“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:1-5 ESV)
The apostle Paul, from the beginning of this letter, was addressing the issue of some of the people raising up some of the ministers of the gospel above others, sort of in a worshipful way or as to make idols of them and to make distinctions among them as to who was greater. They were becoming followers of man in place of followers of Christ and they were idolizing certain men over others who were all servants of the Lord Jesus. And this was causing divisions among the people.
In our day and age we have the same situation where certain men or women are being raised up to almost God-status to where the people appear to be worshiping the man (or woman) in place of God, or to where they are making idols of these people, but based on the wisdom of this age, which is not true wisdom, but is a false wisdom of man. And I will give you some examples of what I am talking about here and what I believe Paul is talking about here, for this is a critical issue in the church today.
If you have gone to Bible college or to seminary and so you have a degree from one of these places of learning, you are raised up above the rest of us who do not have such degrees. If you have accreditation through a particular church denomination or you have a religious title in front of your name, you are raised up to a status above the rest of us common people. If you are a pastor or an elder in a church, or you have the official title of missionary to a specific physical location, you are also idolized and raised above others.
But these could be people who are living worldly and fleshly lives, who are not really serving the Lord with their lives, whose lives are not surrendered to Christ, but who are still operating in the flesh. But because they have a degree or a title or an accreditation, then they are raised up above the rest of us to some special status that is above us common folk. And they could be called missionaries and pastors, but they may be teaching a false gospel to the people and using trickery to deceive the people under them.
But as soon as it is acknowledged that they have a title or some kind of official position within an official organization, they are automatically raised up above the rest of us. This should not be! And I am not saying that this happens in all cases, but from my observation over my 74 years of life and over 50 years of Christian ministry, I would say that this is more the norm than it is the exception. And so it puts this unnecessary separation between clergy and laity, and between “missionaries” and those not in official positions.
And this is what Paul was speaking against. For what does this also do? It lowers those who do not have these credentials as though they are less, or as though what they are doing is not as important as what someone is doing if he is called “pastor” or “missionary.” And that is just wrong! For someone not credentialed could be serving the Lord Jesus full-time in ministry without recognition and be leading people to faith in Jesus Christ and be treated as a nobody while the credentialed get acclamation for titles.
But all of us who believe in Jesus Christ with God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ are all to be his servants and witnesses. All of us are to be sharing the gospel and ministering to one another in the areas of giftedness and calling where God has gifted us and assigned us. And titles and diplomas mean nothing in the sight of God. What matters to God is that our lives are surrendered to him, that we are committed to his service, that we are walking in obedience to his commands, and sin is not our practice.
And it is that we are ministering to one another in the ways in which the Scriptures teach that all of us should be ministering to each other, and that we are faithful in being lights in the darkness for the truth of the gospel of our salvation, and that we are sharing the truth and not the lies, and that we are not ashamed of the gospel, and that we are not more concerned with people liking us than we are with obeying our Lord. The Lord is looking for those who will serve him with their lives, no titles required.
And if people judge us because of our service to the Lord because of their own preconceived religious notions as to how things must be done within institutional Christianity, but not according to the Scriptures, then we cannot let that determine who we are and what we do in love response to our Lord. But we are not to be prideful, but to give God all the glory for what he accomplishes in us and through us. And we are to have fair and honest evaluations of ourselves, too, and to not think too highly of ourselves.
We must recognize that all that we are and do in accord with the Lord and with his teachings are only because of God’s grace to us, and have nothing to do with our greatness in our own flesh. All that we are able to do in ministry and to accomplish in the name of the Lord are only possible because of God’s love for us and his callings upon our lives, and because of his guidance and direction and empowerment in our lives. And if this is not our approach or belief, then we are operating in the flesh.
So be careful in making judgments of other people that you don’t raise some people up too high and put others way too low who are serving the Lord with their lives. Be careful, too, that you don’t make judgments based on your own way of thinking or based on human philosophy and tradition or on religious cultures and practices which have been passed down from generation to generation but which are not biblical, but which are just the opinions of humans who are of the flesh who are not listening to God.
Pray to the Lord that he will give you the discernment and the knowledge to make wise and just decisions in how to view all people regardless of their status or titles or education level, etc.
Servant of the Lord
An Original Work / July 26, 2012
Based off Romans 1:1-17
Servant of the Lord;
For the gospel you’re set apart.
Promised through the prophets of old:
Jesus, Son of God.
Through Him, and for His name alone,
We receive His grace
To call people, Him to obey;
Coming from their faith.
Servant of the Lord,
For the gospel you’re set apart.
Promised through the prophets of old:
Jesus, Son of God.
You belong to Christ;
Loved by God, and called to be saints;
Serving God with whole heart and mind;
Preaching Jesus Christ;
Always praying for others’ needs;
Helping hand to lend;
Giving courage to others’ faith,
For the praise of God.
You belong to Christ;
Loved by God, and called to be saints;
Serving God with whole heart and mind;
Preaching Jesus Christ.
Servant of the Lord;
Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;
For salvation, power of God
To those who have faith.
In the gospel find righteousness:
Being right with God.
Turn from sin, and trust Jesus Christ.
By faith, live in Him.
Servant of the Lord;
Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;
For salvation, power of God
To those who have faith.
https://vimeo.com/119511640
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