Some years ago, I accompanied a small group of pastor friends to the city of Saltillo, Mexico. The purpose of the trip was to encourage a mission church and gather the necessary information with a view toward extending building funds. While there, some hours of each day was spent in the home of the native missionary who together with his devoted wife were delightful hosts.
Conspicuous on a living room wall hung a poster that caught my attention. It read,
“Jehovah is my Pastor!” This was taken from Psalm 23:1, and is a common translation of the Hebrew into Spanish. Of course, in English it is customarily written, “The Lord is my Shepherd.”
The Hebrew word translated Shepherd is “Ro-i” from the root word “Ra-ah.” The placement of “Jehovah” with this word makes one of the most beloved names of God known among Bible students: “Jehovah-roi.” “The Lord is my Shepherd.”
But the Spanish translation prefers the term “Pastor” to “Shepherd” in this case, and that is what arrested attention and precipitated considerable thought.
“Pastor” and “Shepherd” really are synonyms. The value of this fact often appears to be lost in modern church life, but should be re-discovered.
Pastors/shepherds are not new to the New Testament since God raised up men in Old Testament times who were so known. Their flock consisted of the covenant people of God in certain locales. Pastor/shepherds have weighty responsibility for spiritual oversight of their flocks.
Today, the covenant people of God are known as New Testament churches over whom God has raised up under-shepherds to feed the sheep with spiritual food, and to watch for their spiritual safety and well being. Pastors are not the prime directors of churches, but churches themselves stand as the covenant people of God. Pastors are not the shepherds, but are sheep who are under-shepherds; who are to follow, and who will answer to, THE SHEPHERD of the sheep, John 10. In this relationship there is comfort and joy. Seen any other way produces misery and failure. The Spanish translation remains my favorite: “Jehovah is my Pastor!”
FOR THOUGHT: List some of the ways that a shepherd of literal sheep, and a pastor of a church are similar. List some of the ways they are not similar. How do you think spiritual shepherds (pastors) are to conduct themselves as “Shepherds of the sheep?”
JUSTIFIED: AN IMPORTANT BIBLE “BE”
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Romans 4:5
Justification, sanctification, holiness, and righteousness are Bible terms that often intertwine as they denote the wonderful state and/or character of saved sinners as they appear before God through faith in the “once for all” works of Christ Jesus. Think with me about it!
To be declared as justified does not mean to be declared as being innocent. Rather it means to be declared right over and above guilt by a just and acceptable basis. For example a person taking the life of another might be declared justified by a court of law on the basis of self defense. In the all important matters of life and eternity, there is only one justifier of the created, and that is the Creator Himself. W.E. Vine in his Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words states, “Ideally the complete fulfillment of the Law of God would provide a basis of justification in His sight, Rom. 2:13 But no such case has occurred in mere human experience, and therefore no one can be justified on this ground. . . [God] is the Justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus, Rom. 5:26, justification being the legal and formal acquittal from guilt by God as Judge, the pronouncement of the sinner as righteous, who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ.” So did Christ Jesus as God and as man fulfill the Law to the last jot and tittle, took it out of the way and enabled believers past, present, and future to be justified in Him. So, then, is the spirit of believing men justified, sanctified, and sealed by the Holy Spirit of God upon repentance and faith in Christ Jesus as personal Savior. Eph. 4:30.
However, man is more than a spirit. He has a body and a mind-life. There is no hope for the body in earthly life. It must die. But men are left on earth following spiritual salvation that they might learn of the righteousness of Christ Jesus, and incorporate His teaching into their own conscious thinking and actions, Such is a learning process that brings them into a high state of maturity, and qualifies them for the reward of bridal relationship with Jesus, and that of ruling and reigning with Him in the next age that is about to happen. Obedience to His teachings beginning in baptism and continuing in church fellowship, and in the admonitions of Holy Writ produces sanctification and justification of the mind-life all of which are directly attributable to, and impossible without, the substitutionary payment for sin by Jesus on the cross.
There is much to gain in pursuing the justified, transformed life by the renewing of the mind, Rom. 12:1-3. There is also much to lose in failing that pursuit. 2 John 8. Have you been declared just by receiving Christ Jesus into your heart? If so, then hotly pursue justification of life in His teachings! Justification, it is an important Bible :Be!”
FOR THOUGHT: Justification of life is achieved through the process of sanctification. What have you done that allows God to set your life apart (sanctify it) in His sight? Everybit of spiritual knowledge learned and followed are steps in sanctification. Are you learning? Following?