The Responsibilities Of Leadership And Our Responsibilities

My brethren, be not many masters,

knowing that we shall receive

the greater condemnation. For

in many things we offend all.

If any man offend not in word,

the same is a perfect man,

and able also to bridle the 

whole body.

James 3:1-2

     When a person takes up a leadership position he or she is held to a higher responsibility. What is meant is this: to lead one must hold to a duty that affects others, both good and bad. It is not that a leader wants to affect people in a bad way, it is more that a person who is affected in a bad way has a prejudice against leadership, at least in some way. A leader must understand that to lead can lead them to a condemnation even if not warranted. Take a CEO of a company who has to make hard decisions, even decision as to hire or fire employees. He must remember that his job is to ensure the safety and a profitable company and do whatever it takes to make that happen. Not everyone will be happy with a CEO's decision. People in positions of authority have the same responsibilities and we must not give them such a hard time that makes their job almost impossible. We too have responsibilities. 

     The Greek word: didaskaloi, rendered in this translation, Master," means to be a teacher(s) and in our Churches we have men who are leading the congregations and have such a responsibility, not for profitability, but to teach them the word of God that will lead them to grow in sanctification and in their faith. This is the highest of all responsibilities and duties of a leader. We must remember that in a Church many who attend are from backgrounds that were atheistic, or not godly and walked in lives opposed to God. There are those in the Church that have grown in their faith and sanctification and the Church leader must be able to teach them all. Some will be offended and leave the Church. Some will give the Church leader a hard time over things that the Church is doing, or not doing. They do it not in love but to have some control over the decisions. I personally saw this when people in a Church fought over the color of the carpet to be installed. I even saw a pastor who would not allow the congregants to make the decision over the color and type of carpet to be installed. I know for I was the salesman to that pastor and Church. Our responsibility is first to study Scripture, and apply Scripture to our lives, and to ensure that there is peace, which is not always an easy thing to do, in the Church. To listen to the leader ensuring that he is not teaching some falseness, or heresy. We too have this responsibility to ensure that the truth is being taught. We may not understand what a pastor or Church leader has said, so we take time to speak with him, kindly, so that clarity will be the final result. We can either aid or hurt the Church leader by our actions and words. 

     If a Church leader believes that he is a perfect man, chosen by God, and abuses his position and responsibility then that man is wrong and hurts the Church and Christianity as a whole. We see this with many televangelist who live like some celebrity, who have so much money and a lifestyle that we see only with the rich and famous and by this they offend non-Christians, and should offend Christians. It is not that they should not be paid, that is Scriptural, but too many abuse their position and power. So, if they say they are perfect, God's chosen to lead, all one has to do is to see if they bridle their whole body. Many a Church leader has fallen due to some sin because they could not bridle their tongue, their lifestyle, and live not to God, but to themselves. 

     Yes, God leads a person (if they allow God to lead) to become a leader in the Church, a missionary, etc., but many hold leadership in a Church to have a job, to earn money so they can live as they so desire. They are not in their positions to serve God but themselves. Many of Church leaders have go to seminaries, or Christian Universities that are liberal and teach doctrines that are not Scriptural. So we who have grown in our faith and sanctification must assume our responsibility to know the background of the one to be chosen to lead the Church. 

     Remember: The leader of a Church speaks words that are either edifying and leading people to live as God desire we live, or, they speak things that may keep people in the Church so that they continue to have a job, and those things are not usually Scriptural. Furthermore, to become a leader in a Church a person must remember that they will give to God an answer for all that they spoke and will receive from God a greater condemnation, or, will have God say: "Well done my faithful and discreet servant." 

     Are you thinking of becoming a Church leader? If so, then pray, ensure that you are truly being led by God to become such a leader. How important is this? The highest importance of anything in this world for people's souls and lives are affected by what a leader says and does. 

     I will in the next blogs follow James' example of how we must watch ourselves in what we say and do for God is watching and demands that we do not think so highly of ourselves for out of us comes either bitter water, or sweet water. 

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil:

     pride, and arrogancy, and the evil

way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

                             Proverbs 8:13

Learn to be wise and use wisdom

Richard L. Crumb  

What Is The True Meaning Of Faith?

For therein is the righteousness of God

revealed from faith to faith: as it is

written, The just shall live by faith.

Romans 1:17

And Jesus said unto them, Because 

of your unbelief: for verily I say unto

If ye have faith as a grain of mustard

seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,

Remove hence to yonder place; and

it shall remove; and nothing shall be

impossible unto you.

Matthew 17:20

     You surely have noticed that the opening verses are not from the Book of James. This is because faith is so important that we must take a deep look into it for as Paul wrote: "The just shall live by faith." Lack of faith is conjoined with unbelief so if you lack faith you also lack belief, not that you do not believe in God, in Jesus Christ, it is that your belief has no traction in your life. Your belief is shallow and might, as it often does, lead you into heretical beliefs and practices. I see this with those who attend the Bethel School of the Supernatural here in Redding, California. The students love the experienced they are receiving, the mysteriousness that leads a person's curiosity so that they have a shallow belief for their faith is not in Jesus Christ, it is in the experiences, and this is faith that is not leading them to righteousness, but to a teaching that sounds Scriptural but is a gospel that is not a Gospel. You cannot say you have faith that is pleasing to God and not have a belief that is pleasing to God, and the reverse is just as true. 

     I wrote about Abraham and his faith and Abraham shows to us that there must be a personal relationship with God. This was shown by Abraham separated himself to do the will of God that seems hard to understand. Abraham left his home in the land of Ur to travel to a place that he did not know to go and had to lean on God to take him to that place. Abraham separated himself from his comfort to an uncomfortable life as he traveled through harsh, at times, lands, where people were not always that friendly, to go to Canaan where the land is not always lush and abundant. To do this required a personal relationship, faith, trust, a belief in God, and in God only. Today we find that people and their separation to God is more of a mental and moral separation, from those who do not see Christianity the way we do, and this shows more about their feelings as to how they are viewed by the world, family, friends, etc., than showing a personal relationship with God: "If a man came to me, and hate not his father, mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciples" (Luke 14:26).

     Faith does not where is being led, where you are going and what you will do, but if you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ then you have all the knowledge you need, for this faith is in Jesus Christ who you know who is leading. Faith is not a life of intellect and reason. The foundation, the root of faith is in the knowledge of the Person, and a snare that has caught many Christians is that they have the idea that God is leading them to success. 

     This personal relationship, a faith in Jesus Christ, leads a person and in the building of their character. This faith will build your character, a character leading your to become in the image of Jesus Christ. Yes, there are times of "transfiguration" times when we feel the experience of God in our lives, God wrapping His arms around us and often we are changed, at least for the moment. Then, times change, life moves on and the ordinary days come and the glory vanishes. True faith, a life of faith is not a mounting up on wings of eagles, but a life of walking and not fainting. We grow in our sanctification but faith is even more for us as it must be tried and proved and then to stand the test. Abraham gave us a picture of this type of faith, a tried and proved faith built on a personal relationship with God. "Abraham believed God." 

     Learning to live the life of an Authentic Christian is to build upon an Authentic Christian Faith, and that faith is to grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ. You will be tried, tested, and misunderstood, but really, who cares? You have a faith in the everlasting God who will never leave you and will take you through whatever circumstances come your way. Your faith, this Authentic Christian Faith will bring to you a blessing that only can come from God, from a life living for God. The question is: will you build this relationship, this faith, this Authentic Christian Faith? 

For thou desirest not sacrifce;

     else would I give it: thou

delightest not in burnt offering.

     the sacrifices of God are a 

broken spirit: a broken and a 

     contrite heart, O God, thou

will not despise.

                Psalm 51:16-17

Examine your relationship to God

Richard L. Crumb   

Choosing God: Overcoming Apathy

Was not Abraham our father justified by works,

when he had offered Isaac his son upon 

the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought 

with his works, and by works was faith

made perfect? and the Scripture was 

fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed

God, and it was imputed unto him for 

righteousness: and he was called the Friend

of God. Ye see then how that by works a man

is justified, and not be faith only. likewise 

also was not Rahab the harlot justified by

works, when she had received the messengers,

and had sent them out another way? 

For as the body without the spirit is dead,

so faith without works is dead also.

James 2:21-26

     Are you getting the point? Faith without works is dead! Period! Our faith is not in works, but in Jesus Christ and we from our faith in Him allow ourselves to be spent in the service of God. Not service as we want to have service to be, rather the service that God has given to us as outlined in Scripture. You, me, all Authentic Christians must become intentional and not to allow apathy, or laziness, or anything else to come before our responsibility. Yes, this will require a readjusting of your time and how you spend your time. If this is not done then is your faith a living faith or a dead faith? 

     We live in a "Modern" world, as though the past world was not "modern" to those living then, but we in this "Modern, or Postmodern" world have lost the ability to critically think and allowed the past to have less value than the present. By this loss the narratives of the Old Testament have lost some of their meaning, or have become nothing more than stories, shallow stories and from that shallowness comes superficial applications. The historical event surrounding the two sons of Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac, have a message about man's relationship with God. In this narrative we find faith in a dynamic form. God made two covenants, one with Ishmael, and one with Isaac. The Abrahamic Covenant in regards to Isaac was represented by Mount Moriah, and the covenant in regards to Ishmael was Mount Sinai. We must understand the difference between these convents for by these covenants we find unconditional illustration towards our salvation. The Mosaic Covenant is conditional and deals with our worship and by this covenant we come to understand our dual responsibilities toward God (salvation) and man (worship). 

     In Genesis we find that men are declared righteous by faith: "And he believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). Yes we are declared righteous by our faith but this faith is not the only thing that is required of us, there must be action, a working of your faith as it was for Abraham. The Abrahamic Covenant which is unconditional gave to Abraham this order, an order of works: "Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you" (Genesis 12:1). Abram could not just sit idly by and allow someone else to do what God had commanded, the command was for him to do what God required. This is true of us, we have a command of God, first to take the Gospel to the world, this means you cannot be apathetic and say someone else who is more qualified than you should do this, no, you are required, the command is for all Christians. Second, you have the responsibility to care for those you associate with in your congregations. Again, there is no room for apathy or laziness and say: "someone will care for them." Really? You know this for a fact? 

     It may be confusing to you when God calls you to action, to do works that may seem uncomfortable and this was true of Abraham even though he was a man of faith and believed God but his role was yet to unfold and this it did as he went forward in his responsibility toward the command of God. Abraham made mistakes as in his confusion or desire to do what only God could do and by this Ishmael was born but this was not what God had said to him. God would provide and keep His promise to Abraham. God did not need Abraham to do what only He could do. Yet, Abraham needed to do something even though it was confusing to him. Ishmael represents the futility of works outside of what God has commanded. It is not well-intentioned efforts outside of God command complicated Abraham's life, and even to this day complicates our lives and the lives of many others. 

     Abraham did not know God would work out His covenant to Abraham but in time all this was revealed to him. For us, we have this example to follow. Listen to God, and allow God to do what we cannot do: in this case of taking the Gospel to the world we do so not knowing who will listen, who will be led by the Holy Spirit to believe in Jesus Christ, but in time all this will become evident. We do not save anyone, this is God's work, our work is to take the Gospel to the world. 

    The choice is ours, to either trust God, or to trust our ingenuity. This does not mean that we do not plan, do not make room for training, but it does mean that all we do has the stamp of God's word upon it so that what we do is in the will of God. We must then, each day trust God. There is victory in this faith, a faith that is a faith from which works, God requirement as to our responsibility is pragmatically done each day. It is this faith that brings forth victory that will overcome all your doubts and fears, your confusion, and even your shortcomings. 

     The choice is yours!

Wash you, make you clean;

     put away the evil of your

doings from before mine eyes;

    cease to do evil; learn to do

well; seek judgment, relieve the

    oppressed, judge the fatherless,

plead for the widow.

                 Isaiah 1:16-17

Choose to be a servant of God

Richard L. Crumb