Observably Good

# 97 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 3:7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. We have arrived at the last requirement for those who would be pastors. The pastors reputation outside the church walls must good. There must be convincing evidence of virtuous character to those who are not yet believers. Again this applies for all believers, it's something we should all shoot for. 1Pe 2:12 says, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Observable goodness to those outside the church has a strong pull toward leading them to faith. Conversely, observable badness if you will, can be a huge turn off when God the Holy Spirit seeks to convert a soul. (The day of visitation.) Hypocrites are lousy evangelists! It's bad enough when a professing follower of Christ stains the reputation of the church with public bad behavior, but how much worse when the pastor is guilty? The devil loves to go after the leaders. If he can get them to fall, many others will likely follow, and certainly, the devil can use those ill behaviors to plant that seed of doubt that sounds something like this, “Well if that's what it means to follow Christ, then I don't want anything to do with it!.” How many times have you and I cringed when a pastor makes the headlines for improper sexual behavior? Or excessive alcohol consumption? Or mishandling of funds? Behaviors that are not even condoned by those outside the church? When the evil speaking of the pastor's conduct by outsiders is just. One of the favorite snares of the devil is sprung. It is the trap set when hypocrisy is revealed. And here is the result of hypocritical leaders according to Jesus in Mt 23:13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.” The hypocritical leader not only shuts the door to heaven for himself, but also runs the great and terrible risk of closing it to others!