Lesson: Who are the Biblical Pastors (Day 5) In Days 2 and 3 of the series, it was shown that the ELDERS, PRESBYTERS, BISHOPS, OVERSEERS, SHEPHERDS, and PASTORS were ONE and THE SAME PERSONS according to the Bible (Acts 20:17-28; 1 Peter 5:1-3) In Day 4 of this series, it was shown that they HAD TO MEET the QUALIFICATIONS before they are considered QUALIFIED (1 Timothy 3:1-7). ONE of the QUALIFICATIONS is that they MUST BE MARRIED and THEIR OWN FAMILY should become their TRAINING GROUND (1 Timothy 3:2, 4-5). It is VERY LOGICAL to say that if a person DOES NOT KNOW how to DISCIPLINE or MANAGE his own household WELL, he CANNOT TAKE CARE of the church of God. But HOW COME that some BISHOPS are FORBIDDEN TO MARRY, and some PASTORS are SINGLE in our days? Today, let us explore WHETHER OR NOT a married person WITHOUT children or WITH children but NOT YET BELIEVERS is qualified to become a PRESBYTER, ELDER, BISHOP, OVERSEER, SHEPHERD, or PASTOR in the church. In Titus 1:5-6 Paul wrote, “For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you, on condition that a man be blameless, married only once, with believing children who are not accused of licentiousness or rebellious.” Here Paul INSTRUCTED Titus to appoint PRESBYTERS or ELDERS in every town. ONE of the QUALIFICATIONS is that he SHOULD BE BLAMELESS, that is, has a GOOD REPUTATION both INSIDE and OUTSIDE the church (1 Timothy 3:7). ANOTHER QUALIFICATION is that he MUST BE MARRIED only once. This is THE SAME as what PAUL WROTE TO TIMOTHY in 1 Timothy 3:2. But here Paul EXPLICITLY SPECIFIED who among the married members can QUALIFY. He must have BELIEVING CHILDREN who are NOT ACCUSED of licentiousness or rebellious. So is a married person WITHOUT CHILDREN qualified? No, HE IS NOT? Is a married person with ONE CHILD qualified? No, HE IS NOT. He must have CHILDREN, not just A CHILD. Is a married person WITH CHILDREN who are NOT YET BELIEVERS qualified? No, HE IS NOT. Is a married person WITH CHILDREN who are BELIEVERS but NOT LIVING AS REAL CHRISTIANS qualified? No, HE IS NOT. With the above-mentioned qualifications, WHEN can one become a PRESBYTER, ELDER, BISHOP, OVERSEER, SHEPHERD, or PASTOR in the church? It is ONLY WHEN his children are PROVEN to be believers, who are LIVING AS REAL CHRISTIANS. So this TAKES YEARS. The persons appointed to the position MUST BE OF AGE. No wonder they are CALLED ELDERS! But HOW COME that we have MANY PASTORS today who are STILL YOUNG? How come we have ELDERS with NAMEPLATES attached to the pocket of their shirt, who are NOT YET MARRIED and STILL VERY YOUNG? Is it NOT A CONTRADICTION that they CALL themselves ELDERS, but they are STILL VERY YOUNG? Can they NOT UNDERSTAND the term “ELDER?” Judge for yourselves. Now, WHY should an ELDER meet the above-mentioned qualifications? In Titus 1:7-9 Paul wrote, “For a bishop as God’s steward must be blameless, not arrogant, not irritable, not a drunkard, not aggressive, not greedy for sordid gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, temperate, just, holy, and self-controlled, holding fast to the true message as taught so that he will be able both to exhort with sound doctrine and to refute opponents.” Let us TAKE NOTE that Paul INSTRUCTED Titus to appoint “ELDERS” or “PRESBYTERS,” but he SHIFTED to the term “BISHOP” or “OVERSEER.” This TELLS us that that ELDERS, PRESBYTERS, BISHOPS, OVERSEERS, SHEPHERDS, and PASTORS are ONE and THE SAME PERSONS according to the Bible. ONE of the QUALIFICATIONS that an ASPIRING ELDER or PRESBYTER must have is that he MUST BE HOLDING FAST to the TRUE MESSAGE as taught so that he WILL BE ABLE both to EXHORT with SOUND DOCTRINE and to REFUTE OPPONENTS. Is a person who is NOT FOLLOWING the qualifications mentioned above HOLDING THE TRUE MESSAGE? No, HE IS NOT. So he is DEFINITELY NOT QUALIFIED. Why should he HOLD to the TRUE MESSAGE? So that he WILL BE ABLE to both to EXHORT with SOUND DOCTRINE and to REFUTE OPPONENTS. How can a person EXHORT with SOUND DOCTRINE if he himself is NOT FOLLOWING the SOUND DOCTRINE in terms of his OWN QUALIFICATION? Since they are NOT HOLDING the SOUND DOCTRINE, they CANNOT REFUTE the opponents and WIN the arguments. So they ALWAYS ADVISE their members to AVOID ARGUMENTS and SAY that it is WRONG. But the REALITY is that they CANNOT WIN the argument BECAUSE they are NOT UPHOLDING SOUND DOCTRINE.
Posted on: Fri, 06 Sep 2013 01:16:09 +0000
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