Safeguards to Fellowship--Part 2

This three part series began last Sunday. Three tests of how much we love the Lord are (1) keeping Christ’s word, (2) walking as Christ walked, and (3) loving the brethren. These are not only tests of how much we love the Lord, but they are also safeguards to our fellowship with Him (I John 2:4-11). As we said last Lord’s Day, perseverance is one of the great subjects of Scripture. Both the ignorant and the hypocrite separate perseverance from the actuality of faith which manifests itself in keeping, walking, and loving. Although perseverance is our duty, it would never come to realization apart from God’s grace and preservation.

Last Sunday, we covered the first safeguard to fellowship which was “keeping Christ’s word.” We also covered part of the second safeguard which is “walking as Christ walked,” and we will pick up now at that point.

Christians are obligated to submit themselves unto their elders. Proper respect has become almost extinct in our day. The lack of proper regard is the fruit of deficient honor for God. Read Hebrews 13. In Hebrews 13:7, the writer spoke of “those who led you.” In verse 17, he said, “Obey your leaders and submit to them.” In verse 24, he said, “Greet all of your leaders.” The God-appointed guides are constantly leading or ruling those to whom they have been appointed. As rulers are necessary in every orderly society, how much more are they necessary in the assemblies of Jesus Christ? Assembly rulers possess no arbitrary authority because they themselves are under the authority of Jesus Christ. They are stewards who are neither lords over the household nor under subjection to it. They simply guide, govern, and rule as qualified men, not as automatons, who are capable of making decisions according to Scripture.

Six imperatives are recorded in Hebrews 13:7, 17, and 24—

1. “Remember” is God’s command to Christians to be constantly remembering “those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you” (v. 7). Forgetfulness evidenced that some addressed by the writer had not profited by the ministry of those who had the rule over them. Paul exhorted the Thessalonian believers concerning their attitude toward rulers: “…esteem them very highly in love because of their work…” (I Thess. 5:13). Rulers are bondslaves of Christ, guiding believers for Christ.

2. God commands Christians to constantly “imitate” (v. 7) the faith of their rulers. It has been said that it is a lot easier to envy the faith of rulers than it is to imitate it. One of the trials of every elder is the desire for his position by some who have been neither called nor prepared by God for it. Although many give mental assent to God’s sovereignty, they deny it by coveting the office that has been filled by God’s appointment. The faith of God-appointed rulers is to be followed, not coveted. The faith of the leaders should be understood objectively because reference had just been made to the word which they had spoken. Every God-called leader wants to be an example of the message he proclaims. Paul told Timothy to be “…an example of those who believe…” (I Tim. 4:12).

3. God commands Christians to behold with attentiveness the results of the ruler’s manner of life: “considering the result of their conduct” (v. 7). What is the result of their conduct? As undershepherds of the chief Shepherd, are they men of the Book who persevere, regardless of the cost or what others do? Are they following the unchangeable Lord and His unchangeable word, or do they follow some denominational ideology?

4. God commands Christians to keep on constantly obeying their rulers: “Obey your leaders” (v. 17). Obedience is with respect to the teaching by the Christians’ leaders because “they keep watch over your souls” (v. 17). False teachers care for neither the souls nor the bodies of their listeners. If they did, they would preach the whole counsel of God, which is designed for the whole man, rather than trying to build a name for themselves or fatten their pocketbooks. The whole counsel of God is to be proclaimed for the conversion and edification of God’s people. Obedience follows persuasion; therefore, it is not a mere outward act. It is prompted by a submissive heart.

5. God commands Christians to be constantly submitting themselves to their rulers: “submit to them” (v. 17). The fact that there are rulers denotes the reality of the ruled. Submission, therefore, means to place oneself under the authority of God’s appointed guide. As Christians are to constantly obey the teaching rulers, they are to constantly yield to the discipline administered by them. Every sphere of submission has a Divine principle that must be observed. There are several spheres of submission: (1) the submission to the powers that be (Rom. 13:1-7; Titus 3:1; I Pet. 2:13-17), (2) the submission of servants to their masters (I Pet. 2:18), (3) the submission of wives to their husbands (I Pet. 3:1-7), and (4) the submission of assembly members to their elders (I Pet. 5:5). This is the Divine principle: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Any time submission is required that would cause one to disobey God, that one must follow the Divine principle and, at the same time, be willing to suffer the consequences inflicted by men. Rulers must give account of their rulership. There is no greater motivation for rulers’ faithfulness and diligence to their calling than to know they are responsible to God. Their joy or grief is determined by the response of the people under the rule of God’s appointed men.

6. Christians are commanded to “greet all of your leaders and all the saints” (v. 24). Coming to the conclusion of this Hebrew Epistle, the writer directed those to whom he wrote to express good wishes to all the God-appointed servants of Christ who were their leaders and to all the saints.

Jesus Christ is the Christian’s example in suffering. “Suffering” is the key word in I Peter. Without Christian suffering, we could not prove that we love God more than the world, relatives, or friends. Suffering has been appointed to make us better Christians. When we consider (1) the enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, (2) the Spirit of God and the spirit of Satan, and (3) the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error, we should have no question about our suffering. Paul was a chosen vessel: “…for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:15-16). Paul later spoke to Timothy of his imprisonment and exhorted him to partake of the afflictions of the gospel: “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God” (II Tim. 1:8). In II Timothy 2:8-10, Paul exhorted Timothy: “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.” No wonder the experienced apostle said, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (II Tim. 3:12).

Peter’s first Epistle was written to elevate the thoughts of believers and to strengthen them against impending opposition and persecution. He presented the enemy as a roaring lion from without. History records Nero’s persecution of God’s people in 64 A.D. Hence, the practicality of the first Epistle is obvious. It is a testimony to Peter’s own growth through trials and an exhortation to the selected people of God (I Pet. 1:1). Although the elect of God are not gathered together in one place in time, they will be in eternity (Eph. 1:10). Christians in time are a small minority, living among a people with whom they cannot relate. We are a scattered people far away from home. This should prove to us the importance of the local assembly, the place designed by God where we have fellowship with God and with one another.

Christians should suffer for righteousness (I Pet. 3:14-16). Their suffering should not be the result of careless and sinful conduct. The greatest suffering is not from moral uprightness but from following Christ. He is “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed” (I Pet. 2:8). Our righteousness is not diminished but increased by suffering for righteousness’ sake. Righteousness thrives best under affliction. David behaved more wisely when he heard about the plot on his life (I Sam. 18:10-30). However, persecutors, as well as the persecuted, are under God’s control.

Christian suffering is common to all saints: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation” (I Pet. 4:12-13). We are tried to show what measure of grace we have and to purify that which is in us. We can rejoice if we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings: “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to his death” (Phil. 3:10). Christ is our example, but we must understand that our imitation of His sufferings is not attainment. We can never flatter ourselves with the hope of arriving at a point in this life beyond which there is no further improvement. Whatever our trials might be, God will complete that which concerns us because He will not forsake the work of His grace. Severe trials in the lives of Christians produce perseverance, not apostasy.

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The NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE—UPDATED EDITION is the source of all Scripture quotations in this message, unless otherwise noted.