Unity ARP

Mastering the Word

Titus 1:9 8/15/99

We all admire those that have mastered a skill of some kind. I particularly admire those like Doty Skaar, who has mastered the violin, and Heather Greer who has mastered the piano. Now they would be the first to admit that they have not fully mastered these instruments. There are higher levels of difficulty to attempt and subtle nuances of performance that can always be refined. Nevertheless, they have the ability to take a sheet of music and produce beautiful music in playing it. They have mastered their instruments so that they can play the notes in the way that they were intended to be played.

An elder in the church of Jesus Christ must master the Word of God. The elders must handle the Scripture in such a way that those under their care live it out in the way that God intended it to be lived. This qualification of an elder to “hold fast the faithful word” - to use it to “exhort and to convict” is more than a personal character quality. It is a specific task that he is called to do and must have a certain ability to do. This verse gets at the very heart of what the elder’s ministry is all about. His is a ministry of the Word. The primary task of an elder is to teach the Scripture, to apply it in the lives of individual Christians and in the affairs of the church.

An elder is an overseer of souls according to Hebrews 13:17. He is a spiritual leader. He must master the Word in order to lead the flock. How will he lead the flock without the Word? Where will he lead the flock but in obedience to that Word? If an elder does not know the Word and have sound doctrine, he will attempt to lead by some other standard such as his own opinion, the opinions of others, tradition, or whatever makes people happy.

1 Timothy 3:2 says that an elder must be “apt to teach”. Does this mean that every elder must be able to stand up and give a polished sermon before a large group of people? I don’t think so. In his book, The Elders of the Church, Lawrence Eyres said, “I hasten to add that an elder need not be a gifted public speaker, or an able teacher of the Bible to large groups, though both these gifts are highly desirable. But at the very least, an elder must be able to deal with people on a one-to-one basis, applying the Word to the needs of the individual.”

In the ARP Church we make a distinction between ruling elders and teaching elders. Though all elders are to teach, some are so called and gifted that we ordain them to devote the majority of their time studying and proclaiming the Word. In Acts chapter 6 we read that the apostles decided to appoint deacons to serve food to widows, so that they would have more time to study and teach the Scripture. Acts 6:4 says, “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.” The duty of elders is essentially the same. Not all elders are called to preach, but all must have a sound grip on the Word and some ability to communicate it to others. Elders rule by the Word. John Calvin said, “This is the chief gift in a bishop (or overseer), who is elected principally for the sake of teaching; for the Church cannot be governed in any other way that by the Word.”

Because this primary duty of an elder has been lost sight of in our day, the church has suffered tremendously. Never in America has the church been so weak in its understanding of Scripture. Never has so much false teaching prevailed. Never has so much unholy living resulted. The elders are the shepherds. If they don’t keep watch over the sheep, then wolves and thieves will have a heyday, which they have been doing in our generation. We need to return to the biblical truth that elders are called primarily to a ministry of the Word. To the degree that the elders correctly and faithfully handle the Scriptures, the church will be built up and become what Christ wants it to be. What does Christ want the church to be?

Ephesians 4:14-16 shows us what a healthy church is to be like. 14 That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. If you the members of the church are to be effective in your ministry, each one doing his part, growing and being built up in love, then the leaders of this church must master the Word. In what ways are the elders to master the Word of God?

First of all,

I. AN ELDER MUST HAVE A SOLID GRASP OF THE WORD

“Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught.” The church needs men who hold fast to what the Bible teaches. Why should we hold fast to the Scriptures? Because it is the “faithful word”. This means that the Bible is trustworthy - it is reliable. The Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible word of the living God who cannot lie and is truth Himself. If you don’t have that conviction about the Bible, you are not fit to be a leader in the church. If you don’t trust the Bible, then you can’t be trusted to shepherd God’s flock.

A man must not only believe in the trustworthiness of the Bible, he must hold fast to its truths. Before a man can teach others, he must first have a firm grasp on the truth himself. Truth can be a slippery thing. Truth is slippery and difficult to hold on to because our minds are tainted by sin. This is what we call the “noetic effect of sin”. Sin clouds our thinking so that we do not reason clearly, as we ought to. This does not have to do with intellect as much as it does sinful bias and wrong thinking due to remaining sin in our members.

Truth is also slippery due to areas of immoral conduct. Where a sinful behavior is tolerated, your grasp of the truth is weakened. Christ implied that obedience would open the way for more understanding. In John 14:21 Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” Diligent study linked with diligent living will produce a strong grip on the truth. Richard Baxter, writing over 300 years ago, said:

“The work of the ministry must be done with much diligence and effort, for it is of infinite importance to others and to ourselves. See then that this work be done with all your might. Study hard, for the well of spiritual knowledge is deep, and our brains are shallow.”

Paul said that an elder must hold fast the word, “as he has been taught”. You must be teachable, and you must be willing to learn from others. Those who know it all and do not think they have need of learning from other preachers and teachers are not fit for the office. An elder must be teachable. Are you teachable? Are you willing to patiently hear something out before you set it aside as unbiblical? You must not set aside firm Biblical convictions, but you must also not be so stubborn that you never learn and grow in your understanding. You must keep honing the two-edged sword that you hold in your hand. A blunt edge will not sever the enemy’s head! A blunt or fuzzy knowledge of Scripture and its doctrines will not cut through to hack away at sin and false teaching.

Who taught you what you know? Who teaches you now? You must pick your teachers well. They will heavily influence you. In Luke 6:40 Jesus said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one when he is fully taught will be like his teacher.” The preacher you sit under week after week will shape your thinking very much. Your Sunday School teachers, the tapes you listen to and the books you read are forming your doctrinal positions. Paul told Timothy, “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me.” In our text for today Paul says that an elder must have “sound doctrine”.

He must have a systematic grasp of the truth, not merely a knowledge of a lot of disjointed bible verses. The Westminster Confession and Catechisms contain a concise yet sound system of theology. Every elder and every member ought to regularly study it so as to master the doctrines taught there. And there are many other good books out there that will help make you sound in your knowledge of theology. Life is too short to listen to poor quality teaching! Don’t waste your time reading lightweight Christian books - junk food. Read solid, reformed books that will nourish your soul and bring about sound doctrine. Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:6 “you shall be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and by the good doctrine which you have followed.” And remember in all your study, that the Holy Spirit is the ultimate teacher. Pray and ask for His help every time you go to the Word.

Why must an elder have a solid grasp of the Word and have sound doctrine?

II. AN ELDER MUST USE THE WORD BOTH TO EXHORT AND CONVICT THOSE WHO

CONTRADICT

John Calvin said, “The pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. The Scripture supplies him with the means of doing both.” Let’s look at that word “exhort” first of all. To exhort means literally to “call to one’s side to encourage and strengthen.” Elders must be encouragers with the Word. Elders are not to beat the Bible over the head of the people, but to urge, persuade and comfort with the word. Of course there are times when a rebuke is necessary, as we will see, with those who contradict. But the bulk of an elder’s task in a healthy church will be positive teaching and encouragement of the flock.

This word can mean to “give assistance by counseling.” An elder must be equipped to counsel members of the flock who are in need. Members ought to feel confident in going to an elder for counsel concerning their problems. The wise counsel of the elders should be a great encouragement to a struggling Christian. Most every believer needs encouragement along the way. Hebrews 10:25 says, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Where does the encouragement come from? It comes from having the Scriptures applied to your life. Romans 15:4 says, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.” Barnabas, whose name means “son of encouragement”, practiced this encouragement.

In Acts 13:43 we read that, “many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.” Barnabas did not merely give them a Bible verse and walk away. He gave them the Word and walked along side of them, urging them to put it into practice. Calvin said that an elder must, “make his manner of teaching tend to edification, and do not fly about through the subtleties of frivolous curiosity, but seek only the solid advantage of the Church.”

Not only must the elder encourage the faithful and the wavering sheep, he must “convict those who contradict.” In other words, he must convict of their error those who object to sound teaching. In order to convict or refute those who oppose sound doctrine an elder must have discernment. He must discern between what is actually heresy and what is merely carelessly made statements. Hebrews 5:14 says, “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their faculties trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.”

A brief word of caution must be made before we go out and zealously try to rid the church of error. First of all is the attitude you have in correcting others is vitally important. 2 Timothy 2:24-25 says, “But the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but gentle to all, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those who oppose, if perhaps God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” The goal is to win over or persuade others, even those that oppose the teaching of Scripture. We should not let ourselves be irritated and provoked, or to get discouraged in defending the Gospel. Why? Because God is in control. There is no need for fretting or getting uptight about problems or problem people in the church.

There are times when someone must be put out of the church for refusing to stop teaching false doctrine. A man that is not willing to take such a step is not fit to lead the church. I have experienced firsthand in both churches I have pastored this idea that we just “live and let live”. “We can’t discipline someone for their sins because we are all sinners.” Or, “just don’t rock the boat”. I’m here to tell you that if you don’t rock the boat sometimes the ship will be sunk!

Next week in verses 10-16 we will look at a specific case of false teaching and how it was to be dealt with. In verse 11 Paul said that these deceivers “mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not.” For too long the Church in this country has not had the courage to stop the mouths of liberals and other false teachers in their midst. But again, let me remind you that the elder is to try and refute false teaching with the Word so that if possible, the perpetrator would change his mind. This battle is not fought with force or political maneuvering, but with the gentle reasoning of the Scriptures.

If this church or denomination ever gets to the place that it will not discipline heretics, then it is your obligation to remove yourself and find another church that does not tolerate false teaching. In the book of Revelation, Jesus spoke to the church of Thyatira: “But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and beguiling my servants to practice immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.” (Rev 2:20) We need to be like the church at Ephesus to which Jesus said, “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear evil men but have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and found them to be false.” (Rev 2:2)

So then, elders must know the Word of God and be prepared to use it for these two purposes: to exhort believers and to expose error. Over the past few weeks we have seen that Elders must be blameless in their family life, their personal character and their handling of Scripture. In fact all of you Christian men here today ought to learn how to be master of your home and family, learn how to master yourself, and study to be a master of the Word.

When Unity Presbyterian Church has an abundance of godly men who are blameless in these three areas, then there will be bright days ahead for the church. There are some in this church that are really maturing in these areas. Some have may have a way to go, but I pray that we all aim for the same goal. How important it is for the life and health of the church to have men of God! Men of the Word! Ultimately, mastering the Word is the most critical thing of all. God wants every Christian man to strive to master the Scriptures so that they can rule well in the home, rule well over their own lives and to rule well in the church. I pray that each man here today will rise up to meet this challenge.

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 15th, 1999 at 6:16 am and is filed under Series on Titus, Sermon Text.