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by james rondinone

08/30/15
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CHAPTER

MORE FROM A NEW TESTAMENT PERSPECTIVE

We have a few more sections of scripture to look at which will help us to determine whether the pastor is being filled (directed by) with the Holy Spirit.

Whether you are a pastor or not there will be times when each of us will not be filled (directed by) with the Spirit because of committing sin (mental, verbal, overt). Hopefully, when this happens we will confess our known sin to God the Father, and focus on thoughts that have a divine perspective.

None of us are without sin, but hopefully as we grow our likelihood to sin overtly in our actions will be inhibited; and what will be left from time to time is to address our mental attitude and verbal sins.

Let’s continue on in finding another characteristic of a pastor who is filled with the Spirit. Please go to the book of Colossians.

And Have Put On the New Man, Which Is Renewed In Knowledge

Colossians 3:8-10,12

Like the apostle Paul the Spirit-filled pastor is to teach the assembly according to the new truths as espoused in the Epistles, the book of Acts, the book of Revelation, and in some of the Gospel verses.

Put off from your selves: habitual anger that includes in its scope the purpose of revenge; wrath (sudden violent anger); malice (the eagerness to harm our neighbor); blasphemy (speech against someone by telling lies or otherwise insulting him); and talk that is abusive and filthy.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

But rather put on the person who we now are in Christ, in whom a new character in course is being formed by means of knowledge (knowing our self in the light of God) so that man (in his soul) reflects, like a mirror, the wisdom, righteousness, and goodness of God¹⁰. Things that have characterized our pre-Christian life have disappeared, come to an end, are finished and gone.

We now have a new disposition, which is based on a new way of thinking, which is thinking with the mind of Christ.

The mind of Christ is thinking with divine viewpoint as revealed in the scriptures. As we learn to think differently toward our self, others, and outward circumstances, the rich and full experience of God’s love will be realized in our life.

Thinking differently can also be referred to as being renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created us. This renewal refers to a new character, which is in the course of formation. The goal of the renewal process is the complete restoration in the creature of the likeness of the creator that we may reflect, like a mirror, the wisdom, righteousness, and goodness of God. The restoration of the image of God in us is gradual and progressive¹¹.

Therefore put on (to become so possessed of the mind of Christ as in thought, feeling, and action to resemble Him and, as it were, reproduce the life He lived)¹²: bowels of mercies (a feeling of sympathy for the needs and sufferings of others);kindness (a ready disposition to listen and respond to others; to do good for others);humbleness of mind (the having a humble opinion of one's self, a deep sense of one's (moral) littleness, modesty, lowliness of mind¹³; the man who, laying aside haughtiness, and high mindedness, brings himself down to the exercise of modesty, claiming nothing for himself¹⁴); meekness (that temper of spirit in which we accept God's dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting¹⁵); longsuffering (putting up with people for a long time; patience under the ill treatment of others); forbearance (having patience with someone as to present offenses); and forgiveness [to forget an offense (meaning not to bring it up again) whenever any of you has a complaint against another believer].

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

The Spirit-filled pastor instructs with absolute clarity as to the kind of behavior that is unbecoming of a Christian. This is so that there is no excuse as to the behavior that is not to be exemplified in a Christian.

The believer is also told to appropriate or put on new thoughts that are based on newly revealed truths.

If the believer memorizes, meditates upon, and applies these new truths when needed, then they will evidence the life that Christ lived to others.

If your pastor clearly delineates wrongful behavior and provides new thoughts which he provokes the believers to appropriate for themselves, which will produce a Godly type of behavior, then he is being directed by the Holy Spirit.

Now turn to the book of 2 Timothy.

In Meekness Instructing Those That Oppose Themselves

2 Timothy 2:24-26

The Spirit-filled pastor is instructed to not strive (not being harsh or cruel), but to be gentle in demeanor, ready and skilled to teach, and patient (to endure any difficulty without complaining).

In meekness (humility) he should instruct by means of reproving (rebuke) or admonishing (to warn to correct some fault) others, who have placed themselves in opposition to the servant of the Lord and true doctrine by aligning themselves with false teachers, so that God will give them such a view of the error which they have embraced, that they will repent (turn one’s back on sinning; a change in mind) to the acknowledging (embracing) of the precise and correct knowledge of the truth so that they may recover themselves (come to a right mind) out from the snare (the allurements to sin) of the devil, who holds them captive (bound to do his will).

If the pastor is exhibiting behavior that is harsh or cruel, and complains about any difficulty, then he is not being directed by the Spirit.

If the pastor is not providing clarity concerning doctrine by providing a view of the error that some in the assembly hold in regards to false teaching so that they can come to a right mind, then he is not being directed by the Holy Spirit.

24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Let’s proceed to the book of Titus.

In All Things Showing Thyself

Titus 2:7-12

A pastor’s teaching should be evidenced in his example to others.

The teaching of which and the example of which in his life should be to:

show uncorruptness(not tending to corrupt the moral of others; everything is his teaching was to be such as to make men purer¹⁶); show gravity (whatever will insure respect, in character, opinions, deportment¹⁷); show sincerity (free from moral taint; the character of … one who is not, and cannot be, corrupted¹⁸); show sound speech (accurate teaching that is spiritually helpful).

The pastor is to also instruct the assembly in grace: to deny ungodliness (to allow God’s influence on the soul); to deny worldly lusts (to deny desires that are according to worldly standards resulting in immoral behavior¹⁹); to live soberly (with sound mind, exercising a due restraint on our passions and propensities); to live righteously (injuring no person in his body, mind, reputation, or property; doing unto all as we would they should do to us²⁰)

7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Does your pastors’ example and teaching tend to not corrupt the morals of men?

Does your pastor teach the assembly to deny worldly lusts (to deny desires that are according to worldly standards resulting in immoral behavior²¹), and to live with a sound mind.

If the teaching of the pastor is aligned with what is being expressed here, then the pastor is being directed by the Holy Spirit.

Please open your bible to the book of Galatians.

Having Begun In The Spirit, Are Ye Now Made Perfect By The Flesh?

Galatians 3:3

As Paul is instructing the Galatian Christians so would a Spirit-filled pastor in the same manner if the situation at hand was similar.

Paul is instructing them by saying having begun in the Spirit (of the initial entrance of the Holy Spirit into the hearts of the Galatian Christians when they put their trust in the Lord Jesus; including the spiritual sensibility and spiritual activity which had at first marked their Christian life, as e.g. joy in God in the sense of pardon, adoption (Gal 4:6), love to God, affectionate attachment to their spiritual teacher (Gal 4:14,15), brotherly love among themselves: at that hour all their soul was praise, joy, love²²) are you now being brought to a state of spiritual maturity by means of self-effort in an attempt to obey an outward legalistic system of works.

Because there was no provision in the Mosaic economy for an indwelling Spirit who would sanctify the believer as that believer trusted Him for that work, the Galatians were turning away from the teaching and the reality of the ministry of the Spirit in the life of the believer in this dispensation of grace, and were starting to depend upon self-effort in an attempt to obey an outward legalistic system of works²³.

Adherence to this religious system kept one busy with ceremonial performances, observance of days and festivals, distinction of meats, and other matters of ceremonial prescription²⁴.

3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

The Spirit-filled pastor will remind the assembly of believers after they have responded to the gospel for salvation, one of the benefits of which is that they have received the indwelling Holy Spirit, is that spiritual growth is learning how to rely on the ministry of the Holy Spirit and not by adherence to a religious system of works (e.g. water baptism, tithing, observance of certain days, eating certain foods, etc.).

Are you being reminded by your pastor to adhere to a system of religious works (e.g. water baptism, tithing, observance of certain days, eating certain foods, etc.) in order to find favor with God?

The next book that we will look at is 1 John.

Whoso Keepeth His Word

1 John 2:3-5

The Spirit-filled pastor will talk about keeping (the moment by moment safeguarding of; to hold in remembrance) God’s commandments, not those of the Mosaic Law, but those given by our Lord either personally while he lived on the earth or those revealed to His apostles in the Epistles, the book of Acts, the book of Revelation, and in some of the verses of the Gospels such as loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and loving our neighbor as our self.

3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

The pastor will also mention that if any believer keeps God’s word this will result in:

The word becoming a dynamic controlling influence in their life.

A rich and full experience of God’s love.

An experiential realization of divine affection.

Them being characterized, not by any representative trait or quality of their own personality, but merely as the subject of the work of divine love.

What is the mechanism that causes the Spirit to control us?

The mechanism for the Spirit controlling us is found in 1 John 2:5. If we continually keep watchful care on all that God has made known to us as his will in regard to his conduct, then we will have love of a divine kind exemplified in us.

Many people equate conduct as doing things for God or for his church. This has nothing to do with doing for God or his church. This has to do with manifesting spiritual qualities in our behavior. This can only happen when we keep his word.

5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

Another word if we are going to exemplify Christ’s life we have to have a change of mind.

This means to know about all that God has done in our life now that we are a Christian.

It also means to appropriate divine truths that give us God’s perspective in contrast to human perspective.

One example is like this.

Maybe we are jealous of someone else because of their financial prosperity.

God’s word says that godliness with contentment is great gain. It also says that a little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.

A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. Psalms 37:16

So in order to no longer be jealous we are to initially confess this mindset to God the Father as sin. Then we are to learn the scriptures just mentioned and revolve them around in our mind.

It’s not enough for the church to say that we shouldn’t be jealous. We must appropriate these truths. These thoughts must be the way we are to think throughout our day.

This new way of thinking activates the filling of the Spirit. The Spirit responds to our abiding in newness of thought by filling us with his love.

Does the church you are attending tell us that we should be like Jesus to others, but not teach us about the divine perspective that we are to appropriate for each of the old sin nature’s deficiencies?

The Spirit-filled pastor will teach us about the divine perspective that we are to appropriate for each of the old sin nature’s deficiencies.

This concludes our study.

What I have prepared for you is a checklist that will contain the ideas that relate to the question, how do I know if the pastor is being filled (directed by) with the Holy Spirit.

I will assign a value to each criteria.

Hopefully, when you attend you’re assembly these conditions will be considered by you in your assessment of the pastor’s walk.

Some might respond by saying, who are you to judge a pastor?

I believe that Christians should look out for the spiritual welfare of their fellow believers. This means that if a fellow believer is having a difficult time in addressing a sinful tendency, then a fellow believer should help them to learn how to be an overcomer in this area of weakness.

If a fellow believer is living in habitual overt sin and this is evidenced by the assembly, then this needs to be addressed by whoever is responsible to handle this matter. If this behavior is found out to be true, then the believer will be judged, meaning that they will probably be removed from the assembly for a period of time.

If this protocol is not a part of the way your assembly addresses sinful behavior, then in my opinion, this is an indication there is to be no involvement in one another’s spiritual walk.

If this is the case, then the church has become simply a social event, and not a place where people are helped to grow in the Lord. If you are waiting for God to show up in this environment, then good luck.

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