Christians Are Not Apathetic: They Live What They Believe

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 be revealed:

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you,

serving as overseers, not be compulsion but willingly,

not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

no 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.

1 Peter 5:1–4

            Peter makes this one thing plain and clear: those who are placed in oversight of the congregation have a tremendous responsibility to be examples of what it means to be a Christian, one who follows after Jesus Christ. Paul as well made this clear: “This is a faithful saying: if a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober–minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules is own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God/); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” (1Timothy 3:1–7). Paul goes on to speak to the deacons in the same manner. These must be true about the leader of any Church body, pastor, evangelist, teacher, those who hold home Bible studies, etc., for if not this type of leader how then could he correct a sinner when he knows that he himself admits to that which he reproves in another. When the Bible speaks of the overseer to be th husband of one wife is to be understood to mean that hem have a respectable marriage, not a wandering soul in look for ways to fulfill his lust. It is not that a man has had another wife, rather that he is monogamous and sets forth this example. This one must not be carried away with heretical teachings, those errors that the Church has faced from its beginning. He must not be in search of gain. A bishop, or as some are called an elder who have children, those children who are under their control, before coming into manhood, are not to be charged with profligacy which means to be extravagant, shameless, thoroughly dissolute, slaves to sin. How can one aid another in their problems with their children if these overseers cannot control his? An overseer then must be blameless as a steward of God. I will share from my perspective about allowing our children to be as the world when the world, its culture, is far removed from the commands of God, what God has spoken to us as how to live, to present ourselves as His witness: “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1Timothy 4:16). Whether an overseer or not, we as Christians must not allow ourselves to pull us away from the doctrine of God found in His word: “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1Timothy 4:12). Yes, Paul was writing to Timothy and the first application in praxis is for Timothy but this command is for all Christians that is why we have it written so that what is good for the overseer is good for those who are in oversight. There seems to be an absentmindedness in regards as to what is chaste, just, holy and allow for the culture to be our guide as how to live in this life. We dress like the unbeliever, we go to places where there is unholy lifestyles, bars, rock concerts, all which will turn a person aside from the truth and from God being their priority in their life. The display of one’s body parts, the wearing of clothing or not wearing of much clothing, by the showing off of one’s ‘six–pack´ as though this is important to catch a lover or mate. Yes, to demonstrate a Godly life will bring some form of persecution: “yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2Timothy 3:12).  We cannot allow fear to cause us to become apathetic: “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit” (1Thessalonians 4:7–8). An overseer is to be self–controlled, holding firm to that faithful holding fast to the doctrine of God found in His Scripture. What is for the overseer is for us who are members of the congregation, the catholic Church of God. Let us acquire what is commanded of God’s children buying out the time until we reach home with Him, and waiting in a worthy belief and practice in life holding fast to everything that He has commanded us, and make His doctrines the rule of our life. We have been give sound instruction, sound doctrine, who are we to confute those who contradict it if we are not applying those instructions and sound doctrine in our life? “Abstain from every form of evil” (1Thessalonians 5:22).

For our citizenship is in heaven,

            From which we also eagerly

Wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

            Who will transform our lowly body

That it may be conformed to His glorious body,

            According to the working by which

He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

                                                Philippians 3:20–21

Pray, Allow the Holy Spirit to lead You

Richard L. Crumb