Romans 12:3-8
Introduction - 3 Principles, 3 Errors
Pastor Martin introduces a series on the biblical call to the pastoral office, emphasizing three foundational principles and three common errors. He expounds Romans 12:3-8, James 3:1, and 1 Timothy 3:1-7 to establish the biblical warrant for sober self-assessment, the solemn warning against hasty entry into teaching, and the encouragement coupled with God's non-negotiable standards for elders. Martin warns against subjective, mystical, or ecclesiastical-succession-based views of calling, advocating for a call discerned through ordinary means and conformity to scriptural qualifications within the church.
Primary Texts
Topics
Outline 7 sections · 72 min
- Introduction to the Pastoral Theology Course and the Term 'Pastoral' 0:01
- Biblical Warrant for Addressing the Call to Ministry 4:10
- Personal Fears in Addressing the Call to Ministry 17:35
- Foundational Principle 1: The Realm of Experimental Divinity 23:09
- Foundational Principle 2: Ordinary vs. Extraordinary Office 37:45
- Foundational Principle 3: The Biblical Teaching on Elders 49:46
- Fundamental Errors Regarding the Call to Ministry 61:42
Key Quotes
“So here the obligation is laid upon every man. To give himself to an exercise of sober thinking.”
“Knowing that we shall receive greater or heavier judgment.”
“If there is such a longing and lusting for the office. That desire is toward a good work. But implicit in the text is that such seeking and desiring are not evil.”
“When I think upon the all but infinite mischief which may result from a mistake as to our calling for the Christian pastorate I feel overwhelmed with fear and that may be the case.”
“Under what rubric does this question of the call to the ministry fit it doesn't fit under systematic theology it doesn't fit under historical theology doesn't fit even primarily under what we would say exegetical theology but it fits under the theology of Christian experience or what the old writers would call experimental divinity.”
“The call to the ministry then is to be found like the call of every other duty in the teaching of god's revealed word the holy spirit and the holy spirit has ceased to give direct revelations to which we say amen.”
“Some people seem to imagine that some voice is to be heard some impression to be felt or some impulse to be given to the soul they hardly know what or whence which is to force the man into the ministry without rational or scriptural deliberation.”
“We do not approach this as some kind of idealistic standard but not really attainable and in reality negotiable if we're going to get anybody to get into the ministry no we have no right whatsoever to latch our consciences to any other standard other than that which god himself has given us and that standard is clearly set forth in these passages that we have mentioned.”
Applications
Pastors & those called to ministry
- Those involved in confirming a man's call must never go beyond the law and rule of Christ as set forth in Scripture.
All listeners
- Every Christian is called to sober self-assessment regarding their spiritual gifts and potential call to ministry.
- Do not hastily rush into an office involving public teaching and instruction of others.
- If you have a desire for the pastoral office, wrestle with the question: 'Do I meet the biblical standard?'
- Settle in your own mind with judgment day honesty whether or not you ought to be in the pastoral office.
- Don't put all your eggs in one basket; don't take your definitive counsel from one man when discerning a call.
- Prove all things by the Scriptures, putting all counsel to the test of God's Word.
- Do not separate yourself from the multitude of counselors in whom there is safety.
- Do not revert to principles operative in a framework when direct and special revelation was being given for discerning a call.
- Do not approach biblical standards for ministry as idealistic or negotiable, but as non-negotiable requirements.
- Individual conviction of a call cannot overpower or overturn the judgment of the church, which acts in dependence upon the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scriptures.
A full transcript is available on the tab. 155 paragraphs, roughly 72 minutes.
Introduction to the Pastoral Theology Course and the Term 'Pastoral'
The following lecture is part of the Pastoral Theology course given at the Trinity Ministerial Academy in Montville, New Jersey.
Now as you look at your abstract, you would find in the left-hand column, did it extend to a legal size sheet, PT 7. Now that appears in your course schedule, Pastoral Theology 7, that is semester number 7. And then on the right of that line would appear Part 4, The Essential Elements of a Biblical Call to the Pastoral Office.
That was one of the fruits of my wrestling with how to fit in these matters to the present structure. And I believe the neatest way to do it at this juncture is to address the subject of the essential elements of a biblical call to the pastoral office as Part 4 of the entire. Now here, as throughout the entire course, the term pastoral is used as a convenient form of verbal shorthand to designate a man who is described in 1 Timothy 5.17 and in 1 Corinthians 9.14.
The term pastoral, as in the rest of the course, is a form of verbal shorthand to describe the man who is set to the pastoral office. Now here, as throughout the course, the term pastoral is used as a convenient form of verbal shorthand to describe the man who is set to the pastoral office. The elders that rule well are worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in doctrine, or the word and in teaching. And then 1 Corinthians 9.14, where Paul says,
So the Lord has ordained that they that preach the gospel should live of the gospel. So I'm using the term pastoral, the essential elements of a biblical call, to the pastoral office as a convenient form of verbal shorthand to designate one who labors in the word and in doctrine and in that sense preaches the gospel and lives of the gospel. Now the reason I make that qualification is because you new men especially will have noted that the term pastor is used indiscriminately of any and all of the elders in this place.
It confuses people who come out of a traditional setting because generally the term pastor is used of one teaching elder in particular or possibly two and some other term is used to describe or to designate those who are set apart for the work of shepherding and overseeing the flock of God. Well, very interestingly, in rereading the entire section in John Brown's commentary on 1 Peter 5, as I flew over to Australia and was going to be speaking on the work of the ministry and the work of shepherding God's people, I had missed this in my first two or three readings of John Brown in this section.
But it's interesting that John Brown says it is a comparatively modern, at any rate, it is not a New Testament usage to apply the term pastor exclusively to those teaching elders. That term naturally expressing the whole...
the whole work of the Christian eldership and like the kindred term bishop being given in the New Testament to Christian elders indiscriminately. So what many people regard as a Trinity novelty, John Brown was advocating back in his day and saying it's a shame that all elders were not called pastors. And but for the sake of verbal shorthand, I'm using it that way in its more limited sense and in its more traditional sense here in the course of the New Testament. Of course, but you men understand that I am not doing so, believing that there is an exegetical, rather a pragmatic basis for doing so.
Biblical Warrant for Addressing the Call to Ministry
Now, since this is the first time through these two units, as I've already indicated, you have no printed outline before you. So there will have to be more repetition of the main heads as we make our way through. But we do come to this very weighty subject of the essential elements of a biblical call to the pastoral office. And first of all, by way of introduction.
So if you're taking notes the way I have my notes is this is unit number four and part four. I'm sorry. The essential elements of a biblical call to the pastoral office. And on my notes, I write introduction.
And then when I come to my main heads, then one, two, three, et cetera. So by way of introduction, I want to say two things. First of all, I want to say something about the biblical. Warrant for addressing this subject.
And then I want to say something about my own personal fears and apprehension in taking up this subject. First of all, the biblical warrant for addressing this subject. And to my present light and understanding, the biblical warrant rests at least upon these three very fundamental considerations. Number one, the clear responsibility.
Of every individual Christian as given to us in Romans 12 and verse three and following the clear responsibility of the individual believer. Romans chapter 12 and verse three. For I say through the grace that was given me to every man that is among you. So when this epistle was first read to the Roman assembly.
Had anybody. Drifted off thinking that whatever was said was not addressed to him specifically. Surely these words would have caught his ear. For I say through the grace that was given me to every man that is among you.
Not to think. Now that's the way some would read the text period. Be a mindless Christian. But he doesn't stop there.
Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. But. So to think. As to think soberly.
According as God has dealt to each man. A measure of faith. So here the obligation is laid upon every man. To give himself to an exercise of sober thinking.
Which defined by the very passage. Means that his thinking accords with the reality of God's activity. Do you see that in the text? So to think as to think soberly.
According as God has dealt to each man. A measure of faith. So that sober thinking is to be thinking that is in touch with the reality. Of what God has actually done.
In the conferral of what is called here a measure of faith. And then he goes on to describe. The particular area of his concern. For even as we have many members in one body.
And all the members have not the same office. So we who are many are one body in Christ. And severally members one of another. And having gifts differing.
According to the grace that was given to us. You see the emphasis again. Upon divine donation. Whether prophecy.
Let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith. Or ministry. Let us give ourselves to ministry. Or he that teacheth to his teaching.
Or he that exhorteth to his exhorting. He that giveth let him do it with liberality. He that ruleth with diligence. He that showeth mercy with cheerfulness.
Now here then is a biblical warrant for addressing the subject. Of the essential elements of a biblical call to the pastoral office. Because every one of us is called. To sober self-assessment.
And if it is sober. It will be in touch with these true two realities. The word of God. And the activity of God on the one hand.
And our true state and condition. Possession of particular gift. On the other hand. And so the biblical data.
Which will enable us. To make a sober assessment of ourselves. So that we think of ourselves according to. The measure of God's activity with respect to us.
Is a duty that is unavoidably laid upon us. By this passage. But then the biblical warrant. Rest upon a second pillar.
The sober warning to anyone contemplating the pastoral office. The sober warning to anyone contemplating the pastoral office. And while I recognize that there is some diversity of opinion. As to the precise meaning of James 3.1.
I do believe that the weight generally placed upon it in this regard is proper. And I stand in good company. Alensky has some very helpful and perceptive comments on the text. I speak of James 3 and verse 1.
James 3 and verse 1. As. James is about to take up the subject of the tongue. He says be not many teachers my brethren.
Knowing that we shall receive greater or heavier judgment.
Alensky comments every one of us who assumes to teach. Whether he is in office or not. Shall receive greater or heavier judgment. Namely from God.
God will hold us the more answerable. This of course. Means in case we are faulty or wrong in what we teach. Or in the manner of our teaching.
The claim that to receive judgment means to receive condemnation. The authorized version goes too far. James did not expect condemnation for his teaching. Nor does he intend to say that all teachers will be condemned.
God will look more closely at all teachers when he judges them. Teachers undertake to convey God's word in the way in which God wants it conveyed. God will. Judge them on that score.
Those who do not teach will of course not be judged in this way. And so. Here is a sober warning. If a man would just teach without office.
He is to be careful of the peculiar and the special. The intensified liabilities that public teaching bring upon him. We argue from the lesser to the greater. How much more than he who would teach.
In office. And therefore be given. To laboring in the word. And in teaching.
And so the sober warning to anyone contemplating the pastoral office. Comes to us from the pen of James. That we should not hastily rush into an office. Involving public teaching and instruction of others.
But then there is a third pillar. That constitutes the biblical warrant for addressing this subject. And that is. The encouragement coupled with the God given standard.
Of first Timothy three one in following. The encouragement. Coupled. With a God given standard.
And the encouragement is. In one of those faithful sayings of the pastoral epistles. One of those what I call sanctified cliches. That apparently had become.
A sort of common verbal currency in the church. Faithful or trustworthy is the saying. If a man seeks the office of a bishop. A regomai which means to be eager to long for.
He desires epithumeo standard word for lusts or covet. And also a synonym in some ways with a regomai. So I am not about to make any hard fast distinction. But two very strong words are used.
Seeking and desiring. Stretching out after longing for lusting after. Surely these are encouraging words that should not beat men back. From reaching out for the office faithful is the saying.
If a man seeks the office of a bishop. He desires. A good work. Now the primary emphasis is that.
If there is such a longing and lusting for the office. That desire is toward a good work. But implicit in the text is that such seeking and desiring are not evil. They constitute part of a faithful saying.
So where there is a noble desire and eagerness. To seek the office there is encouragement. But that encouragement is coupled with a non negotiable standard. The bishop therefore.
And then our little particle of necessity day. The bishop therefore must be. And then we have that God given standard. With its primary emphasis upon the graces of life.
But also. Here and in the parallel passage in Titus chapter one. Does give some emphasis upon gift. Now if this is so if it is a faithful saying.
That to desire and seek the office of a bishop one desires a good work. Then the great question that every man who has that desire wrestles with is this. Do I meet the biblical standard. And it is my purpose.
In addressing this subject. Of what constitutes. A biblical call to the pastoral office. To furnish you with the materials.
That will help you to answer that pressing question. If the desire in itself is noble. But desire alone does not constitute call. There must be a meeting of the standard.
Then how can I tell realistically. If I do indeed. Meet that standard. So in the light of these texts it would be gross negligence.
To let any of you come to assume the office of a pastor. Without seeking to furnish you with the biblical and practical counsel. By which you can settle in your own mind with judgment day honesty. Whether or not you ought to be in that office.
Furthermore the perspectives of second Timothy to. To. Which greatly regulate our function as an academy. Demand that we equip you to help others who will come to you with this weighty question in the course of your ministry.
Am I or am I not called. Well in second Timothy 2 2 we are commanded. To commit to faithful men the body of apostolic truth by which they shall be able to teach others also. And sooner or later if God has placed you in the ministry someone's going to come to you.
With this question becoming next to the ultimate question that they asked on the threshold of their conversion. How can sinful man be right with God. This may be the most pressing question they've ever wrestled with namely. How can I know for certain whether or not God has his hand upon me for the pastoral ministry.
And so to help furnish you with the materials I judged it right. And in. In discussing this with my brethren I believe I have their consent as well to address this subject. So that's the first thing I want to say by way of introduction the biblical warrant for addressing this subject.
Personal Fears in Addressing the Call to Ministry
But then the second thing I want to say and be very honest with you is a word about my personal fears in taking up the subject. This issue is not a simple but a complex issue. And my great fear is that I would. Encourage where I should not and that I might discourage where I ought not that I would encourage where I should not and discourage where I ought not.
And because I know that that's one of the marks of a false prophet that scares me. Ezekiel 1322 says because with lies you've grieved the heart of the righteous whom I've not made sad and strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not turn from his. Wicked way and be saved alive therefore you shall no more see false visions in indicting the false prophets Ezekiel says you're grieving those whom I'm not grieved and you're encouraging those whom I've not encouraged.
Now in principle that's the fear I have in addressing this subject Spurgeon speaks very powerfully in a way that reflects something of my own disposition.
In this matter he writes on page 25 of his lectures how may a young man see the very fact that he says young man indicates his own thinking was prejudice in the wrong direction and you will find when you read Dabney and hopefully read Thornwell that he questions that whole mentality so I would like to delete the word young man how may a man know whether he's called or not that's a weighty inquiry and I desire to treat it most solidly.
Oh for divine guidance in so doing that hundreds have missed their way and stumbled against a pulpit is sorrowfully evident from the fruitless ministries and decaying churches all around us it is a fearful calamity to a man to miss his calling and to the church upon whom he imposes himself his mistake involves an affliction of the most grievous kind it would be a curious and painful subject for reflection.
The frequency with which men in the possession of reason mistake the end of their existence and aim at objects which they were never intended to pursue the writer who penned the following lines must surely have had his eyes upon many and ill occupied pulpit declare ye sages if you find amongst animals of every kind of each condition sort and size from one to the other. Oh for divine guidance in so doing that hundreds have missed their way and stumbled against a pulpit is sorrowfully evident from the fruitless ministries and decaying churches all around us it is a fearful calamity to a man to miss his calling and to the church upon whom he imposes himself his mistake involves an affliction of the most grievous kind it would be a curious and painful subject for reflection.
Whales and elephants to flies a creature that mistakes his plan and hers so constantly as man each beast pursues its proper good and seeks enjoyment rest and food as nature points and never hers in what it chooses or prefers man only blunders though possessed of reason far above the rest descend to instances and try.
An ox will not attempt to fly or leave his pasture in the wood with fishes to explore the flood man only acts of every creature in opposition to his nature and then he goes on to say when I think upon the all but infinite mischief which may result from a mistake as to our calling for the Christian pastorate I feel overwhelmed with fear and that may be the case.
I feel overwhelmed with fear lest any of us should be slack in examining our credentials and I had rather we stood too much in doubt and examine too frequently than that we should become cumberers of the ground there are not lacking many exact methods by which a man may test his call to the ministry if he earnestly desires so it is imperative that we be careful.
Upon him not to enter the ministry until he is made solemn quest and trial of himself as to this point his own personal salvation being secure he must investigate as to the further matter of his call to office the first is vital to himself as a Christian the second second equally vital to him as a pastor as well be a professing Christian without conversion as a pastor.
Without calling in both cases there is a name but nothing more and my fear brethren in addressing the subject is that I would do something other than cut a straight course in the word of truth and my comfort is that that fear shared by men of greater wisdom and experience than I and I trust God will look upon us in that sense of fear and help us as we say we are.
Foundational Principle 1: The Realm of Experimental Divinity
With David what time I am afraid I will trust in the now putting these two introductory concerns behind us we come now to Roman numeral number one under our subject of the essential elements of a biblical call to the pastoral office and I want first of all to address what I'm calling the foundational principles which must regulate our thinking and our judgment the foundational principles.
That must regulate our thinking and our judgment as we stand at this point in time seeking with judgment day honesty to ask the question am I or am I not called to the pastoral office we must stand upon these three foundational principles miss these and you are liable to miss your way and err on the left hand or on the right and
as I've wrestled with this subject over the years I've had no reason to question the validity of the necessity of considering these three foundational principles whenever we approach this vital subject all right the first one is this we must be conscious that we are in the realm of what is called experimental divinity that's what the old writers would call it or in more
contemporary terms the theology of Christian experience if someone were to ask you the question under what rubric does this question of the call to the ministry fit it doesn't fit under systematic theology it doesn't fit under historical theology doesn't fit even primarily under what we would say exegetical theology but it fits under the theology of Christian experience or what the old writers would call experimental divinity.
Now while all theology has experimental or practical implications and bearing some elements of theology deal with objective realities others deal with subjective experience let me illustrate if we were studying together in systematics as you eventually will if you have not already the doctrine of justification by faith you are studying an objective theological experience.
Theological a revealed theological concept however once you take up the subject of the nature of saving faith though it's still in the realm of systematics you'll find much less agreement in the expression of biblical truth on the second question than on the first why because one is objective and the other is subjective experimental now because of this fact two things are clear.
As we take up the subject of what constitutes a biblical call to the ministry our thinking and the thinking of others is likely to be influenced more by temperament personal experience and ecclesiastical experience and environment than in other areas our thinking and the thinking of others is likely to be influenced more by temperament personal experience and ecclesiastical experience and environment than in other areas our thinking and the thinking of others is likely to be influenced more by temperament personal experience and ecclesiastical experience and environment than in other areas our thinking and the thinking of others is likely to be influenced more by temperament personal experience and ecclesiastical experience and environment than in other areas our thinking and the thinking of others is likely to be influenced more by temperament personal experience and ecclesiastical experience and environment than in other areas our thinking and the thinking of others is likely to be influenced more by temperament personal experience and ecclesiastical experience and environment than in other areas our thinking and the thinking of others is likely to be influenced more by temperament personal experience and ecc by temperament, personal experience, and ecclesiastical environment than in other areas.
And secondly, this accounts for the tremendous diversity of perspective on this subject among good and godly men. The fact that we are in the realm of the theology of Christian experience accounts for the tremendous diversity of perspective on this subject among good and godly men. Now again, I can illustrate this very simply. Take Dabney's one volume of systematic theology and read his chapter on justification, and then note anything you see in any of the sermons of
Spurgeon, in which Spurgeon is treating a text that highlights justification, and you will find Dabney and Spurgeon. To be almost twins in their understanding of the doctrine of justification by faith based upon the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. They are twins in their confession of classic, biblical, reformed, objective theological statement on the doctrine of justification by faith. But, in the course of your reading this semester, you're going to read, God willing, this week's Spurgeon on, well, Constantine.
Constantine's call to the ministry. And then, hopefully, for the semesters out, you'll beg or borrow or take out of the library if you don't have it yourself, and it's hard to come by these days. You'll read Dabney on the call to the ministry, and you will find them poles apart on some of the most fundamental elements of what they perceive constitute a biblical call to the ministry. And it's been interesting over the years for me to see this pattern.
Dabney and Spurgeon? Dabney and Spurgeon on justification? They're here. On the call to the ministry, they're here. Spurgeon way over what I would say the left hand of subjectivism, almost a form of mysticism, and Dabney way over on the right in terms of a logical, conservative, no-nonsense, calculating approach to the subject.
And both speak with equal conviction. And both bring forward scripture to support their position.
So what do we do? Throw up our hands and say, well, how in the world can we sort it out if those giants didn't? No. We can't afford that luxury. Because those texts with which we started don't get rubbed out of the scripture. They're there.
And we must make a sober assessment. But it will help us if we recognize the field in which we're doing it. We must be conscious that we're in the realm of experimental divinity. Or in the realm of the theology of Christian experience.
And in the light of that, I want to give you two specific words of counsel. Number one, don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Translated, don't take your definitive counsel from one man.
As you read Spurgeon, don't accept his word as fully balanced and final on the subject. If you do, don't take it. you do i'll have probably about a third of you present next week and the other two-thirds will have packed it in and said i've missed it i've blown it so i want you to know in reading spurgeon this week i do not endorse all of the views of spurgeon on the call to the ministry and i hope you won't because i say if you do i won't see you here next friday we'll have a rather sparsely populated class it'll look like we've been decimated by the plague on the other hand on
the other hand as you read dabney don't bow to him as the oracle either if you do some of you may remain here long after you should have cleared out of here dabney's principles taken as a fully balanced statement i believe opened the door to men entering the ministry who ought never to enter it spurgeon's principles taken as final will exempt men from the ministry who ought not to be exempted from the ministry so don't put our eggs in one basket don't take all of your counsel on this matter from one source
rather and here's my second word of counsel remember these vital biblical directives first thessalonians 521 prove all things documazo put everything to the test hold fast that which is and what is the test to which we put everything it's the test to which the burians put even apostolic preaching act seventeen eleven these were more noble than those at thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily to see whether these things were so
and in the preparation of this lecture i was comforted of fresh with that true that text that we all know very well second timothy 3 16 and 17 all scripture is breathed out of god and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of god may be complete thoroughly furnished unto every good work now what is a man of god without a settled conviction as to his divine call he's nothing he's a vacillating reed in the wind and if scripture is able to equip a man of god unto every good work
then surely scripture is sufficient to give us the materials to settle the question what constitutes a call to the office of a pastor and to the labor that we contemplate in that office so we must come with that disposition of conviction regarding the sufficiency of scripture but prepared to put dabney and spurgeon and martin and anyone else to the test of the word of god and to hold fast only that which is good and here i have to say amen
to dabney he's right on target here when he says and i quote now from page 27 27 27 of volume 2 of his discussions let the godly young man ask himself this plain question is there any other expression of god's will given to us except the bible where else does god authorize us to look for information as to any duty the call to the ministry then is to be found like the call of every other duty in the teaching of god's revealed word the holy spirit and the
holy spirit has ceased to give direct revelations to which we say amen our confession clearly states that he speaks to no rational adult now through any other medium than his word applied by his gracious light to the understanding and conscience to look for anything else from him is superstition while the call of prophets and apostles was by special revelation that of the gospel ministry the call of prophets and apostles was by special revelation that of the gospel ministry may be turned a scriptural call and there i say dabney is right on target so my counsel to you then
brethren is to be prepared to wrestle through this issue in the light of first thessalonians 521 and in the light of the doctrine of the sufficiency of scripture and then i remind you of that whole set of texts in the book of proverbs proverbs 11 14 and the multitude of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 15, 22, it approaches the same subject with a little differing perspective, but then it's opposite. Proverbs 18, 1, he that separates himself seeks his own desire and rages against all sound wisdom. So you must not separate yourself from the multitude of
counselors in whom there is safety. So foundational principle number one, brethren, as we approach this subject is to recognize the larger sphere within which this subject finds itself pressing in upon us, and it's in the sphere of the theology of Christian experience or the sphere of experimental divinity. That's why there is such diversity of opinion among good and godly men who hold to the very thing that Dabney states, but to greater or lesser degrees, formulate a concept of the call to the ministry consistent with that fundamental premise. And
that's where we have to, my judgment is, that while Spurgeon would say amen to what Dabney says in the paragraph quoted to you, when you read his treatment of the call to the ministry, you find him getting dangerously close to a position that would make you say, well, is he talking about some kind of direct revelation by God making an example of the call to the ministry? And that's where we have to, my judgment is, that while Spurgeon would say amen to what Dabney says in the paragraph
quoted to you, when you read his treatment of the call to the ministry, you find him getting dangerously close to a position that would make you say, well, is he talking about some kind of direct revelation by God making an example of the call to the ministry? And that's where we have to, my judgment is, that while Spurgeon would say amen to what Dabney says in the paragraph quoted to you, when you read his treatment of the call to the ministry, you find him getting dangerously close to a position that would make you say, well, is he talking about some kind of direct revelation by God making an example of the call to the ministry? And that's where we have to, my judgment is, that while Spurgeon would say amen to what Dabney says in the paragraph quoted to you, when you read his treatment of the call to the ministry, you find him getting dangerously close to a position that would make you say, well, is he talking about some kind of direct revelation by God making an example of the call to the but then there is a second one.
Foundational Principle 2: Ordinary vs. Extraordinary Office
Please turn this cassette over to continue the lecture. That's fundamental principle number one that we must keep in mind, but then there is a second one. We must approach the subject fully aware. We must approach the subject fully aware that we are considering the call to an ordinary as opposed to an extraordinary office in the Church.
We must approach the subject fully aware that we are considering the call to an ordinary as opposed to an extraordinary office in the Church.
The offices of an apostle and prophet and possibly evangelist are extraordinary offices, and in almost all cases, men were marked out for those offices by an extraordinary, extraordinary call. Isaiah is set apart to the prophetic office by a vision.
Hosea by a voice. Timothy by prophecies that led the way unto him.
And that brings you into the whole subject. You see, was Timothy an evangelist? And if so, it's a very, very knotty question, and the exegetical materials are very flimsy, but it's clear. You see, Paul says to Timothy that in consideration, in conjunction with his gifts that he is to stir up that was given with the laying on of apostolic hands, in another place he speaks of the prophecies which led the way to his entrance into the office.
However, the office of the minister, that is, a pastor functioning as a teaching, ruling elder in the Church, is of a different nature than that of apostle and prophet and possibly evangelist. Again, here Dabney, as he speaks or writes on page 26, the Church has always held that none should preach the gospel but those who are called of God. The solid proof of this is not to be sought in those places of Scripture where a special divine call was given to Old Testament prophets or priests or to apostles,
although such passages have often been misapplied. Among those misquoted texts should be reckoned Hebrews 5, 4, which the apostle there applies not to ministers but to priests and especially Christ. No man takes this office but he that is called thereto. The call of these peculiar classes was extraordinary and by special revelation suited to those days of theophanies and inspiration.
But those days have now ceased and God governs His Church exclusively by His providence and the Holy Spirit applying the written Scriptures. Yet there is a general analogy between the call of a prophet or apostle and that of a gospel preacher in that both are in some form from God and both summon men to a ministry for God. And then he goes on to say this is why such text as Acts 20, 28 can say, Take heed to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers. There is a difference between the divine activity as real as the activity of an extraordinary call to an extraordinary office.
It is not less the call of God. The question is what is the medium of that call? What is the manner in which the call comes to us? The call to extraordinary office ordinarily came extraordinarily.
But the call to an ordinary office comes in the use of ordinary means.
Now what are the conclusions we draw from that? Well, obviously we must not revert to principles operative in a framework when direct and special revelation was being given. And here Dr. Clowney in his little book Called to the Ministry has an excellent statement.
How does the call to the ministry come in the 20th century? For Saul of Tarsus there could be no doubt. But no heavenly light has blinded you nor me. You have not heard the voice of Christ declaring you to be a chosen vessel to carry the gospel to the nations.
And if you say you've heard such a voice I'll ask you what you were eating before you went to bed that night.
Just as we do not have the Urim and Thummim in matters of personal guidance though as a pastor I've often longed that I had them. Really, I've longed that I would have the Urim and Thummim whatever they were and however they were. I wouldn't know if I had them. And God doesn't tell me what they are.
So if an angel came down out of heaven and hears the Urim and Thummim I'd have to say I don't know whether you're for real because I've got no standard by which to judge it.
And just as we do not have Urim and Thummim to guide us in matters of vocational guidance personal guidance I'm sorry neither do we have some kind of substitute for that in vocational guidance. And here again I quote from Dabney pages 26 and 27.
He says Before we answer this question what is a call to the gospel ministry in terms of our terminology to the pastoral office let us protest against the vague mystical and fanatical notions of a call which prevail in many minds fostered, we're sorry to admit by not a little unscriptural teaching from Christians. Some people seem to imagine that some voice is to be heard some impression to be felt or some impulse to be given to the soul they hardly know what or whence which is to force the man into the ministry without rational or scriptural deliberation. And if this fantastic notion is not realized as it is not like to be
except among those persons of feverish imagination who of all men have least business in the pulpit the young Christian is encouraged to conclude that he is not called. And how many of us in our own day have talked to men have seen the horrible fruits of this fanatical fantastical notion as Dabney would call it that they have somehow been seized upon by a divine constraint and they talk about fighting the call and they go through how God had to kill their kids and God had to smash their cars and you say you know what in the world are they talking about what was this thing they were fighting? Not talking about
wrestling with whether or not their lives met the standard of scripture and whether their gifts warranted being cultivated to the point of one being set apart to labor in the world. No. It was all the time fighting this subjective conviction that they reckon to be a divine call. It's like the fellow who came to me when I was preaching at a Christian school some years ago a Christian college and he had that look in his eye I could tell the minute I opened my door and he stood there and I said uh oh I got a wacko on my hands and as I say he had the look in his eyes and so I invited him in and he said Mr. Martin
I have a word from God for you God has spoken I said oh that's interesting before you tell me what it was did he speak in a treble voice in a mid voice or in a bass voice he said what do you mean? I said you told me God spoke to you surely his voice had tone to it there was a quality of voice would you describe it to me first of all before you deliver the message to me well of course by then I so unstrung the poor character well I felt the fool needed to be answered by his folly lest he be wise in his own conceits and when men talk about I fought the call I want to ask them you know how did God speak what was this mystical ephemeral thing you were fighting
well you see that whole pattern of thinking has absolutely no basis in a rational prayerful consideration of biblical data they are projecting as it were from old testament and new testament extraordinary call to extraordinary office principles that do not belong in the theater of our concern we are talking about an ordinary office for which there is an ordinary call the medium or method of the divine call is at stake not that there is a divine call it is the holy spirit who makes men overseers
it is the ascended Christ who gives pastors and teachers as much as he gives apostles and prophets or gave apostles and prophets but it's the manner of his giving the medium of his giving that is at stake and this is where I say I believe Spurgeon and who am I to criticize the man but I must put Spurgeon to the test of scripture and doing that listen to why I say Spurgeon comes dangerously close to almost a direct revelation position he says on page 24 the top of the page in the present dispensation the priesthood is common to all the saints but to prophesy or what is analogous
thereto namely to be moved by the Holy Ghost to give oneself up wholly to the proclamation of the gospel is as a matter of fact the gift and calling of only a comparably small number and surely these need to be as sure of the rightfulness of their position as were the prophets and how can they justify their office except by a similar call you see how close he comes to paralleling the call to the prophetic office and the call to the ministerial function nor need any imagine that such calls are a mere delusion
and that none are in this age separated for the peculiar work of teaching and overseeing the church etc well this is I think Spurgeon's weakness that he allowed his own in the right sense Christian mystical temperament his own poetic spirit God's own unique dealings with him to flavor too much his theology on the call to the Christian ministry and I would discourage you from being discouraged when you read such things in Spurgeon because I think he failed to keep before his own mind with sufficient clarity as he wrote and as he
Foundational Principle 3: The Biblical Teaching on Elders
spoke out his convictions on this matter this second foundational principle we are in the realm of an ordinary office by which men are set apart or through which means men are set apart by an ordinary call alright then there is a third foundational principle if we are to tread surely in this matter foundational principle number three if we are to tread surely in this matter we must think of the call to the pastoral office primarily in terms of the biblical teaching
regarding an elder who labors in the word and in doctrine if we are to tread surely in this matter we must think of the call to the pastoral office primarily in terms of the biblical teaching regarding an elder who labors in the word and in doctrine if the office is an ordinary one then the primary directives for the recognition of that office are to be found in such passages as first Timothy three Titus one Acts twenty
and first Peter five because those are the four pivotal passages that deal explicitly with the office of an elder the requirements the function of that office now a failure to deal with the subject in this perspective is brought untold tragedy to the church of Christ I have actually sat on ordination councils and I know for a fact that credential and licensing committees of presbytery meet and have met and pulpit supply
committees and pulpit committees meet and function churches gather to vote on candidates and these passages are not even read let alone expounded and made regulative of the judgment of those responsible for the affirmation or the denial of a man's call to this office I can remember sitting on an ordination council and being shot down when I even suggested that we open up the first Timothy 3 and take this man through the grid of that passage the guy couldn't even quote the books of the Old Testament in order we got a little Sunday cool kids that can sing it
and go right from Genesis to Malachi he couldn't even quote the names of the books of the Old Testament he was that ignorant and yet without my commendation they went ahead and ordained him what a tragedy what a tragedy and much of it comes from the fact you see the men were not conditioned to think in terms yes there must be a divine call there must be the direct supernatural activity of the ascended Christ but what is the medium of that activity how will we discover it well we'll discover it when we see before us a man
who meets the must be of 1st Timothy chapter 3 and of Titus chapter 1 who under God is equipped to do the things elders are charged to do in Acts chapter 20 and in 1st Peter chapter 5 now again here's where Dabney is right on target you see when it comes to the more objective elements this is where Dabney shows his strength and Dabney is the only one of the writers that I've consulted on this subject that says this as pointedly and simply as explicitly as Dabney does he says on page 29 this leads us to add another important
class of texts by which the Holy Spirit will inform the judgment see he never loses sight of the fact that it is the spirit of God at work but he works in forming the judgment both of the candidate and of his brethren as to his call it is that class of text in which God defines the qualifications of a minister of the gospel let every reader consult as the fullest specimens 1st Timothy 3 1-7 Titus 1 6-9 the inquirer that is the man who wants to clear up his call is to study these passages seeking the light of God's spirit you see this is never purely rationalistic for Dabney seeking
the light of God's spirit to purge his mind from all clouds of vanity self-love prejudice in order to see whether he has or can possibly acquire the qualifications here set down and his brethren under the influence of the same spirit there's this Christian supernaturalism again must candidly decide by the same standard there's the objective criteria of scripture whether they shall call him to preach or not so Dabney's counsel is basically what I am giving you we will tread surely in
this matter only if we think of the call to the pastoral office in terms of the biblical teaching regarding an elder who labors in the word and in doctrine you see whoever's involved in confirming a man's own subjective conviction with respect to his call to this office whether it's presbytery whether it's a group of elders in a church like our own whoever it is none are given any power or authority from Christ to make laws in his kingdom but only to implement and
execute the laws of Christ the sole king and head of the church and if he has said faithful is the saying if a man aspires the office of a bishop he seeks a good work the bishop therefore must be than anyone involved in assessing a man's own self assessment must never go beyond the law and the rule of Christ as set forth in those passages let me illustrate suppose the army appoints a given officer a colonel to be in charge of all the enlisting that is going to go on within a given state and in each
key city in that state he appoints a captain under him to actually do the hands on or usually it's a recruiting sergeant is the term we hear certain standards for this elite corps of men to be recruited for a special branch of the armed services and the orders that come down are you to enlist men none of whom are under six feet in height or over six feet two at the time of their enlistment they must be no younger than twenty five years of age no older than thirty they must have from college at least a B.S. or a B.A.
degree with passing grades they must have that degree they must have had at least two years of experience in some form of stated regular employment so these specific things are given now when the actual recruiting takes place what would happen if the sergeant produces a man who has the two years of experience he's twenty six years of experience of age he's got everything else but he's five foot two and his captain says what's his rump doing in his corps he says well you know I figured nine out of ten let's be reasonable he said we don't talk
about reason you were given orders you were given orders and the orders were here are the ten non negotiable criteria now we didn't say anything about the color of his
six feet tall what are you doing bringing me this guy five foot two you have no power to make the laws they come from higher up in the echelon of authority in this man's army you do what you're told now you see my application don't you king jesus is said the bishop must be and we have no right to take one of those requirements and say well if we
we're not talking about passing a course we're talking about the non negotiable standard for recognizing whether or not christ has formed a man into a gift for his church now granted when it comes to settling whether or not the grace of not given to much wine or the grace of hospitableness etc is there what is the modicum those are questions again in the realm of the theology of the christian life experimental divinity where judgments may differ and where we must wrestle but that a man must meet that standard is not the
question our question is whether or not he does meet it that he must meet it we are committed to what does it mean to meet it and that's where judgments may differ and i recognize that and you must recognize that and we be fools if we didn't but we do not approach this as some kind of idealistic standard but not really attainable and in reality negotiable if we're going to get anybody to get into the ministry no we have no right whatsoever to latch our consciences to any other standard other than that which god himself has given us and that standard is clearly set forth in these passages that we have mentioned so these are the three
foundational principles brethren that we must stand upon as we wrestle with this question of what constitutes a biblical call to the pastoral office that we are in the realm of experimental divinity that we are dealing with a call to an ordinary office hence a call that will come in the use of ordinary means and that everything must square with the regular portions of the word of God that deal with an elder set apart to labor in the word and in doctrine well let's take a break here it's 1212
Fundamental Errors Regarding the Call to Ministry
having addressed first roman numeral the foundational principles which must regulate our thinking and our judgment now roman numeral number two is the fundamental errors regarding what constitutes a call to the pastoral office going to spend just a few minutes addressing the subject of the fundamental errors regarding what constitutes a call to the pastoral office now in his excellent article entitled
the call of the minister thornwell who is reviewing some of the writings of dr breckinridge this is what he's doing in this in fact i ought to back up in just read to give you the background to it under the general title of church officers are here group several monographs by dr thornwell this is in volume four of his works the first entitled the call of the minister was under the title the christian pastor originally published in the southern presbyterian review december of eighteen forty seven it discusses especially the question what are the elements which events or we would say
evidence a call to the gospel ministry and in that particular article what he is doing is he is interacting with dr breckinridge is sermon that was published three sermons really but he interacts basically with the first one and he refers to it in this way dr breckinridge is pamphlet consists of three separate tracks all bearing directly upon questions which have been recently agitated in reference to the polity of the presbyterian church the first is a sermon preached at the church the installation of the reverend robert dunlap is pastor of the presbyterian congregation worshiping at asquith street baltimore and was intended as we learned from its title page to vindicate the divine
calling of pastors of the christian church to illustrate the divinely appointed evidence thereof and to lift up a warning against prevailing errors that was the purpose of that sermon well in this article by thornwell he is reviewing that and interacting with it and expressing his own perspectives now it's in the midst of that that what he does on page twenty three of volume four is to summarize doctor breckinridge's historical summary of the fundamental errors regarding what constitutes a call to the pastoral office and in reworking this material from a previous way
that i presented it years ago i found this material very helpful and he let me read his paragraph and then maybe you can work with me in coming up with more workable heads in this paragraph having defined the general relation of the pastoral and other offices to the people of god and deduced the inference which obviously follows from the true statement of the case doctor breckinridge proceeds to the immediate subject of his sermon the nature and evidence of a call to the ministry of the word first he exposes the futility of the three prominent theories to which almost every form of error on this great subject may be ultimately reduced
so breckinridge with his tremendous understanding of church history and theology etc summarized all of the errors on the call to the ministry under three major headings all pretensions which are not founded upon a real call of god properly authenticated according to the provisions of his word must either claim to be extraordinary and then extraordinary evidence should be produced or they rest upon a perpetual succession which has transmitted the rights and properties of the office from christ the head of the church to an unbroken line of office bearers to the present incumbent that's apostolic succession
and then the succession becomes a question of a fact to be proved by testimony and the validity of the title founded upon it blah blah blah or thirdly they rest on the conviction and belief of the individual himself unsupported by any proof but his own extravagance or enthusiasm these false pretensions to official authority are briefly but ably discussed and i wish i had his sermon to see in which he discussed them but you see he reduces breckenridge reduces the fundamental errors regarding a call to the pastoral office to these three things here the heading i gave them the fanatical that's the person who claims that he has had
an extraordinary call and so he says all right produce extraordinary evidence to validate it if you say you're called like an apostle produce the miracles of an apostle to validate your claim so i call that the fanatical that's the wide-eyed guy who met me at the door god spoke to me you know all right that's the fanatical but then secondly there's the apostolic succession claim and of course that's the air of roman catholicism and high churchman in anglicanism so you have the fanatical and this we might call the super ecclesiastical i was working with headings that but i was running out of time
i can get by on cheating on sleep only so often and this past week has been a high watermark for me in recent days and then the third is what i call the crass claims of individualism the person who has this belief founded on his own judgment but no other proof no external validation from the church but he's convinced he doesn't claim to have heard a voice he doesn't claim to have had a visit from an angel but his judgment is the beginning middle and end i call this crass individualism so breckinridge says that fundamental errors regarding what constitutes a call to the pastoral
office almost all of them can be reduced under those three heads and as i reflected on that observation i found my own judgment falling in with breckinridge and agreeing with thornwell that if i all the wild claims and unbiblical practices that i've observed in my years of ministerial experience i would say that almost all of them would fit under one of those three heads the fanatical those who claim the connection by apostolic succession but much of it comes into this third category probably many of you have never met anyone in category number two but most in category number three this crass individualism i
judge that i'm called and equipped and therefore my judgment should take the court and win the day and carry everyone else's judgment simply because i judge that it should be so well if you think back upon your own exposure to various strands of thought and perspective i think you will find that they fit somewhere under one of these three categories if there is a fourth i'd appreciate being made aware of it because as i say some of this has not yet undergone long reflection but my present judgment is that he's very accurate in saying this and of course in putting the burden of proof upon those who say that
if they were called in an extraordinary way to produce extraordinary evidence and then of course if you say you have the right to be in the office because of those who receive that right ultimately directly from christ by this unbroken chain of apostolic succession then the burden of proof is on the person to prove it which of course cannot be done and the history of the splits and the divisions and schisms that have occurred even in the so called church that never changes and some of you will become aware of that in your study of romanism in the polemics course it washes those claims and of course this individualism totally denies the fact that the call comes to the individual in the context of the church
and whatever individual judgments are made of a positive nature if the church thinking and acting in dependence upon the holy spirit speaking in the scriptures does not validate that judgment no amount of individual conviction can overpower the church or should be allowed to overturn the judgment of the church but alas in our day with such a low view of the church if someone is denied quote ordination in one situation he goes somewhere else where someone is already willing and anxious to lay hands upon him just as people despise the discipline of christ church they can be excommunicated on one corner in the same town and received into full membership on the next corner
by a church that claims to believe the bible so we are struggling with these things and you men will struggle with them as you work with others and it could be that some of the remnants of one in three may be in some of you i would be very surprised if some of you do not have some of those remnants in you and i hope that our study together under god will be used to purge out any of those remnants and bring us to a thoroughly biblical perspective with regard to this matter of what constitutes a valid call so the fundamental errors with respect to the call from a historical standpoint can be ranged under those three headings the fanatical the apostolic
succession or the claims of crass individualism all right i think that's all i'm going to give you this morning men because
This transcript was generated by automated speech recognition and may contain errors. It is provided for study and reference only; the audio recording is the authoritative source.
Passages Expounded
This passage is expounded as the first biblical warrant for self-assessment regarding spiritual gifts and calling.
This verse is expounded as a sober warning about the greater judgment for teachers, urging caution in seeking the pastoral office.
This passage is expounded as the God-given standard for the pastoral office, providing both encouragement and non-negotiable qualifications.
Texts Expounded
Also Referenced
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