1 Peter 5 ESV
“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”
These instructions are for the elders (overseers) in the church, the body of Christ. But there are many godly principles here which can be applied to our lives, as well. For as followers of Christ we are all to be the Lord’s servants, and we all have a responsibility to the rest of the body of Christ regarding our mutual spiritual nourishment and spiritual growth, and regarding our encouragement in Christ so that we are not led into sin nor to false doctrines of men in their cunning and craftiness and in their deceitful scheming.
Most of us are not in positions of overseer, but according to the Scriptures we all have a biblical responsibility for the spiritual growth and maturity of the body of Christ, so in a sense we are all to shepherd one another, just not in positions of authority over one another. For we are to speak the truth in love to one another, addressing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, exhorting one another daily, and stirring one another up to love and good deeds, which God prepared in advance for us to walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).
Our responsibility to one another: [Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:17-21; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20]
But we are not to do this under compulsion, just because it is our God-given responsibility to do so, but we should do so willingly because we love God and because we love and care about our fellow believers in Christ Jesus, and because it hurts us to see so much of the body of Christ – and/or those giving lip service to the Lord only – going the ways of the world and turning away from following the Lord in obedience to follow after their own flesh. And so we long to see them serving the Lord with their lives, instead.
And we should never serve the church, the body of Christ, for selfish motives nor for shameful gain, but many do. For there are many charlatans and wolves in sheep’s clothing present among us who are serving the body of Christ in order to provide wealth for themselves, or in order to gain popularity among the people, or so that they can lord it over the people out of a thirst for power and to build their own earthly kingdoms, but not the kingdom of God. And many are they who are willfully deceiving the masses and who are turning them away from pure devotion to Jesus Christ.
Now, for those who are in positions of leadership and authority over the body of Christ, and I am going to include here husbands and fathers who are over their families in positions of authority, you are not to rule by terror nor by abuse nor by trickery and manipulation nor by deceit nor by an iron fist, but by example. I have seen too many men in my life who bullied their wives and children and church congregations into submission to them while they did not set before them a godly example, my father being one of them. But men, you are commanded to love your families and the body of Christ.
And with regard to us, the body of Christ, being subject to the overseers in our gatherings, make certain that the people you are giving your submission to are those who meet the spiritual qualifications of overseer and that they are men of God who are living the Christian life and not just preaching it. And make certain the message of the gospel they are preaching is the whole counsel of God and not this diluted and altered gospel which appears to be permeating the American church. And make certain your gatherings model the biblical model of the purpose for why we are to meet together.
For it appears that much of what is called “church” here in America is not the body of Christ operating biblically as the body of Christ is to operate under the guidance and direction of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. But so many of these gatherings today are conglomerates of the ungodly, the worldly, the ones giving lip service to God only and the spiritually mature in Christ. For so many of these gatherings now are being modeled after the world in order to attract the world to their gatherings, and so they are entertaining the world and they are preaching what appeases and pleases human flesh.
So, just because it is called “church,” it doesn’t mean that it is the church, the body of Christ, comprised of those who have died with Christ to sin and who have been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer living as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. And I am not saying we will all be perfect people, but we should be people of God who are following the Lord with our lives, who are not making sin our practice, but for whom righteousness and godly living and obedience to our Lord are what we practice.
So, before you bring yourselves under the authority of any man who calls himself pastor, make certain he is a godly man who meets the spiritual qualifications of overseer (elder, pastor). And make certain he is leading his congregation in the ways of the Lord and not in the ways of the world, and that he is teaching the truth of the Scriptures and not the lies of the enemy. For we live in a day and time when so many men professing to be elders and pastors are living not much differently from the ungodly of this world, in practice.
And then we are to clothe ourselves, all of us, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” But we need to be spiritually discerning about that, too, for many are teaching a false humility based on lies for the purpose to make the world like us and so we end up being like the world. So, use Jesus Christ as your example of what humility looks like, and follow his example, for humility never means sacrificing truth and righteousness and holiness so that people won’t call us self-righteous for living morally pure and godly lives to the glory of God.
The Truth of the Gospel
[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
No Less
An Original Work / March 19, 2012
I can do no less than praise You,
Lord, for all You’ve done for me.
You died for my sins to save me,
So I would be set free.
I adore You! Lord, I praise You!
Jesus, Savior, King of kings!
You provided my redemption.
Your grace has pardoned me.
I can do no less than serve You.
Lord, Your witness I would be,
Telling others of Your love,
And why You died on that tree.
Tell of how You gave of Your life,
So from sin we’d be set free,
So we could worship You forever,
And live eternally.
I can do no less than love You,
Lord, for You have first loved me.
You gave of Your life so willing,
Because You cared for me.
Turn from my sin! Obey freely!
Live for You each passing day.
Read Your word, and follow Your lead,
Lord, as I humbly pray.
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