Judgment In The Kingdom
There is a sad epidemic of Pastors burning out and leaving their assignments in the pulpit. One major cause of pastoral burnout is the lack of Spirit guided behavior by congregations and church leaders towards their Pastor. God has called these Pastors to be undershepherds and holds them accountable for right teaching, preaching and leadership of His flock. But when those in the church rebel and judge their Pastor by the world’s criteria, God is not pleased. In 1 Corinthians 4:-6, 17-21, Paul refused to back down from his assignment as an apostle despite the Corinthian Church’s disrespect of his authority. He told them God would judge whose hearts were being guided by kingdom values. I pray that the motives of your heart towards God and your Pastor will be judged righteous on that day.
This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God. (1 Corinthians 4:1–5). In the Corinthian congregation, some judged Paul because they deemed him to not have gravitas in his appearance or speech. They therefore lacked respect for his apostolic authority. But Paul was unmoved by their judgment, particularly given that it was based on superficial/ non biblical grounds. He wanted them to understand the proper way to for his and the other apostles authority to be regarded. He said that they were servants entrusted with the mysteries of God. And therefore his and the other apostles duty was to be faithful to God in preaching the gospel and leading the church. Paul made it clear that the only judgment of him that meant anything to him was Jesus’ judgment. Not even his own judgment of himself mattered. Jesus alone would look at their hearts and judge Paul’s and the Church’s motives. And everything hidden in darkness would be exposed in the light by His righteous judgment. God alone is the one we should all be concerned with pleasing with the right motives. In His righteousness the Lord will praise or condemn each of us in the Day of Judgment.
Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. (1 Corinthians 4:6) Paul told the Corinthian christians that they should not “go beyond what is written”, meaning they shouldn’t judge ministerial leaders in the church using non biblical standards (e.g. humor, appearance, etc). It was non biblical judgment that had led some in the Corinthian church to lack respect for Paul and his apostolic authority. The church is not the world’s creation, it is created and ordained by God. Therefore those He has charged with authority in the church are not to be judged by world based standards.
For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit? (1 Corinthians 4:17–21) Paul sent Timothy to the Corinthian Church to help them get back on track. Timothy would model and set the proper Christian example and attitude in the church. Some were so arrogant in their attitudes that they believed Paul would be afraid to come to them personally, but Paul dispelled that notion. He made it clear that he would come to them soon. And he would come with the power and authority granted him by God. He gave them the choice as to how he would come to them…either as a rod of chastisement or in a spirit of gentleness. Their repentant attitude or lack thereof would be the deciding factor. Some don’t believe Jesus is coming back. He is… and we all have the choice as to how He will judge us.
It is important that we have the appropriate respect for the authority that those in ministry that have received in their calling from God. They have a responsibility and a duty to be faithful to God and His word in their teaching, preaching and leading God’s people. God will judge their faithfulness in carrying out their assignment from Him. He will also judge the hearts of those who are members and leaders in the church in their treatment of their Pastors. It is inappropriate to judge and evaluate the divine by human earthly standards. When we do so, we run afoul of God and leave ourselves open to His discipline and chastisement for our actions. “Do not go beyond what is written” in your judgment and treatment of those whom God has put in places of ministry and Pastoral authority. Love, joy, peace, faithfulness, forbearance, goodness, gentleness, kindness, self control…. These are the things that we will be judged on in God’s kingdom. When the final record is read, what will His verdict be for you?
Blessings, Rev. Glenn
