My Calling as a Pastor

As a pastor, I have these marching orders from my Commander (Timothy was a pastor):

1 Timothy 1:3, remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine

1 Timothy 1:10, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.

1 Timothy 4:1, Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons

(Lies — Eve – good food, good to have, make wise.  Of demons — Satan – has God said? you will not! you will be!)

1 Timothy 4:6, If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.

1 Timothy 4:13, Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

1 Timothy 4:16, Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.  Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.  (WOW!  PK – Beware!)

1 Timothy 5:17, Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

1 Timothy 6:1, Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed.

1 Timothy 6:3, If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness

2 Timothy 3:10, You have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, patience, love

2 Timothy 3:16, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

2 Timothy 4:3, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers.

Doctrine! Doctrine!  Doctrine!  Twelve times Jesus charges His pastor to be diligent with doctrine.  Doctrine is knowing, applying, and guarding the truths from God.  To be good in some doctrines and lax in others is not satisfactory.  The pastor must be diligent in all areas which means prophecy, the roles of men and women, the ways of evangelism, how a church is to be managed (I Tim. 3:15), etc.

At GCC, we just finished a long preaching series in Job. We saw where Job had three men give him counsel (maybe like pastors today) who believed there was a God, that God is holy and hates sin, that men sin, that men must confess and repent, and that God can restore.  BUT, God was not happy with them!

Job 42:7, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends. 

42:8, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.  God was not happy being misrepresented and He threatened them with discipline.

I Timothy 1:18-20, This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.  Here we find two pastor types being put under church discipline for undermining the glory of God and His workings (faith) and serving to harden/hurt people’s conscience (giving permission and push to pursue worldly or troubling things).

The Pastor calling is serious – really serious!  Consider these phrases about pastoral service from I Corinthians 3:

9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building…But let each one take heed how he builds on it…each one’s work will become clear…because it will be revealed by fire…If anyone’s work…endures, he will receive a reward.  If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss.

This serving God as a Pastor is a very high calling – and a dangerous one! One must be driven to knowing and following the truth and when error arises, the pastor has NO choice but to sound the alarm!