Idolatry poses a significant challenge to humanity. Since the departure of Jesus, remains a perceived need for a visible figure to fill the void. After the early disciples passed away, the Roman Catholic Church established the papacy that became the primary figure representing Christ. As a result, the establishment of the papacy became equated with Christian legitimacy. Without a physical representative of Christ, recognition as a Church of God is deemed difficult. A deep need for tangible entities to which allegiance could be pledged existed. The Apostle Paul encountered this issue and found it challenging to address among the early Gentile converts.
“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?
“Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.
“According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed of how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward” (1 Corinthians 3:1-14 NKJV).
The real challenge with the Corinthians was their excessive admiration for the early apostles, rather than directing their admiration to Jesus. They directed the adoration meant for Christ towards their favored preachers, without considering their own respective roles within the Church’s structure. Paul labelled this behaviour as carnality, which was fitting for their human nature. The apostle Paul and his fellow apostles had merely led them to Christ, to whom they should have pledged their loyalty.
They sought to impress the visible apostles rather than to please the unseen Jesus. This trend continues today, initiated by the Roman Catholic Church, which assumes the necessity of Christ’s physical representation. Yet, the Church of God is not a worldly institution defined by physical leaders. Christ stated that after His departure, the world would no longer see Him, but His disciples would, for He would remain with them. A Christian maintains a personal relationship with Christ.
“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” (John 14:18-21 NKJV).
The above passage may be considered the most authentic depiction of Christian principles. The presence of elaborate adornments of patriarchal leaders in established Christian institutions does not validate authenticity. The referenced Scripture is not directed solely at religious organizational leaders; it addresses anyone who possesses and adheres to His commandments, demonstrating love for Him. To such individuals, Jesus promises His love and personal revelation. The text does not suggest that Jesus would reveal Himself through an intermediary pontifical figure.
The profound statement captures the essence: “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me” (Verse 18). Thus, what the world perceives as representative of Jesus contrasts with those who truly represent Him. Jesus is embodied in what the worldly eyes cannot see. This clear Scripture has existed since Jesus’ departure, yet it is often overlooked as if it were nonexistent. Understanding that Christ cannot be represented by those who do not know Him, is crucial. When individuals with worldly perspectives acknowledge someone as a leader of God’s Church, it often indicates misunderstanding. The apostles, as pioneers, were explicitly taught to conduct themselves distinctly:
But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. “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” (Matthew 23:8-13 NKJV).
This brings us to the most fascinating phenomenon of deception ever manifested in this world. Christian organizations are identified by pastoral figures, superintending over religious activities. The term “Pastor” is frequently used to represent Church authority worldwide. If the Bible carries the label of being authentic, we have to refer to it and be guided accordingly. The only mention of the term “Pastor” was once, by the apostle Paul:
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV).
The term “pastor” is among the specific gifts equipping the saints for Christ’s ministerial work. Yet, its widespread use for leading church organizations is a curious development. While other terms are also utilized, “pastor” is predominantly used to denote a leader. Jesus conferred the title “apostles” on His disciples, which did not necessarily establish a leadership hierarchy. This suggests that these apostles were the first to be recognized as Christians; and sent to introduce Christianity. “Apostle” is the Greek word “apostolos” meaning “messenger” or “envoy,” signifying someone sent on a mission.
Matthew 23:8-12 outlines the anticipated behaviour of the apostles, whose leadership is Christ. It is important to remember that Jesus declared He would dwell within each apostle following their anointing by the Holy Spirit, which took place on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Although Peter appears to have assumed the leadership role for the sake of the organizational structure, this did not mean that other roles were inferior to his.
Christ’s presence in each of the apostles precluded any assertions of superiority or inferiority. For example, the role of a teacher might seem more important due to its authority. But Jesus made it clear that He alone held all authority, although possibly using anyone to assume that function on His behalf. Jesus remains authoritative on all Christian matters. They were all expected to humbly serve one another rather than seek leadership as if desiring to be glorified by others.
The term “Pastor” originates from the Greek word for “Shepherd.” In a literal sense, no one in the human realm can claim to be the shepherd. The true Shepherd is present among Christians in their respective roles, in whatever capacity, regardless of physical appearance. This shepherd would face all the challenges that the followers encounter. God’s children, susceptible to the adversary, need the true Shepherd. For protection and refuge from the significant spiritual enemy in Christianity, Jesus stands as the only real solution. Anyone else physically asserting this role would be deemed an impostor.
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My sheep and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so, I know the Father, and I lay down My life for the sheep.
“And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. Therefore My Father loves Me because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down for Myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” (John 10:1-17 NKJV).
Jesus identified Himself as the sole Shepherd, whose term is ‘Pastor’ in Greek. He instructed His followers to depend on Him, being the only genuine Shepherd. This Shepherd would remain unrecognized by the world, yet known to those who heed His voice. It is not for anyone in this world to assert representation of Him, but for those who can discern His voice. These individuals are not to heed any other, save for the true Shepherd, unseen by humankind. Jesus’ declaration may not be fully comprehended by those who are not His.
In our tangible world, one may wonder where to find fellowship with others who share a connection to Jesus. This is a personal quest, as the Shepherd is not visible in the physical realm. The original apostles were seen, yet those drawn to Christ relied not on them, but on the unseen Christ. This principle holds true even now. Genuine followers no longer seek truth through physical beings but start by embracing the teachings of Christ from the conventional Christian Bible.
The conviction that Jesus is the sole Pastor of His Church, offers comfort to those diligently seeking to follow His teachings. Truth stands independently and does not require human validation. If, by coincidence, someone articulates a statement that one deems true, the listener acknowledges the message, based on authentic verification.
Jesus stated that His sheep recognize His voice, implying that those outside His fold cannot. Thus, the real question arises: what should one do after hearing the Shepherd’s voice? The individual, solely accountable to the Shepherd, receives guidance from Him. Upon hearing Peter’s message on the Day of Pentecost, the converts essentially asked the same question:
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:37-39 NKJV).
Peter’s response is specifically relevant in advising those people to be baptized in the name of the only pastor of the Christian faith. They were not to be baptized in the name of any of the apostles, but in Jesus’ name, sustaining the Shepherd’s title. The question, of whether water baptism or according to John’s insinuation of what would later translate is a question to be answered by the person concerned. The early disciples were baptized, according to John’s water baptism.
“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:11-12 NKJV).
The paramount piece of information is that one should heed the guidance of the unseen Shepherd rather than solely relying on human directives. Human service is multifaceted; for example, I am an author utilizing technology created by others. Another individual assists by connecting with people beyond my human reach. Social media enables the dissemination of information and is used by individuals dedicated to sharing what they believe to be true, to a broader audience. It seems the only person unacceptable to Christ would be the one who is inactive with their perceived truths.
God anticipates that those who recognize Him as the true Shepherd will propagate the truth as far as possible. Without such volunteers, the unseen Shepherd cannot connect with those He wishes to include. Therefore, it is not anyone’s role to judge the messengers spreading the word. Only those who consider themselves more truthful than others can be deemed aberrant. Jesus did not command His disciples to either idolize or discredit other believers. He remains invisible to the secular world but is revealed to those who sincerely view Him as the only Shepherd.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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