A Good Minister
When we think of what a minister is, we think of someone who is tasked with instructing the body of Christ. This would be a correct idea of a minister.
But do you know the difference between a good one and a deceived one?
The Scripture offers a clear idea of how to discern the difference.
1Timothy4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.
Paul is equipping his son in the faith, Timothy, to be a good minister, and he offers him this advice. He makes it clear that the Holy Spirit has declared this to be true.
He says the Spirit says some will depart from the faith! This will happen because they give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.
What do these deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons promote? You would think it would be something extremely dark and evil. However, it has something to do with marriage being forbidden and foods being avoided.
I have a confession to make. I enjoy sausage, bacon, ham, pork chops, pork ribs, and I have eaten dear, egret, quail, duck, all sorts of bread and many other things there might be some who think was wrong for me to have eaten. I ate them with gratitude in my heart towards God, who supplied them to me for my nourishment in that moment. I ate them with a clear conscience and faith.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Paul says these teachers have had their consciences seared with a hot iron. In other words, they have allowed their thinking to become hardened against the real truth that promotes freedom in Christ regarding marriage and food. They teach that spirituality avoids marriage and chooses celibacy instead. Their brand of spirituality also avoids certain foods that, under the New Covenant, have been deemed acceptable when eaten with thanksgiving. Placing such basic restrictions on saints is an act against true faith and practice. They would rather someone go hungry for the sake of their idea of spirituality than to eat and be nourished.
For those who believe and know the truth, every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving. The word of God and prayer sanctifies the food we eat! The word of God that ays rise and eat it will be all right, and prayer that offers thanksgiving for its provision.
It amazes me that, in this instance, Timothy was expected to give these instructions to the saints in order for him to be deemed a good minister. It was not a complicated list of things for this designation to be his.
It is not being a good minister to bring the saints under ridiculous restrictive bondages. It is not good to make petty things a matter of spirituality. Suppose we remember what Jesus said about the religious leaders of His day who were deemed as being against the truth and blind leaders of the blind. He said they would strain a gnat and swallow a camel. In other words, they majored on minors and minored on the majors. Their focus on spirituality was in the wrong places and on the wrong things.
A good minister stays away from such practices and seeks to bring the saints into the freedom Christ died to give to them with grateful hearts, always ready to offer Him thanksgiving.
