Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
No minister, leader, or any man has dominion over the faith, conscience, mind, or actions of others, and none may set himself up as lord, judge, infallible authority, or ruler of consciences to dictate, control, or take charge of fellow believers and workers. Their work is to be helpers of joy, to promote joy and help others stand by faith by preaching the Word and speaking the truth in love clearly and decidedly, leading away from error by kindly persuasion and appeal rather than by command, compulsion, severity, or sharp reproof. To set men up as conscience and judgment for others puts man where God alone should be, puts human words and works in place of the Lord's will and way, and greatly dishonors God when self climbs into the judgment seat. This is why Paul delayed his visit to Corinth, choosing to write first so the evils could be repented of and removed, that he might come afterward in love, approval, and meekness rather than with correction. Standing is by faith alone, so none need fear being unable to hold on, yet standing requires daily advancing step by step toward the full stature of Christ, with no safety in standing still.
Helpers, Not Rulers
Paul deliberately held back his apostolic authority and stayed away from Corinth for a time, so that his letter might first bring repentance and the putting away of wrongs in the church, allowing him to return afterward with love, approval and meekness instead of correction.
No minister, worker, leader, and no man at all has dominion over the faith, consciences, minds and actions of believers, fellow men or fellow workers. None is to set himself up as lord, as supreme authority, or as infallible, to judge and rule others, to dictate to individuals, to control with forbiddings, or to take charge of consciences.
The appointed work is to be helpers of joy, to promote joy and help people find joy and stand by faith. Endowments are to be used only as entrusted talents to magnify the truth, by preaching the Word and by speaking the truth in love in a clear and decided manner. Error is to be left and renounced through leading away from it by kindly persuasion, appeal and persuasion, not by command, compulsion, authority, severity, hard talk, sharp reproving, or going to extremes from impulse and feeling.
No one is qualified to govern minds and consciences and to draw attention to self by treating others as inferior. All people are finite, erring and subject to temptation, only God can impress the mind and purify the heart, believers stand by faith, and leaders are to fulfill duty by faith in God and Christlike character and allow brethren to have consciences.
To invest men with authority to be conscience and judgment for others, to stand as conscience for others and in the place God alone should occupy, puts man where God should be. It puts the words and works of men in place of the will and way of the Lord and makes God's will secondary, and it greatly dishonors God when self gains control and climbs into the judgment seat. It is evil for men to accept such responsibility.
Telling what this one must do and that one must do, marking out the track for others, exercising ruling power over fellow workers, requiring people to do precisely as commanded as the condition of love and care, caring only for those who do as directed, and treating those served as personal heritage are forbidden, as was seen when churches in Southern California were taught to look to one man as conscience and judgment. Those sent are true undershepherds under God, not sin-bearers and unable to atone for sin. Such dominating efforts must no longer be continued, those who allowed a dictatorial spirit need the converting power of God on the heart, and one who persists in dominating and dictating will not be accepted as a shepherd and will surely be removed.
Standing by Faith
To stand is to stand by faith, and to hold on is to hold on by faith. Fear of being unable to keep a Christian profession must never keep anyone from taking hold of the religion of Christ. Without faith God cannot be glorified. That standing means growing up to the full stature of Christ by daily advancement, moving forward step by step, for there is no safety apart from going forward, and to fail to advance is to fall and lose eternal life.
Self is conquered only by continually exercising faith. Faith must go deeper and lay hold of the promise, with childlike belief and trust in the Lord Jesus that enlarges the capacity for believing. United with Christ all needed power is given, and abiding in Him makes possible manful fighting. Conquering self costs a severe struggle, for self is hard to manage and is the ground where Satan meets and manages those he would deceive and conquer. Strength comes when the righteousness of Christ is revealed within, by looking beyond self to a crucified Saviour and risen and ascended Lord who as Advocate makes intercession, and by taking hold of Christ's power and efficiency to conquer.
The chapter is a lesson for all believers in which ministers occupy a high and holy position. By faith they stand by keeping the body in the best condition of health through self-denial and simple food. They recommend the truth by practical godliness, judge righteously, and speak as God's mouthpiece with clear discernment under the influence of His Spirit. They guard the door of the lips, because in every assembly Christ is present and a living connection is made between earth and heaven.
No minister, leader, or any man has dominion over the faith, conscience, mind, or actions of others, and none may set himself up as lord, judge, infallible authority, or ruler of consciences to dictate, control, or take charge of fellow believers and workers. Their work is to be helpers of joy, to promote joy and help others stand by faith by preaching the Word and speaking the truth in love clearly and decidedly, leading away from error by kindly persuasion and appeal rather than by command, compulsion, severity, or sharp reproof. To set men up as conscience and judgment for others puts man where God alone should be, puts human words and works in place of the Lord's will and way, and greatly dishonors God when self climbs into the judgment seat. This is why Paul delayed his visit to Corinth, choosing to write first so the evils could be repented of and removed, that he might come afterward in love, approval, and meekness rather than with correction. Standing is by faith alone, so none need fear being unable to hold on, yet standing requires daily advancing step by step toward the full stature of Christ, with no safety in standing still.
Helpers, Not Rulers
Paul deliberately held back his apostolic authority and stayed away from Corinth for a time, so that his letter might first bring repentance and the putting away of wrongs in the church, allowing him to return afterward with love, approval and meekness instead of correction.
No minister, worker, leader, and no man at all has dominion over the faith, consciences, minds and actions of believers, fellow men or fellow workers. None is to set himself up as lord, as supreme authority, or as infallible, to judge and rule others, to dictate to individuals, to control with forbiddings, or to take charge of consciences.
The appointed work is to be helpers of joy, to promote joy and help people find joy and stand by faith. Endowments are to be used only as entrusted talents to magnify the truth, by preaching the Word and by speaking the truth in love in a clear and decided manner. Error is to be left and renounced through leading away from it by kindly persuasion, appeal and persuasion, not by command, compulsion, authority, severity, hard talk, sharp reproving, or going to extremes from impulse and feeling.
No one is qualified to govern minds and consciences and to draw attention to self by treating others as inferior. All people are finite, erring and subject to temptation, only God can impress the mind and purify the heart, believers stand by faith, and leaders are to fulfill duty by faith in God and Christlike character and allow brethren to have consciences.
To invest men with authority to be conscience and judgment for others, to stand as conscience for others and in the place God alone should occupy, puts man where God should be. It puts the words and works of men in place of the will and way of the Lord and makes God's will secondary, and it greatly dishonors God when self gains control and climbs into the judgment seat. It is evil for men to accept such responsibility.
Telling what this one must do and that one must do, marking out the track for others, exercising ruling power over fellow workers, requiring people to do precisely as commanded as the condition of love and care, caring only for those who do as directed, and treating those served as personal heritage are forbidden, as was seen when churches in Southern California were taught to look to one man as conscience and judgment. Those sent are true undershepherds under God, not sin-bearers and unable to atone for sin. Such dominating efforts must no longer be continued, those who allowed a dictatorial spirit need the converting power of God on the heart, and one who persists in dominating and dictating will not be accepted as a shepherd and will surely be removed.
Standing by Faith
To stand is to stand by faith, and to hold on is to hold on by faith. Fear of being unable to keep a Christian profession must never keep anyone from taking hold of the religion of Christ. Without faith God cannot be glorified. That standing means growing up to the full stature of Christ by daily advancement, moving forward step by step, for there is no safety apart from going forward, and to fail to advance is to fall and lose eternal life.
Self is conquered only by continually exercising faith. Faith must go deeper and lay hold of the promise, with childlike belief and trust in the Lord Jesus that enlarges the capacity for believing. United with Christ all needed power is given, and abiding in Him makes possible manful fighting. Conquering self costs a severe struggle, for self is hard to manage and is the ground where Satan meets and manages those he would deceive and conquer. Strength comes when the righteousness of Christ is revealed within, by looking beyond self to a crucified Saviour and risen and ascended Lord who as Advocate makes intercession, and by taking hold of Christ's power and efficiency to conquer.
The chapter is a lesson for all believers in which ministers occupy a high and holy position. By faith they stand by keeping the body in the best condition of health through self-denial and simple food. They recommend the truth by practical godliness, judge righteously, and speak as God's mouthpiece with clear discernment under the influence of His Spirit. They guard the door of the lips, because in every assembly Christ is present and a living connection is made between earth and heaven.