ELDERS Part 3
Watching For Your Soul!
Occasionally someone will say, “I don’t believe in placing membership with a congregation.” Really? Who then watches for your soul? The scriptures teach very plainly that elders are to watch for souls of a specific flock. “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” (Acts 20:28). These words were spoken by the Apostle Paul to the elders at Ephesus. The Holy Spirit has made overseers of a specific flock. Of course The Holy Spirit does this by men being selected using the qualifications found in the Bible (1 Tim3:1-8; Titus 1:5). They were to take heed of their flock.
Another passage written is, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you” (Heb. 13:17). Christians who obey the gospel in a congregation or who come into a congregation and place their membership are putting their souls under the oversight of that eldership. When this is done a responsibility is placed upon that eldership. It must be pointed out that there is a responsibility also of the Christian under the oversight of the eldership.
“Obey them that have the rule….” This indicates the responsibility of one to follow the instructions of the eldership in directing their lives. Bro. Wayne Jackson, Editor of Christian Courier, wrote the following: “When one seeks membership in a congregation, and places himself under the leadership of local elders, he has taken on a responsibility to be regarded with great reverence. He may misbehave, and when approached by godly elders, declare (in essence): ‘You have no authority over me. I will do as I please. I will leave this church and you can do nothing about it.’ If one wishes to leave, fine; he has the option to do so. But if there is ‘unfinished business,’ that may not be ignored. The offenders must take responsibility for their actions and make matters right with the congregation they suddenly have found so distasteful.”
“…And submit yourselves” shows a willingness on the part of a member to place himself/herself under that leadership and should therefore accept the counsel, encouragement and direction of the eldership under which they have placed themselves. Why would a person want to become a member of a congregation and then reject the efforts of that leadership to guide them? The Hebrew writer writes that to fail to do so is “unprofitable to you.”
Larry