Ministers of the gospel (this is all Christians on some level, but specifically pastors) should actually be administering the GOSPEL, right? And we do. But are we also dishing out anything else that may be negating the gospel? Turing us into hypocrites?
Leithart posted on this today. Good stuff:
Surprisingly, Jesus begins His litany of woe (Matthew 23) by commending the teaching of Jewish scribes and Pharisees. They sit in the seat of Moses, and Jesus’ disciples are to “do and observe” what they say.
They may sit in Moses’ seat, but they are not Mosaic in their conduct. Moses came to break the yoke of oppression and free slaves, but the scribes and Pharisees “tie up heavy loads and lay them on men’s shoulders” and refuse to lift a finger to help. Despite their teaching, they are more Pharaoh than Moses.
These are sobering words for pastors. We too “sit in the seat of Moses,” but we are capable of turning the gospel of freedom into an instrument of oppression. We must beware the hypocrisy of announcing “Let my people go” with our lips while saying “bricks without straw” with our lives.
-Peter Leithart, 4/23/09
I’m not indicting pastor’s here, but myself for following some of them, sometimes eagerly, in their neglect of the gospel.
“Jesus is the lord of all creation. He has redeemed us and is redeeming the whole earth…AND while you’re at it, don’t you dare drink that beer, don’t you know Jesus is watching you man?”
“There is no condemnation for those in Chris Jesus! He has saved us from the Law of sin and death. Rejoice! Hey, what are you doing staying home from Sunday worship? Relaxing with your family? Dude, you are not gettin’ what being a disciple of Christ is all about.”
“Man and women, God created them both. We are children of God and co-heirs with Christ of redeemed creation. Hey, your daughter is in freakin’ graduate school? Like for a career? She should be married with a couple kids by now. Don’t ya know?”
Really?
When we sit in the seat of Moses, as parents, Church leaders, or community leaders, let us break the yokes of oppression. Note, for thos who would say “but…but…but…”, yeah I know. This is NOT the same thing as promoting rebellion and championing sinful permissiveness. I’m serious. This stuff is hard. Living the gospel takes wisdom too. Wisdom, not hypocrisy.