Spiritual Leadership
Acts 20:28-31
Why have elders and deacons as the spiritual leaders in the church? When Paul addressed Timothy on the subject of elders and deacons, he concluded his remarks with the assertion: "...I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth" (I Tim. 3:15). The clear inference is that the way to "conduct" or discharge the duties of the church is through the ministry of elders and deacons. This is really a remarkable passage and one that sheds much light on the whole question of spiritual leadership. Paul's concern with Timothy was to give him clear instructions on the functioning of the church. He dealt with the matter of prayer and worship in chapter 2, as well as questions about women which Timothy had probably asked. He deals with the ministry of teaching, reading of Scripture in the public worship, and warning the church of deceivers. He addresses the matter of the church's responsibility toward widows. He even gives a word on compensating those involved in spiritual leadership as well as how they are to be dealt with in the case of open sin.
But central to the whole matter of discharging duties in the church is the functioning of elders and deacons. Though this text does not address the broad spectrum of elders' and deacons' work, it does address their qualifications. Evidently, their function was unquestioned at this point in the early church. Paul was concerned to ensure that the men who served in these two noble offices were qualified. Interestingly, his letter to Timothy was delivered to help Timothy as he pastored the church at Ephesus.
Most of us with Baptist backgrounds acknowledge the office of deacon without question. But when it comes to the office of elder we may balk at the consideration of it! Yet, the teaching of God's Word, as we have seen, is that elders serve to guard and lead the church, while the deacons come alongside them to serve the church. Normally, elders are relegated simply to the office of pastor or modern-day church staff. While I agree that the pastor is an elder I would disagree with the assessment that elders are only the "paid professionals." I believe the church loses some of its greatest leadership assets when we neglect to place qualified men as elders from the congregation at large. Proper functioning of elders only serves to strengthen the pastoral ministry of the church.
The Apostle Paul understood this great need for godly leaders. On his second missionary journey Paul came to the famous Greek city of Ephesus. It was an important cultural and economic center in the Roman empire. It was also an important center of pagan worship. There Paul preached and a riot ensued! But God gave fruit for his labors so that there was a church raised up in that city. The apostle stayed for three years, preaching and teaching the Word. During this period he evidently appointed elders to serve this church.
On his third missionary journey Paul came near Ephesus but because he was set on heading to Jerusalem he did not land in Ephesus. Instead, he sailed past it, landing at Miletus, and from there called the Ephesian elders to come to see him. It was to be his last encounter with these men and it breathes with love and passion as the apostle gives final instructions for this church. We see an unmistakable need for elders in the message of Paul to the Ephesian elders. It is important for us to see the heart of this text and recognize this same need in our midst.
Paul's exhortation to the Ephesian elders answers the question, "Why elders?" Let's take a look.
I. A need we cannot dismiss
It is important to note the terms Luke uses in recording Paul's exhortation. In verse 17, he calls this leadership body at Ephesus, "the elders of the church," i.e., a plurality of elders serving one church. Then in verse 28, Paul states that the Holy "has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God...." The term "overseers" is the same term Paul uses in I Timothy 3:1 which the KJV translates as "bishops" and the NASB translates as "overseers." It is the Greek term episkopas, while the term "elder" is the Greek word presbuteros. The word "shepherd" is a verb which means "to pastor." It is the Greek word poimaino from which the noun "pastor" has its roots as used in Ephesians 4:11. The point is that all three of these words are interchangeable. They do not refer to separate hierarchies, but to the same office or function within the local church. Peter does the same interchanging of terms in I Peter 5:1-2.
As a distinction, "elder" points to the character of the man since it was used of men of maturity in the Jewish community. "Overseer" or "bishop" points to his function of spiritual leadership which is evident from the way it was used in the Greek culture for commissioners or administrators of cities. The use of "pastor" stresses how he ministers as a shepherd of the flock, which had abundant imagery throughout that part of the world. Now with this in mind, why was there a need for elders to serve in the church? Paul points to a need which we cannot dismiss.
1. Assault upon the body v. 29
The early church lived under external assault until about the 4th century. For three hundred years there was opposition, attacks, persecution upon the church, right up to the reign of the Roman emperor Constantine. Those attacks came at various intervals in efforts to catch the church off-guard. "I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock."
As long as Paul was among the Ephesian flock, he could easily recognize the attacks of the adversary and address them. He had the courage and authority to stand against whatever forces sought to attack the church. But Paul's presence among the Ephesian believers was coming to a close. Now they would face whatever came without the great apostle deflecting the blows. So Paul charges the Ephesian elders and all who follow in their pattern to take on this task of guarding the flock against assaults from without.
Paul uses strong terms to describe these attacks. He calls the perpetrators "savage wolves." The picture is that of the Ephesian church as a flock of helpless sheep which finds itself under the deadly attack of wolves. This was the same imagery used by our Lord in Matthew 7:15. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves."
One recurring theme found in the epistles is the warning against false teachers. Some would claim to be "the Christ," others would have a new revelation, still others would teach a false gospel. The sad thing is that many were duped by such false preachers. If you recall, the Ephesian church was part of the seven churches of Asia Minor which our Lord addressed in Revelation. Most of those churches had fallen prey to spiritual lethargy, while some had given way to tolerating false teachers in their midst. Paul later warned the Ephesian church of false teachers through his epistles to Timothy (I Tim. 4:1-3; 6:3-5; II Tim. 3).
When you consider that warnings of false teachers came from our Lord and from the pens of the New Testament writers, Paul, John, Peter, and Jude, it ought to awaken us to the fact that false teaching is still a grave danger! Churches and individual Christians can fall prey to this attack from "without" the body. If the church at Ephesus needed to have men guarding them from false teaching, I would say that the church in Memphis needs the same! What do you look for in such false teaching? I would offer a few questions for any teaching which you hear:
(1) Does it in any way deny the deity of Christ or the co-equality of the Trinity?
(2) Does it substitute anything for the work of the death of Christ in atoning for our sins?
(3) Does it deny the need for God's justice being satisfied in order for sinners to be saved?
(4) Does it rob God of glory by insisting that salvation is not totally a work of God's grace?
(5) Does it deny the bodily resurrection of Christ?
(6) Does it claim to have revelations which are not contained in the canons of the Old and New Testaments?
(7) Does it insist upon some kind of work or self-denial or ascetic practice to improve your standing before God rather than simply resting upon the merits of Christ?
Does this sort of thing take place today? Indeed it does! My good friend, Joe Nesom, sent me a note just this week that illustrates it well.
Yesterday I received E-mail from a young man (Erick-Woods Erickson) who is a member of our church. He is also a student at Mercer University. It seems that the president of Mercer, Dr. Godsey, has published a book in which he denies: 1. The authority of Scripture, 2. The virgin birth, 3. The necessity of the cross, 4. That human beings need salvation, and 5. The divinity of Christ.
The unfortunate thing is that some of our Baptist churches will allow this man in their pulpit simply because he claims to be a Baptist!
While we can add to this "test-list" and examples, I would remind you that the elders of the church have the task of constantly scrutinizing the "wind of doctrine" (Eph. 4:14) which blows through the church. They are to be vigilant (Heb. 13:17) in recognizing false teaching, warning the body, and guarding the flock from falling prey.
2. Deceit within the body v. 30
But Paul's concern was not only with the attacks from outside the body but also the deceit arising from within the body. "And from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them." Just as there was a Judas among the Twelve Apostles, there are Judases in the church today. These are people whose motives for being in the church are self-centered. They want to use the church for personal aggrandizement. They will do whatever they can to improve their sense of power or their materialism by drawing disciples after them.
Paul describes their pattern as "speaking perverse things," all with the goal of alienating (so, the Greek on this verb 'draw away') some of the believers from the rest of the church. We can easily get the idea by our common use of the term "perverse" that they would be teaching immoral ideas, the sort of things that even children would recognize. But the word actually means something that is 'twisted or distorted'. It was a perversion of the truth or a slight alteration of the truth. It was taking that which was true but re-shaping its meaning or giving it a false application or manipulating it to say something other than its intended meaning. While the teaching of the "ravenous wolves" is rather brazen and easy to recognize, the kind of teaching or "speaking" to which Paul refers here is deceitful and hard to recognize. It takes discernment in knowing people and understanding the Word of God to see the subtle shading of God's Word to give it alternative meanings, meanings which God did not intend. Once a Christian latches on to such distorted ideas of biblical truth he is easy prey for being alienated from the rest of the church. He may view the remainder of the church as unenlightened and then he follows the deceitful teaching to his own shame.
Quite frankly, I do not think we face any greater danger as evangelicals than this very thing of deceit within the church. Evangelicals have been duped by nice smiles, charming words, and a little razzle-dazzle which comes from deceivers. The great need of the hour is for godly men within our churches to be so sensitive to God's Word and the Holy Spirit that they recognize deceit and have courage to deal with it.
Both assaults upon the body and deceit from within the body remind us of a need that we cannot dismiss. The church has always faced grave dangers of false teachers and deceivers who would lure people from the fold. Elders must stand in the gap against such threats and dangers. If elders were needed 1900 years ago for this task, they are just as needed today.
II. A duty we dare not neglect v. 28, 31
The duties of elders are outlined in simple fashion in this text. While our deacons are to carry out the role of service in both physical and spiritual realms, the elders are to guard, shepherd, and be on the alert for the church. Because we face such constant threat on the doctrinal posture and the discipline of the church, elders have an unceasing role of protecting the church from the adversary's attempts to divide and destroy it.
1. Be on guard
"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock." The idea of being on guard means that the elders are to "take heed" or "pay attention" to what is being taught, to the trends in the culture, to the actions and behavior in the body, etc., so that the church might go forth unhindered in its mission. The guarding actually takes on two aspects according to our text.
First, elders must guard their own spiritual lives. They must personally and corporately give attention to their walks with Christ. They are not to take on the job of a ministerial professional who is good at telling others what to do, but short on the practice of his preaching. "For they cannot care adequately for others if they neglect the care and culture of their own souls" [Stott, 327].
In a chapter entitled "The Oversight of Ourselves," Richard Baxter's The Reformed Pastor, identifies a number of things the elder must guard.
(1) We are exhorted to take heed to ourselves, lest we should be void of that saving grace of God which we are offering to others.
(2) We are exhorted to take heed to ourselves, lest we live with those actual sins which we may preach against in others. Let us see that we are not guilty of that which we may daily condemn.
(3) We need to take heed to ourselves that we may not be unfit for the great tasks which we have undertaken to complete. He must not be a babe in knowledge who will teach men all those mysterious things that are to be known in order to be assured of salvation.
(4) Take heed to yourselves, lest you exemplify contradictory doctrine. Beware, lest you lay such stumbling blocks before the blind that you occasion their ruin. Beware, lest you undo with your lives, what you say with your tongues. Beware, lest you become the greatest hindrance to the success of your own labors. [pp. 27-32]
Second, the elder must be on guard for all the flock. Paul uses "pastoral" terms to express this truth. It is best illustrated by thinking of a group of shepherds gathered on the back of a Judean mountain with their flock of sheep. The sheep munch on the grass and herb on the mountainside in a rather carefree fashion, while the shepherds are constantly watching for thieves who would rob the flock, wolves who would devour the flock, and dangers which would threaten the flock. The job of the shepherd never ends. He is constantly watching, constantly checking the health of his flock, constantly making sure that his flock is fed and secure. He knows his sheep and recognizes their needs.
The elders' labors at teaching, preaching, instructing, exhorting, and admonishing the flock fulfill this duty that we dare not neglect. He must at times reprove those who are in sin. He must admonish those who are toying with compromise. He must instruct and exhort the church to walk in sound doctrine. He must recognize error and not be afraid to address it.
The elder will not always be popular in what he does, but he must be obedient to the Lord nonetheless. His concern should not be to go with the flow of popular Christianity so that he gets a pat on the back from the church. Instead, he should discern biblical Christianity and lead the flock to walk in it without compromise.
2. Shepherd the church
This duty continues with the command, "Be on guard...to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." We have a rather glamorous view of shepherds in our day, especially with the Christmas carols that refer to them in such glowing terms. But we need to be reminded that when Paul chose this metaphor to describe the work of elders, he was referring to a job that had no status in society. Shepherds were considered the "low-lives" in society. I believe the point is clear, the work of shepherding is not for personal fame or reputation, but is to be humble and loving service as Christ's undershepherd for His flock.
Shepherding is spiritual work. J. Oswald Sanders reminds us, "Spiritual ends can be achieved only by spiritual men who employ spiritual methods" [quoted by MacArthur in Shepherdology, 134]. Much is made today of church leaders being people-pleasers. But spiritual men can focus on pleasing only one person, the Lord God.
Shepherding is hard work. Though there was much time spent watching sheep, that in itself brought on strong mental and emotional strain upon the shepherds. They wandered across mountains and valleys through rugged terrain in all sorts of weather conditions. Similarly, the work of elders goes on in all conditions and situations. He is never off-duty just because he is not at the church. He must attend to his own spiritual life. He must guard his own family from spiritual dangers. He must maintain a godly example for the rest of the church. While others are resting, he will often be toiling on behalf of the church through study, prayer, ministry, counseling, visiting, and watching.
Shepherding is an accountable work. Typically, shepherds worked for someone else. They had the responsibility of giving an account of each sheep before the owner of the sheep. Paul reminds the Ephesian elders of this when he tells them "to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." I would remind all of us, especially those whom God would raise up as spiritual leaders: this is not your church! This is a church which belongs to God through the redemptive price of the blood of Christ. We who serve are merely undershepherds who will one day render an account for our duties with God's flock (Heb. 13:17).
John Murray offers a four-fold challenge on what it means to 'shepherd the church of God'.
(1) A shepherd keeps his flock from going astray. In practice this means instruction and warning.
(2) A shepherd goes after his sheep when they go astray. In practice this means reproof and correction, in many cases the exercise of ecclesiastical discipline.
(3) A shepherd protects his sheep from their enemies....Perhaps there is no more ominous feature of members of the church than the lack of discernment;...here the elders in tending the flock must cultivate for themselves and inculcate in the members of the church, that sensitivity to truth and right, so that they and the people will be able to detect the voice of the enemy.
(4) A shepherd leads his flock to the fold; he pours oil into their wounds and gives them pure water to quench their thirst. I would like to press home the necessity and the blessing of the ministry of consolation. [Collected Writings of John Murray, vol. 1, 265-266]
3. Be on the alert
"Therefore, be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears." Elders are involved in a spiritual warfare, that is why they are called to alertness. The word commands the elders to 'stay awake' and 'to be continually watchful' of those things that would harm the flock. Brethren, I would remind you that the church is a battleground! We are facing the constant opposition of the adversary who seeks to divide and destroy us at every turn. The devil is an opportunist who looks for those times when our guard is down and our tolerance level is high. Then he strikes. Elders must stay at their posts, constantly watching, constantly being vigilant on behalf of the flock of God.
Paul gave the example of vigilance. He said that for three years in that church he served among them, watching and admonishing them with the compassion of tears. For Paul it was not just a job to do. It was truly a ministry or commission given from the Lord which he took seriously. That is the call to elders, to recognize that God has given you a ministry and you are to exercise it as those who are caring for God's own flock.
You will notice that Paul spent time "admonishing each one." The word means to 'lay upon the mind' (noutheton) or to warn or to instruct someone who has gone astray, warning him of the dangers of the folly of his sin. This is where elders by precept and practice are to have an impact upon the church. They are to so live the Christian life that others might see the need to walk daily with Christ. They are to so proclaim the truth of God that the church might be aroused in their understanding and practice of the Christian faith. To admonish someone shows that you care more about their soul than their approval. Admonition can range from instructing by biblical precepts and principles to warning someone through the truth of God that they are going the way of sin.
III. A foundation we must not forget v. 28
I would close this study on spiritual leadership by giving you an important reminder found in our text. "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers." Though Paul and his missionary partners obviously selected the elders and though they may have had the approval of the congregation, the foundation of their authority was that the Holy Spirit had made them elders. Their ability to serve the body sprang from the distinct calling and setting apart which the Holy Spirit worked in their lives.
This is indeed a mysterious element in this whole work of selecting elders. As a congregation we seek to nominate godly men who are confirmed by the qualifications in the Word. The work of the presbytery will be to examine these men and present them to the congregation for their approval. Then as a church we will set these men apart in a solemn service of ordination. Yet behind it all is the invisible work of the Holy Spirit. He is the One who will ultimately appoint them to this office in the church.
I must confess that I do not understand all of this. But I am humbled by the truth that the Holy Spirit who corporately dwells among us (Eph. 2:22) works to set men apart for this noble work of elders. And because the Holy Spirit does this work we must pay heed to its importance in the church, both in terms of the exercise of its ministry and in terms of its followership.
You will notice that the Holy Spirit makes these men to be "overseers" not "overlords." They are not given the role of dictators, but humble, loving servant-leaders in the congregation. They are to exercise their duties in dependence upon the same Spirit who set them apart. They are to recognize that their hands cannot do all that needs to be done in the lives of God's people, but they must trust the Holy Spirit to work in the secret places of men's minds and hearts to accomplish the divine task before them.
Conclusion
The dangers we face in 20th century America may be of different hues than our first century counterparts, but they are of the same nature. The same Lord who directed the apostles to appoint spiritual leaders over the early church gives us clear direction for doing the same in our church. We must lay aside popularity and concentrate upon biblical qualifications in this selection. Every man nominated must examine himself in light of God's Word before accepting the challenge of being examined to serve this body. As God directs us, then we must go forward, trusting Him to work all things according to His good purpose.
Why have elders and deacons as the spiritual leaders in the church? When Paul addressed Timothy on the subject of elders and deacons, he concluded his remarks with the assertion: "...I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth" (I Tim. 3:15). The clear inference is that the way to "conduct" or discharge the duties of the church is through the ministry of elders and deacons. This is really a remarkable passage and one that sheds much light on the whole question of spiritual leadership. Paul's concern with Timothy was to give him clear instructions on the functioning of the church. He dealt with the matter of prayer and worship in chapter 2, as well as questions about women which Timothy had probably asked. He deals with the ministry of teaching, reading of Scripture in the public worship, and warning the church of deceivers. He addresses the matter of the church's responsibility toward widows. He even gives a word on compensating those involved in spiritual leadership as well as how they are to be dealt with in the case of open sin.
But central to the whole matter of discharging duties in the church is the functioning of elders and deacons. Though this text does not address the broad spectrum of elders' and deacons' work, it does address their qualifications. Evidently, their function was unquestioned at this point in the early church. Paul was concerned to ensure that the men who served in these two noble offices were qualified. Interestingly, his letter to Timothy was delivered to help Timothy as he pastored the church at Ephesus.
Most of us with Baptist backgrounds acknowledge the office of deacon without question. But when it comes to the office of elder we may balk at the consideration of it! Yet, the teaching of God's Word, as we have seen, is that elders serve to guard and lead the church, while the deacons come alongside them to serve the church. Normally, elders are relegated simply to the office of pastor or modern-day church staff. While I agree that the pastor is an elder I would disagree with the assessment that elders are only the "paid professionals." I believe the church loses some of its greatest leadership assets when we neglect to place qualified men as elders from the congregation at large. Proper functioning of elders only serves to strengthen the pastoral ministry of the church.
The Apostle Paul understood this great need for godly leaders. On his second missionary journey Paul came to the famous Greek city of Ephesus. It was an important cultural and economic center in the Roman empire. It was also an important center of pagan worship. There Paul preached and a riot ensued! But God gave fruit for his labors so that there was a church raised up in that city. The apostle stayed for three years, preaching and teaching the Word. During this period he evidently appointed elders to serve this church.
On his third missionary journey Paul came near Ephesus but because he was set on heading to Jerusalem he did not land in Ephesus. Instead, he sailed past it, landing at Miletus, and from there called the Ephesian elders to come to see him. It was to be his last encounter with these men and it breathes with love and passion as the apostle gives final instructions for this church. We see an unmistakable need for elders in the message of Paul to the Ephesian elders. It is important for us to see the heart of this text and recognize this same need in our midst.
Paul's exhortation to the Ephesian elders answers the question, "Why elders?" Let's take a look.
I. A need we cannot dismiss
It is important to note the terms Luke uses in recording Paul's exhortation. In verse 17, he calls this leadership body at Ephesus, "the elders of the church," i.e., a plurality of elders serving one church. Then in verse 28, Paul states that the Holy "has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God...." The term "overseers" is the same term Paul uses in I Timothy 3:1 which the KJV translates as "bishops" and the NASB translates as "overseers." It is the Greek term episkopas, while the term "elder" is the Greek word presbuteros. The word "shepherd" is a verb which means "to pastor." It is the Greek word poimaino from which the noun "pastor" has its roots as used in Ephesians 4:11. The point is that all three of these words are interchangeable. They do not refer to separate hierarchies, but to the same office or function within the local church. Peter does the same interchanging of terms in I Peter 5:1-2.
As a distinction, "elder" points to the character of the man since it was used of men of maturity in the Jewish community. "Overseer" or "bishop" points to his function of spiritual leadership which is evident from the way it was used in the Greek culture for commissioners or administrators of cities. The use of "pastor" stresses how he ministers as a shepherd of the flock, which had abundant imagery throughout that part of the world. Now with this in mind, why was there a need for elders to serve in the church? Paul points to a need which we cannot dismiss.
1. Assault upon the body v. 29
The early church lived under external assault until about the 4th century. For three hundred years there was opposition, attacks, persecution upon the church, right up to the reign of the Roman emperor Constantine. Those attacks came at various intervals in efforts to catch the church off-guard. "I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock."
As long as Paul was among the Ephesian flock, he could easily recognize the attacks of the adversary and address them. He had the courage and authority to stand against whatever forces sought to attack the church. But Paul's presence among the Ephesian believers was coming to a close. Now they would face whatever came without the great apostle deflecting the blows. So Paul charges the Ephesian elders and all who follow in their pattern to take on this task of guarding the flock against assaults from without.
Paul uses strong terms to describe these attacks. He calls the perpetrators "savage wolves." The picture is that of the Ephesian church as a flock of helpless sheep which finds itself under the deadly attack of wolves. This was the same imagery used by our Lord in Matthew 7:15. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves."
One recurring theme found in the epistles is the warning against false teachers. Some would claim to be "the Christ," others would have a new revelation, still others would teach a false gospel. The sad thing is that many were duped by such false preachers. If you recall, the Ephesian church was part of the seven churches of Asia Minor which our Lord addressed in Revelation. Most of those churches had fallen prey to spiritual lethargy, while some had given way to tolerating false teachers in their midst. Paul later warned the Ephesian church of false teachers through his epistles to Timothy (I Tim. 4:1-3; 6:3-5; II Tim. 3).
When you consider that warnings of false teachers came from our Lord and from the pens of the New Testament writers, Paul, John, Peter, and Jude, it ought to awaken us to the fact that false teaching is still a grave danger! Churches and individual Christians can fall prey to this attack from "without" the body. If the church at Ephesus needed to have men guarding them from false teaching, I would say that the church in Memphis needs the same! What do you look for in such false teaching? I would offer a few questions for any teaching which you hear:
(1) Does it in any way deny the deity of Christ or the co-equality of the Trinity?
(2) Does it substitute anything for the work of the death of Christ in atoning for our sins?
(3) Does it deny the need for God's justice being satisfied in order for sinners to be saved?
(4) Does it rob God of glory by insisting that salvation is not totally a work of God's grace?
(5) Does it deny the bodily resurrection of Christ?
(6) Does it claim to have revelations which are not contained in the canons of the Old and New Testaments?
(7) Does it insist upon some kind of work or self-denial or ascetic practice to improve your standing before God rather than simply resting upon the merits of Christ?
Does this sort of thing take place today? Indeed it does! My good friend, Joe Nesom, sent me a note just this week that illustrates it well.
Yesterday I received E-mail from a young man (Erick-Woods Erickson) who is a member of our church. He is also a student at Mercer University. It seems that the president of Mercer, Dr. Godsey, has published a book in which he denies: 1. The authority of Scripture, 2. The virgin birth, 3. The necessity of the cross, 4. That human beings need salvation, and 5. The divinity of Christ.
The unfortunate thing is that some of our Baptist churches will allow this man in their pulpit simply because he claims to be a Baptist!
While we can add to this "test-list" and examples, I would remind you that the elders of the church have the task of constantly scrutinizing the "wind of doctrine" (Eph. 4:14) which blows through the church. They are to be vigilant (Heb. 13:17) in recognizing false teaching, warning the body, and guarding the flock from falling prey.
2. Deceit within the body v. 30
But Paul's concern was not only with the attacks from outside the body but also the deceit arising from within the body. "And from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them." Just as there was a Judas among the Twelve Apostles, there are Judases in the church today. These are people whose motives for being in the church are self-centered. They want to use the church for personal aggrandizement. They will do whatever they can to improve their sense of power or their materialism by drawing disciples after them.
Paul describes their pattern as "speaking perverse things," all with the goal of alienating (so, the Greek on this verb 'draw away') some of the believers from the rest of the church. We can easily get the idea by our common use of the term "perverse" that they would be teaching immoral ideas, the sort of things that even children would recognize. But the word actually means something that is 'twisted or distorted'. It was a perversion of the truth or a slight alteration of the truth. It was taking that which was true but re-shaping its meaning or giving it a false application or manipulating it to say something other than its intended meaning. While the teaching of the "ravenous wolves" is rather brazen and easy to recognize, the kind of teaching or "speaking" to which Paul refers here is deceitful and hard to recognize. It takes discernment in knowing people and understanding the Word of God to see the subtle shading of God's Word to give it alternative meanings, meanings which God did not intend. Once a Christian latches on to such distorted ideas of biblical truth he is easy prey for being alienated from the rest of the church. He may view the remainder of the church as unenlightened and then he follows the deceitful teaching to his own shame.
Quite frankly, I do not think we face any greater danger as evangelicals than this very thing of deceit within the church. Evangelicals have been duped by nice smiles, charming words, and a little razzle-dazzle which comes from deceivers. The great need of the hour is for godly men within our churches to be so sensitive to God's Word and the Holy Spirit that they recognize deceit and have courage to deal with it.
Both assaults upon the body and deceit from within the body remind us of a need that we cannot dismiss. The church has always faced grave dangers of false teachers and deceivers who would lure people from the fold. Elders must stand in the gap against such threats and dangers. If elders were needed 1900 years ago for this task, they are just as needed today.
II. A duty we dare not neglect v. 28, 31
The duties of elders are outlined in simple fashion in this text. While our deacons are to carry out the role of service in both physical and spiritual realms, the elders are to guard, shepherd, and be on the alert for the church. Because we face such constant threat on the doctrinal posture and the discipline of the church, elders have an unceasing role of protecting the church from the adversary's attempts to divide and destroy it.
1. Be on guard
"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock." The idea of being on guard means that the elders are to "take heed" or "pay attention" to what is being taught, to the trends in the culture, to the actions and behavior in the body, etc., so that the church might go forth unhindered in its mission. The guarding actually takes on two aspects according to our text.
First, elders must guard their own spiritual lives. They must personally and corporately give attention to their walks with Christ. They are not to take on the job of a ministerial professional who is good at telling others what to do, but short on the practice of his preaching. "For they cannot care adequately for others if they neglect the care and culture of their own souls" [Stott, 327].
In a chapter entitled "The Oversight of Ourselves," Richard Baxter's The Reformed Pastor, identifies a number of things the elder must guard.
(1) We are exhorted to take heed to ourselves, lest we should be void of that saving grace of God which we are offering to others.
(2) We are exhorted to take heed to ourselves, lest we live with those actual sins which we may preach against in others. Let us see that we are not guilty of that which we may daily condemn.
(3) We need to take heed to ourselves that we may not be unfit for the great tasks which we have undertaken to complete. He must not be a babe in knowledge who will teach men all those mysterious things that are to be known in order to be assured of salvation.
(4) Take heed to yourselves, lest you exemplify contradictory doctrine. Beware, lest you lay such stumbling blocks before the blind that you occasion their ruin. Beware, lest you undo with your lives, what you say with your tongues. Beware, lest you become the greatest hindrance to the success of your own labors. [pp. 27-32]
Second, the elder must be on guard for all the flock. Paul uses "pastoral" terms to express this truth. It is best illustrated by thinking of a group of shepherds gathered on the back of a Judean mountain with their flock of sheep. The sheep munch on the grass and herb on the mountainside in a rather carefree fashion, while the shepherds are constantly watching for thieves who would rob the flock, wolves who would devour the flock, and dangers which would threaten the flock. The job of the shepherd never ends. He is constantly watching, constantly checking the health of his flock, constantly making sure that his flock is fed and secure. He knows his sheep and recognizes their needs.
The elders' labors at teaching, preaching, instructing, exhorting, and admonishing the flock fulfill this duty that we dare not neglect. He must at times reprove those who are in sin. He must admonish those who are toying with compromise. He must instruct and exhort the church to walk in sound doctrine. He must recognize error and not be afraid to address it.
The elder will not always be popular in what he does, but he must be obedient to the Lord nonetheless. His concern should not be to go with the flow of popular Christianity so that he gets a pat on the back from the church. Instead, he should discern biblical Christianity and lead the flock to walk in it without compromise.
2. Shepherd the church
This duty continues with the command, "Be on guard...to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." We have a rather glamorous view of shepherds in our day, especially with the Christmas carols that refer to them in such glowing terms. But we need to be reminded that when Paul chose this metaphor to describe the work of elders, he was referring to a job that had no status in society. Shepherds were considered the "low-lives" in society. I believe the point is clear, the work of shepherding is not for personal fame or reputation, but is to be humble and loving service as Christ's undershepherd for His flock.
Shepherding is spiritual work. J. Oswald Sanders reminds us, "Spiritual ends can be achieved only by spiritual men who employ spiritual methods" [quoted by MacArthur in Shepherdology, 134]. Much is made today of church leaders being people-pleasers. But spiritual men can focus on pleasing only one person, the Lord God.
Shepherding is hard work. Though there was much time spent watching sheep, that in itself brought on strong mental and emotional strain upon the shepherds. They wandered across mountains and valleys through rugged terrain in all sorts of weather conditions. Similarly, the work of elders goes on in all conditions and situations. He is never off-duty just because he is not at the church. He must attend to his own spiritual life. He must guard his own family from spiritual dangers. He must maintain a godly example for the rest of the church. While others are resting, he will often be toiling on behalf of the church through study, prayer, ministry, counseling, visiting, and watching.
Shepherding is an accountable work. Typically, shepherds worked for someone else. They had the responsibility of giving an account of each sheep before the owner of the sheep. Paul reminds the Ephesian elders of this when he tells them "to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." I would remind all of us, especially those whom God would raise up as spiritual leaders: this is not your church! This is a church which belongs to God through the redemptive price of the blood of Christ. We who serve are merely undershepherds who will one day render an account for our duties with God's flock (Heb. 13:17).
John Murray offers a four-fold challenge on what it means to 'shepherd the church of God'.
(1) A shepherd keeps his flock from going astray. In practice this means instruction and warning.
(2) A shepherd goes after his sheep when they go astray. In practice this means reproof and correction, in many cases the exercise of ecclesiastical discipline.
(3) A shepherd protects his sheep from their enemies....Perhaps there is no more ominous feature of members of the church than the lack of discernment;...here the elders in tending the flock must cultivate for themselves and inculcate in the members of the church, that sensitivity to truth and right, so that they and the people will be able to detect the voice of the enemy.
(4) A shepherd leads his flock to the fold; he pours oil into their wounds and gives them pure water to quench their thirst. I would like to press home the necessity and the blessing of the ministry of consolation. [Collected Writings of John Murray, vol. 1, 265-266]
3. Be on the alert
"Therefore, be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears." Elders are involved in a spiritual warfare, that is why they are called to alertness. The word commands the elders to 'stay awake' and 'to be continually watchful' of those things that would harm the flock. Brethren, I would remind you that the church is a battleground! We are facing the constant opposition of the adversary who seeks to divide and destroy us at every turn. The devil is an opportunist who looks for those times when our guard is down and our tolerance level is high. Then he strikes. Elders must stay at their posts, constantly watching, constantly being vigilant on behalf of the flock of God.
Paul gave the example of vigilance. He said that for three years in that church he served among them, watching and admonishing them with the compassion of tears. For Paul it was not just a job to do. It was truly a ministry or commission given from the Lord which he took seriously. That is the call to elders, to recognize that God has given you a ministry and you are to exercise it as those who are caring for God's own flock.
You will notice that Paul spent time "admonishing each one." The word means to 'lay upon the mind' (noutheton) or to warn or to instruct someone who has gone astray, warning him of the dangers of the folly of his sin. This is where elders by precept and practice are to have an impact upon the church. They are to so live the Christian life that others might see the need to walk daily with Christ. They are to so proclaim the truth of God that the church might be aroused in their understanding and practice of the Christian faith. To admonish someone shows that you care more about their soul than their approval. Admonition can range from instructing by biblical precepts and principles to warning someone through the truth of God that they are going the way of sin.
III. A foundation we must not forget v. 28
I would close this study on spiritual leadership by giving you an important reminder found in our text. "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers." Though Paul and his missionary partners obviously selected the elders and though they may have had the approval of the congregation, the foundation of their authority was that the Holy Spirit had made them elders. Their ability to serve the body sprang from the distinct calling and setting apart which the Holy Spirit worked in their lives.
This is indeed a mysterious element in this whole work of selecting elders. As a congregation we seek to nominate godly men who are confirmed by the qualifications in the Word. The work of the presbytery will be to examine these men and present them to the congregation for their approval. Then as a church we will set these men apart in a solemn service of ordination. Yet behind it all is the invisible work of the Holy Spirit. He is the One who will ultimately appoint them to this office in the church.
I must confess that I do not understand all of this. But I am humbled by the truth that the Holy Spirit who corporately dwells among us (Eph. 2:22) works to set men apart for this noble work of elders. And because the Holy Spirit does this work we must pay heed to its importance in the church, both in terms of the exercise of its ministry and in terms of its followership.
You will notice that the Holy Spirit makes these men to be "overseers" not "overlords." They are not given the role of dictators, but humble, loving servant-leaders in the congregation. They are to exercise their duties in dependence upon the same Spirit who set them apart. They are to recognize that their hands cannot do all that needs to be done in the lives of God's people, but they must trust the Holy Spirit to work in the secret places of men's minds and hearts to accomplish the divine task before them.
Conclusion
The dangers we face in 20th century America may be of different hues than our first century counterparts, but they are of the same nature. The same Lord who directed the apostles to appoint spiritual leaders over the early church gives us clear direction for doing the same in our church. We must lay aside popularity and concentrate upon biblical qualifications in this selection. Every man nominated must examine himself in light of God's Word before accepting the challenge of being examined to serve this body. As God directs us, then we must go forward, trusting Him to work all things according to His good purpose.
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