Thursday, August 30, 2012

WHY BISHOP NOT PASTOR?

By: Bishop Albert Gran

Ephesians 4:10-12

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁰ He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
¹¹ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Titus 1:1-10

King James Version (KJV)

1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

² In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
³ But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
⁴ To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
⁵ For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
⁶ If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
⁷ For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
⁸ But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
⁹ Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
¹⁰ For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision:

Get the relevance of sound presentation as many years had passed opened to the hearers during Paul's time with an applaud doctrinal thought in view of God's perspectives. Bishopric is what was mostly an ignored office designated by Paul as majority thought such term correlates pagan exercise or practice not even worthy to be used in our era today.

Grace believers thought it unwise to apply this idea today as only Catholics and other Protestant groups applied this office when their leaders called to ordain elders and leaders to function church leadership.

Let's even know the fact if we truly believed what has been ordained as current instruction when Christ stopped giving men as gifts in the church after he ascended up on high. It's even spectacular to bow down the authority of God's word written in His word as we knew there were changes of dealings in matters of choosing gifts.

Christians thought that Christ still acted the same active involvement in giving men to the church today after the completion of His revealed will not knowing the fact that those gifts were really for the Body of Christ prior  to the completion of the mystery truth in this age of grace.

Having consistent to the extent of that old notion many believers even grace believers in out times resort their edification solely to those whom they thought the source and basis of their edification who were their spiritual mentors whom they called  "Pastors, evangelists, and teachers" as they thought the office of apostles and prophets were no longer in operation today. The idea of Christ sending these remaining gifts (Pastors, evangelists, and teachers) is what the majority thought even if the reality speaks that Paul called elders to choose qualified elders known as Bishops as per command of Christ as Christ no longer set those offices when the complete source of edification through the written revelation for the Gentile age of grace had been fulfilled.

Why not resorting to the true comfort and source of your edification when you read and obey the instruction of Christ current in our times in view of the mystery truth revealed to Paul? Why being saddened when your Pastor will no longer function to scratch itchy and fleshly religious observance? Why feeling of discomfort when one shall plainly declare the good news how you could be free from the bondage of slavery again to fear?

Ultimate change in the giving of gifts whom Christ himself performed leading to the idea when He called Paul to ordain men as leaders in the church and charge to commit the same to faithful men is the idea of transitional delineation of office from direct to indirect form similar from direct edification and indirect edification through the complete written word of God. That means that the idea of basing believers' edification from men (Pastors) as their inspiration correlates the traditional idea when Christ still choose to give gifts when the source of edification which is the word of God was not yet fulfilled. Thus, if you thought of ignoring the Scriptures and giving heed to the basis of your spiritual mentor who competes the source of true edification from the word of God in view of truth then the sound teaching of grace prohibits you to do that. Paul has instructed in 2 Tim. 2:15 to study and even call to apply in other passage to give attendance to reading and exhorting and not cling to the fables and stories from your traditional spiritual mentors. They were those who are the modern-day  Pharisees in our time who continually oppose the doctrine of grace, mixing the doctrine of grace ordained by Christ since the world began.

If you are afraid of applying bishopric principle for having thought of inclining to the supposed pagan type of exercise then you are bias in your own judgment. Consider why Paul commanded Timothy and Titus as elders to ordain elders known as Bishops to supply the things wanting in every city or place around the world whenever propagating the gospel of the grace of God. They were not introducing paganism doctrine, instead telling the truth the right office called to be named and apply in your ministerial plans and purposes.

This grace alternative is for you to see the glimpse of truth form transition to purity of grace doctrines.

Grace to you and Peace!