Thoughts From 2Timothy 2 - Part 5

  In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.   2Tim.2:20-22

      Jesus once taught that if salt loses its saltiness, it's only good for throwing out on the street like gravel, no longer effective for its original purpose but still serves a purpose. Paul taught in Corinthians, in his analogy of the body, that certain parts are essential yet covered or treated with modesty. I think that in the church, some people have sinned so flagrantly and visibly from the evil desires of youth (youth is relative I think), that their function in the church or role needs to be one of background ministry.

       For example, if a pastor cheats on his wife, I don't think he should be restored back to that ministry. Maybe he can head up addiction or counseling ministry or become the administrative or business pastor, but I feel he's been disqualified from being the face of the church and encouraging people on how to live from the pulpit while he can't follow his own advice. Some would say adultery is a sin just like any other. My response is but it's so public. It's like preaching wearing a scarlet letter. I go as far as saying preachers shouldn't be obese because they are publicly saying, "I have the sins of gluttony and lack of self-control." I'm sure that's considered "fat-shaming". I'm guilty as charged. Once again, it doesn't mean that they can't serve the church in a huge way, maybe even more important than the preacher, say as the pastor of outreach and evangelism or missions, but there are certain roles, maybe just one, they shouldn't fill. Being a complementarian, I feel the same could be said of women especially according to Paul's first letter to Timothy, this being different in the fact that it's more creation order and design rather than sin, although there is the lingering result of Eve's sin to consider, too.

      I like the example of a tree being turned into lumber. A tree could be cut into beautiful uniform boards that are nailed and shaped into a pulpit that the preacher stands behind week after week with hundreds or thousands looking directly at it. Also, from that tree was a plank with a huge unsightly knot in it. That plank should not be part of the pulpit but yet it could be part of a floorboard covered in carpet that the preacher stands on while changing lives for 50 years of ministry. No one saw the board, but it played just as vital a part as the board in the pulpit that was visible to all.

      It seems unfair or graceless or merciless to keep a person like Billy Graham's son-in-law out of the pulpit for a sin he committed years ago, or not wanting a divorced pastor, no matter how gifted they are to be your preacher. And yes, our church has glaring weaknesses from not having women's wisdom in the diaconate. And maybe I just think obesity, as a doctor, is gross and I'm biased. But I think the worldly view that power, fame, notoriety is more to be desired than faithful anonymous service has crept into the church making us unwise in making people too visible and exposing the church to charges of hypocrisy from the world. Sin disqualifies us from certain offices, and I stand by that and I think Paul does, too.