A pastor provides a setting for edification, exhortation, and comfort for the church, a place where the Holy Spirit is free to function. He is not shepherd of the church. That is Jesus by the Holy Spirit for each individual. However pastor is careful to see that the church gatherings edify the body of Christ in every way. (Building the church in faith in God founded on truth of the Holy Bible.)
Exhortations are also important for they warn the church. (exhort: advice and warning)
And certainly comfort by the scripture through the power of the Holy Spirit is appropriate.
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The apostle Paul presents an instruction for the gathering of the church as follows:
I Corinthians 14
27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
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James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
* visit means: judge the condition of the fatherless and widows in their affliction to see if there is any "need".
* keep himself unspotted from the world: live godly lives unaffected from sins of the world such as those in I Corinthians 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexual), nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
First, the pastor must live a godly personal life in Christ Jesus. Then pastor, after setting example for the other men in the church, keeps order in the church by not allowing sin into the church.
I Corinthians 5 (Paul says:)
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
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10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
(We are not supposed to judge the world. God will do that. But we, the church, are supposed to judge the church.)
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
Paul is telling us not to keep company with anyone who is a "brother" who is committing sins of fornication, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
Put such a person out of the church. A "brother" who is doing such already knows that is a sin. Therefore you cannot counsel him and set him straight for to try to do that will "crucify Jesus afresh".
Hebrews 6
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put HIM to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
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Hebrews 10
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know HIM that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto ME, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge HIS people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
We must understand from the scriptures that we cannot restore a brother who had been enlightened. If we do as Paul says and turn that brother over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh by putting him out of the church and by refusing to keep company with him, we give chance for his spirit to be saved in the day of the Lord.
TV preacher, Jimmy Swaggart, was caught with a prostitute. He came on his TV show with tears running down his face saying, "I have sinned,"
The leadership of the "Assembly of God" church decided to counsel "brother" Swaggart and pray for him and let him continue to be a minister. They did not follow the rules set for the church by the apostle Paul in I Corinthians 5.
Then a second time Swaggart was caught with another prostitute. This time Jimmy Swaggart said that the Lord said it was "flat out" nobody's business what he did.
Then the leadership of the "Assembly of God" church defrocked Jimmy Swaggart.
(That didn't affect Swaggart. He just kept preaching on his TV program.)
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Sinners in the church! A terrible thing.
The church are those who are "saved", born again, having the Holy Spirit of God.
I Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
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There are several scriptures in the Old Testament speaking of pastors:
- Jeremiah 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of MY pasture! saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to MINE heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Jeremiah 12:10 Many pastors have destroyed MY vineyard, they have trodden MY portion under foot, they have made MY pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
- Jeremiah 10:21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
Jeremiah 22:22 The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.
Jeremiah 2:8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew ME not: the pastors also transgressed against ME, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
- Jeremiah 23:2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed MY people; Ye have scattered MY flock, and driven them away, and have not visited (judged) them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
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- Paul warns us about the evil in the church in the last days and especially evil done by the pastors in the church in the end time which we live in today.
- 2 Timothy 3 (Paul says)
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
(They have a form of godliness such as attending church but they will not live by the instructions of Christ by the Word of God. From such turn away.)
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
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- 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you:
18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
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- Ministers of Satan: (Paul says)
- 2 Corinthians 11
12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
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- Jesus speaks of false ministers and false Christians who do not have the Spirit of God, but put themselves into the church in the end times.
- Matthew 24
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and HIS disciples came to HIM for to shew HIM the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as HE sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto HIM privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of THY coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in MY name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
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- 2 Timothy 3
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of WHOM thou hast learned them;
(We learned spiritual truths from God by HIS Spirit.)
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
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Jesus tells us the last days before the end of this world, the times will be so evil that if the days were not shortened even the elect would not be saved.
Matthew 24
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
(I think we are close to being in that time now because there is so much evil in the churches and in the world, how much longer could it continue.)
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Pastors must lead by being godly ... and the church must be filled with the godly.
Instead I am finding the apostasy in the churches that I visit today where doctrines of Christ are perverted and antichrist reigns in the heart of disobedient people who love their church more than they love the Holy Scriptures.
The church is often a show instead of holy.
Faith is a sham when professed.
When tested you will see.
It will get worse and worse until Jesus comes and then Jesus will destroy the apostate churches and take the elect of God to heaven to live in the new heaven and new earth created by God for HIS children.
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Destruction of the apostate churches.
2 Thessalonians 2
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of HIS mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of HIS coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
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Matthew 24
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
(Why will they "mourn" when they see Jesus coming? Why not rejoice? Because they do not belong to Jesus and it will be the end for them.)
31 And HE shall send HIS angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together HIS elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
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The gathering of the church should be structured to: edification, exhortation, comfort
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