Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17)
As ministers of the New Covenant, we work exclusively for the Lord and His interests in the lives of His sheep and His church. We do not work for men, or boards, or denominations, but for God. Wherever there is any battle for our allegiance, we must remove ourselves from the fray and re-establish the pre-eminence of Christ at once — and that without regard to the consequences. Therein is the difference between a son and a hireling.
The message we preach and the life we live will make men and women uncomfortable, but that is to be expected — it is simply the friction between the spirit and the flesh. It is a holy discomfort that drives some men to their knees to seek the Lord, while others run back and forth looking for a shepherd who will cater to their flesh and make them feel at ease. So be it.
The road to heaven is difficult and treacherous, and if you portray it in any other way, you are a traitor to the Gospel. Jesus had to die to make a way for us, and we, too, must put our earthly members (our ways and our will) to death that Christ might live in our mortal bodies.
We are not called to the ministry to make friends with our sheep, but to see them become friends of God — and that is an entirely different matter. Wield the sword (the Word) on behalf of your Lord and leave the outcome to Him.
“I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” (Matt 10:34)
Let's Pray - Father, I pray that Your ministers will resist every temptation to preach another Gospel, for there is no other message than Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Strengthen us and fill us with Your Holy Spirit, and we will endure until the end and glorify Your name. In Jesus Christ, Amen.
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