RELATING TO CHURCH LEADERSHIPI. INTRO Heb 13:17

II. RECOGNIZING THE AUTHORITY OF LEADERS

THE COMMAND TO OBEY The following questions will help us to

determine whether we should obey our leaders in specific circumstances:

Is our objection a matter of conscience or merely preference? Keep in mind that the evaluation of the

conscience is based on the knowledge that our mind possesses, so emotions or feelings are not the issue in such decisions.

WE MUST ALSO BE CAREFUL NOT TO CONFUSE THE CONVICTIONS OF OUR CONSCIENCE WITH OUR PREFERENCES.

Is their leadership causing us to sin, or is it confronting our sin? Many times it seems that our objections

to the teaching or rules of the church arise simply because we are fallen, sinful creatures who tend to resist any authority in our lives.

~ When we find ourselves resisting our leadership for some reason other

than a biblical conviction, hear Paul’s words in Gal 5:7-8.

Finally, is the leadership issuing commands or merely offering counsel? What Heb 13:17 does not demand is

that we comply or even agree with all the suggestions proffered by our leaders.

~ It would be wrong for us to allow our leaders to do all our

thinking for us. That is not to say that the counsel of

our leaders is unimportant.~ Prov 15:22 & 20:18

~ Not only are we commanded by Scripture to obey the

dogmatic directions of our leaders, we are also commanded to consider very carefully the advice they have to

offer.

THE COMMAND TO SUBMIT The root word (eikō) means “to yield” or

“to place under.”~ an active verb (in the present

tense), indicating that we must diligently and continually devote ourselves to the process of “placing ourselves under” our leaders

GOD WANTS US TO TAKE AN ACTIVE APPROACH TO SUBMISSION IN WHICH WE CONSTANTLY SEEK TO BE MORE SUBMITTED, OR BETTER SUBMITTED, TO OUR LEADERS.

How can we obey this command? What does biblical submission to leaders look like?

~1Thes 5:12-13

“Know” your leaders.~ The Greek word translated “appreciate” literally means “to know.”~ D. Edmond Hiebertone:

“IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT SOME FEELINGS OF TENSION AND MISUNDERSTANDING HAD ARISEN BETWEEN THE MEMBERS AND THEIR LEADERS. THE MEMBERS SEEMINGLY HAD NOT APPRECIATED OR RIGHTLY UNDERSTOOD THE NATURE AND FUNCTION OF THEIR LEADERS.

THEREFORE... THEY NEED TO COME TO KNOW THEIR WORTH. THEY MUST NOT REMAIN IN IGNORANCE CONCERNING THEIR LEADERS, BUT BY REFLECTION COME TO A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR TRUE CHARACTER AND WORK.”

“Think the world of them.”~ Paul says that we should “esteem them very highly.” ~ “Very highly” could be translated

“abundantly out of all bounds, beyond all measure.”

~ It is also very likely that this command includes the idea of an

outward show of great respect, since it follows a similar command that denotes an inward respect for leaders.

~ Wayne Mack: “So not only is Paul saying we should ‘think the world of

them,’ but also that we should ‘treat them like kings’! If we want to actively submit to the leaders of our church, we should relate to them as we would to some great dignitary.”

“How can I think that highly of my leaders and show that much respect for them when they make so many mistakes? What if I don’t like a particular leader?”

~ But Paul anticipates those questions by saying we should “esteem

them very highly in love because of their work.”

~ THE MOTIVATION FOR SUBMISSION, ACCORDING TO

PAUL, IS NOT OUR PERSONAL FEELINGS TOWARD LEADERS, BUT THE DESIRE TO OBEY GOD BY LOVING THEM, AND THE

REALIZATION OF THEIR POSITION BEFORE THE LORD.

~ As Leon Morris explains,

“ HE WANTS THEM TO BE LOVED, AND NOT THOUGHT OF SIMPLY AS THE COLD VOICE OF AUTHORITY. LOVE IS THE CHARACTERISTIC CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE TO MAN, AND THIS SHOULD BE SHOWN WITHIN THE CHURCH. ESPECIALLY IS THIS SO IN RELATIONSHIPS LIKE THOSE BETWEEN THE RULERS AND THE RULED, WHICH IN OTHER GROUPS OF MEN ARE APT TO BE FORMAL

AND DISTANT. CHRISTIAN LOVE, AGAPE, IS NOT A MATTER OF PERSONAL LIKING,...AND IT IS IN KEEPING WITH THIS THAT PAUL EXPRESSLY SAYS THAT THEY ARE TO ESTEEM THEIR RULERS IN LOVE ‘FOR THEIR WORK’S SAKE.’ IT IS NOT A MATTER OF PERSONALITIES. IT IS THE GOOD OF THE CHURCH THAT IS THE IMPORTANT THING. THE CHURCH CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO DO ITS WORK EFFECTIVELY IF THE LEADERS ARE NOT BEING LOYALLY SUPPORTED BY THEIR FELLOWS. IT IS A MATTER OF FACT THAT

WE ARE OFTEN SLOW TO REALIZE TO THIS DAY THAT EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH OF CHRIST DEMANDS EFFECTIVE FOLLOWING. IF WE ARE CONTINUALLY CRITICAL OF THEM THAT ARE SET OVER US, SMALL WONDER IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO PERFORM THE MIRACLES THAT WE DEMAND OF THEM. IF WE BEAR IN MIND ‘THE WORK’S SAKE’ WE MAY BE MORE INCLINED TO ESTEEM THEM VERY HIGHLY IN LOVE.”