Submission Among Leaders

If the Church is to come into the unity of the Faith then it must first acknowledge and reverence the government of God in the Church. It is ironic how members of the Body can readily acknowledge that Jesus Christ is continuing His ministry through earthen vessels, but totally disrespect the vessels the Lord has chosen.

1 Peter 5:5

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Let us first deal with submission. It seems to be the number one problem in the Body of Christ. No one wants to submit to instituted authority. The younger is to submit to the elder or spiritual senior. This is the heart of the problem. Those who are considered spiritually younger seem to enter into competition with those who are their spiritual senior. Or, those who are senior feel threatened by those they are to develop. In either case, the spiritual growth of the Church is hindered. It is the responsibility of the apostle to address every high thing in the mind and hearts of God’s people that exalts itself above the knowledge of God.

This means the apostle must deal directly in the soul of the believer. He must identify and reprove or rebuke whatever impurities are within. However, most of the work of the apostle is now in the lives of the elders of the Church because it is the apostles who select and ordain elders to lead the people. Nevertheless, if the elders of a church somehow move away from the doctrines and the mandate handed to them by the apostle, it is the responsibility of the apostle to rebuke sharply those who find themselves in such a way.

This is necessary for the sake of the people. If unchecked, the whole church body could be led off-course. Upon following the scriptural procedures for confronting an elder, it oftentimes becomes necessary to rebuke openly, especially if that elder is operating in offense or iniquity. Oftentimes, many in the congregation have been affected. If such is the case, rebuke or confrontation in the midst of the people is in order. Though scriptural, this can cause serious offense if the heart is not in true submission to instituted authority.

1 Timothy 5:1

1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren.

Oftentimes, this is what causes the offense. The younger cannot rebuke the elder. The pastor cannot rebuke the apostle and the member cannot rebuke the pastor. Therefore, if one is not in submission to the powers that be, one will begin to resent them. A pastor, for example, may be offended with the apostle due to rebuke or some other disagreement, or maybe even due to spiritual immaturity. Just because the scripture does not allow him or her to rebuke the apostle does not mean that the pastor is without bitterness toward that apostle. The same is true within a pastor-member relationship. As long as that pastor or member holds this bitterness or iniquity in the heart, he or she will fervently search for a place or opportunity to vent that bitterness.

Because a leader can articulate the Word in preaching and teaching, and members of the congregation are blessed because of the gift, such a one could resent any challenge to their spiritual disposition. Likewise, some leaders are smart and cunning in their speech. They know how to speak of Holy things in their proper respect. They know how to talk holiness and righteousness in such a manner that they would fool the very elect, if it were possible. This is the deception; they make their spiritual location equal with their spiritual perception and verbal articulation. But in reality, they are not spiritually equal with their conversation. In other words, they merely talk a good game. An astute apostle (or pastor) would pick-up on this and address it as an issue of detriment to his or her ministry. However, for the apostle (or pastor) to recognize this can be cause for an offense. The reason being, a true apostle (or pastor) would not leave an individual in such a state without addressing the issue. Sometimes in their heart the leader may think, “I’m a good preacher. Everybody says so. I can go anywhere and make it with what I know.” This line of thinking strengthens the offenses that may come from confrontation by the apostle (or pastor).

Therefore, they are bound in their iniquities and cease to truly reconcile righteously with the one who brought the offense. In such cases, the one offended is either very carnal minded or envious of the apostle’s or pastor’s position in God as well as in their life. That person may simply be jealous of the apostle’s or pastor’s position of authority, thus resenting the restrictions of reverence and respect that must be bestowed on the men and women of God. Now when the offence remains, it makes it a lot easier to seek retribution against the one who has brought the offense. If the pastor or member who is offended in such a case does not reconcile or accept the rebuke or disposition of their leader, then the next place he or she will go is to the congregation with iniquity in hand.

OFFENSE:

An offence is a stumblingblock which brings about an occasion to stumble, fall or sin.

If an elder through some spiritual deficiency offends in word or deed, then the victim is charged with the ministry of reconciliation, not judgment or malice. The pastor or member is to go to that leader in a spirit of meekness, considering themselves. (Considering the sins and offenses they have laid in the lives of others.) However, if that leader is offended by the disposition of the Word, though it comes forth from the mouth of someone they resent, they simply have a problem with submission, resulting, too, in a problem in their relationship with God. Now such a spirit is bad for the Body. It is a dividing, warring spirit. The Lord has charged me not to tolerate such a spirit. Two cannot walk together unless they agree. When there is a spirit of resentment in the camp, it must be uprooted. Consider the purpose of such a spirit. It must be taken out of the way of the people. It is a rock of offense and a stumblingblock.