Jesus Christ is my God!
Issued 29.03.2010
The Elders of the Church
The post of an elder of the Church requires spiritual maturity and the ministry of the pastor given by the Holy Spirit.
He who has the most likeness to Jesus is the eldest
The council of the elders led the Jewish society. Their post was based on the authority of the eldest men of the families. The authority of the elders of the Church of God is also based on age, not on natural age but on spiritual age.
The believing people are the Church that is called "the body of Christ" in the Bible. Building up the Church means the changing of the believers towards the likeness of Jesus. "He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children." Eph.4:11-14
All the believers are called to be transformed by the changing of their mind from carnal to spiritual. About this goal of the spiritual growth it was said that it is "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ". All the believers have their spiritual age not based on the time one has been in the faith, but on how much he has been changed into the likeness of Jesus. A believer who has the most likeness to Jesus among his congregation is the eldest of the flock.
It is natural that spiritually older believers guide those who are younger by saying "follow me in those things where you see that I am a follower of Jesus". So all look at Jesus and also try to see Him in each other. However it doesn't make a believer an elder of a congregation, if he is most spiritual in the congregation, because spiritual maturity is only the foundation for the post of an elder.
In the list of the congregational ministries in the previous Bible passage there is no mention of such a ministry as an elder, because it is a post based on spiritual age and not a ministry. In addition to the spiritual maturity the elders of a congregation also must have a ministry of a pastor given by the Holy Spirit. When the Bible speaks about the elders in the same context they also are called pastors or it is said that they shepherd the congregation.
If an elder doesn't understand the meaning of the spiritual age in the congregational life how could he succeed as a pastor? He must be able to face those who are younger in their spiritual age. When Peter speaks to elders he also speaks to younger: "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'" 1Pe.5:5
If young believers are edified quickly towards the likeness of Christ and so grow fast older, the elders may have difficulties in remaining the eldest of the flock. If all the believers are clothed with humility that situation doesn't harm the congregation. A righteous one rejoices if someone is transformed more like Jesus than he himself is. He who envies the spirituality of his brother is in danger of getting lost in the way of Cain.
The council of the elders led the Jewish society. Their post was based on the authority of the eldest men of the families. The authority of the elders of the Church of God is also based on age, not on natural age but on spiritual age.
The believing people are the Church that is called "the body of Christ" in the Bible. Building up the Church means the changing of the believers towards the likeness of Jesus. "He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children." Eph.4:11-14
All the believers are called to be transformed by the changing of their mind from carnal to spiritual. About this goal of the spiritual growth it was said that it is "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ". All the believers have their spiritual age not based on the time one has been in the faith, but on how much he has been changed into the likeness of Jesus. A believer who has the most likeness to Jesus among his congregation is the eldest of the flock.
It is natural that spiritually older believers guide those who are younger by saying "follow me in those things where you see that I am a follower of Jesus". So all look at Jesus and also try to see Him in each other. However it doesn't make a believer an elder of a congregation, if he is most spiritual in the congregation, because spiritual maturity is only the foundation for the post of an elder.
In the list of the congregational ministries in the previous Bible passage there is no mention of such a ministry as an elder, because it is a post based on spiritual age and not a ministry. In addition to the spiritual maturity the elders of a congregation also must have a ministry of a pastor given by the Holy Spirit. When the Bible speaks about the elders in the same context they also are called pastors or it is said that they shepherd the congregation.
If an elder doesn't understand the meaning of the spiritual age in the congregational life how could he succeed as a pastor? He must be able to face those who are younger in their spiritual age. When Peter speaks to elders he also speaks to younger: "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'" 1Pe.5:5
If young believers are edified quickly towards the likeness of Christ and so grow fast older, the elders may have difficulties in remaining the eldest of the flock. If all the believers are clothed with humility that situation doesn't harm the congregation. A righteous one rejoices if someone is transformed more like Jesus than he himself is. He who envies the spirituality of his brother is in danger of getting lost in the way of Cain.
Humbleness of Jesus Christ
Though the likeness of Jesus is also something else than humbleness, it is the most important quality of a Christian leader. An elder of a congregation must necessarily be humble in the same way as Christ was. The likeness of Jesus must also stay in him so that he could keep his post. If he regresses again to be a baby in Christ, he has dismissed himself from the elders.
An elder of a congregation must not dominate younger believers with his own authority but with the authority of Jesus. "The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." 1Pe.5:1-3
Thus an elder must shepherd willingly and eagerly and be an example to the flock or to the assembled congregation. The lording is the opposite of being an example to the flock. If an elder is not able to walk before the flock to the right direction, he becomes like a cowboy who drives believers before himself as cows.
The humbleness of Jesus isn't just any kind of humility. There is human humility that actually is used to seek the glory of modesty. The humility of Jesus appears in His relationship to God, His Father. Accordinly, His humility in us appears in our relationship to Him.
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." Php.2:5-8
The humbleness of Jesus was being in subjection to His Father. His humbleness appears in us accordingly. We are in subjection to Jesus. If we are full of our own religiousness, we must make ourselves nothing and take the form of Jesus as the real servant. He said He was acting in the name of His Father, which means that He had given up His own authority. Accordingly, an elder must give up his own human authority and act in the name of Jesus.
The humble attitude of Jesus appears here when He says: "My doctrine is not mine, but His who sent me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on my own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of the One who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him." Joh.7:16-18
An elder has the same attitude: "My doctrine is not mine, but Jesus'. It is possible that I have misunderstood something in His doctrine, but I try to have the similar mind with Him in everything. If anyone wills to do the will of Jesus, he shall know concerning my doctrine, whether it is from Jesus or whether I speak on my own authority."
Though the likeness of Jesus is also something else than humbleness, it is the most important quality of a Christian leader. An elder of a congregation must necessarily be humble in the same way as Christ was. The likeness of Jesus must also stay in him so that he could keep his post. If he regresses again to be a baby in Christ, he has dismissed himself from the elders.
An elder of a congregation must not dominate younger believers with his own authority but with the authority of Jesus. "The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." 1Pe.5:1-3
Thus an elder must shepherd willingly and eagerly and be an example to the flock or to the assembled congregation. The lording is the opposite of being an example to the flock. If an elder is not able to walk before the flock to the right direction, he becomes like a cowboy who drives believers before himself as cows.
The humbleness of Jesus isn't just any kind of humility. There is human humility that actually is used to seek the glory of modesty. The humility of Jesus appears in His relationship to God, His Father. Accordinly, His humility in us appears in our relationship to Him.
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." Php.2:5-8
The humbleness of Jesus was being in subjection to His Father. His humbleness appears in us accordingly. We are in subjection to Jesus. If we are full of our own religiousness, we must make ourselves nothing and take the form of Jesus as the real servant. He said He was acting in the name of His Father, which means that He had given up His own authority. Accordingly, an elder must give up his own human authority and act in the name of Jesus.
The humble attitude of Jesus appears here when He says: "My doctrine is not mine, but His who sent me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on my own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of the One who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him." Joh.7:16-18
An elder has the same attitude: "My doctrine is not mine, but Jesus'. It is possible that I have misunderstood something in His doctrine, but I try to have the similar mind with Him in everything. If anyone wills to do the will of Jesus, he shall know concerning my doctrine, whether it is from Jesus or whether I speak on my own authority."
Appointing elders
In the Bible building up the Church doesn't mean organizing people or planning actions or building a house, but the inner changing of believers towards the likeness of Jesus. The elders must guide and control the inner life of people and not be executive directors of the congregation. Many, who are considered elders, are in practice only board members of a Christian association.
Paul gave Titus a task: "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you." Tit.1:5
Why must the elders be appointed? It is a matter of course that elder believers take responsibility for younger ones and God Himself sets up shepherds over His people. Among believers there is this problem: It is a matter of course that carnal believers obey carnal leaders. Someone must tell them who are spiritual and whom God has appointed and set those persons to be the examples for them. If the elders are not appointed, those humanly most authoritative persons take their place as leaders of believers.
The work of Titus happend somehow in this way. He arrived in a town and searched out all who believed in Jesus. He stayed in the town for many weeks, maybe months and lived together with the believers. All the time he observed how the believers had progressed in the following of Jesus. He noticed their attitudes in everyday tasks and what spiritual gifts appeared in them. Finally he recognized some men who were the most Jesus-minded persons and who were able to teach the word of God.
He called the congregation to come together and he spoke somehow in this way: "You want to follow Jesus in all things because you love Him. I am glad to notice your progress in this matter. Some have edified themselves in the Holy Spirit better than others and therefore they have been changed more to the likeness of our Lord. So that the whole congregation would be edified I urge you to follow their example."
Then he called the chosen men before the congregation and said: "Here are the brothers whom Jesus has given you to be your elders. I have noticed that our Lord has given these brothers the ministry of a pastor. Together we have tested their love to Jesus and they have passed the test. Only Jesus Christ is Lord among you and these brothers help you to be obedient to Him. See Him in each other so that you could be submissive to each other as to Him."
After that Titus still stayed there for some days fasting and praying for the elders. Also today the elders need more intercession than other believers. If they follow Jesus faithfully, also many others will do so. If they lose their faith also many others will do so.
In the Bible building up the Church doesn't mean organizing people or planning actions or building a house, but the inner changing of believers towards the likeness of Jesus. The elders must guide and control the inner life of people and not be executive directors of the congregation. Many, who are considered elders, are in practice only board members of a Christian association.
Paul gave Titus a task: "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you." Tit.1:5
Why must the elders be appointed? It is a matter of course that elder believers take responsibility for younger ones and God Himself sets up shepherds over His people. Among believers there is this problem: It is a matter of course that carnal believers obey carnal leaders. Someone must tell them who are spiritual and whom God has appointed and set those persons to be the examples for them. If the elders are not appointed, those humanly most authoritative persons take their place as leaders of believers.
The work of Titus happend somehow in this way. He arrived in a town and searched out all who believed in Jesus. He stayed in the town for many weeks, maybe months and lived together with the believers. All the time he observed how the believers had progressed in the following of Jesus. He noticed their attitudes in everyday tasks and what spiritual gifts appeared in them. Finally he recognized some men who were the most Jesus-minded persons and who were able to teach the word of God.
He called the congregation to come together and he spoke somehow in this way: "You want to follow Jesus in all things because you love Him. I am glad to notice your progress in this matter. Some have edified themselves in the Holy Spirit better than others and therefore they have been changed more to the likeness of our Lord. So that the whole congregation would be edified I urge you to follow their example."
Then he called the chosen men before the congregation and said: "Here are the brothers whom Jesus has given you to be your elders. I have noticed that our Lord has given these brothers the ministry of a pastor. Together we have tested their love to Jesus and they have passed the test. Only Jesus Christ is Lord among you and these brothers help you to be obedient to Him. See Him in each other so that you could be submissive to each other as to Him."
After that Titus still stayed there for some days fasting and praying for the elders. Also today the elders need more intercession than other believers. If they follow Jesus faithfully, also many others will do so. If they lose their faith also many others will do so.
Dismissing elders
Any spiritual believer can again become carnal. Thus also an elder can regress to be a baby in Christ. This wrong growing direction often also leads to the apostasy. No spiritual believer becomes an apostate. Only a carnal believer can abandon his faith. Therefore it is so important to be of age spiritually.
Though it obviously was Paul who had appointed the elders in Corinth they became proud and started to guide the congregation with their own human authority. He rebuked them: "But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?" 1Co.4:19-21
The likeness of Jesus is God's power in us. Who is able to dissmiss an elder, who has no longer the mind of the elder? Paul advises in this way when selecting an elder: He must not be "a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil." 1Ti.3:6
Also a believer who has believed a long time can puff up with pride and lose the mind of Christ. Then he can fall into the same condemnation as the devil, if he doesn't repent his pride. The devil lost his post as a cherub, when he became proud.
Fallen elders deserve the same punishment as other believers who misuse God's grace. Paul even mentions the names of two persons and what the punishment was: "Hymenaeus ja Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to plaspheme." 1Ti.1:20 Also nowadays apostles are needed who deliver fallen elders to Satan.
All carnal believers can be delivered to Satan to get his discipline, if they rejected the discipline of God. Had they obeyed God, they would have already become spiritual. The discipline of Satan guides them to sin which ruins their life. Maybe they humble themselves in their distress and beg God's help in truth and will get back to the discipline of the heavenly Father. God disciplines towards righteousness and Satan towards sin.
If one of the elders becomes proud, the other elders can rebuke him. However often the proud elder tempts the other elders to follow him and so there is nobody among the elders who would be able to remove the carnal elders away from their post. Finally the fallen elders drive away from their flock those elders who have remained faithful to Jesus. God will take His faithful believers away from a congregation led by such elders. Only those who have fallen in love with carnal Christianity will stay there.
Paul, the apostle knew well how he was in danger to become proud. He knew that God would disqualify him, if he became proud. God allowed an angel of Satan to torment Paul so that he remains humble. "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure." 2Co.12:7
Paul was strongly aware that becoming carnal was his worst enemy. Therefore he put to death all thoughts coming from his sinful nature. "Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." 1Co.9:26-27
It is shocking if an apostle gets the same condemnation as the devil. When an evil spirit tormented Paul that reminded him of how terrible it would be if the good God rejected him as in the past He rejected Saul, the King of Israel. Under humiliating blows he comforted himself with the words of Jesus: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strenght is made perfect in weakness." 2Co.12:9
Any spiritual believer can again become carnal. Thus also an elder can regress to be a baby in Christ. This wrong growing direction often also leads to the apostasy. No spiritual believer becomes an apostate. Only a carnal believer can abandon his faith. Therefore it is so important to be of age spiritually.
Though it obviously was Paul who had appointed the elders in Corinth they became proud and started to guide the congregation with their own human authority. He rebuked them: "But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?" 1Co.4:19-21
The likeness of Jesus is God's power in us. Who is able to dissmiss an elder, who has no longer the mind of the elder? Paul advises in this way when selecting an elder: He must not be "a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil." 1Ti.3:6
Also a believer who has believed a long time can puff up with pride and lose the mind of Christ. Then he can fall into the same condemnation as the devil, if he doesn't repent his pride. The devil lost his post as a cherub, when he became proud.
Fallen elders deserve the same punishment as other believers who misuse God's grace. Paul even mentions the names of two persons and what the punishment was: "Hymenaeus ja Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to plaspheme." 1Ti.1:20 Also nowadays apostles are needed who deliver fallen elders to Satan.
All carnal believers can be delivered to Satan to get his discipline, if they rejected the discipline of God. Had they obeyed God, they would have already become spiritual. The discipline of Satan guides them to sin which ruins their life. Maybe they humble themselves in their distress and beg God's help in truth and will get back to the discipline of the heavenly Father. God disciplines towards righteousness and Satan towards sin.
If one of the elders becomes proud, the other elders can rebuke him. However often the proud elder tempts the other elders to follow him and so there is nobody among the elders who would be able to remove the carnal elders away from their post. Finally the fallen elders drive away from their flock those elders who have remained faithful to Jesus. God will take His faithful believers away from a congregation led by such elders. Only those who have fallen in love with carnal Christianity will stay there.
Paul, the apostle knew well how he was in danger to become proud. He knew that God would disqualify him, if he became proud. God allowed an angel of Satan to torment Paul so that he remains humble. "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure." 2Co.12:7
Paul was strongly aware that becoming carnal was his worst enemy. Therefore he put to death all thoughts coming from his sinful nature. "Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." 1Co.9:26-27
It is shocking if an apostle gets the same condemnation as the devil. When an evil spirit tormented Paul that reminded him of how terrible it would be if the good God rejected him as in the past He rejected Saul, the King of Israel. Under humiliating blows he comforted himself with the words of Jesus: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strenght is made perfect in weakness." 2Co.12:9
The twenty-four elders of God
In the last supper of Jesus His disciples disputed among themselves about which of them should be considered the greatest. The same dispute is also among us about a person who leads the elders or which of them is the most influential. Then Jesus said to them and also to us: "And He said to them, 'The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.'" Lu.22:25-26
This previous word of Jesus was certainly in the mind of Peter when he in his letter commanded the elders not to lord over believers. Jesus says that "let the greatest be as the younger". Thus the most influential elder is without own authority and a servant of all in the eyes of everybody. However we know that those who are humanly authoritative people do not respect such humbleness. Therefore this matter separates the leaders of the Church of God from the lords of this world and from their company. This world did not recognize Jesus and in the same way it does not recognize Christian leaders either.
God knows His own and acknowledges their worth. Around His throne He has the council of the twenty-four elders. "Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads." Re.4:4
Who are they? Not all those who are elders of God's Church here on earth are elders in heaven. There are only twenty-four elders. Now we can only know about them that they perfectly have the same mind as Jesus has.
In the last supper of Jesus His disciples disputed among themselves about which of them should be considered the greatest. The same dispute is also among us about a person who leads the elders or which of them is the most influential. Then Jesus said to them and also to us: "And He said to them, 'The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.'" Lu.22:25-26
This previous word of Jesus was certainly in the mind of Peter when he in his letter commanded the elders not to lord over believers. Jesus says that "let the greatest be as the younger". Thus the most influential elder is without own authority and a servant of all in the eyes of everybody. However we know that those who are humanly authoritative people do not respect such humbleness. Therefore this matter separates the leaders of the Church of God from the lords of this world and from their company. This world did not recognize Jesus and in the same way it does not recognize Christian leaders either.
God knows His own and acknowledges their worth. Around His throne He has the council of the twenty-four elders. "Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads." Re.4:4
Who are they? Not all those who are elders of God's Church here on earth are elders in heaven. There are only twenty-four elders. Now we can only know about them that they perfectly have the same mind as Jesus has.
The Bible version used in references is NKJV