This is true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop,
he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be
blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant,
sober, of good behavior, apt teach;...
For they that have used the office of a deacon
will purchase to themselves a good degree,
and great boldness in the faith which
is in Christ Jesus.
1Timothy 3:1-2;13
The early Church set men to be overseers of a congregation and set forth the guidelines as to who could hold an office of leadership within the congregation. I need to make clear verse 13: Literally the Greek is: "For those well having served, a degree for themselves good acquire, and much boldness in faith which is in Christ Jesus.'" The Greek word translated "degree" means more than some degree earned some educational facility. It denotes "a step," primarily of a threshold or stair, and figuratively, means " a standing, a stage in a career, position, or can mean degree. (Strong's Dictionary, 2001, p.1005). This chapter 3 must be read and understood for the Church at large and for those who feel the call of God to oversee in some fashion in the Church.
The early Church soon began to
appoint Overseers, Presbyters, Bishop and practice we still follow today, only
today most of or pastors or teachers are educated in Seminaries, or
Universities. The early Church fathers were schooled by the apostles of Jesus
Christ. The early Christian Church faced such opposers as the Gnostics, the
Judiazers, and other heretical teachings, such as were those schooled in
Neo-Platonism from the school in Alexandria, Egypt. Today the Church has faced
as a Church many such opposers and false teachers: i.e., Arius, Pelagius, and
more.
The duties of presbyters and others.
And let the presbyters be compassionate and merciful to all, bringing back those that wander, visiting all the sick, and not neglecting the widow, the orphan, or the poor, but always “providing for that which is becoming in the sight of God and man; (Rom. xii. 17; 2 Cor. viii. 31). abstaining from all wrath, respect of persons, and unjust judgment; keeping far off from all covetousness, not quickly crediting [an evil report] against any one, not severe in judgment, as knowing that we are all under a debt of sin. If then we entreat the Lord to forgive us, we ought also ourselves to forgive; (Matt. vi. 12–14). for we are before the eyes of our Lord and God, and “we must all appear at the judgment-seat of Christ, and must every one give an account of himself. (Rom. xiv. 10–12; 2 Cor. v. 10). Let us then serve Him in fear, and with all reverence, even as He Himself has commanded us, and as the apostles who preached the Gospel unto us, and the prophets who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Lord [have alike taught us]. Let us be zealous in the pursuit of that which is good, keeping ourselves from causes of offence, from false brethren, and from those who in hypocrisy bear the name of the Lord, and draw away vain men into error.
Avoid the Docetæ (teaching), and
persevere in fasting and prayer.
“For whosoever does not confess
that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is antichrist; (1 John iv. 3). and whosoever does not confess the testimony of
the cross, (Literally, “the martyrdom of the cross,”
which some render, “His suffering on the cross.)” is of the devil; and
whosoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and says that
there is neither a resurrection nor a judgment, he is the first-born of Satan ([The original, perhaps, of Eusebius (Hist. iv.
cap. 14)). It became a common-place expression in the Church.] Wherefore,
forsaking the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us return to the
word which has been handed down to us from (Comp. Jude 3). the
beginning; “watching unto prayer, (1 Pet. iv. 7). and persevering in fasting; beseeching in our
supplications the all-seeing God “not to lead us into temptation, (Matt. vi. 13;
Matt. xxvi. 41. 35) as the Lord has said: “The spirit truly is willing,
but the flesh is weak. (Matt. xxvi. 41; Mark xiv. 38.)
Now for those who desire to be an
Authentic Christian this is a must:
Persevere in hope and patience.
Let us then continually persevere in our hope, and the
earnest of our righteousness, which is Jesus Christ, “who bore our sins in His
own body on the tree, (1 Pet. ii. 24). “who
did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth, (1 Pet. ii. 22.) but
endured all things for us, that we might live in Him.
(Comp. 1 John iv. 9.) Let
us then be imitators of His patience; and if we suffer
(Comp. Acts v. 41; 1 Pet. iv. 16.) for His name’s sake, let us glorify Him. (Some read, “we glorify Him.)” For He has set us this
example (Comp. 1 Pet. ii. 21). in
Himself, and we have believed that such is the case. The early Church fathers gives to us how Christianity operated and spoke about schisms, sedition, and other practices that needed to be corrected. More than that, and that is important for we have the same problem(s) in the church today, they show us that it is proper to have overseers but those men, and men are those who were appointed, not women, men have this deep responsibility to lead, both in the Church and at home, and the woman has a deep responsibility to be a guide for the home and Church. If your Church is not following the guides set forth by those early Church fathers, those who lived during the time of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, who knew Paul, and Peter, and others, then either you must remove yourself, or change the leadership to conform with Scripture. The Overseers, the pastors, deacons, are not to be monarchs, they are to be servants, and you are not to be in a Church where the pastor and deacons make all the decisions. It is up to you, and me, to ensure that our leadership is conforming to Scripture. Laxity, apathy, is not allowed unless you just do not care and are getting your ears tickled and do not want to change. Well....sin is knocking on the door!
Every one that is proud in heart
is an abomination to the LORD:
though hand join in hand, he shall
not go unpunished.
Proverbs 16:5
Take up the banner of truth
Richard L. Crumb
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