Paltry Zeal

"We should meditate often upon our future estate in heaven, considering how thankful we will one day be of our zeal, yet how paltry our zeal really is, compared to its gracious issue and the incomparable glories of heaven. We will one day proclaim from heaven that, had we known what God had in store for those who served Him with fervent zeal, we would have heated up our zeal seven times hotter than it was."

Joel Beeke Living Zealously

Tuesdays with Timothy #22 A Blameless Pastor

I Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife

A bishop then must be blameless, 

Spurgeon said something along the lines that if you don't have a sermon, you can try the John Gill commentary method, which goes something like "Firstly, the verse does not mean this. Secondly, the text does not mean that. Thirdly, the verse certainly doesn't mean this other thing. In conclusion, the verse speaks of this."

My blog post may be a little like that today, not that I haven't anything to so, but it is sometimes easier to find out what it doesn't mean and deal with what is left. Certainly "blameslessness" cannot mean that a pastor is without sin. There is one one perfect Pastor, and His name is Jesus. The author of this passage also wrote Romans 7. 

This cannot mean that a man cannot be a bishop if, in his life prior to salvation, he lived a life as, well, a sinner. It would be difficult to make this case, as the man who penned the letter was the chief of sinners. 

Also, it can't mean that the pastor never gets blamed or accused. Being accused of wrong doing is pretty much part of the job description of being a pastor. If you have been a pastor for more than two Sunday's, you've been accused of something.

What then, does it mean? The pastor is to be above reproach in his life. He is not to live in unrepentant sin and he is not to live in a way that will bring reproach or shame to the gospel of Christ. When he does sin, he must be quick to make it right between man and God. Paul was in prison. Jesus was crucified. These are shameful things for wrong doers. Jesus was hated, arrested, accused, sentenced, and crucified, dying, despising the shame. However, the life of Jesus was one without reproach, blameless before God. 

the husband of one wife, 

There has been more broken fellowship over this one portion of scripture among Baptist in my lifetime than, perhaps any other verse of scripture. I'm not going to add to the fire that exists, but I will do my best not to wear tap shoes and dance around the issue and "out Fred the nimblest Astaire", so let's just begin by me saying that I believe divorced and remarried men can pastor, and I'm not convinced that this is what Paul had in mind when he penned the letter.  

If you have two wives, you cannot be a pastor. You can only have one wife. Since neither Paul, nor Jesus were married when they pastored, I cannot say that you MUST be a husband of one wife. Since we have this verse and the example of Peter, we dare not say that you cannot be married. I like how the Geneva Study Bible notes say it "Therefore he that shuts out married men from the office of bishops, only because they are married, is antichrist."

There is no law against a widower marrying again. He would not have two wives, since his wife is dead, though she would be his 2nd wife. So we cannot say this verse means that you MUST be the husband of one wife for the entirety of your life. Robertson's Word Pictures (μιας γυναικος — mias gunaikos). One at a time, clearly.

But let's be real..the only reason that this verse is controversial is because of the divorce question. As you study this issue, you will find men who have held that this meant divorce in the early days after the close of the cannon. You will also find men from the same time asserting that this is about polygamy. The commentators too are split, though most of the trusted men I have read come down on the anti-polygamy side of the fence.  Yes, I'm full aware of the ad verecundiam but it is more than a little foolish not to inquire the minds of those who have gone before me. 

I honestly do not think that Paul had divorce in mind here. I believe had the intention been to condemn divorce and remarriage, he would have more explicitly than was done here. When I was a younger man, I thought that this verse refereed to polygamy and I was told that I was being crazy and that couldn't mean that and how unrelevant this verse would be. Fast forward to 2015, and we see that pro-polygamy forces have already pushed to promote the practice. In 25-50 years, churches in the USA will have men come to faith in Christ, who were united in polygamous marriages prior to salvation. 

On a side note, I have known many godly, faithful, men who have been divorced and remarried. I do not and will not break fellowship with a church that differs from me on this. Churches call their own pastors to serve them. If the church feels that a man is not qualified to be a bishop based upon this passage and his marital life, then they are free to call or not call him. That is the point here. These are markers of a man's life. It deals with the man's overall character. There won't be a single man on earth that meets each one of these marks to perfection, and every pastor, will at times, fall short of the high standards laid out here. Every man and every church will give an account before the Saviour on how they have applied the standard. 

Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

I read this as an untested boy and didn't get it. Over 30 years later and a bit of life lived, I not only understand it, but enjoyed his insights, especially how quickly young Henry justified his running away and then became angry with the idea that anyone would question him. Once fear had gotten hold, he saw the danger everywhere and in every place - even where it wasn't. His guilty conscience proved to be a more formidable foe than those he fought against.

Proverbs 28:1 "The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion."

Or, a modern proverb:

 "Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway." - John Wayne

Preaching in the Holy Spirit by Albert N. Martin

A good introduction to the subject of the Holy Spirit's role in the preaching of God's Word. Some good and convicting thoughts, to be sure. Refreshing to read a book with a little balance on the Spirit of God - meaning he is by no means Charismatic but does not deny the supernatural element in preaching because it is not one or the other. If you have ever listened to an Al Martin sermon, there is no question as to the authorship. His distinctive voice is clear, even through the printed page. The book was an expanded sermon, so it is a good, quick, primer. Not my favorite book on preaching, but I found it profitable. 

Two Convictions

"If my readers rise from the perusal with these two convictions enhanced in their souls — that it is grace which makes the preacher, and that nothing is preaching which is not expository of the Scriptures — my work is not in vain."

R.L. Dabney - Sacred Rhetoric

An Essay on Anger by John Fawcett

This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it. You can read it for free HERE. Really, really good book.

The Road to Character by David Brook - BookReview

This way a very interesting book. I love the premise and agree with much of it. We both want to live in the same society but where I disagree with the book is how to get there. I like that he hopes to get the questions and discussions of virtue and character back into the public square. He does this by defining his terms and then uses biographical sketches in each chapter to flesh his thesis out and then wraps it up nicely in the final chapter.

Our contemporary culture is concerned about, as Brooks puts it, "resume virtues" and really ignores what he calls "eulogy virtues". Resume virtues being college degree, financial achievement, etc. But no one will talk about your masters degree at your funeral. At a eulogy, people talk of honesty, courage, wisdom, etc. He proposes that we have neglected moral character and have devoted ourselves to outward, fleeting success.

He is right and did a great job of not only identifying the problem but also showing how that problem came to pass. This, to me was outstanding portion of the book.  Brooks identifies that man is fallen and broken by sin (yes, he says it is sin and makes the case that our country is far worse off for having "lost" this word) and that if we go within to find our standard of morality and goodness, we make gods of ourselves. He quoted G. K. Chesterton, who once observed that the reality of sin can be seen on a lovely Sunday afternoon when bored and restless children start torturing the cat. Brooks says:

"If you believe that the ultimate oracle is the True Self inside, then of course you become emotivist—you make moral judgments on the basis of the feelings that burble up. Of course you become a relativist. One True Self has no basis to judge or argue with another True Self. Of course you become an individualist, since the ultimate arbiter is the authentic self within and not any community standard or external horizon of significance without. Of course you lose contact with the moral vocabulary that is needed to think about these questions. Of course the inner life becomes more level—instead of inspiring peaks and despairing abysses, ethical decision making is just gentle rolling foothills, nothing to get too hepped up about."

 We focus so much on ourselves, anything that causes pain or uncomfortablness in our lives must be bad. Where, it is in the struggle where we are refined. We have become uncomfortable to face the reality of our own souls. He said "we are to morality what the Victorians were to sex." Which is a great line. Our prudishness in 2015 is directed towards virtue and morality.

But, (this is a book review, so there has to be a but) I think that his rules for character and his humility code do not really miss the boat, but more aptly in the book we get on the wrong boat. Brooks illustrates character by walking us through short biographies of men and women from different walks of life. He uses religious, non-religious alike to show that there are different ways to character. While true, there are different ways to reform the outside of the cup, there is only one way to clean the inside and that is the blood of Christ.  This is why I believe the chapter on Augustine to be one of the best of the book. He pulls no punches here, talking of grace and redemption. Sin and humility. Perhaps by design? I don't know.

There are parts of the book that make me want to buy copies and give them to graduating seniors...and then there are parts where I don't know if I would even recommend it. It is a strange book. Partly because he talks of moral issues that are not tethered to anything. I suppose that is it - virtue and character building must be tethered to something greater, and just saying "something" isn't enough to motivate and move people to action.  I hope some lost soul does not buy the book and get pulled into the legalistic, stoicism that is talked about, but is broken by their inability to do what is necessary and finds the One who lived a perfect life for us and gives us the grace to follow Him. I was thankful that as I realized I will never be as great as the people in the book, that in Christ, I have my identity and my life and my soul are tethered to Him. I have been given His righteousness and stand complete in Him.

The dreaded fruits of slow anger

"Dr. Watts, in his excellent discourse on the passions, has given the following description of that slow and inveterate anger which is most of all to be dreaded.

"Sometimes it spreads paleness over the countenance; it is silent and sullen, and the angry person goes on from day to day with a gloomy aspect, and a sour and uneasy carriage, averse to speak to the offender, unless it be now and then a word or two of a dark and despiteful meaning. The vicious passion dwells upon the soul, and frets and preys upon the spirits : it inclines the tongue to tease the offender with a re petition of his crime in a sly manner, upon certain seasons and occurrences, and that for weeks and months after the offence, and sometimes for years. This sort of wrath sometimes grows up into settled malice, and is ever contriving revenge and mischief. May divine grace form my heart in a better mold, and deliver me from this vile temper and conduct!"

As we should seldom suffer our anger to be awakened, so the continuance of it should always be very short. The sullen and long continued resentment above described, is as much contrary to the grace of meekness as a sudden fit of rage and fury. And as it is a settled and deliberate passion, the guilt of it is more heinous, and marked with deeper aggravations in the sight of God."

An Essay on Anger by John Fawcett

Shall we take no methods to recover?

"How long shall we lie still under our formal complaints of the decay of Christian piety? How long shall we idly see the retirement of warm religion from the hearts and bosoms of its professors? Do we look into the churches of the Lord Jesus, or into our own souls and observe the deadness and dispiritedness that is there to all the parts of real godliness; and are we content, that so it should be? Are we willing to yield to all the lukewarmness and degeneracy that has overspread us? Shall we take no methods to recover and revive? "

Zeal a Virtue, or a Discourse Concerning Sacred Zeal, by John Reynolds, 1716. Copied from Living Zealously by Joel Beeke

What were you expecting?

"While we are in this world of sin and disorder, we must meet with provocations : but the frailty of the weak, the omissions of the negligent, the follies of the imprudent, and the levity of the fickle, should not so far ruffle our spirits as to cause us to use rash words, or to break forth into sudden acts of violence."

An Essay on Anger by John Fawcett

John Adams by David McCullough - Marginalia

John Adams by David McCullough

This was a good book. I didn't know much about Adams, other than the basic trivia but I grew to admire him as a man. We could use a John Adams right now. There isn't much about Adam's faith, but from what is there I believe that he may have been a Christian man.

He had a hard time as a politician but he persevered. Adams put the task of governing ahead of personal pleasure, ease, and finances. He had many critics but stayed the course with manly determination. Think about it -- John Adams had a very difficult undertaking as being the first Vice President under George Washington and then the first President after George Washington. Neither proposition would have been easy and took a humble man, one who loved his country more that his pride, to have achieved it. Good book.

Word Study

This is and important article to think through and consider especially if you do not know or have a firm grasp on Greek or Hebrew. As with most things, we need to find the balance and not end up in the water on the port or starboard side.

Selah.

Tuesday with Timothy #21 A Good Work

I Timothy 3:1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

This is a true saying,

This is a true saying, so that is always a good thing to know. Not that the Bible isn't true but this is a truth that resonates with Paul as he contemplates the office of elder in the Lord's church. Paul knows experimentally the goodness of the office and affirms this truth from his own life. I knew marriage was good because the Bible said it is good. I knew marriage was good experimentally because I'm married and have experienced its goodness first hand. My experience of this truth doesn't make it true, but I can attest to its truthfulness. 

if a man desire the office of a bishop,

A man's desire is not always in conflict with God's will. I worry that men think that in order to be a pastor, God has to make you miserable and drag you kicking and screaming behind the pulpit. A man should not start preaching or pastoring if he doesn't want to do it because it certainly is not an easy task for the man or his family. You should desire to do the work when you start and not feel forced to keep it up once you get going (I Peter 5:2).  Certainly this should not be looked at lightly but if God has given a man a desire to do a good work, whether he goes with much fear or much excitement, he is going forward with desire that God has put in his heart. As we will see in the coming chapters, that desire will set a fire in the man and cause him to discipline himself for the task. This is not a desire of a young man watching a football game and wishing he was Peyton Manning. This is the desire of a young man that wakes up at 5:00 am to train before school because he is going to be the next Peyton Manning. 

To desire the office is something to be reached for -- a goal to stretch yourself out for the position. It is a higher position than you are currently residing, if you are desiring it. If the ladies didn't like the authority at the end of chapter two, the men can now join their angst because it is at this point we see the office of bishop has authority. To reach up and desire an office of overseer (which is what the word means) tells us that there is authority with the position. In churches that hold to congregational polity (as I believe the Bible teaches) the church member must voluntarily submit themselves to those that are the overseerers of the church. Let's step it back for a moment and consider why the women can't teach. Because of authority. If a woman cannot be pastor because that role gives her authority over men in the church, obviously when a man does take the office of overseerer, he steps into that authoritative office. To call a man to be your pastor is to call a man into a position of authority. 

he desireth a good work.

It really is a good work. It is work though, don't be mistaken about that. It is hard work. And, for this present time, usually a thankless task. But it is a good work. It is a noble work that must be done in faith, knowing that the reward is not in this life, but when the Chief Shepherd appears (I Peter 5:4). Paul doesn't hide the fact that this is a war and if you are going to enter the ministry, it is going to be a battle. God calls a man, I believe, by putting a desire in him to do the good work. However; the desire and longing for pastoral ministry does not mean that a person should be or even can be a pastor just because they want to be. There are two calls in the call to the ministry that I believe are both the work of the Holy Spirit and both must be present. One, the internal call which I believe is God putting into the heart of a man the desire to preach the Word and serve Christ in the church. But the church is not to be subject to a man just because he says he was called into the ministry. I mean...what if he isn't? What if he is lying? What if he had just watched Braveheart and wants to do something different with his life? What if he isn't a he, but a she and she has "heard the call" and desires to preach? That is the ultimate trump card, is it not? A person says "God called me and if you don't recognize my calling, then you are opposing God. Trust me, I didn't eve want to preach, but God made me and you better not go against me because God called me." Well, it doesn't work that way. We are subject to God's Word.

The second calling is what comes in the next verse - the calling of the church to confirm and recognize that calling. The man has a inward desire but the church has a more practical view in discerning the call. Churches would do well to study what God expects of a pastor before they ordain a man or call a man to be their pastor. The church looks at the man and discerns whether or not he fits the bill. In reality, what is supposed to happen is that the church grows her own men to stand up and take over the leadership of the church. 

**Update**
I changed the link to a different article on pastoral statistics. It was the same stats, just from the original source.