A good model for pastors – Ex 32:27-32

The original Korean text: http://blog.naver.com/stevision/50025358760

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There are several churches in Korea that have tens of thousands of registered believers. (I don't think they are normal or recommendable. But ...) They are quite large branch families in the house of God. In the Old Testament, God entrusted the whole of his house (his church) to a man, who is Moses. When Aaron and Miriam stood up against Moses, God told that he regarded Moses as his special servant and said so.

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In the New Testament as well, Moses was introduced as a servant in charge of the whole house of God. In contrast, Jesus is introduced as the Son of God. Therefore, if you examine closely the behavior of Moses, the faithful servant of God who took charge of the whole church, you'll find a good prototype of pastor (servant of God) in him.

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The good nature of Moses as a pastor is well demonstrated when Israel served the golden calf. At that time, Moses killed the men involved in the idol, for God's sake. There was a lot of bloodshed on the day. After removing the sins from the Israelites, on the side of God, at the great expense, Moses came to God and asked him to forgive the sins of Israel, saying, "Forsake me if you do not forgive them!" The right pastor is the right mediator. In relation to the saints, he must, standing on God's side, teach them by the word of God. on the contrary, he must stand on the side of the saints and show his willingness to bear the sins of the saints before God.

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Let's assume that there is a secret adulterer in the church. An unwholesome pastor will smile at him and say to him, "God is love, so he forgives and blesses us always!" But as soon as he disappears from his sight, he will pray to God, "Oh! God, when will you get rid of him? I'm dying because of him!"

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A wholesome pastor, on the contrary, will meet the adulterer personally, rebuke him and tell him to quit the wicked deed. However, if the man does not hearken to the exhortation, the pastor will excommunicate him from the church according to the law of the church. Nevertheless he will never cease giving intercessory prayer to God and will ask him to make the man return to a normal believer. This is the way in which the adulterer can live, the church can live, and the pastor is recognized as a good pastor by God.

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Of course, we all know that. However the reality is not so. Because of the fear that his soul will perhaps die if he is disciplined. However, a patient has to get rid of the affected part to live. There is no side effect in preaching the word of God as it is, because the Holy Spirit works through the word of God, and because God works responsibly where the word of God is declared.

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All authority comes from God. God divided the authority in two, the secular authority and the religious authority. A judge in a country is a servant of God. The judge adjudicates the sinners by their conscience within the law. A judge may at his discretion sentence the criminals to prison or give him probation or a suspended sentence. Broadly, his discretion is given by God. By the way, does he hear the direct revelation from God as he makes such judgements? God does not work like that. God makes the system of state and the law of state. And he appoints judges to apply the law to the criminals according to their conscience.

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Let's look at the religious authority. God has already instituted the church law, the Bible. And he made those who studied the Bible a lot his servants. And he gave his servants the freedom of judgment of blessing and discipline within the scope of the Scripture. Therefore, if God's servant declares blessings or judgments upon the saints, they are valid if they are declared in the range of the Bible, even when there is no direct revelation (or directions) from God. Jesus said to his disciples, "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Mt 16:19)"

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It would be difficult for a pastor to publicly curse the members of his church who are causing trouble. But it will be a dereliction of duty if the pastor does not stop him who are willing to destroy the church, so that the church is devastated. The church has procedures to discipline laymen and clergy. Protecting the church by using them as the last resort is not to be blamed.

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Sins such as are done to individuals could be forgiven with infinite love. But you must exercise the spiritual authority against those who would destroy the church, hurt the glory of God, and hinder the servant of God in his work. This is biblical. This is one of the useful means to beat Satan's children.