“Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.”
-1 Timothy 5:19-22 (ESV)
In light of the disorienting, recent news of yet another removal of a well-known pastor due to moral failure, I thought I would share an interesting excerpt from a letter in the early church.
In Polycarp’s letter to the Philippians (Yes, the same Philippians to whom Paul wrote a letter in Scripture!) written in the second century (i.e., the 100s), he writes: “I am deeply grieved for Valens, who once was a presbyter among you, because he so fails to understand the office that was entrusted to him” (Michael W. Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers, 293). This shows that elder removals due to character issues were already happening in the early church. Note how Polycarp says he was grieved.
Polycarp expresses a similar confusion that we have today, “But how can someone who is unable to exercise self-control in these matters preach self-control to anyone else” (Ibid.)? This is one factor that often leads to the removal of a preacher. However, furthermore, it is often what is so troubling when a long-standing moral issue has been festering. One may ask: How did the pastor's conscience permit him to stand up weekly and preach despite the serious ongoing sin issue? In some cases, pastors have preached against the very things they were doing privately.
Polycarp continues by commenting on his grief, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, I am deeply grieved for him and for his wife; may the Lord grant them true repentance” (Ibid.). In their case it seemed to be related to greed and a dishonest love for money. Nevertheless, what he says is helpful for any pastoral character issue. We should have grief. We should desire their repentance. We should pray for their repentance.
Polycarp gives the Philippians an interesting course of action. He says: “You, therefore, for your part must be reasonable in this matter, and do not regard such people as enemies, but, as sick and straying members, restore them, in order that you may save your body in its entirety. For by doing this you build up one another” (293-295). We don’t consider the person an enemy, but a sick and straying member. We want to see repentance and restoration.
We can actually see situations like this rearing their ugly heads in the pages of Scripture. Paul, in 1 Timothy 5:19-22, states, “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.”
In other words, Paul says if an elder continues to sin they must make sure that the accusations are accurate. If they are, then the elder must be publicly rebuked. Why? Because the leader has betrayed the trust that the church has placed in the person as a spiritual leader; it regains trust with the church (rather than attempting to keep it a secret); it also provides a warning against other leaders who may be tempted with various sins (ESV Study Bible, 2333).
Paul provided this information on what to do when an elder lives in continuous unrepentant sin because, sadly, he knew that the church would run into this issue. Perhaps, as he indicates, we should not be hasty in laying our hands of affirmation on someone when we are seeking to place someone in a role of spiritual leadership. We should make sure they have character first in order to avoid this happening (as much as possible).
Now, here’s why it's helpful to look at what Paul and Polycarp have said on this issue. We seem to be in a season of numerous public pastoral failures. Whether there are more of them now compared to the past or they are just more public now, I cannot tell. We should absolutely grieve deeply. It is normal to feel disoriented and shocked, particularly when it was your pastor or someone who influenced you. (Personally, I have thrown away quite a few books in the last couple of years by people who have surprisingly ended poorly. I couldn't imagine myself getting the issue out of my mind to read the person's book(s) even if I was helped by them. This problem has not escaped the more solid circles, with good theology. In fact, most recently it has driven me to read more writings from the early church for a sense of rootedness. Also, I can't be surprised by the shocking ending of the lives of believers from the early church. I already know how their lives ended!) Sadly, the early church experienced the shock and grief from these situations as well. Like them, we should pray for their repentance.
Moreover, it also helps on some level to know that these situations are not new. We aren’t the only ones to wrestle with this in the history of the church. This has been happening since the beginning, for two thousand years of church history. It was just as shocking and disorienting in the first and second centuries as it is now. Perhaps, one difference in our age is how quickly the news can travel via social media. Still, the shock and grief has been there in these situations all along.
Thankfully, we're not left without a guide. Scripture speaks to it and provides some instructions on what to do in these situations. Secondarily, I'm thankful that we have writings from the early church about situations like these which are instructive and helpful (even if they are not authoritative).
Most of all, I’m thankful that the church is built upon the name, fame, character, person, and power of Jesus Christ. His character is perfect, and it always will be perfect. No person, no matter how influential, can topple the kingdom of Jesus Christ with their sinful choices. He is on his throne yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We will never be shocked by a surprising, sinful revelation of him! (For more on that please click here.) Christ is our foundation. He is stable. He is secure. He is solid.
Christ is our foundation. He is stable. He is secure. He is solid.
As Paul says,
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. (Col. 1:16-18)Christian, pastoral failures are not new. They do cause grief and shock. But, thankfully, our firm foundation is Christ alone.
Bibliography:
-ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008.
-Holmes, Michael W. The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations, 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007.