lives. Thus many people have waxed themselves very eloquent in biblical terminology, and can utter many wonderful prayers. But if you ask for definitions of what these words mean in today's circumstances, they will often give vague or empty words, or no responses. We must not deceive ourselves in supposing that people "agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness" if they do not live in conformity with them. How much more should we not deceive ourselves by setting up teachers that do not teach this kind of conformity, and consistency with essential biblical teaching! If they do not "pay close attention to themselves and to their teaching" how will they "ensure their own salvation and those who hear them"?
These are not unreasonable expectations because they are from God. Perhaps in our day, with the experience we are familiar with, it just might be. But notice again that what was expected of Timothy was not a mere striving for these things that he never conformed to.
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"I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Timothy 6: 13-14
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This was a sacred and high office he was called to. His instructions were to only set up these kind of men for this office. However men have turned from this, we still have the same instructions from the apostle of God. It is only such men who are keeping the commandment of God "without stain or blame" that can fulfill the duties of shepherding the flock of God. Those who still are internally insecure, who are not sound in judgment, doctrine, and godliness, who are not free from sin, and cannot appear as examples to follow, will not be able to obey God's word:
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"Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all,
so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning." 1 Timothy 5: 20
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The arguments against adopting this policy are that none are so free from sin themselves as to be able to do this; as well as the fact that the church is set up to house the sinful, and we dare not offend them away. The whole approach is so humanistic in that sinners are just poor souls with needs. They have no fear of God because they are not expected to "stop sinning." There is no fear of sinning because sin is not a crime but a tragedy. See people month after month confess the darkness of their souls to the congregations. Some of them have been allowed to corrupt the congregation for years! Naturally instead of the fear of God presiding over assemblies, the fear of man has had precedence. As we shall see, one of the only kinds of sins shunned and feared is to act contrary to local traditional practice and possibly upset the social unity. When we disobey God and fail to rebuke sin, and in fact allow our assemblies to be a confession of continual sin that drives away all "fear of sinning", then we can easily gain large numbers of peoples who like to have the best of both worlds:
The form of religion that has perfection as its supposed end,
On the one hand,
And its justified sins, neglects, and self-remedies,
On the other hand.
Who will deny that many people confess themselves to be weak people "weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth"? And what is the truth Paul is talking about? That all the people in the assembly should:
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"adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you." Titus 2: 10-15
Are these things taught or really expected? There is something defective in the teaching that departs from this to allow covetous Achan to confess before Israel his continual needs. Has the foundation been discovered rotten? Did the builders attempt to skimp on the structure and then erect an impressive mansion? How shall it then hold up?
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"Unless the Lord builds the house,
they labor in vain that build it."
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"Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But bad men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." 2 Timothy 3: 12-13
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Finally, at the end of Paul's long life and ministry, he gives us a solemn charge—as some of the last words in the bible—that will help us understand why many of the things we have been noticing have happened. They sum up all that he has said to Timothy, and apply to every ministry that obeys or pretends to follow Christ. When a man examines his ministry, in the presence of God, does he know that he fulfills this? And when we set such men up in office, will we expect them to fulfill this calling?
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"I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths." 2 Timothy 4: 1-4
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Have you been impatient for sound doctrine, and does your heart want to turn away from the conclusions of this chapter? May God give you grace to keep His word.
CHAPTER V
THE MINISTER IN HIS STUDY
"When thou comest, . . . bring the books, but especially the parchments" (2 Tim. 4:13).
St. Paul was now an old man, "ready to be offered up." "The time of his departure was at hand." He was in his prison at Rome. Any day he might be ordered out to his execution. But his precious life might be spared a few months longer. If so, he wanted Mark and Timothy to be with him. "And when thou comest, . . . bring the books, but especially the parchments." It seems, then, that even this inspired apostle, though the best educated man of his day, regarded books and parchments as essential to his highest usefulness and noblest ministry. In the same spirit he wrote to his beloved Timothy to "give attendance to reading, . . . to doctrine" (1 Timothy 4:13).
The closet of prayer has been called the minister's holy of holies; and his study "the holy place," where his mind is trained to keep even step with his Spirit-filled heart. Here he learns the mind of God, gets his messages from on high, has revealed to him the great truths that bring guidance and salvation to his people. "Here the beaten oil is prepared that will send forth a sweet savor in the courts of the Lord." Here indeed he equips himself with the weapons of holy warfare, with which to conquer the powers of darkness and win victories for King Immanuel.
Admitting that the spiritual preparation of the heart by prayer is ever first, yet the training of the mind is vastly important. Here the warrior gets his orders, the ambassador gets his terms, the messenger get his message, the fighter gets his sword. Yea, in the study the slinger gets the missiles with which to down the mailed giants who mock at God and deride His truth and oppose His cause and people.
I. Persistent and perpetual study is absolutely essential to ministerial success. Not even much secret communion with God can alter this fact. Indeed, the neglect of study will in time destroy the relish for secret devotion. The two must be wedded, and cannot be divorced. God puts no premium, either on indolence or ignorance, and He will not let spirituality thrive at the expense of knowledge. Hence, prayer and study must go hand in hand. He who accepts a call to the ministry, therefore, should understand that by that act he dedicates himself to a lifelong studentship, without a college vacation. Death alone can give the graduating diploma.
Any other cause is sure defeat and deserved ruin. To trust in natural ability, or wit or readiness of utterance, or imaginary genius, to the neglect of study and scholarship, is to play the fool and invite the shame and failure that are sure to follow. The Holy Spirit simply will not sanction mental indolence, and endorse the needless ignorance of a minister who, in this age of schools and books and opportunities, is too lazy to use the abundant means of self-culture.
Hence, it will be seen that spirituality and intellectuality, or piety and culture are not necessarily opposed to each other. They ought to be and may be inseparably united. Indeed, in the highest degree they must be united. They were in Moses and Daniel, in St. Paul ..., in Sir Isaac Newton and Jonathan Edwards, in John Wesley and John Fletcher, in Daniel Steele and Bishop Foster, and in many another modern saint. The real princes in the kingdom of God, the giants in His Church that leave their shaping hand on the ages that come after them, have two invariable characteristics--great intellectuality and profound piety. Their studentship nurtures their graces into greatness.
Dr. W. T. Hogg writes, "Baxter was one of the holiest of men, yet he was an indefatigable student, a profound scholar, a voluminous writer. He bequeathed to the Church a larger amount of theological literature, as the product of his own labor, than any other English divine. His early education was neglected, and he never received a collegiate training; yet he was one of the most studious and learned of men, as well as one of the holiest divines. He became versed in the pagan theologies and philosophies; he acquainted himself with the speculations of the early fathers; he mastered the scholastic literature of the middle ages, and successfully applied his mind to the conquest of the most subtle metaphysics. Yet in all his study and literary work, his ministerial duties were not neglected, and his spirituality suffered no declension. On the other hand, his literary pursuits ministered to his advancement in holiness and to his ministerial efficiency. And so will it be with every minister who pursues his studies with the right aim and in the right spirit" ("Pastoral Theology," pages 293, 294).
If highly educated ministers are not spiritual (and many are not), it is their own fault, and not the fault of their scholarship. It is their carnal pride of learning, or neglect of prayer, or the rejection of the baptism with the Holy Spirit and sanctification.
We have mentioned Baxter. We think of William Carey, the English cobbler, who probably never darkened a college door in England. He was for the most part self-educated, after having acquired the rudiments of the common school. He worked as a shoemaker until he was twenty-eight years old; preached on Sunday for ten pounds a year; but read, read, read! studied, studied, studied, studied! He was called "a miserable enthusiast" by the chairman of a convention of ministers for suggesting as a subject for discussion, "Is it not our duty to evangelize the heathen nations?" He was the subject of ridicule by the educated clergy of his day, but he persevered. In his thirty-third year he landed in India, November 7, 1793, the first modern English missionary! But he became "the most learned scholar and Bible translator of all the missionaries of Christian history." He labored on eleven grammars, and the translation of the Bible into thirty-six languages of India, and became a prince among the scholars of the ages. When complimented about it in his old age he said, "There is nothing remarkable in it; it has only required perseverance. I have no genius, but I can plod. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything."
Then there was Charles Spurgeon, who had an academy course but never went to college. Yet few, if any, English clergymen ever sent more material to the press, or were so much read, or so often quoted. No other man of Christian history ever preached to so many people on one spot of ground as he. But his own private study was his only university, and his professors were the books he read.
It was so with Charles G. Finney, who also never went to college. But he was an incessant student, first of law books, then of the Bible and theology. He read and read, and wrote and wrote, pouring out a golden stream of Christian truth through the religious press for many, many years, and many books and a theology that will live long after him. And with it all he became "the prince of evangelists," the most successful soul-winner of the ages, and a mighty man of faith and prayer.
Every minister owes it to himself to be just such a student as these four we have named. They had the same charge to keep that we have, the same God to glorify, the same responsibility to discharge, the same commission to fulfill. "They magnified their office and made it honorable." They made a noble career for themselves. Why should not we?
Moreover, we owe just such faithful studentship to Him who honored us with our sacred calling. When still only a cobbler pleading for missions to which the ministry and the churches were then dead, William Carey wrote, "A Christian minister is a person who, in a peculiar sense, is not his own; he is the servant of God, and therefore ought to be wholly devoted to Him. By entering on that sacred office he solemnly undertakes to be always engaged as much as possible in the Lord's work, and not to choose his own pleasure, or employment, or pursue the ministry as a something that is to subserve his own ends or interests or as a kind of life-work. He engages to go where God pleases, and to do or endure what He sees fit to command or call him to in the exercise of his function. He virtually bids farewell to his friends, pleasures, and comforts, and stands in readiness to endure the greatest sufferings in the work of his Lord and Master. It is inconsistent for ministers to please themselves with thoughts of a numerous auditory, cordial friends, a civilized country, legal protection, affluence, splendor, or even a competency."
Such a conception of the ministry as that would naturally make any man a student and, if God willed necessary, a missionary. In the early days of Methodism there was a young preacher of gifts who yet did not grow as he ought to have done, nor greatly honor God by bearing much fruit for his Lord. John Wesley was deeply concerned about it and wrote him as follows, "Your talent for preaching does not increase; it is about the same as it was seven years ago; it is lively, but not deep; there is little variety; there is no compass of thought. Reading alone can supply this, with daily meditation and prayer.
"You wrong yourself greatly by omitting this. You can never be a deep preacher without it, any more than you can be a thorough Christian. Oh, begin! Fix on some part of every day for private exercises. You may acquire the taste which you have not. What is tedious first will afterward be pleasant. Whether you like it or not, read and pray daily. It is for your life; there is no other way, else you will be a trifler all your days, and a petty, superficial preacher. Do justice to your own soul; give it time and means to grow; do not starve yourself any longer" (Quoted by Hogg, pages 295, 296).
But there is another evil effect of unstudiousness in a minister which Wesley did not name. It not only starves him, but starves his flock--starves the souls of the church to which he ministers. Jesus' charge to Peter was, "Feed my lambs." "Shepherd my sheep." "Feed my sheep." An unstudious pastor can not long "feed the flock of God" satisfactorily. They want fresh "bread from heaven," and all he is able to give is stale and musty bread, the left-over fragments of other days. A congregation can easily detect when the study is neglected. And, sooner or later, if they are a spiritually self-respecting people, they will resent pastoral indolence, and clamor for a change. If they do not care, then they are all sick from the same disease, struck through and through with spiritual death. This is, oftener than ministers realize, the cause of short pastorates--the frugal diet that unstudious preachers set before their people. Sometimes the people are literally hungering for the bread of life, and the little man who rattles around in the pulpit, but is conspicuous at tea tables and dinner parties, does not know it!
Write it down then as a fact not to be challenged, that a minister must first of all be a real preacher. Horace Greeley, one of America's greatest editors, once said to Dr. Theodore L. Cuyler, one of her greatest preachers, "Mr. B-------- is a pretty man, a very pretty man; but he does not study, and no man can ever have permanent power in this country unless he studies." A power with the people seven days in the week and fifty-two weeks in the year, and ten years in succession, does not come without sweat of brain and intense mental application. Superficiality and repetitions and platitudes and goody-goody exclamations, always indications of weakness, can only be avoided by the incessant reading and study which make a full mind.
An empty-headed, pretty, dapper little fox may be a social success for a season; a lodge-joining, wire-pulling, joking mixer may go on for a while without brains or sense; but it takes a real man with trained mind and heart to gather and hold for a generation a congregation of men by the preaching of "Christ and him crucified." There must be a freshness and diversity and vigor and breadth of treatment, and a many-sided variety of thought to avoid monotony and the perpetual riding of fads and hobbies, which can only come by constant mental application. How a minister could do it, week after week, and year after year before the same audience, was to John Bright, the great statesman of England "a perfect mystery." But it must be done, or the minister becomes an acknowledged failure.
II. To do all this reading and study there must be a systematic use of time. One of the best lessons learned in college is the ordering of life. Such a time to rise in the morning, devotions, breakfast, study, Latin, Greek, mathematics, play, mid-day meal, exercise, and so forth. System, system, and "a miser of the minutes." A few years of this changes an ignorant youth into a college graduate. After graduation multitudes throw away this excellent habit; but those who succeed and achieve greatness keep it up through life. There should be a schedule to which a man aims. Of course there may be unexpected interruptions to any plan; but these are the exceptions. The plan should be followed as nearly as possible like following the time table by the conductor of a passenger train.
A student studies most successfully when he applies his mind to any given subject at the same time each day. So will it be with a minister who has system about his work. Men greatly differ in mental and physical characteristics. Each man must learn for himself how to run the most successfully his own machine.
Charles Read, the famous English novelist, thought that a lump of shoemaker's wax that stuck a man to his chair six hours a day was the highest kind of genius. Dr. W. T. Hogg says this, "As a general rule the pastor should spend about five hours a day in his study during five days in the week. And if he be an industrious man he should set apart either his Mondays or his Saturdays for mental and bodily rest. By scrupulously observing one day in seven as a day of rest, he will gain time rather than lose it, and will better preserve his health and strength."
Dr. Murphy advises the following order of pastoral work, allowing the pastor in his study from eight o'clock till two, with a recess of one hour; one hour of devotion before breakfast; five hours of study; two hours and a half of visiting; and in the evening one hour and a half for reading and correspondence--ten hours a day for these various duties of the office. (Hogg, "Pastoral Theology," page 303).
Dr. R. W. Dale of Birmingham, England, had to "harden his heart" and during the morning hours close his study obdurately against intrusion as he grew older. Phillips Brooks tells us "his hours were regular in the later years." Dr. R. S. Storrs of Brooklyn, New York, kept his study hours in the morning "as impregnable as Gibraltar." His ministry lasted over a half century and fifty-four years of it over one church. That meant study and ability and wise behavior.
Chalmers' plan was to give nine to one to his study; one to four-thirty for recreation; four-thirty to six for dinner; six to eight for visiting; eight to eleven for letters and for literature.
Dr. Theodore L. Cuyler: "Study your Bible and other good books in the morning, the door plates of your people in the afternoon." Whatever order you may determine upon, remember, "In the morning--solitude" (Pythagoras).
Dr. Pattison in Pastoral Theology writes, "The morning for study; the afternoon for visiting; the evening for services and home."
Dr. Hogg adds: "But studying late at night should be conscientiously avoided by every minister of the gospel" (page 303). To which I say "Amen and amen." An excited brain unfits a man for sleep, ruins his nerves, breaks down his health and shortens his life.
Dr. Albert Barnes wrote his noble commentaries on the Bible before breakfast, beginning at five a. m. But he went to bed as a man should, and got a good night's rest, and lived to a ripe old age.
How much nobler to be such a minister, a student and a worker, leaving after you some monument of your life, than to be a disgrace to your profession, a ministerial lounger and idler, chatting, laughing, gossiping your life away, and turning over to your Lord at last the unused talent, a barren life! in the place of "much fruit," "nothing but leaves!"
What He Shall Study: 2 Timothy 2: 15, 16, R. V., "Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed handling aright the word of truth, but shun profane babblings."
The great apostle was writing a pastoral epistle to his dearest and most promising young preacher. Four points are prominent in the few words we have quoted:
1. Study God's Word.
2. Get God's approbation in the use you make of it.
3. Expound it correctly in your preaching.
4. Shun the profane babblings of false teachers.
This is the life-long work of a minister compressed into four lines.
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