Male Spiritual Leadership

 

The Family is given spiritual leadership.

1. God, 2. Christ, 3. Husband,  4.Wife,  1st Cor. 11:3, 11-12

 

The responsibility of spiritual leadership is first revealed in Genesis 2:16-18, 3:6. This role is used by Paul to reinforce male spiritual leadership in the church, 1st Tim. 2:11-14. The reasoning behind it is to reflect the order and desire of God from creation, reinstating the truth of God creating the church.  Secondly, Paul implies that Eve’s deception is somehow related to her weaker nature, which Adam failed to recognize and react to. The weaker nature of the woman is still true today so therefore we have another reason for her subservient role in the church, but if men in the church do not imitate the failure of Adam and are placed in a leadership role spiritually, they ought to be prevented from failing the sisters. This is true in the origin of sin, Romans 5:12.

Primarily, a husband’s responsibility is to be constantly relaying and reminding God’s will and word to their wife, this includes the need for husbands to ensure their wives have an active prayer life, 1st Peter 3:7.

 

 

The Church is given spiritual leadership.

1. Pastors/Elders/Shepherds, Acts 16:4, 1st Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9.

2. Evangelists, Ephesians 4:11, Acts 21:8, 2nd Tim. 4:5

3. Teachers/Leaders, James 3:1 & Acts 15:22 (Luke 22:26), 1st Cor. 6:5, Heb. 13:7,17.

4. Deacons, 1st Timothy 3:8-13

Every wise leader understands the necessity of interdependency within the whole of the congregation, which of course includes the sisters,  Acts 15:22.

 

The main reason God gave the Apostles authority was for the “building up” of the church. 2nd Corinthians 10:8. So every leader of the church should remember the words of Jesus, ‘call no man your teacher’, Matthew 23:8-11. We are to live and teach in a way that relays what the Spirit lives and teaches, 2nd Tim. 2:2.  Nothing should originate with us, we are merely trying to grow into ambassadors, 2nd Cor. 5:20.

 

 

The Nation of Israel was given spiritual leadership.

Israel was set before the world as an example of Theocracy.  God knew they would need a king, and ‘he’ was prophetically described in Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

1. Innate in citizenship. 

2. His emphasis must be peace, not war. 

3. He is to be monogamous and not horde wealth. 

4. He is to publicly write and read God’s word so as to grow in respect for  God.

Today government itself is ordained of God, and whatever kind of government God allows to rule (male/female  or a  democracy/dictatorship) the church is given the command to pray for them, Romans 13:1, 1st Tim. 2:1-2.

 

 

Prayer pointer for the week: Do we pray for our leaders, at home, in the church and for our nation?