Denton Primitive Baptist Church

Elder, Pastor

The Greek word, “poimen,” is found 18 times in the new testament. According to Strong’s it means “shepherd, overseer, or pastor.” It is translated shepherd 14 times and in all 14 times it refers to Jesus. It is translated shepherds 3 times and refers to the shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks by night about the time of the birth of Christ. It is translated pastor one time and that is in Eph. 4:11, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers...” I agree that there are only two offices given to the new testament church and that is bishop or elder and deacon. However, there are different names given to those who occupy the office of bishop or elder. As noted above, some of the bishops or elders were apostles, some were prophets, some were evangelists, and some were pastors and teachers. This seems to have reference to their particular authority or work given to them of the Lord. Peter who we know was one of the Apostles, refers to himself as an elder in 1 Peter 5:1, “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.” Other name given to the bishops or elders is overseer: In Acts 20:28 Paul taught the elders of the church of Ephesus to “Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

Stong defines the following words as follows:

1. Bishop - 1985. episkopos, ep is' kop os; from G1909 and G4649 (in the sense of G1983); a superintendent, i.e. Chr. officer in gen. charge of a (or the) church (lit. or fig.): bishop, overseer.

2. Elder - 4245. presbuteros, pres boo' ter os; compar. of presbus (elderly); older; as noun, a senior; spec. an Isr. Sanhedrist (also fig. member of the celestial council) or Chr. "presbyter": elder ( est), old.

3. Pastor - 4166. poimen, poy mane'; of uncert. affin.; a shepherd (lit. or fig.): shepherd, pastor.

4. Overseer - 1985. episkopos, ep is' kop os; from G1909 and G4649 (in the sense of G1983); a superintendent, i.e. Chr. officer in gen. charge of a (or the) church (lit. or fig.): bishop, overseer.

The Greek word translated angel is aggelos, ang' el os; from aggello [prob. der. from G71; comp. G34] (to bring tidings); a messenger; esp. an "angel"; by impl. a pastor: angel, messenger. It is translated angel 181 times and is translated messenger 7 times in the new testament. Three times the word has reference to John the Baptist (Matt. 11:10, Mk. 1:2, Lk.7:27), once it has reference to the messenger of Satan (2 Cor. 12:7), once it has reference to the disciples of John (Lk. 7:24), once it has reference to the disciples of Jesus (Lk. 9:52), and once it has reference to the spies that Rahab the harlot rescued (James 2:25). Since John was instructed of the Lord to write to the angels (messengers) of the churches of Asia, it would seem that he was to write to the one or ones who were responsible to carry the Lord’s message to the church, which certainly is the case of the elder (pastor, bishop, overseer) of the church.

With regards to the question as to who determines who will preach in a Primitive Baptist Church, it has been my experience that the members are continuously encouraged to pray for the leadership of the Holy Spirit in this matter. During the regular church services the pastor of the church generally determines who will preach as he has been made “overseer” of the flock of God by the Holy Ghost and thus bears the responsibility before God.

Spiritual Circumcision of the Heart

In this essay we will look at the "new birth" as a spiritual "circumcision" of the heart.

In the old testament (Gen. 17:7 14) we read where God established his
covenant with Abraham and his seed after him for an everlasting covenant and gave them the ordinance of circumcision as a "token" of the covenant between God and Abraham. Every man child was to be circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin when he was eight days old. Thus circumcision identified them with the covenant God made with Abraham and his seed. In Rom. 2:28, 29 we read of the "spiritual circumcision of the heart" as follows: "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

In Col. 2:11 we read how this spiritual circumcision of the heart takes
place, "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made
without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the
circumcision of Christ." There are several points we wish to make about
this "spiritual circumcision of the heart." First, this circumcision is
performed by Christ and it is done without hands. This is a direct
operation performed by Jesus Christ upon the sinner's heart and it is
done without human instrumentality.

Second, as the ordinance of natural circumcision was a token of the
covenant God made with Abraham and his seed, so spiritual circumcision of the heart is tied to the eternal covenant of redemption as set forth in Rom. 8:28 30. It is in the process of "God's calling" that the
covenant children have their hearts circumcised.

Third, as natural circumcision identified the recipient with the
covenant promises made to Abraham and his seed, so spiritual
circumcision of the heart in the new birth identifies the recipient with
God's covenant promises in the covenant of redemption. It is in the
evidences of the new birth that we are able to identify ourselves and
others with those covenant promises of election, predestination,<BR>
justification, and glorification.

Fourth, as in natural circumcision there was a cutting away of the
foreskin of the flesh, so in spiritual circumcision there is a "putting
off the body of the sins of the flesh." When we are born again we begin
to realize we are sinners, but we are also brought to understand that
Jesus died to put away our sins. As a result of the new birth we see
our sins put away by Jesus covenant work of redemption on the cross. He was made to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God by him (II Cor. 5:21).

Fifth, as natural circumcision was performed on the eight day and eight
is the bible number associated with new beginnings, so spiritual
circumcision of the heart is a new beginning for those thus
circumcised. II Cor. 5:17, "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a
new creature: old things are passed away: behold all things are become
new." When we are born again, we are a "new beginning" spiritually.
Whereas, before, we had no spiritual life and were incapable of
understanding spiritual things and had no desire for the things of God,
afterwards, we have spiritual life and thus are capable of comprehending
spiritual things and desire the things of God.

Sixth, spiritual circumcision is performed on the heart. It involves a
change of the heart (seat of emotions). After the new birth we have a
heart that greatly desires and longs for the things of God. It cries
out "abba father" and is emotionally tied to the covenant work of Jesus
Christ.

Seven, spiritual circumcision of the heart makes us an "inward Jew."
We are now associated with the people of God through an inward work of grace on our heart performed by the Holy Spirit. The word Judah means "praise." We are now the "praise" of God not through our works but as a result of God's inward work. Furthermore, as inward Jews we should give "praise" to God for his unspeakable gift.

Salvation From an Untoward Generation

In this essay we continue a study of timely deliverance (salvation) as
we look at the exhortation in Acts 2:40, "And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward
generation." It is only those who have been called of God that can save
themselves from this "untoward generation." According to Rom. 3:17 the unregenerate (those not born again) know not the way of peace. Likewise in Eph. 2:2, 3 we are told that before we are born again we "walked according to the course of this world" and "had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of our flesh and mind." It is only after the miracle of the new birth that we can "save ourselves from this untoward generation."

The Greek word for untoward is "skolios" meaning crooked or curved in contrast to that which is straight. John describes for us this
"untoward generation" in the admonition of I John 2:15, 16, "Love not
the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love
the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the
world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of
life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." James says in James
4:4, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of
the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of
the world is the enemy of God." Thus we conclude that the course of
this world is to satiate self with the fleshly lusts. That is to live a
lifestyle seeking to satisfy the fleshly desires.

There are two ways that are set forth for us that we can choose to
travel in this life. There is the broad way that most people travel and
there is the narrow way of discipleship that a few travel. Matt. 7:13,
14 describes these ways for us thusly: "Enter ye in at the strait gate:
for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate and
narrow is the way, which leadeth to life, and few there be which find
it." For a child of God to travel the road of life living a lifestyle
to satisfy the fleshly lust is to travel the road that leads to
destruction.

Destruction can come in many forms a few of which are:

1. Broken marriages, broken relationships, broken fellowship, and
broken promises.
2. A lifetime of despair, despondency, and depression.
3. A lifetime of dependency brought on by addiction to drugs and
alcohol and other addictive substances and practices.
4. Loneliness.
5. Bondage to the false ideas and false teachings of false prophets.
6. Lives, ours and others, destroyed by lustful action.
7. Wasted opportunities to worship and serve God with the talents God
has given us.
8. Guilt ridden lives often coupled with mental illness.

Those who travel the broad way of destruction usually do so because of the promises of fleshly gratification (lust of flesh, lust of eyes,
pride of life) only to find out later in life how "empty" those promises
really were.

The other way set forth for us to travel is the "narrow" way of
discipleship or "way of peace also known as the "highway of holiness."
We are admonished in Rom. 12:1, 2, "I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service, And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." The travelers along the "highway of holiness" find that they experience a life of inner peace, rest, comfort, fellowship with
God, true spiritual joy, friendship with God and God's obedient people,
help in time of trouble, growth in the knowledge of God's word, strength during the time of adversity, consolation in time of loss, etc. Thus this way leads unto the deep, full spiritual life in God's kingdom.

We save ourselves by initially and continually committing ourselves to
the worship and service of God in his kingdom church and to being
disciples of Jesus Christ by studying his word and by being doers of his word and by mortifying the deeds of the flesh through purging out the old fleshly ways and replacing them with the way of holiness and
godliness.

Thus we should all strive to enter in at the strait gate and walk the
narrow way which leads to this rich spiritual kingdom life.

Salvation From Ignorance

In our previous essays we have considered how God has saved us from the condemnation of sin, from the bondage of sin, and from the corruption of sin. These make up our eternal salvation which according to the scriptures are by the grace of God and not by the works of the
creature. In this essay we will begin to look at our timely salvation.
That there are two types of salvation taught in the scriptures is
plainly set forth in II Tim. 2:10, "Therefore I endure all things for
the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in
Christ Jesus with eternal glory." Thus "the elect" already have
"eternal glory" and Paul desired they would have another salvation, for
which he endured "all things" for their sake.

One aspect of timely salvation is deliverance from ignorance and
working to "get right" with God. Paul prayed for a people in Romans
chapter 10 who were ignorant of God's righteousness and going about
trying to establish their own righteousness. In other words, they were
trying thru their efforts to "get right" with God. That such effort is
futile is evidenced by the fact that salvation from sin is by the grace
of God. They, however, according to their ignorance thought they could do something that would put them in judicial favor with a just and holy God.

Please note that no one tries to get right with God who hasn't first
felt the conviction of sin in his heart. A person who wants to get
right with God does so, because he has been convicted in his heart of
sin. Next, no one has felt conviction of sin in his heart until God has
first written his laws in his heart. Without law there can be no
conviction of sin. God writes his laws in our heart when we are born
again (born spiritually). Jesus died and redeemed all, who are born
again, from the condemnation of sin. The born again person being
convicted by the laws of God written in his heart will try to alleviate
his heartfelt conviction of sin by trying to get right with God. At
this point in time he is ignorant of the "righteousness of God," i.e.,
that Christ thru his sufferings and death on the cross redeemed him and
made him right with God. He in his ignorance goes about trying to do
something to get right with God.

In Matt. 11:28 the Lord said, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are
heave laden, and I will give you rest." The born again but convicted
child of God labors trying to establish his own righteousness all the
while he is heavy laden with a burden of sin guiltiness. What can save
this individual from the predicament he is in? Well the answer is
"coming to Jesus" to see that he is "the end (fulfillment) of the law
for righteousness." When we see that Jesus has made us righteous before God then we will stop all our efforts in trying to get right with God. The true gospel brings this knowledge to the laboring sin burdened child of God. II Tim. 1:10 declares the gospel purpose as follows: "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." The gospel brings life and immortality to light! It declares what Jesus has done for us and how we are made righteous thru his sacrificial atonement.

The gospel does not give life, but it brings that life that God has already given us (of which we were before ignorant) to light or knowledge. Therefore when the born again child of God who is burdened with sin guiltiness and trying to get right with God hears and believes that Jesus died to deliver him from his sins and that he is thus made right with God, he is then saved from his ignorance and from his fruitless attempts to get right with God. Many of God's born again people are today still in their ignorance trying to get right with God.

Let us have the same concern and prayer for them that Paul expressed in Rom. 10:1, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." Isaiah 40:1,2 illustrates the purpose of the gospel in saving God's people from ignorance and effort in trying to get right with God: "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished; that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins." Many of God's people today are fighting a warfare in trying to get right with God when the war is already won for them by the Lord, they just don't know it. The gospel, however, brings this knowledge to them. It is indeed a great comfort and load removed from our heart when wecome to believe that Jesus has redeemed us from our sins by his sacrificial atonement and by the grace of God. It removes the load of sin guiltiness from our heart and delivers us from a fruitless effort of trying to get right with God.