No One to Intercede

In the book of Isaiah there are many prophetic revelations of Christ, some of which I explained in my previous article, The Servant of the Lord. Today I would like to focus on two parallel passages that speak of the redemptive mission of Christ.

In these passages, we have a picture of a pitiful situation, in which the Lord's people are all gone astray, there is no justice, truth has been cast aside, everyone is rebelling against Him, and there is no one to intercede or come and help them out of their dilemma. The Lord looks and is displeased. He knows that they will all perish, unless something is done to rescue them. So God rolls up His sleeves and arises in His awesome power to do it Himself.

If you just look at one of the two passages, you have part of the picture, but if you look at both passages, cross-referencing them to each other, you get the complete picture.  The two passages interpret and explain each other, so that there is no question remaining that they are telling of marvelous work of our Lord Jesus, when they are read and understood together. Let’s compare these two passages:

In the first passage, the prophet speaks of the Lord in the third person (He, Him) saying, "And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede; Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him. He put on righteousness like a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle." (Isa 59:16-17)

In the second passage, the prophet also speaks of the Lord in the third person again, but the Lord speaks of Himself in the first person (I, Me, My) in ways that correspond directly to the same subjects found in the first passage. He says, "Who is this who comes from Edom, With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah, This One who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His strength? 'It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.' Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? 'I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment. 'For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come. I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me. I trod down the peoples in My anger And made them drunk in My wrath, And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.'"  (Isa 63:1-6)

Now let's look at each verse in each passage and match it up with it's corresponding counterpart in the other passage:

Topic	Isaiah 59	Isaiah 63
No man	“And He saw that there was no man.”  (Isa 59:16)	"And from the peoples there was no man with Me.” (Isa 63:3b)
Astonished…no one to help	“And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;” (Isa 59:16a)	"I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; (Isa 63:5a)
Salvation by His own arm	“Then His own arm brought salvation to Him,” (Isa 59:16b)	"So My own arm brought salvation to Me,” (Isa 63:5b)
Righteousness	"And His righteousness upheld Him."  (Isa 59:16c)	"And My wrath upheld Me.” (Isa 63:5c)
Salvation and Redemption	"He put on righteousness like a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head;" (Isa 59:17a) "A Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," declares the LORD.” (Isa 59:20)	“So He became their Savior.” (Isa 63:8b) In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them... (Isa 63:9a)
Garments of Vengeance	"And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle." (Isa 59:17b)	“Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? ‘It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to save.’ (Isa 63:1, NIV) Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? (Isa 63:2, NIV) “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.” (Isa 63:3) “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."  (Rev 19:11-16)
Vengeance and wrath	"According to their deeds, so He will repay, Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; To the coastlands He will make recompense." (Isa 59:18)	"For the day of vengeance was in My heart," (Isa 63:4a)
Redemption	“’The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,’ declares the Lord.” (Isa 59:20)	"My year of redemption has come." (Isa 63:4b)

I hope that this study from Isaiah has helped to build your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer, Who did for us what no one else could do. And I hope it has also reassured you of the fact that He is coming back again, not to die for sins, but to execute vengeance on the wicked.

This should put the fear of the Lord into all of us! I would not want to be found as one of His enemies when He comes back again. When the Lord does something, He always does it thoroughly and completely. When He completed His saving work on the cross, He was completely obedient to the Father, even unto death on a cross. When He had done everything the Father required to save mankind, He said, "It is finished!" Likewise, when He comes back again, He will thoroughly repay wrath to His adversaries and recompense to His enemies.

Are you ready for His return? If not, now is the time to repent. Let us return to the Lord. Let us seek His face once again.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, and others are from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted. "I Love You" and "Behold He Comes" paintings © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note: I also recommend reading Who intercedes for us?, The Servant of the Lord, Having a Servant's Heart, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, The Shepherding Role of Elders, Crucified with Christ, What Jesus Did Not Do on the Cross, Holy Washings - Part II, Persecuted or Popular?, and Success in God's Eyes. You may also access other articles about the Good Shepherd on the Home page for this blog, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master. 

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

___________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Servant of the Lord

In the book of Isaiah, there are five servants mentioned. One is Isaiah the prophet, who was a type of Christ (Isa 20:3). The second is God’s people Israel, also known as Jacob (Isa 41:8-14; 42:19-20; 44:21-28; 45:4), which was also a type of Christ. The third one is King David, who is also a type of Christ (Isa 37:35). The fourth one is Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was over King Hezekiah's household (Isa 22:20-24), and was yet another type of Christ. The fifth is the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He is the One I would like to focus on here. Let’s look at some of the verses that refer to Him, keeping in mind that sometimes there is a double reference to Israel and the Messiah in the same passage.

We begin with the prophecy about Eliakim son of Hilkiah that clearly has a double reference, one of which is about Christ.

"Then it will come about in that day, That I will summon My Servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, And I will clothe Him with your tunic And tie your sash securely about Him. I will entrust Him with your authority, And He will become a Father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Then I will set the key of the house of David on His shoulder, When He opens no one will shut, When He shuts no one will open. I will drive him like a peg in a firm place, And He will become a throne of glory to His Father's house. So they will hang on Him all the glory of his Father's house, offspring and issue, all the least of vessels, from bowls to all the jars.” (Isa 22:20-24).

This is clearly referring to Christ, since the Lord explicitly said so in His Revelation to the apostle John: "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: 'I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name…” (Rev 3:7-8)

Likewise, when the Lord says, "I will drive Him like a peg in a firm place" (Is 22:23), the word "nail" here (yatēd) means properly a peg, nail, stake, or spike. It is often used to refer to the large spikes that were used to fasten tent cords. It is also used of nails and spikes that were driven into walls. The phrase literally means, "I will fasten Him like a nail in a secure place". This is an obvious reference to the crucifixion of Christ, in which large nails or spikes were driven through His hands and feet to fasten Him securely to the cross (John 20.25; Acts 2.23; Col 2.14).

After His death, His body was taken down from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea, who received permission from governor Pilate to do so (Joh 19:38-40; Mk 15:43-46). Accompanied by Nicodemus, Joseph had to remove the nails, in order to take down the Lord's body. When they did so, the prophecy was fulfilled that said, "On that day the peg which I firmly fastened in place will be removed." (Is 22:25a, GW). The Hebrew word in this verse for removed is (mush), meaning remove, take away, or withdraw.

The prophecy was that when the nail would be removed on that day, the burden that was on it would be cut off and fall (Is 22:25b). Since the Lord Jesus was the one driven in a firm place (Is 22:23), and He was the burden hanging on it, then His body is what fell when the nails were removed. Joseph and Nicodemus probably climbed upon a ladder and used either ropes or a long piece of linen cloth draped over the top of the cross as a pulley system, in order to gently lower the body from the cross down to the ground. Since the Romans sometimes used ropes in conjunction with nails to secure a victim to the cross, Joseph would have cut off those ropes. This would explain why the prophecy says the burden would be "cut off." Since the Lord was also carrying the burden of our sin in his body, this prophecy may also have a secondary reference to the burden of our sin that was cut off or destroyed at that time.

Now let us continue on to what is known as the "Servant Songs" of Isaiah, which are found in chapters 42 - 53.

"Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry out or raise His voice, Nor make His voice heard in the street. "A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. "He will not be disheartened or crushed Until He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law." Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it, "I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations, To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.  (Isa 42:1-7) 

"You are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "And My Servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no savior besides Me. "It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "And I am God. "Even from eternity I am He, And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?"  (Isa 43:10-13)

"But now listen, O Jacob, My Servant, And Israel, whom I have chosen: Thus says the LORD who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you, 'Do not fear, O Jacob My Servant; And you Jeshurun whom I have chosen. 'For I will pour out water on the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring And My blessing on your descendants; And they will spring up among the grass Like poplars by streams of water.' "This one will say, 'I am the LORD'S'; And that one will call on the name of Jacob; And another will write on his hand, 'Belonging to the LORD,' And will name Israel's name with honor. "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the First and I am the Last, And there is no God besides Me. 'Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; Yes, let him recount it to Me in order, From the time that I established the ancient nation. And let them declare to them the things that are coming And the events that are going to take place. 'Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.'" (Isa 44:1-8)

In this passage He is referred to as the First and the Last, which we know is Christ. The apostle John said, “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.’” (Rev 1:17-18). The Lord also said, "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (Rev 22:12-13)

In this passage in Isaiah 44, He is referred to as the Rock, which is Christ. Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures, 'The stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief corner stone; this came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. "And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust."  (Mat 21:42-44)

The apostle Peter further elaborates on this saying, "’A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense’; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.” (1Pe 2:8)

Another passage in Isaiah about the Lord’s Servant is this:

Listen to Me, O islands, And pay attention, you peoples from afar. The LORD called Me from the womb; From the body of My mother He named Me. He has made My mouth like a sharp sword, In the shadow of His hand He has concealed Me; And He has also made Me a select arrow, He has hidden Me in His quiver. He said to Me, "You are My Servant, Israel, In Whom I will show My glory." But I said, "I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity; Yet surely the justice due to Me is with the LORD, And My reward with My God." And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him (For I am honored in the sight of the LORD, And My God is My strength), He says, "It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth." Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One, To the despised One, To the One abhorred by the nation, To the Servant of rulers, "Kings will see and arise, Princes will also bow down, Because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You." Thus says the LORD, "In a favorable time I have answered You, And in a day of salvation I have helped You; And I will keep You and give You for a covenant of the people, To restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages;”  (Isa 49:1-8)

The next passage speaks of the suffering of the Lord’s Servant, the Messiah:

“See, My Servant will act wisely; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him— His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and His form marred beyond human likeness— so He will sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of Him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand..” (Isa 52:13-15, NIV)

When it says that He will be lifted up, this refers to His being lifted up on a cross and crucified. Jesus confirmed this when He said, "’And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.’ But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.” (Joh 12:32-33). Jesus Christ was truly the suffering Servant.

When it says, "There were many who were appalled at him— His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and His form marred beyond human likeness," this refers to the gross disfigurement He suffered from the beating, flogging, and crucifixion that He endured for us. It was appalling, even worse than anything we have seen in any painting or movie. He was swollen, bleeding, and marred to the point that He did not really look human anymore. The expression, "He will sprinkle many nations," refers to His precious blood sprinkling many nations.

When it says in Isaiah 52 that He will be raised and greatly exalted, it is referring to His resurrection and exaltation to the right hand of God. In Mark’s gospel it says, “So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.” (Mar 16:19).  Peter also said, "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: 'The Lord said to My Lord, "sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet."'  (Act 2:33-35). The apostle Paul wrote, “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” (Heb 1:3). And again he wrote: “But He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God.” (Heb 10:12)

The end of Isaiah 52 is a preface to what is written in Isaiah 53, which is a detailed description of the crucifixion of Christ. And in that chapter it says, “As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.” (Isa 53:11). God the Father saw the anguish of His Servant’s soul and He was satisfied. We are justified by personally knowing Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, His Servant.

Jesus even declared Himself to be a Servant when He said, "Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Mat 20:26b-28)

And Peter said, "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant Jesus, the One whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him…For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways."  (Act 3:13,26)

So there are an abundance of passages that refer to our Lord, the Messiah, as God’s Servant. He served His disciples by washing their feet during the last supper, on the night He was betrayed (Jn 13). He served us by giving His life for us on the cross. And He still serves today by interceding for us (Heb 7:25). Even when He returns, He will serve His people at the table in the kingdom of heaven. He said, "Blessed are those slaves whom the Master will find on the alert when He comes; truly I say to you, that He will gird Himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.” (Luk 12:37)

Therefore, since our Lord and Savior is the Lord’s Anointed Servant, He has set us an example that we should follow. “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” (1Pe 2:21) And “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” (1Jn 2:6). Every disciple of Christ, every elder, apostle, pastor, teacher, prophet, and evangelist must be a servant of the Lord and others.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, and others are from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted. "Because I Love You" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note: I also recommend reading Having a Servant's Heart, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, The Shepherding Role of Elders, Crucified with Christ, What Jesus Did Not Do on the Cross, Holy Washings - Part II, Persecuted or Popular?, and Success in God's Eyes. You may also access other articles about the Good Shepherd on the Home page for this blog, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master. 

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

___________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Persecuted or Popular?

A servant of the Lord is supposed to preach the Word, preach Christ, and Him crucified, preach against sin, and warn people of the dangers of hell, so they don't perish.  But whenever anyone does this, they should not expect to be popular.  In fact, they will be persecuted as the prophets were, and as our Lord Jesus Himself was.

In fact, true preachers of righteousness, holiness, and truth may be considered raving mad. This is just like what Jesus’ kinsmen said of him.  “When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, ‘He has lost His senses.’” (Mar 3:21, NASB). Other translations have them saying, “He is insane” (MKJV), “He is out of his mind” (Darby, ESV, GW translations), or “He’s gone mad!” (GNB). The Greek word here, existemi, means “insane” or “out of one’s wits” or “be beside oneself.”  This is how his kinsmen, or blood relatives, spoke of Him.

Matthew Henry stated: “When his friends in Capernaum heard how he was followed, and what pains he took, they went out, to lay hold on him, and fetch him home, for they said, He is beside himself. 1. Some understand it of an absurd preposterous care, which had more in it of reproach to him than of respect; and so we must take it as we read it, He is beside himself; either they suspected it themselves, or it was suggested to them, and they gave credit to the suggestion, that he was gone distracted, and therefore his friends ought to bind him, and put him in a dark room, to bring him to his right mind again. His kindred, many of them, had mean thoughts of him (Joh_7:5), and were willing to hearken to this ill construction which some put upon his great zeal, and to conclude him crazed in his intellects, and under that pretence to take him off from his work. The prophets were called mad fellows, 2Ki_9:11.”

That was the same incident in which the scribes came down from Jerusalem saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul” (the high priest of satan, the ruler of demons). For they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit." (Mk 3:22,30).

According to John’s gospel, this was not the only time that happened.  It also happened when He preached about being the Good Shepherd.  Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad!” (Jn 10:20, NIV).  Another version says, “He has a demon and is insane!” (Jn 10:20 , NASB).  The Greek word for insane in this verse is “mainomai” meaning “to rave as a ‘maniac’: - be beside self (mad).” (Strongs).

Family were saying he was crazy and the religious leaders said he was demon-possessed and insane.  As Matthew Henry commented: “…they insinuated that he had Beelzebub on his side, was in league with him, and by the prince of the devils cast out devils.”

That was why Jesus warned them: "Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"-- because they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit." (Mar 3:28-30). So you'd better be careful what you say about preachers of righteousness, holiness, and truth.

Can you imagine someone thinking they know God so well that when they actually see God in Person in the form of His Holy Son, Jesus Christ, they say, "That man is demon possessed!" or "He's out of his mind!"  Such men were blaspheming the Holy Spirit. The same thing happens today when people say such things about those who preach holiness, righteousness, and truth.

And if you are such a preacher, take heart.   Our Lord Jesus said, "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Mat 10:24-28).

Do not fear what men say of you or what they are able to do to you.  But fear the Lord and speak whatever the Lord gives you to say.  What He tells you in the darkness, speak in the light.  What you hear Him whisper in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.

The apostle Paul did that, and he was well-acquainted with persecution, even being accused of insanity. While he was making his defense before Festus, the King said in a loud voice, "'Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.' But Paul said, 'I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth.'" (Act 26:24-25)

It was Paul who wrote to Timothy, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (2Ti 3:12).  If you are not being persecuted for Christ, you must wonder whether you are living godly in Christ Jesus.

Some preachers avoid preaching the Word just as it is written, and avoid difficult messages, because they want to be liked by people. Jesus said, "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way." (Luk 6:26)

You should expect that the world will hate you just as it did Jesus.  He said to his brothers, "The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil." (Joh 7:7).  That's the reason people will hate you ultimately.  It's because you testify that its deeds are evil.  Don't be surprised if even those inside the Church hate you.

Jesus said, "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me." (Joh 15:18-21)

Let me encourage you that any persecution you may be going through for the Lord is a badge of honor. You should be glad for it, if people are saying you are crazy.  Jesus said, "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Mat 5:11-12).

In the words of the apostle Paul, I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. (2Ti 4:1-4)

Image credit:  "The Christian Martyr's Last Prayer" by Jean-Léon Gérôme - Walters Art Museum, image taken from Wikimedia Commons.  William T. Walters commissioned this painting in 1863, but the artist did not deliver it until 20 years later. In a letter to Walters, Gérôme identified the setting as ancient Rome's racecourse, the Circus Maximus. He noted such details as the goal posts and the chariot tracks in the dirt. The artist also commented on the religious fortitude of the victims who were about to suffer martyrdom either by being devoured by the wild beasts or by being smeared with pitch and set ablaze. In the painting, you can see one martyr standing and praying in the midst of other kneeling saints huddled in prayer, and others are hung on crosses about to be burned alive.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted.
 
Author's note:  If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links in the side bar, such as Success in God's Eyes. I also recommend Obedient to the Heavenly Vision, Holding Fast the Faithful Word, Confrontational Evangelism, The Rise of Antichrists, The Top Ten Things Jesus Taught, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Popularity of the Gospel, Ask for the Ancient Paths, The Knowledge of the Holy, Separation from the World, Ultimate Accountability, Avoid Becoming a Corrupted Christian, The Cost of Discipleship, A Warning for Married Christian Couples , The Judgment Seat of Christ, Messages from the Lord for Catholics Worshipping Idols, Alcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, and Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Three Divine Revelations. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Local Church Leadership

Jesus our Lord and Teacher washes Peter's feet

If you would like to understand the biblical approach to local church leadership, there is an excellent resource that I'd like to recommend.  It's an essay by James W. Garrett, called New Testament Church Leadership in the Local Church.  In this scholarly essay, he covers the following topics:

1. What was the local church government in the New Testament Church?
2. What are the scripturally assigned duties of New Testament Church leaders?
3. What is the governmental style of leaders in the New Testament Church?
4. What are the scriptural qualifications for leadership in a New Testament Church?

James W. Garrett

I have known Jim since the mid-1990's and feel blessed to call him my friend.  He has been to our home church in New Hampshire many times as a guest speaker, and has visited our home, as well.  According to his bio on his Doulos Press website, Jim was born October 5, 1930 in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and has provided leadership in the planting of 13 churches in Northeastern Oklahoma.  He is currently an elder of Tulsa Christian Fellowship (TCF) in Oklahoma.  Additionally, he is serving as consultant and mentor to church leaders, and as a guest teacher and speaker in churches and ministry groups. So he has a great deal of practical experience in church leadership, as well as biblical knowledge, giving him excellent qualifications to address such an important topic.  That's why I  personally recommend this essay to you.

After you have read it, I would be very interested in reading your comments back here on this blog.  I'd also like to encourage you to pass this great resource on to your friends and associates as well.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links in the side bar. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." 

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Shepherding Role of Elders

A shepherd tending his flock in the Hungarian countryside

So many churches today have unbiblical forms of government that are more like sixteenth century England than the first century.  Many leaders like to take up titles like “senior pastor” or “bishop.” They use these to mean something quite different from what those words originally meant in the Bible. And churches sometimes use English words like “presbyter” or “elder” without a correct understanding of their historical meaning. 

It’s very important that we use biblical terms for functions of church government, and that we understand their meaning, because these are directly connected with our practice.  A wrong understanding of language leads to erroneous practices.  So let’s see what the Bible teaches us about these terms.

Elders
First of all, there is the term “elders.”  In many churches today, this simply refers to the church board, the board of directors, or the board of elders.  In many cases, this is simply a group that provides approval for whatever the so-called “pastor” wants to do.  In other cases, the board members run the church, and if the so-called “pastor” doesn’t do what they want, they fire him or put undo pressure on him.  But we never see this in the Bible, so what does the Scripture teach us?

The elders in Scripture are always a group of men who have “the rule” in the local assembly.  But they do so as humble servants, not as lords.  The term “elder” actually comes from the Greek word presbuteros, where we get the English words “presbyter,” “presbytery,” and “Presbyterian.” 

Aside from the fact that this word literally means “older” or “senior,” we cannot infer too much meaning from the term itself, except for perhaps the historical functions of city elders in biblical times.  The elders would be seated in the city gate and people would bring issues to them for a judgment or decision. 

The apostle Peter considered himself an elder, even though he was one of the original Twelve chosen by Jesus Christ.  He walked with the Lord, served with Him, and even saw Him after His resurrection.  Yet when he wrote to the elders, he simply referred to himself as a “fellow-elder” (Gr., sumpresbuteros).  He wrote: “Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed…” (1Pe 5:1). This is an important passage, because Peter did not use the title “Apostle Peter” or consider himself above these men in any way that would imply greater rank or greater importance.

Another important thing to note is that Peter referred to the elders as being “among” (Gr., en) the flock, not over it or above it.  He wrote, “I exhort the elders among you…” And this is consistent with the way the apostle Paul described them.  He wrote to the Thessalonians, "We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves." (1Th 5:12-13).  So Paul also referred to them as “those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord.”  But he didn’t actually say they were “over you.”  In the Greek we see that he said they “have charge over you in the Lord,” which is not a matter of position but of responsibility, accountability, and authority. 

At the end of Paul’s third and final missionary journey, he was heading back to Jerusalem.  Because he was in a rush to get there by the Day of Pentecost, when he passed by Ephesus, he did not travel into the city.  Instead he stopped at Miletus and sent word for the elders to come to meet with him.  “For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.” (Act 20:16-17)

There was one church in Ephesus, as we can see from this passage.  It was referred to as simply “the church.”  Yet there was more than one elder.  The Scripture says, he called to him “the elders of the church.”  This is consistent with the usage of the term “elders” throughout the New Testament.  And there is never any mention in Scripture of a “head elder,” “lead elder,” “key man,” or “first among equals.” These are all modern terms that men have come up with to describe their unbiblical approach to leadership.

Overseers
Now let’s look at the term “overseers.”  Our English word “overseer” comes from the Greek word "episkopos."  This word has two roots – "epi" and "scopos."  “Epi” is a Greek preposition that can mean things like "among," "upon," or "over." This is where we get words like “epicenter” meaning “upon the center” or “above the center”.  The word “scopos” means "to watch, as a sentry or scout."  From this word, we get our English words like “telescope,” “microscope,” and “periscope.”  So when we put “epi” and “scope” together, in its noun form, it means someone who stands watch among the flock to watch over them and guard them. 

The word “bishop” comes from this same Greek word (episkopos), but it's more a product of sixteenth century English language and culture.  There is no sound, biblical reason to translate the Greek word "episkopos" as “bishop” in some places and “overseer” in others.  In the hierarchical church, during the days of King James, certain men carried the title of “bishop.”  And the purview of these men or area that they superintended was called a “bishoprick.”  But those terms evolved long after the New Testament was written. 

According to the biblical usage of the word "episkopos", these are the men who provide oversight in the local assembly. They must meet the qualifications outlined by Paul in the third chapter of the apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy.  There he stated:

“It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” (1Ti 3:1-7).

In Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian elders, he said, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” (Act 20:28).  I want to draw your attention to the fact that he told these elders (Gr., presbuteros) that the Holy Spirit had made them “overseers” (Gr. episcopos).  From Paul’s statement there on the beach, it is obvious that elders are overseers.  These are not two separate role or offices.  An elder is an overseer, which means that when we use terms like elder and presbyter to mean separate things, we are not doing so based on Scripture.

“Shepherding the church”
Perhaps the occupation that best illustrates the role of an overseer is that of a shepherd.  A shepherd of sheep or goats stands among the flock to keep watch over them and guard them.  So it is no wonder that in his historic, final meeting in Miletus with the Ephesian elders, Paul exhorted them to be on guard for all the flock among which they were overseers.  The elders were supposed to protect the flock from dangers that may come from both outside the church and within the church – even dangers from among the group of elders themselves. 

A flock of sheep at pasture in Hungary

In that address, if Paul had not gone on to use the word “shepherd,” we would still have enough information to infer that he was charging these elders/overseers to carry out the function of shepherds.  But in fact, he did explicitly use the term “shepherd.”  He told them “to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”  (Act 20:28).  This is a verb from the Greek word poimaino.  It means "to tend as a shepherd, to feed (cattle), or to rule." 

In Peter’s letter to the disciples scattered “throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Pe 1:1), he also appealed to the elders to “shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.” (1Pe 5:2-3).  He did not give them another title, but spoke of their proper function, which was “to shepherd the flock of God among you.”  This is the same verb (Gr., poimaino) that Paul used in addressing the Ephesian elders.  And it’s the same verb that Jesus used, when he reinstated Peter on the beach after his resurrection, saying to Peter, “Shepherd My sheep” (Jn 21:16).

There is another biblical word related to the verb “poimaino,” and it is the noun “poimen,” which means “shepherd” or one who tends a flock or herd.  In the New Testament, this Greek noun poimen is always translated “shepherd,” except for one passage.  In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he wrote: “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;”(Eph 4:11-12).

In most modern English versions of the Bible, this word “poimen” is translated “pastors” only in this passage.  In this passage, the pastor or shepherd is one of five gifts Christ gave to the church, and the pastor cannot function independently from them. As with the other five gifts, the pastor/shepherd is given to equip the saints for works of service.  The idea is that of preparing other people to do the works God created them to do, works that were prepared before the foundation of the world.  The pastor is not given to the church to cast his vision or get people to follow his program.  He is one who -- together with other elders -- has been given oversight among the flock by the Holy Spirit. So my main point here is that a pastor is a shepherd, who – as one of the elders -- should be shepherding or guarding God’s flock. 

Again, note that Peter referred to the flock of God as being positioned “among” the elders, not “under” them.  He said, “shepherd the flock of God among you.”  And he specifically instructs the elders to “exercise oversight” (Gr. episkopeo).  This is another Greek verb (related to the previously mentioned noun episcopos for “overseer”), which means “to oversee;” by implication “to beware:” - look diligently, take the oversight.

Peter specifically instructed these men how to carry out their function as elders, shepherding the flock, and providing oversight.   He said they should do so by proving to be examples to the flock.  They were to lead by their example, not by giving orders from on high, “nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge.” (1Pe 5:3).

Putting it All Together
I realize that certain words have come into use over the past two thousand years, since the New Testament was written, and others have taken on new meanings, such as bishop, presbyter, elder, home group leader, and pastor.  However, we need to be very careful that our word usage reflects the original biblical meaning.  The reason is that the original meaning of these words and the original practices of the first century church are closely tied together.  If we want to function biblically as the early church did, then I think we should stick with using the same terms they did and make sure we do so with the same meaning they did.

While many people make titles out of words like "senior pastor," “bishop,” and “elder,” that practice is unbiblical, since Jesus explicitly said we were not to use titles. These terms were never meant to be titles but names of functions.   There are too many title-holders today without biblical functions. 

Here’s the formula to remember: elder = overseer = shepherding function.  This does not mean that all elders are the gift of “pastor” as mentioned in Ephesians 4.  An elder may be one of the other “five-fold” gifts, such as apostle, prophet, evangelist, or teacher.  But he is still called to guard the flock and tend it.  And an elder according to the will of God is also an overseer. 

Finally, it's important to note that the elders are not a "board" either.  They are a group of men who co-labor together in their oversight role.  This is not something that can be done solely from the safety of a board room or a pulpit. It's a very "hands-on" function that requires being among the flock.  Sometimes it may even "stink".  Remember, if it's not relational, it will fail.

So if we want to be "bless-able," let’s put away the titles and start functioning biblically, using biblical terms with their original meanings for these functions.  I think the fruit of this will bring glory to Christ and be worthy of His holy name.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: For a more thorough and complete study of this topic, please see the article by my friend, Jim Garret, called New Testament Church Leadership in the Local Church.  It's an excellent resource for church leaders to read and put into practice. If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the Home page, such as A Tale of Two Kings, The Servant of the Lord, The Shepherding Role of Elders, Success in God's Eyes, Accountable, correctable, and teachable, A Personality Profile of the Apostle Paul, Persecuted or Popular?, and Having a Servant's Heart. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Success in God's Eyes

Success in God's eyes does not mean you'll have great numbers of people following you. Beware when all men speak well of you. Jesus warned, "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way." (Luk 6:26)

In reading Jeremiah, I am amazed by his godly success. His main message was "Turn now everyone from his evil way and from the evil of your deeds, and dwell on the land which the LORD has given to you and your forefathers forever and ever; and do not go after other gods to serve them and to worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands, and I will do you no harm." (Jer 25:5-6).  Yet the people of Judah did not listen to him during his 23 years of ministry, warning them to turn from their evil ways and prophesying God's coming judgment. (Jer 25:3). Instead, they cursed him, mocked him, spoke arrogantly to him, beat him, abused him, imprisoned him in solitary confinement, and threatened him with death. Yet he continued to prophesy the Word of the Lord to them for another 18 years after that (Jer 52:12).

They never did listen to him. So they were carried in chains into exile in Babylon for 70 years, where they remained captive and fell by the sword, famine, and plague. Yet the Babylonians, who recognized him as a true prophet of God, treated Jeremiah kindly. And he was spared from going into exile. “Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying, ‘Take him and look after him, and do nothing harmful to him, but rather deal with him just as he tells you.’” (Jer 39:11-12). It may not look like success to the world, but let's see someone try to top that!

Jeremiah has touched more people since his death than he did during his lifetime. There were about 4,600 people from Judah who went into Babylonian captivity (Jer 52:30). That was his audience. But since his death around 2,500 years ago, his writings have been translated into over 2,000 languages and read by hundreds of millions of people around the world! His writings have encouraged many, led some of those people to repentance, helped many to persevere through trials, and others to a closer walk with God. That goes to show us that we can't base our sense of success on what we see in the natural during our lifetime. Instead we should serve the Lord with our whole heart in obedience to His commands, and trust that He will bring forth fruit for His glory that will last long after we're gone from this world.

Many Christians will gladly receive false prophets who predict good times ahead, peace and safety. The apostle Paul warned that “While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.” (1Th 5:3). There are plenty of prophets like this. But they usually practice deceit (Jer 8:10). Both prophet and priest are polluted (Jer 23:11). Jeremiah gave us the real test of a true prophet. "The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, then that prophet will be known as one whom the LORD has truly sent." (Jer 28:9).

Historically, the religious people have persecuted God’s true prophets. It would not surprise me if non-believers have greater respect for God's true prophets than do the sons and daughters of light. Jesus said that if anyone receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, he would receive a prophet's reward (Mt 10:41). Ebed-Melech was a good example. He was a Cushite from the Nile region who helped get Jeremiah out of the cistern (Jer 38:8-9). Later he received a reward (Jer 39:15-17). And if they receive a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, they will receive a righteous man's reward. Jesus said that if they receive true disciple, then in doing so they also receive Jesus Himself. And if they receive Jesus, they receive the Father who sent Him (Mt 10:40).

Look at the people of Nineveh for example.  These non-believing Gentiles received Jonah as a true prophet and their reward was that God spared their city.  There were 120,000 children in that great city, which didn’t know their right hand from their left, plus adults and animals (Jon 4:11).  That was a real success!

I love the book of Jonah, because it’s a true story of mercy and compassion.  He had a mission to go and preach to people who were enemies of Israel.  The message was that they needed to repent, because Nineveh would be destroyed in 40 days.  Many Christians today would say we don’t need that kind of preaching.  They would say that it’s doom and gloom, and that we need more preaching on love and grace.

But I see it just the opposite. The whole reason that God sent the prophet Jonah to Nineveh was that He did not want to have to destroy them.  But God was going to have to destroy them, if they did not repent of their wickedness.  The only obstacle was that Jonah knew that God would mercifully spare them, if they repented.  He did not want to see these enemies of Israel spared.  In fact, after the whole city, from the king to the most lowly person repented, and God spared them from destruction, Jonah confessed to God why He ran from his mission.  “He prayed to the LORD and said, ‘Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.’” (Jon 4:2).

Then there was also the mercy that God showed to Jonah himself.  When God told Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach, he ran from God and went in the opposite direction, away from Nineveh.  But the ship he was on encountered a huge storm that nearly sank it. It was only when they threw Jonah overboard that the storm ceased.  And God in His mercy sent a big fish to swallow Jonah.  It was there in the belly of the fish that Jonah himself repented.  God forgave him and had mercy on Him, giving him a second chance to complete the mission. The Lord knew before He sent Jonah that this would happen, and He intended on being merciful to Jonah. God also intended on being merciful to the Ninevites before He sent Jonah to preach to them.  And in the end, the Lord was merciful to Jonah and the Ninevites. 

So rather than doom and gloom, this was a real story of mercy and compassion in every respect, for those who have ears to hear.  Maybe the church today needs more preaching of repentance, faith and forgiveness.  Those who do preach this message are in good company with people like Jeremiah, Jonah, Jesus, and John the Baptist. 

However, preachers may be afraid that they will lose people, by proclaiming this message.  It’s true that often times the so-called believers don’t receive the servants of God sent to them. So if you’re concerned about rejection, the prospects of this could scare you away from this kind of preaching.  It’s not for the faint of heart.

Jesus only had one apostle and a few women who remained with Him to the end, during His crucifixion.  The rest were scattered.  The apostle Paul, at the end of his life said, "At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them." (2Ti 4:16) In some of the places where Paul made disciples and established churches, those same places are dominated by Islam today with barely a trace of Christian faith present.

But those who are obedient to the Lord in preaching the full gospel of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ will receive a rich reward.  Their ministry may seem like a dismal failure in man’s eyes, but that’s not what God looks at. They may not draw large crowds, but they are truly successful in God’s eyes.  And the fruit they bring forth will be the kind that lasts!

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links in the side bar. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Accountable Correctable and Teachable

If you want to serve in the Body of Christ, you need to be accountable, correctable, and teachable. I learned long ago from my mentor, Owen Carey, that these characteristics are necessary for anyone who desires to function in their God-given place of service. The easy way to remember these is that the first letter of each word forms the acronym “ACT.” Let’s open our Bibles and find out what the Word of God teaches us about this.

Accountable
First, let’s look at being accountable. There are many people who are sincere Christians and even pastors who have no true accountability in their lives. A person who is accountable must give an account for himself. He does not act independently, but allows others to hold him accountable for his actions and words. He’s willing to submit himself to other men whom he trusts. He doesn’t just have a form of accountability without any teeth, like being accountable to others who always agree with him. That means those men are free to ask him questions from time to time about his life and ministry. It means that their lives are open for examination from one another.

Questions are just one way that we hold each other accountable. Here are some examples of accountability questions in God’s Word:

Peter’s Question to Ananias
The apostle Peter held Ananias accountable for his actions. Ananias was a part of the church in Jerusalem, where Peter was serving in oversight. Ananias and his wife Sapphira saw Barnabas sell a piece of land he owned and give all the proceeds to the church. So they decided to do something similar, in order to look just as generous as Barnabas, except they secretly kept back some of the money for themselves. It was this secret withholding that got them into trouble. Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? "While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." (Act 5:3-4)

It would not have been a problem if this couple had publicly declared that they were giving only part of the money to the church from the sale of their property. But in light of what Barnabas had just done, they were pretending to do the same as he did. They did not act with full disclosure. They acted in deception.

In this passage, we find that Peter asked Ananias four accountability questions: 1. Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 2. While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? 3. And after it was sold, was it not under your control? 4. Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart?

Peter’s Question to Sapphira
Peter also held Sapphira, the wife of Ananias, accountable. She was an accomplice to this whole matter. And Peter responded to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?" And she said, "Yes, that was the price." Then Peter said to her, "Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well." (Act 5:8-9)

Note that Peter asked Sapphira two accountability questions: 1. Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price. 2. Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Sometimes people need to ask you questions, in order to hold you accountable. And we should not become defensive or evasive when they do so.

Rich Man’s Question to the Manager
Jesus also spoke about a certain manager who needed to give an account of his actions to the rich man for whom he worked. Now He was also saying to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and this manager was reported to him as squandering his possessions. "And he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.'” (Luk 16:1-2)

The rich man asked the manager one accountability question: What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management!

As I make disciples, I walk in a mutually accountable relationship with them. We ask each other questions on a regular basis like this: 1. How have you been a testimony for Christ this week through both your words and your actions? 2. How have you experienced God in your life this week? 3. How are you responding to the promptings of the Holy Spirit? (i.e., promptings occur when the Lord leads you by His Holy Spirit). 4. Do you have any need to confess sin? 5. How did you do with the Bible reading we agreed to last week?

In leadership, this is just as important, if not more so. The Roman centurion recognized the authority of Jesus. He said to the Lord, "For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it." (Mat 8:9). He knew that if you want to function in a place of authority, you yourself must be submitted to authority. You cannot do so otherwise. That’s why I have surrounded myself with men to whom I am accountable.

Those who exercise the oversight in the Body of Christ must be under authority. They must be in mutual accountability with other men. There are no “Lone Rangers” in the Church. You cannot say, “I’m the pastor, or I am an apostle, so I am accountable to nobody but God.” Without accountability, we are all vulnerable to veer off course into error. It can happen to anyone. That’s one of the reasons why we need each other this way.

Some of the key areas where we need to be accountable as disciples and leaders are finances, our relationships with others like our spouses, and what we view on the Internet, as well as other photographic media. There is no area of our lives that God does not see. And we all need to be accountable to someone we can trust, whom we allow to speak into our lives, asking questions of us. So we can see from Scripture that accountability is a basic aspect of service.

Correctable
Now that we’ve briefly looked at the need to be accountable, let’s see what it means to be correctable. To be correctable means you can be corrected easily. If you are saying or doing something incorrectly, then others can come up alongside you and bring correction.

Two examples from Scripture come to mind when I think of people who are correctable. The first example is from the life of King David. He was a great and godly King, whom the Lord had used mightily. But in a moment of weakness, he was tempted with sexual sin, and gave into it. He committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his best warriors, Uriah the Hittite.

After he had did so, he then covered it up. He brought Uriah in from the battlefield and got him drunk. Then he tried to convince Uriah to go sleep with Bathsheba. He apparently hoped that if she became pregnant from his sexual liaison with her that Uriah would assume it was his child and not suspect any foul play.

But Uriah showed great leadership character. He could not require his soldiers to do anything he was not willing to do himself. So he could not go and lie with his wife at home, while his men were away from their wives, risking their lives out there on the battlefield. Since he refused to allow himself this pleasure, David’s attempted cover-up failed. So David successfully arranged for Uriah to be killed on the battlefield, and in doing so, he was guilty of murder.

Since David was not willing to confess and admit his own sin, God sent Nathan the prophet to correct him (2 Sam 12:1-12). Nathan did so quite effectively and it brought the Lord’s conviction upon David. He didn’t get defensive and say to Nathan, “I don’t have to listen to you. I’m the king.” Once David was confronted with his sin, he immediately repented. Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." (2Sa 12:13a). And it was then that David wrote Psalm 51, a broken hearted prayer of repentance to God. While there were still serious consequences for his sin, God had mercy on David and forgave him. In the end, David was correctable.

Another example of someone who was correctable is Peter, the apostle. Here’s the story as the apostle Paul told it: “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.” (Gal 2:11-12).

God had previously shown Peter, known as Cephas, that it was all right to eat and associate with Gentile believers, and he did so freely. But then some men began to influence Peter in a wrong way. These men taught that Gentile believers must be circumcised like Jews in order to be accepted by God. This caused Peter to withdraw himself from associating with the Gentiles, out of fear for what the circumcisers would say. And when Peter visited Antioch, Paul confronted him face to face over the matter. Paul said that Peter was clearly in the wrong and even though he was one of the original twelve apostles, Paul corrected him. We have no reason to believe that Peter rejected Paul’s confrontation. Peter was correctable, and God continued to use him mightily. He was instrumental in many key decisions in the church that gave freedom to the Gentiles, and he went on to die a martyr’s death for Christ.

Sometimes we need correction in an area of our life where we are committing sin. We may have justified it in our own eyes or become deceived in some area. Paul taught Timothy to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” (2Ti 4:2). There’s a time when it’s necessary to reprove or rebuke. If we repent when we are corrected, then there is forgiveness and mercy. But if we continue in sin, that’s different. Paul taught Timothy this way: “Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.” (1Ti 5:20)

Other times we may need someone to correct us in an area we were simply mistaken. It’s not always a sin that needs to be corrected, but sometimes it can be something that we were going about doing in the wrong way. We may need to be instructed, redirected or lovingly guided back on track.

If you want to serve publicly, then you must be open to receiving correction. If you prophesy in the church, there is the potential for you to do a lot of good, building up the Body of Christ. But there is also the potential for you to do a lot of harm to people. If you are off base on something you say or in your delivery, then you may need to be corrected. If we’re not willing to be corrected, then one of two things generally happens. Either we stop serving and pull back, or we plunge forward in our own ways and do damage to others.

Lastly, let me say a word to those who may need to correct others. How we correct someone must always be in line with the heart of Jesus. We should not do it in such a way that intentionally humiliates the person or damages him. Instead we should be gentle and speak the truth in love. Sometimes all that’s needed is to exhort the person or appeal to them. Paul taught Timothy, “Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers.” (1Ti 5:1). The one who seeks to correct another person needs great patience. We need to remember that we are all imperfect human beings. There’s no need to be harsh with each other. We are a family in Christ and should treat each other that way.

Teachable
The final characteristic of the Lord’s servant that I’d like to examine is the need to be teachable. No matter what your ministry is in the Body of Christ, you need to be teachable. It doesn’t matter whether you are operating in hospitality, helps, serving meals, visiting the sick, or proclaiming the gospel. It doesn’t matter whether you are teaching the Bible, prophesying, or caring for the sheep. No matter what your gift is, you are not exempt.

A great example of this is Apollos. He was a great teacher of the Word. Here’s his story:

“Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.” (Act 18:24-26)

Apollos was an eloquent man, who had been instructed in the way of the Lord. He was mighty in the Scriptures, fervent in spirit, and spoke boldly for Christ in public. It’s important to note that he spoke and taught accurately concerning Jesus. But he was only familiar with the baptism of John, which was a baptism of repentance.

When these two disciples of Christ, Priscilla and Aquila heard him, look how they handled it. They took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. They didn’t embarrass him with a public correction. Priscilla and Aquila co-labored with the apostle Paul (Rom 16:3), and even hosted a church in their home (1Co 16:19). But they walked in humility toward this man of God, treating him with love and respect.

Notice how teachable he was. Even though he was so well known and effective in his ministry, he was open to being taught more accurately concerning Jesus. This is the attitude we should have. It doesn’t matter if you are a highly effective teacher or preacher of God’s Word. It matters not how famous you are or how many years experience you have behind the pulpit. You still need to be teachable.

There are times when your doctrine may be out of line with Scripture and someone needs to show it to you. Don’t argue with them, bristle, or get defensive. Listen to what others have to say, especially those to whom you have submitted your self or with whom you co-labor. But anyone should be able to come to you and teach you something, including a child. As long as what they are showing you is based on God’s Word, you should pray about it and ask the Lord where you may have been incorrect. Diligently search the Word to see if these things are true, and then make the adjustment where it is needed.

Now what do you do if the person who is over you in Christ is teaching something inaccurately? You should take them aside and discuss it. Sometimes doing this right after they speak is not always the best way. Likewise, email is the worst form of communication to try and resolve any sort of conflict, including a doctrinal one. A lot of damage can be done when we use email to try to show someone an area of Scripture more accurately. This also applies to correcting a person as well. The reason is that the person can read tone into the email that you may not have intended, and it may end up hurting them. You could do more harm than good approaching it that way.

You may need to go up to them and invite them for lunch. Let them know you love and appreciate them and that you’d like to get together to talk. Spend the time to show you care and sit with the person in a relaxed setting.

When you meet with the person, a good way to begin is to ask him, “What was in your heart when you shared that?” Take the time to first understand the person, before you seek to be understood and make your point. Once you have come to understand the person’s motive and intentions, as well as what he actually meant by what he said, you are better able to address it.

If the matter cannot be resolved with your leader individually, it’s appropriate to request time to sit with him and the other elders to discuss it in front of them. This might happen if your leader does not agree with what you have attempted to show him. In that case, humbly present your concerns to him before the other elders. If he is truly accountable and teachable, this will be received well.

That doesn’t mean that everything will work out the way you want it to. There is the possibility you may be incorrect about the matter you have sought to teach. But this is the best way to handle it. It should result in everyone searching the Scriptures together in great humility to find the Truth. And ultimately the truth of God’s Word should be upheld. Everyone should grow in respect for one another, and their relationship with each other should be stronger as a result of this experience.

Putting it All Together
In order to serve in God’s house, you need to have the right character. I’ve learned that a person can destroy with his character what he has built with his gift. You may spend years building something great for God with your gift. But if you do not allow God to deal with a character flaw, it will eventually destroy what you have built. If there is an area of your life that is not in obedience to the Lord’s Word, then it will all come crashing down eventually and damage many people (Matt 7:27).

Make sure you first deal with your character flaws before you start to serve publicly. The only way to do so is to allow other godly people to speak into your life. You need to be accountable, correctable, and teachable, and then you can ACT. You may still have areas in your life that the Lord is working on, and you may not be perfect yet. But if you are accountable, correctable, and teachable, you will be free to serve publicly in the Body of Christ.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note:  If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the Home page, such as A Tale of Two Kings, The Servant of the Lord, The Shepherding Role of Elders, Success in God's Eyes, A Personality Profile of the Apostle Paul, Persecuted or Popular?, and Having a Servant's Heart. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.