Pride Must Be Sufficiently Dealt With

628 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 3:6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Next on the list of pastoral qualifications is the pastor must not be a novice. The word means “newly planted.” In other words the pastor must have a level of spiritual maturity that comes with time and experience. This must've been very difficult in the church plants of the Apostles as the entire congregation would typically be made up of new converts! But as we have said before, the usual procedure was to prayerfully select the most qualified candidates, lay hands on them, and then commend the congregation to the Lord. The warning sign for such appointees would be the matter of pride. The appointee must have reached a point in spiritual maturity where pride has been sufficiently dealt with. This person must not be enamored with his own press clippings, but rather with the press clippings of Jesus and the cross. He must embrace the truth of Joh 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. This qualification for a spiritual leader really hits close to home for me. I remember my own conversion experience. It was dramatic, and a total 180 degree lifestyle turnaround. There was a newfound zealousness in me for anything Jesus! The congregation that I was a part of mistook this zeal and turnaround as a qualification for leadership and I was elected an elder. It wasn't long before pride took over. Pride that led to a rift between myself and the pastor, that teetered on the edge of me “falling in to the condemnation of the devil.” Never forget that pride is the great enemy of grace, and the church cannot function correctly without grace! Long story short, God arranged circumstances in such a way that I was forced to face the issue of my pride head on, (by the way it is best faced at the foot of the cross, where it is plain to see that we are all sinners in need of a Savior! I wouldn't trade my experiences from serving as an elder for anything, I learned much, but it would have been all for naught had not God dealt with my pride. Pride that was fueled by being advanced to the office of elder, before my time. Remember, a spiritual leader should not be a novice, let him first demonstrate a consistent spirit of humility, because pride really does go before the fall.