Brief Assignment #2
Option B: A good 18‑year old friend
comes to you and says: “I feel God is leading me to the mission field. Can you
help me?” Outline your response in sentence form. Be sure to indicate if you
The Beauty of the Lord's Voice -- by Pastor Peter Tan
Dear Beloved
The Voice of the Lord is a spiritual voice and can only be receive by our spirit beings. Only spirit can contact Spirit, only soul can contact soul, and only body can contact body. Before the fall, Adam and Eve must have delighted in hearing the voice of God in the Garden but immediately after the fall the same voice that has brought joy and comfort, now brought him fear (Genesis 3:8,10). The Hebrew word 'voice' is the word 'qol' which sometimes has been translated 'sound.' It is possible to hear a sound without necessarily hearing and understanding the voice (Of course, if it is a spiritual sound, only spiritual ears can hear although to the hearer it might sound as if it is just a natural noise).
When Jesus was baptized in water, there was a voice from God that declared Him as His beloved Son but most likely only John saw vision and heard the voice of God (Luke 3:22; John 1:32-33). When a voice answered Jesus as He prayed, some people near Him heard it as a thunder, others heard something without understanding and said that an angel had spoken (John 12:28-29). When Paul was down under a vision on the road to Damascus, He heard the voice and instruction of the Lord but all those around him heard a voice (sound) but did not understand anything (Acts 9:7; 22:9). All these events were supernatural events which affected the surrounding people differently depending on their own spiritual development in God.
1. We are promised the leading of the Holy Spirit everyday (John 14:17-18,26)
The leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives are always there every day. It is never a question as to whether He has spoken but rather whether we can hear and understand Him. Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice (John 10:27). And the Holy Spirit has come to lead us and to guide us into all truth (John 16:13). The anointing that God has given to all believers abides in us, teaching us all things (1 John 2:27). Sometimes we don't understand because we are not tuned to the area to hear what is being communicated. For example, an experienced mother knows what a child's need is and the more experience they are, the more they can differentiate between the whimper for comfort, the cry for nourishment, and the cry of pain and discomfort. An animal lover can differentiate the needs of an animal by its posture, sounds and even eyes. God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, His angels and the Holy Spirit are constantly sending us little leadings of the Holy Spirit that we must tune in to everyday.
2. The promptings, signals and leadings of the Spirit and His angels are not given in a human language. We might in the end hear it in human language but they are given Spirit to spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10-11). For example, when God's voice vibrate in the spiritual realm and is telling a group of His people not to be afraid;
some of them will not hear anything but purely feel a sense of comfort,
some will sense the remembrance of an event in which they had taken great comfort and faith,
The proper biblical understanding of women’s place in the ministry has been in intense debates among evangelicals in modern times. In general, there are two major views on this subject: complementarian and egalitarian. Although there are nuances of beliefs and methods of applications within each camp, they do represent the two prevalent perspectives on women’s role in ministry today. This research paper will attempt to show that neither view is entirely correct or incorrect. Both men and women are equal in their inherent worth before God, and both gender can function in all the ministerial positions in Christ with a calling, and that within a marriage context, the husband and wife have different roles.
It is fundamental to establish women’s personhood before discussing their roles in the church. In the Genesis creation account, both “male and female” were created “in the image of God” (Gen 1:27).[i] Therefore, men and women have equal spiritual status and value, before the same Creator who “shows personal favoritism to no man” (Gal 2:6; 3:28), although there are definite qualitative differences between the masculine and feminine bodies and spirits. Both complementarian and egalitarian concur with the equal intrinsic worth of both sexes. However, complementarian, such as Piper, Grudem and Schreiner, believe that women are prohibited from fulfilling certain functions in the church.[ii] These offices may vary from individual complementarian, but usually include pastoral positions such as pastors, elders (presbyters), overseers, bishops, and apostolic and prophetic offices.[iii] The main supporting texts are 1 Cor 11:1-16, 14:34-35 and 1 Tim 2:9-15.[iv] Egalitarians, on the other hand, believe that these passages need to be interpreted against the specific culture and setting of Paul’s day; not every verse is to be taken literally as universal commands, as this would violate hermeneutical principles. The Scriptures, therefore, places no restrictions on women being pastoral ministers in the Body of Christ.[v]
In regard to First Corinthians 11:1-16, the words translated as “man” and “woman,” aner and gune, are also the words for “husband” and “wife.”[vi] The context concerning “honor” and the reference to Adam and Eve, who are marriage partners, show that “husband” and “wife” are the better translation.[vii] There are no Scriptures indicating that every man is the “head” of every woman, but Eph 5:23 is an unambiguous verse on the headship of the husband. Whatever the meaning of this headship is, which will be discussed later, it is clear that it makes much more biblical sense to limit this headship within the marriage context only. It is also not very difficult to see that the head covering in this passage is only a cultural constraint particular to the Corinthian Church during Paul’s time,[viii] for he did not command any other churches to follow suit. Moreover, nowhere in the Bible do we find a direct relationship between outward physical adornment and a believer’s sanctity (cf. 1 Sam 16:7). The principles behind the customs of the day are good Christian witness through proper order and submission, which are applicable across all ages. If complementarians do not require women or wives to wear head coverings in the church, but explained it as something culturally conditional, then the headship of aner over gune must also be interpreted in the context of the passage. Thus, if it is not referring to a man’s authority over women in church functions, sound exegetical rule does not allow room for prohibiting women in certain ministry offices from this passage.
In a similar way, First Corinthians 14:34-35 is not an all-inclusive regulation forbidding all women to speak in the church under all circumstances, for in the same epistle, Paul allowed women to pray and prophesy (1 Cor 11). Whatever the specific situation was that Paul addressed to the Corinthian women, it most probably has to do with them being disruptive of the services with their questions and speech.[ix] First Timothy 2:9-15 is the only text in the Bible that excludes women from teaching. However, this instruction must be interpreted as situational for the particular condition in the church at Ephesus at Paul’s time, and not a transcultural precept, for many godly women have taught in the Bible.[x] Priscilla taught a godly male preacher, Apollos, a fivefold teacher who is “an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures” (Acts 18). Paul wants the older women to teach the younger women in his letter to Titus (Titus 2:3-4). The major reason that Paul did not allow women to teach and have authority over men in the Ephesian church was because of the many false teachers and teachings there, and women were much more susceptible in those days, being uneducated, as specifically mentioned by Paul (1 Tim 5:13; 2 Tim 3:6-7). If this passage was meant to be applied literally under all circumstances, places and times, then women should not adorn themselves with “braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing” today (1 Tim 2:9), which obviously can only be true in opposition to standard biblical hermeneutics.
Many complementarians have also purported that since all of the twelve apostles of Christ and most early prominent leaders are male, therefore, core leadership in the church must be exercised by men only. However, this view is unsupported by Scriptures. If we follow the same logic, since all the twelve apostles of Christ are Jews, does this imply that non-Jews can never take up leadership responsibilities in the church as well? Moreover, all of the twelve are from Galilee, except Judas Iscariot, does this mean Galileans are preferred as pastoral clergies? The reason that there are no women in the twelve and less women leaders in the early church is because it is more culturally convenient for ministry in the social milieu of the day. Women had inferior status in the general public and at home, as “many men felt that women were morally weaker than men,” and that men and husbands enjoyed much more privileges.[xi] (It is in this context that wifely submission, not a universal command for all women, needed to be emphasized for a good Christian witness now that women discovered their freedom and rights in Christ.) Therefore, on the contrary, the fact that women could stand in ministry offices even in those times shows that the church gradually recognized their equal ministry qualification. Women’s subordinate footing was only progressively amended towards biblical norm just like slavery, neither of which is advocated by the Word of God.
If we hold to the verbal plenary inspiration of the Scriptures, which we must, then we are obligated to accept that the whole of Scriptures is the divine Word of God. Hence, by all testimony of the entire Bible, it is unsound to believe that women are unfit to stand in certain ministry functions. There are plenty of examples of women leaders in the Bible, such as Deborah the prophetess (Judg 4), Paul’s close co-worker Priscilla who instructed Apollos (Acts 18), maybe even examples of women apostles and elders (pastors) (Rom 16:7; 2 John).[xii] Apart from finding instances of women teaching and in leadership positions in the Bible, the crux of the matter lies in the nature of Christian ministry. Gal 3:28 expressly says that there is “neither male nor female… in Christ.” The context and the reference to “in Christ,” which means to be part of the same Body of Christ (Rom 6:3; 12:5) and to be like Christ (Gal 2:20), speak of a spiritual unity and equality when one places his/her faith in Jesus. Surely Paul is not talking about being indistinguishable between a male and female physiologically, or there are no longer actual ethnic Jews and Gentiles, or actual slaves and masters; thus, he is pointing out the spiritual reality of male and female’s oneness in Christ. As the Spirit of Christ is neither male nor female, so those who are in Christ are no longer limited by their natural gender in their Christian life and service. Therefore, in terms of functions in Christ, women can receive any of the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:1-11) and stand in any of the fivefold office (Eph 4:11). There is no Scriptural ground to base a ministry role’s qualification to natural gender when Christian ministry is spiritual by nature. Experientially, there are countless women who feel called to the fulltime ministry as missionaries, evangelists, pastors, teachers, etc. Many who obeyed have born tremendous fruit for the Kingdom of God. One would have to explain away every single prompting and apparent confirmation in these women’s lives throughout two thousand years of church history as false or misunderstood in order to maintain a complementarian view of women’s role in ministry, which is hardly possible.
In terms of women’s place within the marriage framework, however, an egalitarian view errs in interpreting everything in Scriptures as culturally conditioned. Galatians 3:28 does not apply to a marriage because, in God’s definition, a proper marriage consists of exactly a male and a female. It is still true that men and women are equal in their spiritual standing and functions in the ministry, but their roles in the family are different. They have different soul qualities and inherent spiritual masculinity and femininity (1 Pet 3:7). In both First Corinthians 11 and First Timothy 2, Paul’s appeal to the order of creation, namely Adam was created first, and then Eve was created from Adam subsequently as a comparable helper and companion, is not a cultural phenomenon (Gen 18:25). For this reason, the “husband is head of the wife” (Eph 5:23). It is imperative to note that Adam and Eve are of a marriage relationship, thus, the headship can only be practiced within a family context, not in the ministry or in the world. In the very beginning in the Garden of Eden, where everything was ideal and perfect, untainted by sin or any human civilization after the Fall, this is the order that God has set. The fact that Eve was created after Adam and also as “a helper” suggests that the husband is indeed the head in the matrimony, for God could have created both of them at the same time or not have called Eve a helper to Adam. However, both of them were given the same responsibility of tending the garden and having dominion over all things, implying that both men and women’s service qualifications are equal (Gen 1:28-31).
There have been strong debates on what being the “head,” kephale, of the wife actually means. Greek lexicons, such as Thayer’s, simply states that it means the “chief, prominent; of persons, master Lord: of a husband in relation to his wife.” Strong’s explains kephale as “the head, literally or figuratively.” Piper and Grudem rightly define it as follows:[i]
“In the home, Biblical headship is the husband’s divine calling to take primary responsibility for Christlike leadership, protection, and provision. Headship does not prescribe the details of who does precisely what activity. After the Fall, God called Adam to account first (Gen 3:9). This was not because the woman bore no responsibility for sin, but because the man bore primary responsibility for life in the garden—including sin.”[ii]
The husband should be the leader of his family. Certainly this in no way denotes an autocratic leadership style, because the husband’s leadership role is limited within the confines of the Scriptures. Just as the command for children to obey their parents in the Lord, meaning not just to blindly follow even beyond biblical standards (Eph 6:1). In a similar way, wives need not adhere to anything from their husbands that is unambiguously outside of the Word of God, although a proper respect should still be demonstrated. It also does not mean whenever a wife disagrees with her husband, she should raise her voice and put down her husband angrily while quoting Scriptures. The Lord’s love and wisdom are necessary in every Christian marriage relationships; sometimes a compromise is better than outright objections. After all, neither the husband nor the wife is infallible; thus, each case has to be considered on its own merits. This is why Paul also commands through the Spirit before admonishing the wife’s role that all Christians should “[submit] to one another in the fear of God” (Eph 5:21). This mutual submission is a sense of respect for everyone regardless of gender. The leadership role of the husband does not signify that the wife should listen every time, on the contrary, husbands may gain greatly if they would heed their wives in a mutually loving atmosphere and humility. As explained by Piper and Grudem, this leadership role means to “take primary responsibility for Christlike leadership, protection, and provision.” Furthermore, the instruction for husbands is that they should love their wives as “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her… [and as] their own bodies, [to] nourish and cherish [them], just as the Lord does the church” (Eph 5:25-29). This is no less a command than that which is for the wife, perhaps even a much harder task. In real-life practices, the ideal situation of a husband being the Christlike head might not be possible in some cases. An unbelieving husband or a less spiritually developed husband will not be able to be function in the full capacity in the spiritual leadership role to the wife and/or their children. These scenarios are not synonymous with unhappy marriages, for they can still be fulfilling and rewarding; however, may require more efforts, and likely conflicts, on both the husband and wife. The goal is to help the husband to grow into spiritual maturity to assume the headship responsibility in Christ.[iii] In this imperfect setting, the wife will have to take on the role of the spiritual leader in the home, although she still needs to honor the natural authority vested to the husband. For even in non-Christian marriages, where both parties are not believers, husbands are still the natural head according to the divine order that God has set.
Since the husband is supposed to be the head of the family, and families are the basic fabrics of society, therefore, it seems that male leadership is and should be more common, though women are still qualified for all ministry and secular roles as I have argued before. Consequently, there needs to be a general respect extended towards all men from women, just as it is necessary for men to be extra understanding and caring for all women (1 Pet 3:1-7). This is largely due to the inherent masculine and feminine qualities of spirit, soul, and body that God has fashioned for each sex. Although our imperfect world has exploited this divine make-up of both men and women, as ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor 5:20), it is a Christian mandate to uphold what is biblical and not throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Men and women were created with equal spiritual standing before God and each other—God’s attribute of justness can demand no other affirmation. Qualitative and functional-wise, one cannot really compare men and women, as one cannot compare apples with oranges, or the color blue with pink, insofar as they are naturally different. In terms of ministry in Christ, women are qualified for all positions of service in the church, as there are neither male nor female in Christ. Concerning women’s role as wives in the marriage relationship, they are to recognize the husband’s servant leadership responsibility in the Lord. Husbands are to love and honor their wives just as the Lord does the church. Appropriation methodologies vary from case to case, all the principles of the Bible and the leading of the Spirit are both necessary for intelligent and sensible applications.
People with dissimilar views on women’s role in ministry and family can still fellowship by respecting one another. The maxim that one can “disagree without being disagreeable” is true. After all, Christians have much more in common with each other than the other relatively minor issues of interpretation and semantics. Both complementarians and egalitarians are of the same mind regarding women’s necessity and invaluableness in the ministry and home. No matter how one approaches these important subjects, the greatest commandment is to exercise pure agape love towards God and all people. One can have all the correct theology and understand “all mysteries and all knowledge,” but have not love, he/she is absolutely nothing in God’s judgment (1 Cor 13:2). When followers of Jesus truly live out the Christlike beauties of love, humility, compassion, kindness, holiness, forgiveness, self-control, and wisdom in sincere communion with one another, they shall become the fulfillment of our Lord’s prayers in John 17—the unity and oneness of His church with Him and the Father beyond all temporary differences and passing imperfections on this planet earth (Matt 18:4; Mark 12:30-31; John 17; 1 Cor 13; Gal 5:22-23; Eph 4).
Greek 2 Timothy 3:10-17 (Nestle-Aland 26 Greek New Testament)
10 su de parhkolouqhsaV mou th didaskalia, th agwgh, th proqesei, th pistei, th makroqumia, th agaph, th upomonh,
11 toiV diwgmoiV, toiV paqhmasin, oia moi egeneto en antioceia, en ikoniw, en lustroiV, oiouV diwgmouV uphnegka: kai ek pantwn me errusato o kurioV.
12 kai panteV de oi qelonteV eusebwV zhn en cristw ihsou diwcqhsontai:
13 ponhroi de anqrwpoi kai gohteV prokoyousin epi to ceiron, planwnteV kai planwmenoi.
14 su de mene en oiV emaqeV kai epistwqhV, eidwV para tinwn emaqeV,
15 kai oti apo brefouV [ta] iera grammata oidaV, ta dunamena se sofisai eiV swthrian dia pistewV thV en cristw ihsou.
16 pasa grafh qeopneustoV kai wfelimoV proV didaskalian, proV elegmon, proV epanorqwsin, proV paideian thn en dikaiosunh,
17 ina artioV h o tou qeou anqrwpoV, proV pan ergon agaqon exhrtismenoV.
Greek 2 Timothy 3:10-17 (Westcott-Hort Greek New Testament)
10 συ δε παρηκολουθησας μου τη διδασκαλια τη αγωγη τη προθεσει τη πιστει τη μακροθυμια τη αγαπη τη υπομονη
11 τοις διωγμοις τοις παθημασιν οια μοι εγενετο εν αντιοχεια εν ικονιω εν λυστροις οιους διωγμους υπηνεγκα και εκ παντων με ερρυσατο ο κυριος
12 και παντες δε οι θελοντες | ζην ευσεβως | ευσεβως ζην | εν χριστω ιησου διωχθησονται
13 πονηροι δε ανθρωποι και γοητες προκοψουσιν επι το χειρον πλανωντες και πλανωμενοι
14 συ δε μενε εν οις εμαθες και επιστωθης ειδως παρα τινων εμαθες
15 και οτι απο βρεφους | | [τα] | ιερα γραμματα οιδας τα δυναμενα σε σοφισαι εις σωτηριαν δια πιστεως της εν χριστω ιησου
16 πασα γραφη θεοπνευστος και ωφελιμος προς διδασκαλιαν προς ελεγμον προς επανορθωσιν προς παιδειαν την εν δικαιοσυνη
17 ινα αρτιος η ο του θεου ανθρωπος προς παν εργον αγαθον εξηρτισμενος
Greek 2 Timothy 3:10-17 (Scrivener Textus Receptus)
10 συ δε παρηκολουθηκας μου τη διδασκαλια τη αγωγη τη προθεσει τη πιστει τη μακροθυμια τη αγαπη τη υπομονη
11 τοις διωγμοις τοις παθημασιν οια μοι εγενετο εν αντιοχεια εν ικονιω εν λυστροις οιους διωγμους υπηνεγκα και εκ παντων με ερρυσατο ο κυριος
12 και παντες δε οι θελοντες ευσεβως ζην εν χριστω ιησου διωχθησονται
13 πονηροι δε ανθρωποι και γοητες προκοψουσιν επι το χειρον πλανωντες και πλανωμενοι
14 συ δε μενε εν οις εμαθες και επιστωθης ειδως παρα τινος εμαθες
15 και οτι απο βρεφους τα ιερα γραμματα οιδας τα δυναμενα σε σοφισαι εις σωτηριαν δια πιστεως της εν χριστω ιησου
16 πασα γραφη θεοπνευστος και ωφελιμος προς διδασκαλιαν προς ελεγχον προς επανορθωσιν προς παιδειαν την εν δικαιοσυνη
17 ινα αρτιος η ο του θεου ανθρωπος προς παν εργον αγαθον εξηρτισμενος
Translation 2 Timothy 3:10-17 (New American Standard Bible)
10 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance,
11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me!
12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Verses 15-17 are the crux of the passage. Paul has revealed what has made him the man of God that he was—the Holy Scriptures. The aging apostle was a “living epistle” for Timothy to follow after, as described in verses 10-14 (cf 2 Cor 3:3), because he has his source on the Written Word of God. The “Holy Scriptures” refers to the Old Testament, for the New Testament was still in the process of making at that point. Paul specifically emphasizes that the Scriptures are hieros, i.e. “holy,” and thus able to sanctify its readers. The false teachers’ perverse character was due to the fact that their teaching did not originate entirely from the Scriptures. On the other hand, Timothy’s godly grandmother and mother, Lois and Eunice (2 Tim 1:5), almost certainly contributed to most of his childhood education in the Old Testament. Therefore, Timothy is now equipped with both the Old Testament revelation as well as important elements of New Testament truths from Paul’s apostolic teaching.
Verse 15 puts forth the main thesis of the Bible: God’s plan of salvation for the Adamic race on planet earth. Thus, the Scriptures can make one “wise” concerning salvation. Furthermore, since salvation is “through faith which is in Christ Jesus,” hence the Bible centers on the figure of Jesus Christ. One could find Christ or allusions to Christ directly or indirectly in every book of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. His First Advent was prophesied and foreshadowed as early as the third chapter of Genesis (Gen 3:15). John opened his Gospel with the fact that Jesus, God the Word, was involved in the creation of the world in Genesis chapter one verse one (John 1:1-3; also cf Heb 1:1-3). The way God referred to himself as “us” in the creation of mankind also reveals His Trinitarian nature (Gen 1:26; Matt 28:19; 1 John 5:7[1]).[2] The last verse of the Bible ends with, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (Rev 22:21, emphasis mine). With the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, the risen Christ, “beginning at Moses and all the Prophets (which represents the Old Testament),[3] He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27, brackets and emphasis mine). The Living Word, Jesus, is revealed in the Written Word, the Holy Scriptures (John 1:1-14; Rev 19:13). When we read the Bible with this overarching theme in mind, we will find Christ disclosed in all the pages of Scriptures and, thus, getting to know Him more and more as we continue to allow the Spirit of Truth to enlighten the “eyes of our understanding” (John 14:17; Eph 1:18).
“By inspiration of God” in verse 16 literally means “God-breathed,” i.e. the Scripture originated from the mind of God, and it was conveyed to men by the “breath,” the Holy Spirit, of God (2 Pet 1:20-21; Acts 2:17-18; 1 Sam 10:6)[4]. It is ophelimos, or “profitable.” This Greek word has the root word ophelos, which means “to heap up, i.e. accumulate or benefit.”[5] Hence, the Scripture can build up our “inner man” (Eph 3:16) or “inward man” (2 Cor 4:16)—it imparts actual spiritual life and energy to our spirits (Eph 3:16; Heb 4:12; Ps 1:2-3). For Jesus said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63, emphasis mine). Since God is Spirit (John 4:24), the words that He breathes out carry the substance of His own life and creative force. This was the case in the Garden of Eden where God breathed into Adam’s physical body, made from the dust of the ground, the breath of life, and the result was that Adam “became a living being” (Gen 2:7, emphasis mine). In the 40-day wilderness temptation, Jesus also likened the Word of God to spiritual food, as “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4, Jesus quoting Deuteronomy 8:3). Contextually speaking, it also edifies and renews the mind, and is beneficial for both creed and conduct (John 17:17; Rom 12:1-2; Eph 5:26). God’s Word is useful in teaching us the truths and thus, correcting our wrong beliefs and mentality. For we can only discern counterfeit teachings when we know the genuine. This is especially relevant in a relativistic secular milieu today, in which whatever one believes is or can be the truth.[6] The Scriptures is also beneficial for proper Christlike demeanor. In short, the Bible can transform our hearts and minds, deeds and words entirely: it is for the whole person. Furthermore, as a result of this inward metamorphosis, the individual will be able to effectively minister to the world, being “complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (v.17b).
This promise is not just specific for fulltime Christian ministers, but it is applicable to all believers. The recipient of the benefits of the Scriptures is the “man of God,” this expression simply means “the man who belongs to God,” or more semantically accurate, “the person who belongs to God.” The Greek word for “man” anthropos is a masculine generic term meaning “a human being, whether male or female,” “generically, to include all human individuals,” or “indefinitely, someone.”[7] Though Timothy was definitely being addressed here, however, Paul did not identify a particular person in the immediate context, but he used the term as a general reference to every Christian who aspires to walk closely with God. The phrase “man of God” has been used as a title of respect applied in the Old Testament to godly prophets such as Moses (Deut 33:1), Samuel (1 Sam 9:6-10), Elijah (1 Kin 17:24), Elisha (2 Kin 4:7), and David (2 Chr 8:14). In the New Testament, it is applied to Timothy in First Timothy 6:11. From these references, we can see that it is a term used to describe someone who has an intimate relationship with God. It is not exclusive to prophets, inasmuch as Timothy was not a prophet, but he was called as an apostle, evangelist, and pastor (1 Thess 1:1; 2:6; 2 Tim 4:5; 1-2 Tim). In addition, if Timothy were worthy to be called a “man of God,” doubtlessly Paul himself would qualify as one, even though it is not directly mentioned in the New Testament. Nevertheless, the Scriptures never called Paul a prophet, but an apostle, evangelist, and teacher (1 Tim 2:7; 2 Tim 1:11). His revelatory spiritual gifts operated under the apostolic office, for apostles can also function in the prophetic anointing like prophets but apart from the prophet’s office (Eph 3:5; 2:20; Gal 2:8). The reason that this designation was especially given to many prophets in the Old Testament was because prophets were the unique instruments of God in the old dispensation. While the prophetic office has continued into the Church Age (Eph 4:11; Acts 11:27; 1 Cor 12:28), New Testament prophets are different from the Old Testament prophets in their role and functions, thus, are not as prominent comparatively. This is clearly evident as not all prophets during the Old Covenant era are called man of God. Jeremiah 35:4 also indicates a man of God who may not be a prophet. In Judges 13:6, 8, the perceived “man of God” was an angel.[8]
Although the passage does not deal directly on the following issue, the application of these far-reaching verses demands that it be touched upon briefly: the method of appropriating the life-giving power of Scriptures. Surely it is not just the mere intellectual knowledge of the Bible that incorporates the spiritual life of God’s Word into our beings, though it is important. For the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus’ time had plenty Old Testament information in their heads, albeit the wrong understanding in most parts, but neither their life character nor their ministry demonstrated bona fide faith and power of God. In the first epistle that Paul wrote to Timothy, he instructed him to “give attention, meditate,” and “take heed” to sound doctrines and the “words of faith” so that he may progress spiritually (1 Tim 4:6, 12-16). This passage shows that it is by the constant and regular meditation of the Word of God that will draw forth its inherent divine power to our spirits. If Jesus compared the Word of God to spiritual food, then meditation is the digesting of this heavenly food. Jesus also associated the Word of God with a seed (Luke 8:11). A seed in itself has tremendous growth potential, but it needs to have certain conditions for the seed to sprout and develop. Through meditation with a good heart, the Word of God can become strength to our inner beings (Ps 1:2-3). The Greek word for “meditation” in 1 Tim 4:15 is meletao. This same word is used by the Septuagint translators in verses such as Psalm 1:2, 35:28. Meletao is employed in place of the Hebrew word hagah, which means to “to moan, growl, utter, muse, mutter, meditate, devise, plot, speak;”[9] it is the main Hebrew word translated as “meditate.” Out of the 24 occurrences in the Old Testament, it is translated in the New American Standard Version as “declare,” “growls,” “make a sound,” “moan sadly,” “mutters,” “uttering” and “utters” once each, and as “moan” three times, “mutter” twice, “utter” twice. Evidently, hagah is more than just the quiet concentration of the mind on something, as the English word “meditation” denotes. Moreover, the Jewish meditation practice involves the chanting of the Hebrew Bible, thus, “meditation” in the Old Testament usage is not just the act of silently pondering on certain things.[10] Unquestionably there are benefits of a contemplative exercise on the Scriptures, but that is better described by the word logizomai, such as in Philippians 4:8. Therefore, the chief method by which one feeds upon the Word of God is by the reading out of God’s Word attentively on a regular basis. The student of the Word needs not only to believe in the heart concerning the Holy Scriptures, but also confess with the mouth (Rom 10). Meditate the Word of God through confession will cause one to be “like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper,” for “they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh” (Ps 1:2-3; Prov 4:22).
Translation 2 Timothy 3:10-17 (New King James Version)[1]
10 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,
11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
As to leadership principles, there are a number of non-negotiable values that I firmly believe to be indispensable biblically: the headship of Christ, servanthood attitude, modeling, team leadership, relationship-oriented fellowship, and anointed service and administration. It is foundational that all Christian leadership endeavors should submit to the will of Christ. Whether this leadership takes place in churches, Christian organizations, secular vocations, or personal lives, Christ is and should be the Lord of all believers (Acts 2:36; Eph 1:15-23). There is no point in leading oneself and others if, first and foremost, the direction is not Christ-ward. From the spiritual perspective, there is zero eternal significance when the leadership influence is not directed under the headship of Christ for the purposes of God’s Kingdom (1 Cor 3:5-15). Jesus said that no matter how much believers can seem to accomplish by their own resources and strength, they could do nothing as far as God is concerned when they are not abiding in His Word, presence, and will (John 15:4-6). On the other hand, when we seek God’s glory and Perfect Will only by abiding in Jesus, we will bear much fruit and never burn out (John 5:1-8). Churches and Christian organizations can come up with programs after programs, but if they do not first go after God’s own heart and will, they will never be successful leaders in the eyes of God. Before the commandment to go and make disciples of all the nations (Matt 28) is the commandment to come and abide in Jesus (John 15).
Secondly, I believe a true Christlike leader should exemplify a servanthood attitude. The very own words of Jesus is unequivocally straightforward:
“But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, ‘You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many’” (Mark 10:42-44; emphasis mine).[1]
In stark contrast to one of the most popular secular philosophies of exercising authority, Jesus clarifies that a true spiritual leader is someone with a servant-like attitude. The value of the Kingdom of Heaven is the total opposite than that of the world in terms of greatness. Hence, the Apostle Paul exhorts us to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of [our] mind, that [we] may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom 12:2).
Modeling has always been something that is lacking in Christendom as I observed. Common expressions such as “Your deeds speak louder than your words,” “practice what you preach,” and “walk the talk” all pointedly convey the fact that people value modeling as one of the top qualities of being a genuine leader. In fact, Kouzes and Posner have found through their long-term leadership quality surveys of thousands, spanning more than two decades, that “honesty” (or credibility) has been “selected more often than any other leadership characteristic; overall, it emerges as the single most important ingredient in the leader-constituent relationship.”[2] Certainly our Lord Jesus Christ and the New Testament epistles have long ago taught us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the same principle:
5W Eyewitness Report
Title:
The Messiah for Both Jews and Samaritans
A Harmony of the Gospels (Thomas and Gundry) section 39
Main Scripture Passage: John 4:5-26
Reported by: George
Date: July 30, 2007
