SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/8/2023 7:44 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
“True Leaders Avoid Elevated Titles”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew
23:8-10
Message of the verses: “8 “But do not be
called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 “And do not
call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in
heaven. 10 “And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is,
Christ.”
MacArthur writes “Godly spiritual leaders are to
shun pretentious titles such as Rabbi, which carried the basic idea of teacher
but had come to signify much more than that.
Jesus Himself is the believer’s only true Teacher in the elevated sense
in which rabbis and scribes were commonly addressed and treated in Jesus’
day. He is the supreme and only source
of divine truth, for which human teachers are but channels of communication.”
Let
us look at 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 which shows us that human teachers who
faithfully proclaim and interpret God’s word are to be appreciated, loved, and
highly esteemed by the ones that they serve.
“12 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who
diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you
instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their
work. Live in peace with one another.”
Human teachers and preachers of the gospel are not to seek honor, much
less demand it or glory in it. What they
need to do is remember that they are neither the source of truth, which is God’s
Word, nor the illumination of truth, which is God’s Holy Spirit. Human teachers, and this included the
apostles whom Jesus addressed on this occasion, are all brothers with every
other believer. No man’s calling,
however unique, justifies his being given a title intended to portray him as
being spiritually superior.
MacArthur
writes “Consequently, the Lord went on to command, “Do not call anyone on earth
your father.” Jesus was of course using
the sense of spiritual father, indicating a superior spiritual position and
even suggesting one’s being a source of spiritual life. Members of the Sanhedrin, the high Jewish council,
loved to be called by the title father, especially when acting in official capacities.
“In direct contradiction of Jesus’
prohibition, the Roman Catholic Church and even some formal Protestant churches
use the term father as an official form of address for their clergy. Even the title abbot and pope are forms
of father.
“For
One is your Father, He who is in heaven,’ Jesus said. The title of Father in a spiritual sense is
to be reserved for God, who alone is the source of all spiritual life and
blessing. To call any human being by that
name is a clear violation of Scripture.”
He
goes on to write in conclusion to this section “And do not be called leaders;
for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.
As with the other titles, this one is forbidden when used in the formal,
exalted sense that was common in ancient Judaism and is still common today in
many religious circles. When wrongly
used, such titles can place barriers between those in leadership positions and
others in the church but, even worse, they arrogate for God’s human instruments
the honor and glory they belong only to Him.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I am to remember that my Spiritual Father is
in heaven and that also my Messiah is also in heaven, and that the Holy Spirit
dwells in me because I am a true child of God, and that the Word of God is what
I am to be looking at for authority.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the
Lord through His Holy Spirit to teach me the things that I am to do, and how I
am to live before Him in holiness.
10/8/2023 8:13 AM
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