10-19-2008, 08:23 PM
''You younger men, be in subjection to the older men.'' --1 Peter 5:5
Obedience to God is the key to salvation. We learn it through our obedience to imperfect men, don’t we? Compare this scripture:
For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen - 1 John 4:20.
Obedience and love are directly connected.
Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat the younger men as your brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, with all purity. 1Timothy 5:1, 2
In the beginning, the congregation elders were elderly men. Younger men were asked to look on them as fathers. Over the centuries, the Roman Catholic religion expected every priest to be looked on, and referred to as ‘Father’. He was to be respected and obeyed, regardless of age or spiritual qualities. As far as I know, the same thinking pervades the other mainstream religions, with ‘Pastor’ replacing ‘Father’. Then the more cultish Watchtower religion gave their bodies of elders, whether actually elderly, spiritual mature or not, the official standing of being ‘gifts in men’ to their congregations (Ephesians 4:8).
I’ve taken a few liberties here – in equating obedience and love, making leading statements with no scriptural support, and then using irrelevant supporting scripture, and connecting familial and spiritual hierarchy, congregational position with spiritual maturity and so on. Substituting those who love the best place in the congregations, those who are in it for the money and those who do it because it feeds their egos and so on has had its effect on respect for authority in the congregation. Perhaps the desire for authority is the root of the problem, and not the negative reaction to this secular (and perverse) expression of spiritual oversight.
Here are the relevant verses:
to be shepherds of the flock that God gave you and to take care of it willingly, as God wants you to, and not unwillingly. Do your work, not for mere pay, but from a real desire to serve – 1 Peter 5:2.
They love to sit at the head table at church dinners, basking in the most prominent positions, preening in the radiance of public flattery, receiving honorary degrees, and getting called 'Doctor' and 'Reverend.' - Matthew 23:6, 7 (Message Bible)
not a new convert, lest having been puffed up he may fall to a judgment of the devil - 1Timothy 3:6
It is too easy to twist scripture to put a secular spin on spiritual matters. In the early congregations, everyone had a place and everyone had value. Humility was to be demonstrated by all, especially those taking the lead. This is the whole of the verse used for today’s daily text:
And you who are younger must follow your leaders. But all of you, leaders and followers alike, are to be down to earth with each other, for God has had it with the proud, but takes delight in just plain people – 1 Peter 5:5.
Obedience to God is the key to salvation. We learn it through our obedience to imperfect men, don’t we? Compare this scripture:
For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen - 1 John 4:20.
Obedience and love are directly connected.
Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as if he were your father. Treat the younger men as your brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, with all purity. 1Timothy 5:1, 2
In the beginning, the congregation elders were elderly men. Younger men were asked to look on them as fathers. Over the centuries, the Roman Catholic religion expected every priest to be looked on, and referred to as ‘Father’. He was to be respected and obeyed, regardless of age or spiritual qualities. As far as I know, the same thinking pervades the other mainstream religions, with ‘Pastor’ replacing ‘Father’. Then the more cultish Watchtower religion gave their bodies of elders, whether actually elderly, spiritual mature or not, the official standing of being ‘gifts in men’ to their congregations (Ephesians 4:8).
I’ve taken a few liberties here – in equating obedience and love, making leading statements with no scriptural support, and then using irrelevant supporting scripture, and connecting familial and spiritual hierarchy, congregational position with spiritual maturity and so on. Substituting those who love the best place in the congregations, those who are in it for the money and those who do it because it feeds their egos and so on has had its effect on respect for authority in the congregation. Perhaps the desire for authority is the root of the problem, and not the negative reaction to this secular (and perverse) expression of spiritual oversight.
Here are the relevant verses:
to be shepherds of the flock that God gave you and to take care of it willingly, as God wants you to, and not unwillingly. Do your work, not for mere pay, but from a real desire to serve – 1 Peter 5:2.
They love to sit at the head table at church dinners, basking in the most prominent positions, preening in the radiance of public flattery, receiving honorary degrees, and getting called 'Doctor' and 'Reverend.' - Matthew 23:6, 7 (Message Bible)
not a new convert, lest having been puffed up he may fall to a judgment of the devil - 1Timothy 3:6
It is too easy to twist scripture to put a secular spin on spiritual matters. In the early congregations, everyone had a place and everyone had value. Humility was to be demonstrated by all, especially those taking the lead. This is the whole of the verse used for today’s daily text:
And you who are younger must follow your leaders. But all of you, leaders and followers alike, are to be down to earth with each other, for God has had it with the proud, but takes delight in just plain people – 1 Peter 5:5.