Expository Moments

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Submission in the Workplace

In our third installment of Pastor Conrad Mbewe’s teaching from 1 Peter, this dear servant of the Lord continues to meddle in our business! Not only have we been taught the basic biblical principles of submission and authority, and why and how to submit to political authority, Pastor Mbewe now invades our inner sanctuary of the workplace!

The biblical principles of submission to proper authority and how to properly exercise authority do not change with circumstances. Just because your boss doesn’t see things your way does not give you – or me – an excuse to work against him.

In today’s segment, let the Word of God continue its work in your life – breaking down strongholds of sin and conforming you to the Christ.

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Submission to Political Authority

It’s easy – regardless of one’s given political bent – to look at any government and take offense. And develop a hard attitude of rebellion against it. Some go beyond and engage in acts of rebellion.

Christians are reminded in myriad Scriptures, clearly in Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2, that we are to obey earthly governments, as there are NONE which are not established by Him. And Scripture tells us God considers rebellion against legitimate authority as witchcraft in 1 Sam 15.

Let us not, then, be too quick or casual in developing a rebellious attitude towards our government – though we may have serious, well thought-out reasons for disagreement. Our first aim is to honor God. As He put it in 1 Peter 2 – “Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.”

With that set-up, here is the second in a series of six messages from Conrad Mbewe from 1 Peter on Submission and Authority. The first message is here: http://defendingcontending.com/2011/04/11/submission-and-authority/.

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Submission and Authority

My church hosted a small conference this past weekend, featuring Pastor Conrad Mbewe from Zambia. Pastor Mbewe is  the current pastor of Kabwata Reformed Baptist Church in Lusaka, Zambia, Africa. He is widely regarded as the African Spurgeon. KBC is presently overseeing the establishment of ten new Reformed churches in Zambia and Botswana. Conrad is the editor of Reformation Zambia magazine and writes three columns in two weekly national newspapers. His most recent contribution to a book is found in Dear Timothy—Letters on Pastoral Ministry, published by Founders Press. He is also the principal of the Reformed Baptist Preachers College in Zambia. He blogs at A Letter from Kabwata.

Here is the first of six messages delivered on the broad subject of Submission & Authority, from the book of 1 Peter. I will post the remaining messages every couple of days and pray the Lord opens your understanding of His sovereignty and provision.

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The Power of the Preacher

“Brethren, we shall not adjust our Bible to the age; but before we have done with it, by God’s grace, we shall adjust the age to the Bible.

“We shall not fall into the error of that absent-minded doctor who had to cook for himself an egg; and, therefore, depositing his watch in the saucepan, he stood steadfastly looking at the egg. The change to be wrought is not for the Divine chronometer, but for the poor egg of human thought. We make no mistake here; we shall not watch our congregation to take our cue from it, but we shall keep our eye on the infallible Word, and preach according to its instructions.

“Our Master sits on high, and not in the chairs of the scribes and doctors, who regulate the theories of the century. We cannot take our key-note from the wealthier people, nor from the leading officers, nor even from the former minister.

“How often have we heard an excuse for heresy made out of the desire to impress “thoughtful young men”! Young men, whether thoughtful or otherwise, are best impressed by the gospel, and it is folly to dream that any preaching which leaves out the truth is suitable to men, either old or young. We shall not quit the Word to please the young men, nor even the young women.

“This truckling to young men is a mere pretence; young men are no more fond of false doctrine than are the middle-aged; and if they are, there is so much the more necessity to teach them better. Young men are more impressed by the old gospel than by ephemeral speculations.

“If any of you wish to preach a gospel that will be pleasing to the times, preach it in the power of the devil, and I have no doubt that he will willingly do his best for you. It is not to such servants of men that I desire to speak just now.

“I trust that, if ever any of you should err from the faith, and take up with the new theology, you will be too honest to pray for power from God with which to preach that mischievous delusion if you should do so, you will be guilty of constructive blasphemy.

“No, brethren, it is not our object to please men, but our design is far nobler.”

C.H. Spurgeon

 

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Is Your Pastor Wimpy?

The Bible tells pastors – those who are called to shepherd the souls within a local church – to preach the whole counsel of His Word. Those who fail to do so will answer to God. Those who fail to do so because they value the opinion of man over the approval of God will be put to shame on Judgment Day.

What follows is good counsel for pastor and flock.

From: http://www.oldtruth.com/blog.cfm/id.2.pid.412

Pastors, is Your Preaching Wimpy?

Quoting James White . . .

When Paul spoke to the Ephesian elders in his final meeting with them, he said these words: “Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” (Acts 20:26-27) The true preacher of the Word seeks to have this as his ambition as well. God is not honored when men think so little of Him and so highly of themselves that they edit the content of the proclamation for the fear of the face of men and so that they may be considered “successful” in some worldly sense. It is a fearful thing to be unfaithful to the task of preaching “the whole counsel of God.” Keeping this in mind, I would like to point out the fact that there are religious hypocrites in the church. There were even in the days of Paul, as he names some by name. But today one looks for the true believer as the oddity in evangelical churches filled with unregenerate men and women who have been fooled into thinking you can shake a man’s hand, say some magical words that are not joined with any kind of repentance or understanding of the gospel itself, and you have your “ticket punched” and you are on your way to heaven. The result is that any time you would dare to preach the soul-searching passages of Scripture that expose sin and hypocrisy and false faith you will hear the howl of the religious hypocrite from front row to back. Which is why you can observe major “ministries” today that are completely focused upon avoiding any form of offense of the natural man, just so long as they are there on Sunday morning and drop a little something in the plate to help you pay for your massive sports arena. But even the best church will have false professors in its midst, men and women who, for various reasons, may well play the religion game quite well for an amazingly long time. Some do it for family reasons, some just because they were raised that way, some for acceptance–but in any case, they attend services, may even be involved in ministry, but their hearts are unchanged, their faith in word only. …

So the question I have to ask of many who stand behind pulpits today is this: is your preaching so wimpy it would never trouble a religious hypocrite, and never result in such a person fleeing its proclamation so as to run to man’s religions for refuge?

Do you pull back on those elements of God’s truth that are the most offensive to the natural man because you do not wish to see that disdainful look, that annoyed shaking of the head? Do you really distrust the ministry of the Spirit to make the Word of Christ to come alive in the hearts and minds of Christ’s sheep, so that you do not need to worry about those who find offense at His truth? Or have you embraced the spirit of the age which places man’s fragile emotions upon the seat of prominence, and have bought into the idea that to be “loving” means to never give offense to anyone (well, except for God–it is fine to offend Him by thinking yourself so wise you can edit out what shouldn’t be in the gospel in our day)?

Would your teaching and proclamation allow a religious hypocrite to remain safely and comfortably ensconced in the congregation for years on end, never offended, never convicted? Finally, if such a hypocrite does leave and make a show of embracing heresy just to spite you, do you sting with embarrassment, or rejoice that God’s Word continues to work in the hearts of men and women, some to His glory in their salvation, and some to His glory in their damnation? Think about it.

From: Alpha and Omega Ministries Blog