A Hill Worth Living On

We 'gracers' often sing,
"I’m gonna die on the battlefield,
I’m gonna die in the war ...."
I’d always thought of that song in a positive way, to say I’m willing to take a stand for the Lord and His holy word, even under pressure and ridicule from opposition.

With all the commotion swirling about the "pastor-bishop" issue, I find myself questioning, "What’s all the fuss?"

1) We have plain, clear KJV verses .... GOD’s holy, true word.

2) The verses are found in the epistles of OUR apostle Paul .... that tell us the name (or title, if you will) for the office we man-preachers in local congregations of churches hold. It is the office of a bishop:

1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

3) This is a good work,
which we may abound in, by God’s all-sufficient grace (2 Cor 9:8),
which we might be fruitful in (Col 1:10),
which we may be stablished in (2 Thes 2:17),
which we should be ready to (Titus 3:1),
which we ought to be prepared unto:

2 Tim 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

Aren’t we the group who fearlessly proclaims, "The Bible says what it means .... and it means what it says!"? We bravely defend our grace fortress and insist to others, "Don’t change that word ‘dispensation’!" It appears to me like we won’t take our own medicine that we boldly cram down the throats of "born-again, Spirit-filled, tongues-speaking, faith-healing, (maybe even back-slidden) disciples."

When we are wrong about something, the best plan of action is to do the right thing, right away. We should admit our mistake, correct it, and go on. After all, that’s what we ask others to do, who aren’t "right-dividers" like us.

I can’t imagine why anyone would think ‘bishop’ is a ‘flattering’ title, and so avoid it .... but then think ‘pastor’ and ‘deacon’ are okay and acceptable titles. That is a double standard.

Job 32:21,22 Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.
22 For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.

I’ve listened to recorded messages on the ‘pastor-bishop’ issue. I’ve heard audio excerpts or clips on the subject being passed around over the internet. I’m aware that some grace ‘pastors’ want to continue to hold on to their Living Bible title (pastor in 1 Tim 3:1), by claiming the word ‘pastors’ is a ‘good KJV’ word (7 times in Jeremiah, 1 time by Paul).

Eph 4:8,11 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
11 And he gave some, apostles;
and some, prophets;
and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers;

It is generally understood that the super-natural gifts are not still being given today, however, there are some that insist their ‘work’ is still going on. So .... I can’t help but wondering, who are the apostles among us? Was it a prophet's prediction that everybody must choose the hill they’re willing to die on? Well, I personally think standing for the final authority of words in the KJV is as good a hill as any! So whether one is willing to live or die or be thrown under the bus .... right here is a perfectly good place. What better cause?

God knows I’ve tried to sound an alarm and wake up sleeping ‘pastors’ who, for years have been following traditions of religious denominations, maybe even unwittingly, instead of the pure KJV words. It is a dis-grace for ‘grace preachers’ who constantly teach the saints ‘who they are in Christ’ .... to be confused about the title of their own office. What nonsense!

What does all this have to do with being a servant? Let’s let the scripture provide the answer:

Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

As servants of the Lord, I believe we are doing a dis-service both to Him and to those people we serve .... by not desiring the title of the office in which we’re serving.

Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

Paul stood on a hill and said some hard things to his audience:

Acts 17:22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

It is the office of a bishop (1 Tim 3:1). I’m standing on the word of God (the final authority). Wow! What a hill worth living on!

This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"

An Open or Shut Case?

There are some things we ought to ‘open up’ about! Paul requested the saints at Ephesus to pray for him to ‘speak out’ the mystery revelation God gave him. He was already imprisoned for it .... but he still did not want to cease and desist, even in jail:

Eph 6:18-20 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me,
that I may open my mouth boldly,
to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds:
that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Many of us quit defending every word of God in the KJV or we stop talking about sound doctrine, if we just suspect others are whispering about us. At even the slightest hint we may be ruffling some feathers, how quickly we drop the sword of the Spirit and retreat! But not so with Paul:

Acts 16:19-25 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Being cheerful during great distress and persecution (bodily harm) is certainly noble, and entirely possible, when walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh. In the context of writing about a bishop’s responsibility, Paul described some folks that should keep their mouths closed:

Titus 1:9-11 (vs. 7, "A bishop must be" ....) Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

Paul told ‘who’ needs to shut up. It is certainly not the bishops!

This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"