This is a faithful saying:
if a man desires to position
of a bishop, he desires
a good work....
Likewise deacons must
be reverent, not
double-tongued,
not given to much wine,
not greedy for money,
holding the mystery
of the faith
with a pure conscience.
1Timothy 3:1;8-9
Paul when writing to Timothy gives the credentials for those who will be in oversight of a congregation. Paul writes to the Philippians and says: "Paul and timothy, bondservants of Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons" (Philippians 1:1). The Bible clearly shows that there was organization within the Church. In fact, as I pointed out when Clement of Rome wrote to the Corinthian Church, he did so by request of the elders of that Church. There was disharmony and confusion within that Church and they needed direction from one they knew could give such direction. In his letter he exalted the position of the Elders and Deacons and that the members of the Church were to provide for by obedience to them for it is the Bishop that is to be the practical guarantee of Christian unity. Clement was not vying for any position as the Bishop in charge of the Church as does the Pope today, rather he being the elder of Rome who was known to be one they could trust by his former writings, they wrote to him, and sought his advice. The Greek word for Bishop: "ἐπισκοπῆ" means: overseer, one who investigate, inspects, and visits. The word denotes the act by which God looks into and searches out the ways, and deeds, character, of men, in order to adjudge them their lot accordingly, whether joyous or sad. Furthermore it is an office of oversight, therefore a Bishop is an overseer, it is an office of an elder: "πρεσβυτέρους" throughout the Bible those two words are conjoined in meaning and apply to the same office: "So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed" (Acts 1:23). Jesus is called our Overseer: "For you were like sheep going astray,but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls" (1Peter 2:25). Peter gives admonition for those in charge as overseers, elders of the Church: "The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for....(1Peter 5:1-5a).
The Christian is part of an organization, an organism, for it alive and active and a Christian is a member of the invisible Church, a Church that is made up of those who have yielded their lives, their control by faith to Christ. To make the Church run smoothly is the work of the congregants, not just the overseers, the presbyters, the bishops, for you belong to an organism, an organization. Jesus Christ Himself organized the Church when He chose the twelve Apostles who were to be the leaders of the infant Church. These men led the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Now, because there are different offices, and that there were the Apostles, then Overseers of a Church, is not to imply some form of hierachal pyramid, such as to be found in the Roman Catholic Church, even in some Churches that are calling themselves to be separate from the Roman Catholic Church. The elders and deacons of a Church were to be chosen by the people, to be ordained by the apostles and to have special spiritual qualifications that involved leadership by the Holy Spirit. There was and is, to be an inward call, and an external call, that is a person seeking the office of an overseer is to have been called by God, and to be chosen by the democratic vote of the Church and the ordaining to office by the Apostles. This hierachy as set forth in the Bible was not a setting aside a special class of priests to minister a sacerdotal system of salvation, because both the officials of the Church and members were priests with the right of direct access to God through Jesus Christ: "For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father" (Ephesians 2:18).
Before I examine the offices of overseer and deacon, I must address what I have written: that is a qualification that an overseer is not to be greedy. I formerly wrote about those men who call themselves "Christian" and live such opulent lives, those men who are opprobrium, who are driven in limousines, live in many million dollar homes, buy extravagant items, i.e., a $23,000.00 toilet top, etc. Yet claim to be a true overseer as outlined in the Bible. There are those who must wear special clothing to denote that they are a priest, or some leader in a Church, those who are of a hierarchy that claim to be able to forgive sins, and hear the sins of others. Yet, with all that there are those pastors that are overbearing, and are the absolute ruler of their Church. There are those men who are meek and humble and are overseers for they have truly been called by God and lead their congregants in spiritual matters. The question for us is whether or not we are under one of those types? Furthermore, if not are we willing to escape from such poor oversight, unBiblical methods, or are we willing to, in love and prayer return the Church to God? Far too many Church splits are over such things as the music, the service, the choir, the Sunday School, and even the pastor(s). These who are disgruntled, rather than attempting to cause a change for good, leave the Church for reasons that are not Biblical, and take their disgruntleness to another Church or start another Church that will teach the way they want to be taught, whether or not the teaching is Biblical.
God did not leave us destitute! He has in His word given to us how He expects the Church to operate, and the reason for the Church. I spent time proving that the Bible is inerrant, and that the Bible a person uses must be a correct version, not some version that has been translated by those who do not hold Jesus Christ in high esteem, or have interpolated their views into the words of the Apostles. to leave a Church for reasons that the Church is apostate, and is teaching heresy is the correct reason for leaving. Yes, jobs, and other necessities require one to leave, this is not what is considered wrong. Truth, truth, truth, that is what the overseer, the teachers, the leaders of the Church must be teaching. It is truth that will aid the overseer to help others. It is truth you want! Is it not? Remember, the world is watching, judging, and we are to be a witness for Jesus Christ.
For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God
prepared beforehand
that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10
Take Time For Prayer--Communicate With God
Richard L. Crumb
The Christian is part of an organization, an organism, for it alive and active and a Christian is a member of the invisible Church, a Church that is made up of those who have yielded their lives, their control by faith to Christ. To make the Church run smoothly is the work of the congregants, not just the overseers, the presbyters, the bishops, for you belong to an organism, an organization. Jesus Christ Himself organized the Church when He chose the twelve Apostles who were to be the leaders of the infant Church. These men led the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Now, because there are different offices, and that there were the Apostles, then Overseers of a Church, is not to imply some form of hierachal pyramid, such as to be found in the Roman Catholic Church, even in some Churches that are calling themselves to be separate from the Roman Catholic Church. The elders and deacons of a Church were to be chosen by the people, to be ordained by the apostles and to have special spiritual qualifications that involved leadership by the Holy Spirit. There was and is, to be an inward call, and an external call, that is a person seeking the office of an overseer is to have been called by God, and to be chosen by the democratic vote of the Church and the ordaining to office by the Apostles. This hierachy as set forth in the Bible was not a setting aside a special class of priests to minister a sacerdotal system of salvation, because both the officials of the Church and members were priests with the right of direct access to God through Jesus Christ: "For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father" (Ephesians 2:18).
Before I examine the offices of overseer and deacon, I must address what I have written: that is a qualification that an overseer is not to be greedy. I formerly wrote about those men who call themselves "Christian" and live such opulent lives, those men who are opprobrium, who are driven in limousines, live in many million dollar homes, buy extravagant items, i.e., a $23,000.00 toilet top, etc. Yet claim to be a true overseer as outlined in the Bible. There are those who must wear special clothing to denote that they are a priest, or some leader in a Church, those who are of a hierarchy that claim to be able to forgive sins, and hear the sins of others. Yet, with all that there are those pastors that are overbearing, and are the absolute ruler of their Church. There are those men who are meek and humble and are overseers for they have truly been called by God and lead their congregants in spiritual matters. The question for us is whether or not we are under one of those types? Furthermore, if not are we willing to escape from such poor oversight, unBiblical methods, or are we willing to, in love and prayer return the Church to God? Far too many Church splits are over such things as the music, the service, the choir, the Sunday School, and even the pastor(s). These who are disgruntled, rather than attempting to cause a change for good, leave the Church for reasons that are not Biblical, and take their disgruntleness to another Church or start another Church that will teach the way they want to be taught, whether or not the teaching is Biblical.
God did not leave us destitute! He has in His word given to us how He expects the Church to operate, and the reason for the Church. I spent time proving that the Bible is inerrant, and that the Bible a person uses must be a correct version, not some version that has been translated by those who do not hold Jesus Christ in high esteem, or have interpolated their views into the words of the Apostles. to leave a Church for reasons that the Church is apostate, and is teaching heresy is the correct reason for leaving. Yes, jobs, and other necessities require one to leave, this is not what is considered wrong. Truth, truth, truth, that is what the overseer, the teachers, the leaders of the Church must be teaching. It is truth that will aid the overseer to help others. It is truth you want! Is it not? Remember, the world is watching, judging, and we are to be a witness for Jesus Christ.
For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God
prepared beforehand
that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10
Take Time For Prayer--Communicate With God
Richard L. Crumb
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