If an “elder” in the faith is truly of a right spirit they will not try to use their seniority to manipulate a son under their so called “covering.” Being an intimate of the Heavenly Father is far superior to submitting to any human, no matter how great they might be. 1 John 2:27 clearly teaches we have received an anointing from God that remains and “have no need not that any man teach us.” On the other hand 1 Peter 5:5 implores younger believers to clothe themselves in humility and submit themselves unto elders in the faith! The Hebrew believers were exhorted to submit to elders who ruled over them and spoke God’s word into their lives. Yet the onus is always on the believer to recognize and determine who they should submit themselves to. Point blank, anyone forcing this kind of a relationship is not representing God! Not everyone with the title of “elder”, “pastor”, “bishop” or “father” in the church world always has our best interests in mind, or the heart of our Heavenly Father to help us access our glorious inheritance.
Many self proclaimed authorities and gurus are fixated on building their own kingdoms and seizing control of souls and their pocketbooks and should be avoided at all costs. When a disciple actually does come into contact with a trustworthy and legitimate leader this is a precious connection to be treasured and was even characterized by Paul as being a more uncommon occurrence. In the following passage he endearily entreats those he has been discipling and fathering in the gospel.
In his first epistle to the church at Corinth Paul wrote:
1 Corinthians 4
1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. . . 14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. 15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. 17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
There is a majority rule of some 10,000 instructors in the church system out there and a small ("not many") minority of legitimate fathers to be discovered. What is the difference here? What distinguishes them from one another? As I mentioned in part 1 [http://dougalexander.weebly.com/1/archives/11-2013/1.html] Jesus said to “CALL NO MAN FATHER UPON THE EARTH.” Yet Paul, arguably the most astute disciple of Christ in history, described himself as a “father” in this passage and in others. It sounds so contrary to what Jesus said, yet the son of God Himself modeled this same principle and fathered a selected group of disciples in the faith. Surely Jesus did not mean we are forbidden to call the man who gave biological birth to us and raised us up as “dad”, or “father”..?! Paul referenced the “first commandment with promise” in Ephesians 6:2-3: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “"Honor your father and mother" is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it, namely, "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." This conditional blessing is true in both natural and spiritual relationships.
TO BE CONTINUED...