CHURCH RULERS....Understanding important truths from the Bible….

II Chronicles 20:20  NKJV

"So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”

Hebrews 13:17

 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

James 3:1

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

The statement in II Chronicles above has long fascinated me.  The dependence on human teachers is one of long-standing.  This of course applies to the inspired writers of Scripture, but goes further and is applied to instructors who are in the church for that purpose.

Both the Hebrews passage and that in James 3:1 can hardly mean inspired men.  Both are speaking of men who have authoritative positions, “those who rule over you.”  It is masculine in gender in the original so we’re to understand it speaking of male rule.

This statement along with I Thess. 5:12-13 are ample instruction as to rule and submission. ¹² And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.  This should not be ignored.  There is rule in the church which demands submission to those who are said “to be over you in the Lord.”

When James’ admonition to teachers is included there is another consideration to this teaching rule.  The person who assumes the post also assumes a responsibility for which he must answer.  And he must answer without exception.  He cannot claim an excuse of lesser ability or poorer preparation.  The fact that he assumes the position of teacher takes these excuses from him.  As a brother in the Lord he may have these excuses.  As a teacher he has forfeited the right to them.

There are two matters of concern as we consider those who “rule” in the church.

The first is their failure to do the task of ruling.  They should superintend the doctrine, the discipline, and the responsibility to evangelize.  But all too often they are passive in these responsibilities as a result there is rowdyism in the church; there is no doctrinal knowledge or standard; and the church fails in its responsibility to be God’s means for calling the Elect.

Secondly church rulers assume authority in areas that are not their responsibility.  And instead of being Godly rulers they are devilish tyrants.  The Roman Catholic Inquisition is an example of the tyrannical activity of church rulers who do not care for their responsibility but love the authority they can acquire.

Closer to home, we have churches where the rulers choose the partners in marriage, the vocation of members, and in extreme instances the Koolaid they drink.  This is tyrannical and it is intolerable.  There is no excuse for it.

I am fascinated that the “stricter judgment” to be received by Christian teachers is poorly understood and so generally disregarded.  This judgment is evidently by God and man.  Is it any wonder that false, failing, and fallen preachers bring so much reproach on the church.  We deserve it.