Right Attitude Towards Authority And Truth 39 [1 Tim 6:1-5] / Anne's Faith Column

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Right Attitude Towards

Authority And Truth 39

[1 Tim 6:1-5] 

/ Anne's Faith Column 

 

 

 

/ By Priscilla

 

 

 

Paul describes

a biblical stance on

 issues of authority

 that saints encounter

in the workplace

 

 

 

and controversial

doctrinal issues

in church life.

 

 

 

Today, in the church,

the body of Jesus Christ,

we see a lot of injustice,

contradiction, and

 

 

 

blasphemy still being

practiced in ministry

as much as in the

early church.

 

 

 

On the other hand,

we each try to carry out

our own duties,

 

 

 

but we witness

that many problems lurk

or appear everywhere.

 

 

 

How come  these

argumenst are still being

discussed in the church

 

 

 

- at the site of God's

dwelling place that should

be sacred and where

all people pray?

 

 

 

Wrong ideas,

distorted doctrines,

and actions that seem to

defy God's authority were

not easily extinguished

 

 

 

even at the time

Jesus was alive, even 

after Jesus ascended

into heaven,

 

 

 

and after the amazing

experience of baptism

with the Holy Spirit

 

 

 

in Mark's upper Room

 on the day of Pentecost.

 

 

 

Moreover, even

in the early church

that Paul mentioned,

discord still persisted

 

 

 

and unity and communion

between the saints could

 not be established,

resulting in feuds with

each other.

 

 

 

Therefore, whenever

problems arising from

cultural conflicts with

the ideas and concepts

 

 

 

that come from

stereotypes, especially

those of Judaism

 

 

 

and Gentiles, arise

in the Holy Church,

 

 

 

Paul thoroughly

points them out

 

 

 

and explains what the

perfect will of God

is to the saints.

(Rom 12:1-21)

 

 

 

Even today,

as Jesus commanded,

 

 

 

“Love one another,

love your enemies

as yourself!”

(Matt 5 : 43)

 

 

 

"In humility consider

others better than

yourselves, and have

mercy on one another."

(Phil 2:3-4)

 

 

 

In our reality,

it seems that we ignore

these precious words

rather than practice

these precious words

 

 

 

in vestries, seminaries,

and even churches.

 

 

 

In addition, due to 

the lack of attitude

 to serve each other,

 

 

 

there are times when

the issue of authority is

discussed confusedly.

 

 

 

They do not understand

each other because they

have different ideas

 

 

and doctrines between

members of the church,

or between leaders

and lay members.

 

 

 

And rather than

respecting each other

as members of Christ,

 

 

 

sadly,

we find ourselves

living by repeating 

 

 

 

and reproducing the

aspects of the

early Church

 

 

 

that they would slander

and feel jealous of

each other.

 

 

 

There are churches

that are overgrown

with the deviant passion

generated by greed

and pride,

 

 

 

or problems arise from

the wrong organizational

structure

 

 

and the power expands,

 and depending on the

circumstances,

 

 

 

it causes discord rather

than harmony within

the church.

 

 

 

If there's a sense of

incongruity in the church

as if by wielding force,

 

 

 

it is clearly that the

church has lost its function, 

is ill-conditioned, or

has a problem.

 

 

 

So, what parts of the

church should be

improved?

 

 

 

1. In proclaiming 

the Word of God, the

church must be able

to use its functions

properly.

 

 

 

At times, someone feels

frustrated and oppressed,

and after hearing the

word of the Lord saying,

 

 

 

'The truth will surely

set you free'

(Jn 8:32),

 

 

 

they go out to the church

with anticipation and

  longing for restoration.

 

 

 

However, there are cases

where they are shocked

to witness the strange

conflicts of the harsh

church community,

 

 

 

and they are even

more hurt and oppressed,

resulting in stumbling

and falling away. 

 

 

 

We should never be

such church community

that motivates them

 to stumble down.

 

 

 

2. The church must

not deviate from the

word of truth or be

corrupted.

 

 

 

It is the special role

of the church to shine

in the dark and to play

the role of salt in the

corrupted places.

 

 

 

As Christians,

we must never forget

 this for a moment.

 

 

 

3. In the church,

which is the body of 

the Lord, there should be

 

 

 

no high and low 

and no rich or poor.

 

 

 

However, it is the duty

of the saints to exalt

the authority of God

 

 

 

who has chosen the

servant of the Lord,

 

 

 

to obey the word

prophesied through him,

to follow the leader

 

 

 

whom God has chosen

with trust, and to serve

each other.

 

 

 

However, God does

not accept shepherds

who abuse this.

 

 

 

A church that seeks

only benefits in order to

show off financial gain

 

 

 

through human greed

will be surely judged

 quickly in God's time. 

 

 

 

What should we do

if we do not follow

the word of the Lord

 

 

 

and these kinds of things

happen in the church?

 

 

 

1) We must prevent

God from removing

the lampstand from

our church community.

 

 

 

Without delay

we must repent

immediately,

 

 

 

so that

all the members

of the church may be

renewed,

 

 

 

and so that they

may quickly turn from

their wrongdoings

 

 

 

and become a 

wonderful community.

 

 

 

2) Therefore,

we must make a new

decision and even if

the leader of the church

 

 

 

that God has appointed

is somewhat lacking

and weak, we must

intercede with God

for him

 

 

and respect him

and serve him well.

 

 

 

3) Church overseers

should not always

be impartial

 

 

 

and diligently examine 

the condition of the

 flocks as shepherds

 

 

"Be sure you know

the condition of

your flocks,

 

 

 

give careful attention

to your herds"

(Pro 27:23)

 

 

 

and practice

the love of Jesus.

 

 

 

As shepherds,

they must always

ask the Holy Spirit,

 

 

seek and practice

 the truth, and serve

the flocks.

 

 

 

Therefore, they should

realize the truth between

the shepherds and the 

 flocks,

 

 

 

and gain the freedom

to serve each other,

 

 

 

and become members

to have  compassion

and encouragement

for each other.

 

 

 

Prayer

 

 

Lord, help me to honor

those whom I ought

to honor.

 

 

 

Help us to build the 

worthy church

community

you desire.

 

 

 

In beautiful service

and in each other's faces,

help me to discover

the image of Jesus Christ! 

 

 

 

Amen

 

 

 

2009/06/22

 

 

/ By Priscilla