It has been several years ago now when I served in my first assignment as pastor of a local church. I had many unusual experiences while serving that local body. In fact, I have often referred to that time as my "seminary of hard knocks." I made many mistakes as a young, green pastor. Mistakes I would never want to make again, and yet, now have a sense of gratitude for making because of the lessons learned. There were also many difficult days during those two years of my life. Little did I know when I accepted the call to pastor there that the church had been plagued with problems for years. Of course, as I write this blog the thought comes to mind: "what church doesn't have problems?"
The ususal problems of control issues, decision making, financial matters and personality conflicts were present; but what took me by surprise was the battle fought over the Scripture. Two distinct events stick out in my mind, one of which led to my resignation as pastor. I remember one particular day in study preparing to preach when one of the church members dropped by for a visit. We exchanged pleasantries and visited for awhile. Then we began to talk about Scripture. I'll never forget the statement that he made to me. He said, "Preacher, the ten commandments don't apply to me." I was taken by surprise. He went on, "Those commandments, along with the rest of the Old Testament were meant for another people in another time, but not for me, not for us and not for our church." I understood what he meant. I had just finished a series of messages on the Ten Commandments and he was essentially rejecting everything I had preached for the last ten weeks. It was a subtle yet obvious rebuke. But then I thought and later put the question to him: which one of the commandments didn't apply to him? Was it acceptable for him to steal? Was he free to murder? Was it alright for him to commit adultery? Dishonor his parents? Covet? Practice idolatry? Take the name of the Lord in vain?
I am no legalist. I certainly do not believe that New Testament believers are still under the law, I know that we now live under grace. However, I do believe that Jesus made it clear that the spirit and the essence of the Law is applicable to the Christian. In Matthew 22 Jesus was asked which was the greatest of the commandments. He answered in verses 37-39, saying, "... You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." And then the Lord made this statement, "... On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets...(vs. 40)" Then, of course, we find that there are numerous occasions that the Lord would say, "... You have heard it said by them of old... but I say to you..," a statement that never nullified a command, but one that illustrated and explained the heart of God in the command. This man had missed it. The Ten Commandments that he rejected were lived and accomplished in the life of Christ. And they did apply to him in the sense that Christ must apply to him. You see, what he was doing was segregating the Bible as though the Old Testament wasn't part of God's Inspiration. But, beloved, the Old Testament is as much the Word of God as the New Testament is! God's Word, the Holy Bible starts at Genesis, not at Matthew, and runs through Revelation.
Now, the second event was even more grievious. I had an associate pastor who was not only 50+ years my senior, but he was also well educated. At the time I had no seminary training and this man had a Thd. In Matthew 27: 46 the Bible records the cry of the Lord Jesus Christ: "... Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani, that is, My God, My God why have you forsaken me?" My associate pastor at the time said that this was an incorrect translation of Scripture. Jesus could not have been forsaken. God could not have turned away from the Son. The correct translation, he said, should have been, "But for this purpose I have come." I was shocked to say the least when learning this. I didn't understand his thinking. The Lord had already said "But for this purpose I have come..." in John 12, not to mention that one simply needed a Hebrew dictionary to see that the words of Matthew 27: 46 were infact translated correctly. And what about Psalm 22? Of course, he rejected any correlation between Psalm 22 and what was taking place on the cross. I made the argument that he was missing the point. The real tragedy of the cross was what Jesus suffered at the hands of men, the real tragedy of the cross was what He suffered at the hands of God! Where "... He who knew no sin, became sin for us that we might become the righeousness of God in Him..." 2 Cor. 5:21. The cross is where something happened that has never happened in all of eternity, and will never happen again; and that is that God the Father forssok God the Son as He bore in Himself the sin of all humanity. It was this forsaking that compelled Jesus to fullfil the prophecy of Psalm 22 and cry out, "... My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" This was the great sacrifice that was being made on the behalf of a lost humanity; and it was this sacrifice that my associate pastor rejected.
Sadly, everyone in leadership stood with him. They stood with error. They stood against Scripture.Looking back now I think I might have done something different, but at the time I didn't know what to do. I resigned and moved on. Since that time that associate pastor has died and a few pastors have come to that church. I believe they have been correvtly taught and have learned the truth of the cross. But, I'll never forget those days. It was a challenge that stays fresh in my memory and drives me even now all these years later. We can never lose sight of the importance of Scripture! The Word of God must have not only priority, but authority in our lives and certainly in the church! For if we neglect, change or modify the Scripture then, really, what is the point! The Psalmist wrote, "... Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in Heaven..." (Psalm 119: 89). Beloved, if the Word is settled with God, it most certainly should be settled with us!
The ususal problems of control issues, decision making, financial matters and personality conflicts were present; but what took me by surprise was the battle fought over the Scripture. Two distinct events stick out in my mind, one of which led to my resignation as pastor. I remember one particular day in study preparing to preach when one of the church members dropped by for a visit. We exchanged pleasantries and visited for awhile. Then we began to talk about Scripture. I'll never forget the statement that he made to me. He said, "Preacher, the ten commandments don't apply to me." I was taken by surprise. He went on, "Those commandments, along with the rest of the Old Testament were meant for another people in another time, but not for me, not for us and not for our church." I understood what he meant. I had just finished a series of messages on the Ten Commandments and he was essentially rejecting everything I had preached for the last ten weeks. It was a subtle yet obvious rebuke. But then I thought and later put the question to him: which one of the commandments didn't apply to him? Was it acceptable for him to steal? Was he free to murder? Was it alright for him to commit adultery? Dishonor his parents? Covet? Practice idolatry? Take the name of the Lord in vain?
I am no legalist. I certainly do not believe that New Testament believers are still under the law, I know that we now live under grace. However, I do believe that Jesus made it clear that the spirit and the essence of the Law is applicable to the Christian. In Matthew 22 Jesus was asked which was the greatest of the commandments. He answered in verses 37-39, saying, "... You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." And then the Lord made this statement, "... On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets...(vs. 40)" Then, of course, we find that there are numerous occasions that the Lord would say, "... You have heard it said by them of old... but I say to you..," a statement that never nullified a command, but one that illustrated and explained the heart of God in the command. This man had missed it. The Ten Commandments that he rejected were lived and accomplished in the life of Christ. And they did apply to him in the sense that Christ must apply to him. You see, what he was doing was segregating the Bible as though the Old Testament wasn't part of God's Inspiration. But, beloved, the Old Testament is as much the Word of God as the New Testament is! God's Word, the Holy Bible starts at Genesis, not at Matthew, and runs through Revelation.
Now, the second event was even more grievious. I had an associate pastor who was not only 50+ years my senior, but he was also well educated. At the time I had no seminary training and this man had a Thd. In Matthew 27: 46 the Bible records the cry of the Lord Jesus Christ: "... Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani, that is, My God, My God why have you forsaken me?" My associate pastor at the time said that this was an incorrect translation of Scripture. Jesus could not have been forsaken. God could not have turned away from the Son. The correct translation, he said, should have been, "But for this purpose I have come." I was shocked to say the least when learning this. I didn't understand his thinking. The Lord had already said "But for this purpose I have come..." in John 12, not to mention that one simply needed a Hebrew dictionary to see that the words of Matthew 27: 46 were infact translated correctly. And what about Psalm 22? Of course, he rejected any correlation between Psalm 22 and what was taking place on the cross. I made the argument that he was missing the point. The real tragedy of the cross was what Jesus suffered at the hands of men, the real tragedy of the cross was what He suffered at the hands of God! Where "... He who knew no sin, became sin for us that we might become the righeousness of God in Him..." 2 Cor. 5:21. The cross is where something happened that has never happened in all of eternity, and will never happen again; and that is that God the Father forssok God the Son as He bore in Himself the sin of all humanity. It was this forsaking that compelled Jesus to fullfil the prophecy of Psalm 22 and cry out, "... My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" This was the great sacrifice that was being made on the behalf of a lost humanity; and it was this sacrifice that my associate pastor rejected.
Sadly, everyone in leadership stood with him. They stood with error. They stood against Scripture.Looking back now I think I might have done something different, but at the time I didn't know what to do. I resigned and moved on. Since that time that associate pastor has died and a few pastors have come to that church. I believe they have been correvtly taught and have learned the truth of the cross. But, I'll never forget those days. It was a challenge that stays fresh in my memory and drives me even now all these years later. We can never lose sight of the importance of Scripture! The Word of God must have not only priority, but authority in our lives and certainly in the church! For if we neglect, change or modify the Scripture then, really, what is the point! The Psalmist wrote, "... Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in Heaven..." (Psalm 119: 89). Beloved, if the Word is settled with God, it most certainly should be settled with us!
Keep up the good word Pastor.
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