We will study God’s prohibitions to preachers because, nowadays, there are many religious organizations that do not implement God’s prohibitions and restrictions. Their members are free to do anything they please. They impose no sanctions either. That is, even if they know that gambling is prohibited, the member could still gamble. Their pastor wouldn’t mind it, especially if he happens to be one of the top donors in the church. Even if the pastor tells them that they should not kill, they would neither be excommunicated should they happen to commit murder. They will remain to be members of the church. They practically tolerate their members from doing whatever they want to do.
But biblically speaking, God has an appropriate measure to every person who transgresses the law and to those who do things which are against the will of God. The don’ts, or the prohibitions, that we are going to study are being violated by many preachers today. But, on our part, we would like to be as truthful as we can be because those prohibitions are clearly stated in the Bible.
This time, we will talk about the proper way by which preachers should treat their members, and how, in turn, members should regard their pastors or preachers. Sometimes, the members are unaware that what their pastors are doing is wrong because they were not taught of what were written in the Bible; aside from the fact that their pastors are not teaching them those things. Let us begin by referring to 2 Corinthians 12:14, which says - “Behold the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you; for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for their children.”
Did you get the idea what St. Paul was trying to convey? He was telling the Christians in Corinth that he was coming. But he assured them that he would not be a burden to any of them. He said, “… I seek not yours, but you …” He was seeking, not their possessions, but his brethren. He even added that, it is improper that children lay up for their parents. Instead, the parents are the ones who should lay up for their children. Paul used the parent-child relationship to illustrate the ideal preacher-member relationship. A preacher should be a parent to his flock. This is what 1 Thessalonians 2:7 say - “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherished her children:”
St. Paul compared their gentleness to a nurse who displays the same gentleness to her children. The shepherd-flock relationship has been likened to a Parent-child relationship. And because of that, we must realize the privilege given to a child by his parents. As mentioned by St. Paul, this privilege is that, the parents are the ones who ought to save for their children, and not the children for their parents.
As a parent, do you prefer that your child is the one who is working while you are just loafing? Or, would you rather work for your children? Isn’t it more ideal to see the parents working for the welfare of their children . . . that they are the ones planning for what is best for their children?
That is why, in a preacher-member, or shepherd-flock, relationship, the greater sacrifice ought to be rendered by the preacher. He is the one who makes sacrifices; he is the one who gives way. And he has a greater accountability. It is just like what a hen does for her chicks. When other people maltreat, or chase, her young, she is there to protect and defend them. And that is how a preacher should protect and defend his flock. If there are enemies, he should be in the frontline. [continue to next page]