Attributes Unbecoming of a Christian Minister
Men of God minister God’s Word both privately and publicly. The preacher of the Gospel calls out to all men everywhere to repent of their sins against God (Acts 17:30). He also urges the born again to live their lives in a worthy manner before God (1 Thess 2:12). God, through the Christian minister, calls people into His kingdom and glory. Thus, we should live like who we are in truth.
The Christian life is a life of holiness. It is set apart from the world, even as two opposing kings vie for allegiance from citizens. The rule of God in the world is notably different than the rule of sin and Satan. God calls His children to be holy as He is holy (1 Pet 1:15–16); and the Holy Bible establishes God’s standard for morality and ethics.
Christians resemble walking billboards promoting the Gospel of the kingdom. This is the Gospel of grace from God that manifests in the sanctified life of the believer in Jesus. In serving God, the Christian operates under the scrutiny of others. Friend and foe evaluate the piety of each one who claims Christ Jesus as Lord (Jn 13:35; 1 Pet 2:9).
God is there; and God has spoken. In communicating with humanity, God sends His Spirit-filled heralds to represent Him and to proclaim His Gospel (Is 52:7; Rom 10:15). These are God’s workmen, appointed and approved by God to minister the Word of God to all people (2 Tim 2:15). God had only one begotten Son…a preacher (Jn 3:16; Heb 1:2). We follow Him, the Holy one of God, the Lord our righteousness.
A key feature to understanding the Bible is the prominence paid to the prevalent pseudo-philosophers and false brethren. In other words, the church of God in Christ is ever under the threat of unsound doctrine taught by charlatans. In the same way we could review the marks of the commissioned servant of God, we can observe the unacceptable attributes of the one who ministers to us at our local gathering of saints.
There are six attributes in view here, truly unbecoming of a Christian minister. First, he must be a “he”. In the mixed company of men and women, the preacher/teacher must be a man of God (1 Cor 14:34–36; 1 Tim 2:9–15). It is unbecoming for a woman to teach or have authority over a man.
Second, the minister must be credentialed by God to be His steward. This has less to do with formal education than it does with the calling to be a preacher and teacher of the Bible. God’s Spirit calls the man of God to go to the place He will minister. It is the local church who recognizes the man sent to them or the man being sent by them. It is unbecoming for a minister to not be called and confirmed.
Third, the motive of the minister must be love. He must love God; love Christ; love the truth (sound doctrine); and love people by telling them the truth as it is in Jesus (Eph 4:21). It is unbecoming of a Christian minister to neglect his duty to preach the whole counsel of God. It is unloving to withhold or dilute any of the corpus of biblical doctrine. If anyone should be speaking the truth in love (Eph 4:15), it is the Christian minister.
Fourth, the method ordained by God for the salvation of His chosen people is Gospel preaching (2 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 4:2). It is unbecoming of a Christian minister to speak philosophy, psychology, political theory, leadership initiatives, or any other message than Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor 1:23; 2:2). It is the Spirit of God who feeds the people of God the Bread of God, which is the Word of God. Jesus gave bread to His disciples to distribute to the people.
Fifth, the Christian minister serves as a father and mother to the family of God. Like an older sibling who watches over a younger sibling, the man of God must nurture others, warn them, and exemplify Christian discipleship. The Apostle Paul was gentle toward the Thessalonians, yet stern with the Galatians and Corinthian believers. Where Gospel truth, morality and/or ethics is waning amongst Christians, the father manifests in the minister. Where persecution and diverse sufferings plague a local fellowship, the nurturing mother manifests. It is unbecoming of a Christian minister to be aloof and uncaring toward the children of God.
Sixth, the called preacher must be a plain talker. It is unbecoming of a Christian minister to employ speech that flatters, in order to entice patronage or public praise. The true preacher pleases God. The false preacher pleases men. In a world of lies, deceit is the fodder of devils. Demons love to trick people with clever speech. They spur on the flesh of men to gain sex, money, popularity, and power. The crafty pursuit of such ends, by means of oration and rhetoric is unbecoming of a Christian minister.
In summary, we see the plain speech of a talker of truth. The man of God serves God as a slave of Christ entrusted with a simple message (Eph 6:6). His heart’s desire is to please God by faithfully going to the people of God’s choosing, to bear witness of the excellencies of Christ Jesus, the Lord of all (Acts 10:36; Rom 11:5; Col 1:28; 1 Pet 2:9).
In conclusion, the woman preacher must examine herself by examining the Scriptures. She should repent to the place of obedience. The man who is not called by God and confirmed by the church must also repent to a place of submission to the Word of God. The false teacher must be rebuked for wrong motives and devious methods — in greedy pursuit of fleshly desires. It is unbecoming of a Christian minister to deviate from the regulative principle for ministerial practices afforded by Holy Scripture. Finally, it is unbecoming of Christ’s church to subject herself to a minister who is unbecoming in the eyes of Holy Writ and a Holy God.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
July 10, 2023
