How men love titles! Does your “pastor” like to be called “doctor” or even “pastor”? Are such titles biblical for the gathered people of God? The 
author gives this peek into today’s message:
Now to grasp another nettle. Titles. The New Testament never uses any title for any man in the church. What is more, it categorically forbids it. Nowadays, however, most Christians do use titles – or one in particular – and do so without turning a hair, even though it contradicts Christ’s plain command. Complaining of the scribes and Pharisees who loved ‘to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them “Rabbi”’, Christ said: But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’, for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call any one on earth ‘father’, for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher’, for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matt. 23:1-12). But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for one is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call any one on earth your father… And do not be called teachers… But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (NKJV).
Christ Alone Wyoming 
This is from A. W. Pink…
What strange methods God sometimes employs in teaching His Children much needed lessons! This has recently been the writer’s experience. I have been approached by a “university” to accept from them a degree of “D. D.” Asking for time to be given so that I might prayerfully seek from God, through His written word, a knowledge of His will, fuller light came than was expected. I had very serious doubt’s as to the permissibility of one of God’s servants accepting a title of fleshly honor. I now perceive that it is wrong for me to receive it even complimentary. Various friends, as a mark of respect, have addressed me as “Dr. Pink.” I now ask them to please CEASE from doing so. Let it not be understood that I hereby condemn other men for what they allow. No, to their own Master they stand or fall. The principal passages which have helped me I now mention, praying that it may please God to also bless them to others.
FIRST, to the false comforters of Job, Elihu (God’s representative) said. “Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give FLATTERING TITLES unto men” (Job 32:31). SECOND, “Be NOT ye called Rabbi” or teacher” (Matthew 23:8), which is what “Doctor” signifies. THIRD, John 5:44 reproves those who “receive honor one of another” and bids us seek “the honor that cometh from God ONLY.” FOURTH, none of the Lord’s servants in the New Testament ever employed a title. “Paul, an apostle, “but never “the apostle Paul.” FIFTH, the Son of God “made Himself of no reputation” (Phil. 2:7); is it then fitting that His servants should now follow an opposite course? SIXTH, Christ bids us learn of Him who was “meek and lowly” (Matthew 11:29). SEVENTH, one of the marks of the apostasy as “having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage” (Jude 17). EIGHTH, we are bidden to go forth unto Christ outside the camp “bearing His reproach” (Heb. 13:13).
For these reasons it does not seem to me to be fitting that one who is here as a representative and witness for a “despised and rejected” Christ should be honored and flattered of men. Please address me as “BROTHER PINK”
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In my concordance I can find no verse where any Apostles refers to himself as anything other than as either a slave or a teacher as an Apostle. The Apostles, the foundation stones of the church refused take on a title. As pointed out, Jesus Himself forbids it. Doing so also can easily cause pastors and elders to stumble. How easy to drift from being a foot washing servant into a top dog bully. Our carnal flesh all to easily can become prideful and puffed up. To many pastors live inside their pastoral bubble. Aside from a few back bitters everyone smiles and greets the pastor. He is never at a loss of friendly invitations. He remains oblivious to the sad reality that 90% of the flock remains utterly deprived of any such love attention and fellowship, It is a form of idolatry to give any man reverence and or glory that belongs exclusively to God.
It gives the flock the false impression that only titled clergy need to aspire to meet the high standards required of elders.
I have no idea how many church elders or current pastors read D/C. I am not aware that any of these men have commented on this series, curious to say the least.
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Thanks for dropping by ya’ll! As always, even as the LORD has commented, the old paths He has laid out are the right ones, not the ones we choose.
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Manfred,
You may enjoy this one as well….
Man-made ministers!
From Spurgeon’s, “The Two Effects of the Gospel”
The ministry has been very often degraded into a ‘trade’.
They are ‘selected by man’, they are crammed with literature;
they are educated up to a certain point; they are turned out
ready dressed; and persons call them ‘ministers’.
I wish them all God-speed, every one of them; for as
good Joseph Irons used to say, “God be with many of them,
if it be only to make them hold their tongues.”
Man-made ministers are of no use in this world,
and the sooner we get rid of them the better.
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Worth noting is that Emergent deceivers like Brian McLaren would have us return only part of the way into the past, Rather than returning to the Apostolic teachings he would usher us to selective patristic teachings. The former leads us to Christ alone the latter leads us to corrupted Rome.
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Spurgeon nailed it on that comment! I’ve been convinced for some time now that the Southern Baptist Convention is mostly a group of back-slapping, ladder-climbing men-pleasers; from such turn away! They are back-biters and gospel-haters for the most part.
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I agree Manfred, the SBC is a man made organized ‘religion’ that is just as deadly as the RCC. They do not have the things of God at heart, rather, it is the things of men they strive after. They use the name of Christ as a means to deceive, for their own agenda. The more I see of ‘organized religion’, the less I want anything to do with it. Christ is our great Shepherd, the Holy Spirit our Teacher, and God our Father.
‘Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. ‘ Psalm 146:3 The LORD has warned us about man, as well as deception that comes from man. May those who are His heed the warnings and flee from these hucksters and their organized religion, which is spawned from evil.
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