Beware, Power Corrupts

Looking again at Peter's words, we focused on 1 Peter 5:3, where church leaders are warned not to "lord it over" those for whom they are responsible. All elders (1 Peter 5:1) are bishops (1 Peter 5:2), and all bishops are elders.

We looked at the example of Diotrephes (3 John 9-10), a wicked tyrant, accountable to no one, who used church discipline for his own need to wield power.

The power of church leaders is radically different from worldly power (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). For the first three centuries of Christianity, Christians used prayer and proclamation to win the Roman Empire. They were willing to be killed for the Lord Jesus but never willing to kill for him.

According to Peter those who hold authority in the church, wield it by example (1 Peter 5:3). Indeed, church leaders are to follow the example of the Chief Shepherd, who made himself of no account and put "his congregation" above himself (Philippians 2:3-7).

Power and money are very seductive (1 Peter 5:2), and because all of us have a potential Diotrephes in us, local congregations are always led by more than one individual. Leaders' authority is collegial rather than individual because everyone needs to be accountable to others.

God's people are set free from promises they were manipulated into making regarding money, because biblical giving should be done willingly and cheerfully, not under coercion due to human imposed guilt (2 Corinthians 9:7).

We do not know exactly how the Church will be transformed during this world-wide crisis, but the Lord is transforming the Church, likely making it more like that of the first century.

Are you a Christian?