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Man of God |
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Part 3 |
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by Ralph I. Tilley
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| “But you, man of God, ... pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness."(1)
In both Covenants of the Bible, a man who was specially set apart by God to minister His Word, represent Him and speak in His name was called a "man of God." This was a common designation for prophets under the Old Covenant. It is used in reference to Moses, Samuel, Shemaiah, Elijah, David and a few unnamed prophets. Of the prophet Elisha, it is used at least 29 times.(2) In the New Testament it is used with reference to a pastor–Timothy–as well as to all men who are specially called by God.(3) As the inspired Author of both the Old and New Testament Scriptures, one may quite correctly assume the Holy Spirit used this appellation for a reason: Those who were specially set apart by God for sacred service were to be men of God. These were not perfect men. The fact is some of them evidenced glaring weaknesses. But they were men who had a heart for God, an appetite for the Holy One of Israel, and who walked before God in all humility. Now let's take a look at the last two character qualities mentioned in 1 Timothy 6:11 that God says every "man of God" must pursue. Endurance. This word (hupomone) is rendered by a sampling of other versions as perseverance, fortitude, patience and endurance. It occurs over 25 times in the New Testament. Although the KJV renders this word as "patience", Barclay says, it "never means the spirit which sits with folded hands and simply bears things, letting the experiences flow like a tide over it." Then he goes on to say what the word does mean: "It is victorious endurance.... It is the virtue which does not so much accept the experiences of life as conquers them."(4) Victorious endurance! What a character trait for a man of God to possess, as well as for every other Christian. Timothy was to pursue virtue relentlessly. Many times it is helpful to get at the meaning of a word if we look at its opposites. In the case of endurance, one of its opposites is discouragement–discouragement that ends in quitting. A mentor of mine shared with me years ago a story about a mutual acquaintance. This man had been a Bible college president, renowned evangelist and a denominational leader. He preached with great unction and power. This brother, who has since gone to be with the Lord, stayed in our home on two occasions. My wife and I have always believed him to be one of the godliest individuals who ever graced our home. But my friend told me that when this man once conducted a preaching mission to Africa, that a missionary related to him how discouraged this preacher had once been. This preacher had visited the same field previously and one day told the missionary there was a time in his ministry that he had become so discouraged he felt like selling his sermons for ""twenty-five cents-a-piece." But he didn't. There's a vast difference between feeling discouraged and giving in to discouragement. Endurance. Timothy was often tempted to quit. Not quit on God per se, but leave his God-appointed assignment. How do we know that? His mentor and overseer, the apostle Paul, wrote to him on one occasion: "As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus ..."(5) As the pastor of the Ephesian church, Timothy was faced with all kinds of problems and difficulties. A brief overview of the two Timothy Epistles informs us as to the kinds of challenges this first century pastor faced in his congregation: immorality, heresy, rebellion, rejection, disrespect, arrogance, apostasy, lovelessness, unforgiveness, slander, pleasure-seekers, just to name a few. What a church! What pastor wouldn't want to leave Ephesus? It's amazing he wasn't run out of the city with some parishioners like that! And he did want to leave. But Paul urged him to stay. He urged this in person as well as by letter. The point is this: If God has indeed called us to a specific ministry, which may involve a specific place, until the Lord of the Church tells us otherwise, He wants His servants to victoriously persevere, regardless as to the circumstances. It's true, God at times allows Satan to cut short a minister's mission in a given location. The apostle Paul and many others can vouch for this. But Paul never ceased to preach and teach–even when thrown into prison. Assignments may change; ministering must continue. The man of God is not to run from problems. He's to endure until God calls him to another assignment. Gentleness. This word (praupatheia) and its derivatives occur approximately 20 times in the New Testament. While the KJV translates the Greek word as "meekness", practically every reputable modern version renders the same word as "gentleness." Gentleness–what a character trait to be pursued by every Christian. God says of this Christian virtue that it is a "fruit of the Spirit," that believers are to be "completely ... gentle," and that we are to "clothe [o]urselves with ... gentleness." Specific to the pastor, God exhorts, "Those who oppose him [i.e., the pastor-teacher] he must gently instruct ..."(6) Drawing once again from Barclay's mastery of the meaning of New Testament words, he says of this word: "It is the complete control of the passionate part of our nature. It is when we have prautes that we treat all men with perfect courtesy, that we rebuke without rancour, that we can argue without intolerance, that we can face the truth without resentment, that we can be angry and yet not sin, that we can be gentle and yet not weak.... Prautes is the power through which by the help of the Spirit of God the strong and explosive might of the passions is harnessed in the service of God and of men."(7) Gentleness doesn't mean we avoid confrontation, when that's called for. It doesn't mean we don't speak up whenever necessary. God says of Moses, "Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth."(8) God should know! And yet, this same Moses was capable of manifesting controlled, righteous anger: casting to the ground the tablets of stone in the presence of idolatrous Israel, for example. Gentleness is the ability to act and to speak in a manner that is self-controlled. It measures what it says and how it says it with temperance. It doesn't unleash itself upon its subject. It is capable of being firm, but not unkind. It may be candid, but never cruel. It knows that however distasteful ones conduct may be, he and she must always be valued as a person made in the image of God and redeemed by a merciful Savior. Who among us can testify to always having acted with gentleness? Write me if you have. Haven't the greatest among us fallen short here, especially those with a choleric temperament? But how necessary this quality is for ministry, especially pastoral ministry. Recently Emily and I visited a church. It's all we could do to sit through the service. From making the announcements to the benediction, the man was clearly frustrated and angry with some of his people. He was anything but gentle. A preacher can speak the truth and speak it gently. He can confront the unruly and do it gently. He can take a stand for righteousness and do it gently. One should never leave a service feeling like they've been beaten with the Bible. No, no preacher has always hit the mark of gentleness. But in the words of the apostle, he's to pursue it, he's to seek it. He's to be characterized by it. Pray for your pastor. Pray that he will be a true man of God in every respect. Pray that he will be a man of righteousness, a man of godliness, a man of faith, a man of love, a man of endurance, a man of gentleness–in essence, a man of God. Remember, your pastor lives in Sodom, just like you. He's surrounded with temptations to compromise, to cater to the rich and powerful, to trim the corners of truth, to be something different in private than he is in public. Satan has every man of God in his sights. As Jesus said to an apostle: "Satan has asked to sift you as wheat"(9) Satan desires your pastor. His strategies may differ but his goal is the same: to make the pastor anything but a man of God. Your pastor is not only being attacked from without, however; if he's a true man of God he is under attack from worldly-minded, lukewarm parishioners as well. If Satan can't dilute his integrity from without, he will break his spirit using those within the church. Be a true Aaron or Hur to your pastor.(10) Hold his hands up in prayer as he seeks to lead God's flock into refreshing pastures. Be an encourager. It's not nearly as important that your pastor be a great preacher as it is that he be a godly person, a man of God. And now for each of you dear pastors, this final sobering word from a fellow pastor: "Leadership tragedies are almost entirely caused by character breakdown rather than gift deficiency."(11) – Soli Deo Gloria – Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from the New International Version of the Bible (NIV). 1. 1 Timothy 6:11 |
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