A pastor straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel - Mt 23:24 -

The original Korean text: https://blog.naver.com/stevision/220467235217

 

>> You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! (Mt 23:24) <<

 

 

Pastor Kim strived hard to make a large church. He let his son study theology. The son went to the United States to study. However, the father pastor gave devout instruction to his son, saying, "Don't rely on me, but only on God. From now on, get your own tuition for yourself." The son had a great deal of trouble getting his degree in USA, and returned home. And the father pastor handed over his church to his son.

 

Concerning this, Jesus already said that there would be hypocritical religioners who would strain out a gnat for God and swallow God's camel. I don't think it's a desirable attitude that the father pastor, who could have supported his son who was a student, didn't support him. It's not a good religious measure to tell people to live intentionally a hard life. Moreover, if such measures were parts of preparations for justifying the church succession from father to son, how hypocritical!

 

Since the son became a pastor, the son also became a pastor Kim. In my judgment, pastor Kim (the son pastor) seems to be a true Christian in heart, and he doesn't seem so hypocritical. I can see him trying to live in accordance with God's will.

 

However, pastor Kim, who inherited his father's church, was burdened with a heavy disgraceful personal history. He has to suffer from the stigma of 'a man who inherited his father's church' all the days of his life. Perhaps thanks to that, he tends to preach defensive sermons that justify himself, and can't affirmatively tell of the sacrifice of oneself for the glory of God. He became a lamed pastor. And pastor Kim overreacts to others' criticisms. How could he act otherwise? But hasn't he chosen his own path? Pastor Kim, maybe to justify his hereditary church succession, constantly criticizes external criticisms and implicitly tries to make his qualification of a servant of God stand out. In the meantime, he, too, unintentionally criticizes others.

 

This is a story from one of his sermons. Pastor Kim invited to his church wives of the pastors of other small churches, to treat them well and comfort them. But one of the women came no more after several visits. So the wife of the pastor Kim called her and asked why she did not come. And the woman answered her, "Pastor Kim, your husband, had a wonderful father, so he can minister at a large church now and invite others to do them favor. If my husband also had a capable father, I could do good works like you. I came to dislike you and couldn't take part in the feasts any more." And pastor Kim said in the sermon, "I had a good father, so I am ministering at a large church. So what? (What shall I do? Was it by my choice that I had a great father?)"

 

Pastor Kim, so Jesus said, "Let your left hand not know what your right hand does." (Do not do good works publicly in your name!)

 

Don't try to be respected by others, and don't even expect too much from them. They naturally don't have feelings of love and respect for you. So what? (Should they even respect you unwillingly just because you're a pastor?) Isn't it fair when the more respect and love should be directed to the pastors ministering in tears in small churches? Isn't it unfair if you are loved and respected more than they are? (I do not respect you, either. But this does not mean that I hate you.)

 

It was your choice, so you can't blame others.

 

The primary responsibility for a person's emotions lies with the person himself, but sometimes the Holy Spirit controls people's emotions. When the Virgin Mary visited Elisabeth, who was pregnant with John, the yet unborn John rejoiced. That joy must be caused by the Holy Spirit. Is it just because the saints have a small faith that they do not respect the pastors who have received the churches from their fathers? The pastors might think, 'Anyway I'm a pastor and is ministering in this church. So the saints should have a great faith and honor me as a servant of God.' But, do only the saints have a small faith? Don't the pastors have a small faith, so that they have gone an easy way of the hereditary succession of the church? Who have the less faith in the sight of God?

 

 

>>All things are possible for the saints, but not all things are beneficial. The Bible does not say explicitly that the hereditary succession of the church is impossible, however, it says that we all should do everything for the glory of God.<<