Friday, August 19, 2011

Are elders held to a higher standard than other Christians?

What a silly question! Of course they are!

Hang on.

It is common to hear that pastors/elders are held to a higher standard because they are to lead and be examples to “their flock”. I read something this morning that made that very point regarding a certain famous pastor who claims to get visions while in the pulpit and how such behavior is unbecoming a man who is a pastor. Our cultural understanding tells us that elders have a higher standard of behavior than others Christians. I don’t think most Christians would object to that notion if the question were put to them. Is that really true? I am not asking if elders are called to lives of holiness. Obviously they are. The question is whether “regular” Christians are held to a different, presumably lower, standard. I don’t think so.

“Au contraire!” you may say, Scripture is replete with calls for Christians to emulate and imitate the lifestyles of leaders in the church, including elders (see: Hebrews 13:7, 2 Thess 3:7, 9; 1 Tim 4:12, 1 Peter 5:3). Very true.

The key is found in Paul’s letters to Timothy ( 1 Tim 3: 1-7 ) and Titus (Titus 1: 5-9). Paul is saying that for someone to be an elder, they need to exhibit certain qualities. So Paul is not telling Timothy to recognize and appoint as elders men who have the potential, with the proper training and ordination, to become men of character that we should emulate but rather to appoint as elders those men among the local body who already were exhibiting those traits.

Is lying acceptable for an elder? What about murder or adultery or stealing or blasphemy? Well of course the answer is no. Is lying, murdering, adultery, stealing or blasphemy acceptable for any Christian? I should think the answer is also a firm no. What about false teaching? Of course elders should not hold to or expound false teaching. Should a “regular” Christian not be held to that same standard?

We need to be very careful about the religious stuff we declare. When we see a two-tiered set of standards for elders/pastors and everybody else we have crossed a dangerous line. I really dislike it when we apply Scripture differently to some Christians versus others or when someone says things like “thinking about this issue pastorally”. There is no such thing as a follower of Christ that is not called to a life of obedience and service and no Christian is left unequipped or unqualified as all Christians have a new heart and are a new creation. It is not so much an issue of expecting too much of elders but rather expecting too little from the rest of us. We need to stop expecting less of “regular” Christians and start expecting, equipping and encouraging every Christian, regardless of title, to live lives worthy of the Gospel by which we were saved (Phil 1:27), a Gospel that is the same for the man in the pulpit or the guy in the last pew.

5 comments:

Leah Randall said...

Arthur you've asked a needed question and spoken to it with needed insight. All Christians are held to the same standard and that standard is...CHRIST. I'm glad we're on a journey together in which we point one another to Him!

Anonymous said...

Arthur,
There is a push amongst 20 somethings I have conversed with about issues such as these. This is true not only on this topic but others. We are dangerously close in instances to being a very religious, pious, legalistic entity formerly known as Church.

This topic has been brought up, alcohol, church structure and functions (which alan knox seems to address frequently), dress style...etc etc.

We are to quick to hold people to rules that are beyond what Scripture holds us to or in this case slip under the proverbial radar b/c we aren't "figure heads".

Good post.

Chad Boss said...

Another verse that sprang immediately to mind when reading this post was Phil. 3:17. I think it supports your point as well.

"Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you."

I gather from this passage that WE are to aspire to the same lifestyle/behavior as Paul and other "elders", not that they are being held to some higher standard.

Chad Boss said...

Ah, but what about James 3? "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."

What's he saying there?

Candice said...

Yes, what about James 3:1 and Luke 12:48??