Chapter 26: OF THE CHURCH
(Part Seven through Nine of Eighteen)
Hebrews 13:17 says, “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.”
While this verse clearly puts a responsibility on elders to “watch out for” the souls in their care, as those who “must give an account” to God, the church members also have the following responsibilities:
The first responsibility of church members is to “obey and be submissive to their elders,” unless, of course, the leaders are commanding the people to do what God forbids, or forbidding the people to do what God commands. Honestly, how often does that happen? And care must be given not to pretend that if the elders are leading in a way that merely goes against a member’s preference, the member must not take the bold leap of accusing the elders of leading contrary to God.
The call to “obey and submit” is not a call to blindly follow the elder’s lead in a cult-like manner. But usually when people resist the leadership of their elders, it is over petty things. If you are praying for them, then trust that God is leading through them.
(The second responsibility next time. )
(Part Eight of Eighteen)
Hebrews 13:17 says, “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.”
The second responsibility this verse places on members is: Follow the elders’ lead in a manner that enables them to lead joyfully, rather than with grief. In other words, support them rather than running interference against them.
Blatant rebellion is obviously wrong, but there are subtle ways in which members give elders grief. Passive resistance. A complaining spirit. Refusal to be supportive and helpful. Not showing up every time the church is gathered for worship and prayer, for no good reason other than being too busy with everything other than church. Failure to pray for the elders. Making the elders chase them by not responding to their requests to speak with them. Listening to gossip. Not tithing. Not serving. Refusing to become members. These and many more such attitudes and actions cause elders to be grieved for the sheep.
And God’s Word says that is unprofitable for the members!
(Part Nine of Eighteen)
Church members are “members of one another” (Romans 12:5), and as such share a connection and responsibilities. As no “member” of my physical body is exempt from being connected and responsible to the rest of my body, neither are church members to be disconnected or deny responsibility to the body of Christ—though many do. When cells in a physical body become independent, living only for themselves, those cells are cancerous. In the same way, believers who isolate themselves or are irresponsible toward the Church, are not only in sin, they do damage to themselves and to the body.
Therefore, “as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” (Romans 12:4-5). And since the Holy Spirit has gifted every member of the body with spiritual gifts, though they be varied, let us willingly agreed to operate together, serving one another, and “stirring one another up to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Bonus Thought: Why do we need to be told this? The first Christians in Acts 2:42-47 did these things and more without any instruction. Could it be that they were more sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit than modern-day Christians?