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09-25-2008, 08:16 AM
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Natal Transvaal
Posts: 5,632
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Re: Eldership
Quote:
There is another useage, I believe, which is germane to the discussion. It is hinted at in the second body of your text, but it finds an explicit expression elsewhere that is, to me, significant. It is at the start of John's second epistle. "The elder to the chosen lady..." John is an elder, I think, in line with Peter Debelak's 'alternate' reading of I Tim. chapter 5. "The elderly among you who are serving deserve double honor etc." John is writing not as an officeholder; he is not an apostle, disciple, deacon, bishop, or anything else; he is the aged brother in faith. His maturity grants him the perspective to speak certain things, which he could not have shared in his younger years. Because of his spiritual experiences, it would behoove the younger believers to listen and "heed" (not obey, in the secular sense, but rather take under advisement) his counsel. For example, a counselor may advise his/her client to take a certain course of action, but the responsibility of action still remains on the client. Elders can, and should, advise. This is part of shepherding, along with being an example. But to "command the troops" is a misguided reading, I think. And to those who deign to place themselves "above" the elders, whether they call themselves bishops, apostles, "serving ones" or "blended ones" or whatever, don't seem to have any mandate in the Word to be telling assemblies of believers what to do. They can counsel, yes, but we can ignore thier counsel and be "different" as the GLA churches decided to be. The "sheepcloth" came off the "wolf" with the quarantine of the GLA brethren, in my view. Also, John gives some counsel in the first epistle on elders and younger ones, does he not? That might be profitable to look at. That said, your survey of the literature was a helpful guide, thanks. |
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