What Is Respect? Part 6: The Church
This is the sixth post in a seven-part series; see parts 1-5 first.
The Study Thus Far
Since this is the last post on submission, allow me to expound again on my process. I have made the case that under the term “respect” come three distinct categories with distinct requirements:
- Courtesy – respect for all human beings, which looks like valuing them as God does on the basis that he created them in his image and has commanded us to love our neighbors.
- Submission – respect for authority, which looks like recognizing and living out your God-given position in hierarchies on the basis that all authority ultimately comes from God.
- Imitation – respect for individuals, which looks like identifying those who exhibit Christlike character and seeking to emulate those aspects (more on this in the last post of the series).
I have laid out these three categories as tiers in what I have named the “Respect Pyramid,” designed to show how the levels have a narrowing applicability, with more situations of courtesy (every human being) that of submission (only authorities) and fewer still of imitation (only Christlike individuals). My main proposals for working through each level of the respect pyramid are summarized as follows (see them explained and defended in my second post):
- All respect is ultimately for God
- Respect has three different forms or levels
- The different levels have different theological bases
- The different levels have different requirements
Today’s post addresses the last sub-category in the second tier of the respect pyramid, which I have called submission to authority. After the previous posts on marriage, parenting, government, and the workplace, this post will seek to examine submission in the church. As I work through each sub-category of submission in the respect pyramid, I am doing so according to five main scriptural principles (more fully explained in my second post):
- All authority is God’s authority (Romans 13:1-2).
- Our use of authority makes claims about God (Genesis 1:26-30).
- All leadership should be servant leadership (Matthew 20:25-28).
- The goal of authority is to encourage godly living (1 Timothy 2:1-3).
- Submission is living out your position before God (1 Peter 2:13-15).
This series is seven posts long so that each sub-category of submission can receive its own treatment. After this final post on submission, there will remain one more on the final level of the pyramid: imitation. Here is a master list of the posts:
- Introduction & Courtesy
- Submission, Part 1: Marriage
- Submission, Part 2: Parenting
- Submission, Part 3: Government
- Submission, Part 4: Workplace
- Submission, Part 5: Church [this post]
- Imitation & Conclusions
As a summary overview of this and the previous posts on
submission, it is worth noting that I have not covered them in any particular
order; I dealt with marriage before parenting for obvious reasons, but the authorities
outside the home are not listed in order of power or significance. In terms of
the weight Scripture gives to each category’s theological impact, marriage
should come first; however, in terms of the weightiness of submission,
parenting seems to have the most all-encompassing authority of the categories
that command obedience. All this to say, I am not in any way saving the church
for last; this is simply the way the series came together. So, without further
ado, let us examine submission in the church.
Submission Sub-Category 4: The Church
Each of the hierarchies in this series has been both resisted
and abused throughout human history, evidenced by the fact that the Scriptures
I draw upon in this study range over thousands of years in their composition. Yet,
in the modern United States of America, it seems that the church has been the
most recent victim of the perennial antiauthoritarian bent of human depravity. While
at one point in our nation’s history believers seem to have more readily accepted
the influence and leadership of pastors, today they view such spiritual
authorities with skepticism at best and antipathy at worst. And there are
reasons for this, ranging from the abuse scandals of the Catholic Church to the
sordid affairs and various cover-ups perpetrated by Evangelical pastors. How
are we to respond to church leaders in our current milieu? Again, we will
follow the five principles of submission outlined elsewhere in this study to
examine Scripture’s teaching on the authority of church leadership.
All authority is God’s authority – Scripture is clear
that it is God who has provided the office of shepherd (in Latin, pastor)
as one of Christ’s gifts for the sanctification and spiritual maturity of the
church (Eph. 4:11-16). And yet, though Christ has appointed them, he remains
the Chief Shepherd who will hold his “under-shepherds” accountable (1 Pet.
5:4). As I have stated regarding the other sub-categories of submission, this
has two primary implications: the authority is to be used for God’s purposes,
and to resist the authority is to resist God. Both of these will be elaborated
upon later, but for now it suffices to say that no mediating authority
established by God has the right to use its authority for any ends other than
those God commands, and that those over whom God has placed authorities reveal
their own sinful hearts when they resist legitimate oversight.
Our use of authority makes claims about God – Peter
makes this connection explicitly when he refers to Christ as the Chief
Shepherd, to whom the appointed shepherds – pastors – are subordinate and
accountable (1 Pet. 5:4). This imagery comes from Jesus, who refers to himself
as the Good Shepherd, and in making this claim goes on to explain what it
means: “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
Earlier in his first epistle, Peter states that Christ, as the “Shepherd and
Overseer of your souls,” in laying down his life bore the sins of
those who are saved in holy self-sacrifice (1 Pet. 2:21-25). When a man claims
to be an “under-shepherd,” he implicitly claims to accurately demonstrate the
same care and devotion as Christ does for his flock. Pastors are called to be
not only overseers but also “examples to the flock” (1 Pet. 5:3), specifically
“an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim.
4:12). This is why there are such strict qualifications for those who would
aspire to the pastorship, the first of which is that they must be “above
reproach” (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Tit. 1:6-9). They represent Christ and so should
be worthy of imitation themselves (Heb. 13:7). The pastor is not the “vicar of
Christ,” as the Roman Catholic Church claims of the Pope, but he is to
exemplify Christlike character in his leadership “to equip the saints for
the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12). It
matters how pastors go about “keeping watch over your souls,” since they
“will have to give an account” (Heb. 13:17)
All leadership should be servant leadership – The various words used to describe pastors in the New Testament serve to illustrate the nature and purpose of their authority.
First, they are called “shepherds” (again,
pastor is the Latin translation) which speaks of tender care for the
purpose of nourishing and protecting those they lead. Jesus, as the Good
Shepherd, sets the example of “[laying] down his life for the sheep” (John
10:11), and so he calls for his under-shepherds to shepherd “not under
compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but
eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to
the flock” (1 Pet. 5:2-3). God is clear that pastors should not shepherd resentfully,
for personal profit, or with a hunger for power and control but sacrificially.
Second, they are
called “overseers” (Acts 20:28), referring to their governance of the church.
While pastors must not domineer, they must still lead the church, which is why
Paul says, “He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping
his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own
household, how will he care for God’s church?” (1 Tim. 3:5). This does not
speak of totalitarian control (in either sphere), but of dedication to leading through
exemplifying and instructing in godliness, as evidenced by their next
description.
Third, they are
called “teachers” (Eph. 4:11). When Jesus described himself as the Good Shepherd,
his description shows him dying to defend the sheep from wolves; he contrasts
this attitude with that of the hired hand, who “sees the wolf coming and
leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He
flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep” (John
10:12-13). Paul, picking up on this picture, warns the Ephesian elders that “after
my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock,” speaking
of false teachers (Acts 10:29). To oppose false teaching, a pastor must teach
Scripture – “preach the word” – and this teaching must contain not only
information but correction – “reprove, rebuke, and exhort” – to defend
the flock from false teaching (2 Tim. 4:1-4; Tit. 2:9). For the church to be “a
pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15), a pastor must be “able to
teach” (1 Tim. 3:2; 2 Tim. 2:24) and “[correct] his opponents with
gentleness” (2 Tim. 2:25).
Fourth, they are called elders (1 Tim. 5:17; Tit. 1:5). This
term, originally used for literal age, came to represent the maturity and honor
that come with age, and so speaks of a person of spiritual maturity [1], as opposed to a “recent convert” prone to pride (1 Tim. 3:6). Pastoral qualifications
require that a pastor “must not be arrogant” (Tit. 1:7), and like all
church members they are told, “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility
toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’”
(1 Pet. 5:5; Prov. 3:34). Along with this status of maturity comes the responsibility
to lead in various ways, including preaching and teaching (1 Tim. 5:1).
In working through the various biblical description of
pastors, my goal is to point out that pastoral authority is given for the
benefit of the flock: they are to be spiritually mature examples and leaders
who tenderly care for and protect those whom God has called them to serve. Pastors
are not free to use their authority as they will, but only as accurately
represents the love of Christ for the church and furthers the holiness and
ministry-preparedness of the church.
The goal is godly living – The clearest statement of
this truth is found in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, which I now quote at
length.
And he gave the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for
the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain
to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature
manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we
may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by
every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather,
speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the
head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every
joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the
body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Eph. 4:11-16)
The entire purpose for which Christ has gifted pastors to
the church is to lead the church toward spiritual maturity, preparedness for
ministry, and doctrinal stability. They are to do this work through their role
as a teacher, with the tender love and protection of a shepherd, the maturity
of an elder, and the responsible bearing of an overseer. Pastors are servants,
not rulers, “even as the Son of Man” – Jesus Christ, their Chief Shepherd
and example – “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a
ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28).
Submission is living out your position before God – But what does all this mean for the congregant? We are dealing with the category of submission, and here our English versions use the word “obey” to describe submission to pastors, though I believe there is a difference between this and the responsibility to “obey” parents and masters. Regarding the submission of children to parents and slaves to masters, the New Testament uses the Greek word hupakouō (Eph. 6:1, 5; Col. 3:18, 22), a strong word for obedience [2]. However, while our English versions include a command to “obey” pastors (Heb. 13:17), the specific word is not hupakouō but peithō, which in its contextual form has the following range of meaning: “be persuaded, believe, obey, follow” [3]. It seems best to understand this command not as blanket authority but rather “yielding to and respecting the leaders as they give direction concerning right Christian doctrine” [4]. Yet this fact does not gut the authority of pastors; Heb. 13:17 also says to submit, a different word from the typical hupotassō seen elsewhere, and “a stronger and more specific word than the preceding ‘obey’ [carrying] with it the implication that one is to yield when the leader’s rule is at variance with the reader’s wishes” [5]. The idea, then, is not the absolute rule of pastors over the lives of their congregants, but a willingness on the part of church members to follow not only the example and teaching but also the leadership decisions of their pastors, even when those decisions do not match their individual preferences. Of course, as with all authority, they should never follow them into sin (Acts 5:29), but congregants must also realize that their pastors “[keep] watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account” and Scripture continues to say, “Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you” (Heb. 13:17). Be teachable, be willing to be rebuked, be willing to have sin in your life pointed out by your spiritual leaders. Why? Because God has established them for your sanctification.
Authority & Practical Application
As a bookend to this section of the series, allow me to
briefly comment on the matter of abuse of authority as well as some practical
steps to apply the twin truths of authority and submission. I have often
commented in this series that God has ordained all authority, yet I have also
been quick to follow that claim with the caveat that God does not endorse every
way in which authorities carry out their roles in their respective hierarchies.
Having just broached upon subject of the church, it is certain that there are
those reading this post who have been sinfully harmed by church authorities who
did not use their authority for God’s ends of sanctification and ministry-preparedness
but for their own ends of control and personal advancement; such has also
assuredly been the case with the other topics in this series: marriage,
parenting, government, and the workplace. I hope that in this series you have witnessed
a call to recover the God-given intent of each authority structure and to
abolish all sinful abuse of power for any other purpose.
That being said, we must also beware the tendency of our
current cultural climate to reject wholesale all authority because of its
susceptibility to corruption. I speak of abolishing all sinful abuse of
power, not all power or even all sinful power. Remember, authority
is not inherent in people but granted by God, so resisting an authority is
resisting God. God has designed his world to function within the framework of
authority, and he is the ultimate authority and so the head of every hierarchy,
to whom all others must submit. While it is good and right to hold authorities
to their God-given responsibilities and to confront those who transgress those
boundaries, we must never reject the idea of authority as a whole.
As most people in this world, I find myself in multiple hierarchies: I am a husband, an employee, a church member, and (though it is not part of a biblical hierarchy) a teacher. In working through this study, I have had cause to reflect on the implications of the many truths I have presented in light of my own life. Below are some final thoughts on interactions with authorities that I have compiled from my own study and have attempted to apply myself:
- We must recognize that authority comes from God – To rebel against authority is to rebel against God, so recognize that a heart insubordinate to human authority revels a heart insubordinate to God’s authority.
- We must fulfill the demands of courtesy – Love your authorities as images of God, refuse to manipulate or slander them to others, and be open to learning from their perspective and experience.
- We must fulfill the demands of submission – Be willing to humbly receive correction and follow their leadership, even when your preferences are not met. Submission is not just about actions but primarily about attitude.
- We must confront biblically – Never confront merely because you are inconvenienced by an authority’s God-given role, and do not fail to follow God’s established processes for conflict resolution. At the same time, sin needs to be confronted, and the Bible’s processes are designed to expose sin for the purpose of repentance and restoration, as well as to reveal those times when poor communication has muddied the waters of fellowship. To refuse to confront is to deny an authority the opportunity to repent and write off all hopes of reconciliation. All members in the hierarchy need to hold each other accountable to God, he ultimate authority of every hierarchy.
- We must be ready to forgive – There is no perfect human authority on this earth, and there will be none until Jesus Christ returns to rule as King forever, so do not expect perfect decisions from leadership, and do not be quick to accuse them of sin when it may be a simple oversight. To put a twist on Hanlon’s Razor [6], never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by finitude or poor communication.
- We must choose to submit – As I have repeated often in this series, submission is living out your position in a God-ordained hierarchy. If this were a natural action, the Bible would not need to command it. Submission is difficult because it includes both putting my desires after those of another and being willing to follow even if things are not exactly as I like them.
Further, here are some meditations I have pondered while working through this study from the perspective of an authority:
- Our use of authority is a claim about the character of God – I have made this point over and over again, but in some ways I believe it is the most neglected truth the Bible teaches about authority and the one that has stood out to me the most. When an image of God acts, he implicitly claims to be an accurate image, and when our actions do not line up with the truth of God’s character, we commit blasphemy – slander against God. While we will never lead perfectly on this earth, we must seek to portray God correctly and humbly repent when we fail to do so. Leaders cannot be perfect, so they must be repentant.
- Our rights are granted for the benefit of those you lead, not for you – Here is another huge implication that struck me in this study. Often, we hear authorities saying things like “I have the right to …”, but we must remember that Jesus exemplified godly authority as giving up one’s rights for the good of those he leads. The privileges of leadership are not to be used for personal advancement but for service. This speaks truth about who God is and acknowledges that one is not better than Christ, his Lord.
- Our ultimate goal is pointing people toward conformity to Christ, not your agenda – While businesses need to be run, bills need to be paid, and tasks need to be completed, that all falls under the command to have dominion over the earth as God’s images (Gen. 1:26-28), and the end of that process is God’s glory as he makes the truth about himself known through his people. You are not king of a kingdom, but a single manager of a small part of God’s kingdom. Though you should seek to influence those you lead, your agenda should be replicating Christ, not yourself. Don’t miss the high calling of your authority!
- We must discipline in love – While there is a place for discipline and consequences when subordinates rebel against your authority (though this will vary in the different hierarchies), you must never react with anger or injustice but respond in love and patience. While people should fear the just consequences of rebellion, an authority who leads through terror is ungodly and neglects to show God’s love and patience toward sinners.
May these thoughts and conclusions be helpful to you as you
work through these truths and their applications in your own life.
Conclusion
Submission is a polarizing buzzword, and just like the word
respect it must be understood correctly. I have defined submission as living
out your role in the God-designed hierarchies in which you find yourself, those
being the home, the workplace, the state, and the church. While submission does
involve obedience in some of these hierarchies (children to parents, masters to
slaves, citizens to government), it is not synonymous with obedience; some categories
lack this command (marriage, church) and submission goes beyond mere external conformity
to the attitude of the heart. A person who submits to their human authorities because
they are established by God is also in proper submission to God himself, while
a person who resists their God-given authorities resists God. On the other
side, authorities must use their God-given status for God’s purposes since he
is their authority, and they will give an account to him.
[1] The
Concise New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis,
p.776.
[2] The
Concise New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis,
p.923.
[3] BDAG:
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature, 3rd ed., p.792:3:b.
[4] George
H. Guthrie, NIV Application Commentary: Hebrews, p.442.
[5] David
L. Allen, New American Commentary: Hebrews, p.624.
[6] “Never
attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence or
stupidity” ~ Robert J. Hanlon
All Scripture verses come from the ESV.
Comments
Post a Comment