17 "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you."
Hebrews 13:17
God is the God of order, and part of this truth is seen in how He established the system by which the church should function. He called mature believers to serve as undershepherds and care for God's flock. What is our role in ensuring this order is kept?
This series aims to provide you with five characteristics of a good church member. Here's our fourth mark:
A healthy church member has a teachable spirit.
Why is it important to be teachable? Because Christianity is a lifelong learning process. We learn from our personal Bible study every day and from Sunday School and sermons every week. Being open to instruction shows our humility and a desire to grow in Christ. When we're not teachable, we're prone to having a critical and prideful spirit.
Teaching is one of the most important activities in the church. It's why God ordains pastors and leaders in the first place. Therefore, we must be humble enough to take a student's place.
Teaching is a serious task and requires years of training, and each sermon takes many hours of preparation. At the very least, we should receive instruction humbly. In fact, the Bible commands us to submit to the leadership of the church.
Today's verse reminds us to obey God's designated leaders in the church. They have been given the authority to look after our spiritual well-being. They are responsible for teaching us the truth and caring for us. Moreover, they will give an account to God one day.
Therefore, we are to be submissive to them, not only because we must, but also because doing so demonstrates that we honor God's word. Our submission benefits not only ourselves but also the leaders. From a pastor's perspective, our job gets more delightful when people are supportive. It gives us great joy to know that our work is appreciated.
How are you doing in terms of honoring your spiritual leaders? What do you think about receiving biblical instruction?
Pursue the Savior today!
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