The Purpose of Position

1 Timothy 3:1

This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

The requirements God gives to a Pastor are an example to show every believer how to live. God does not expect the Pastor to live one way and give permission for the believer to live a lesser standard. The position of being a Pastor is a holy position, but its purpose is to be an example of how you should live your daily life.

God says a man that desires the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. Notice that God did not say the man who desires the office of a bishop desires a good position. God did not want the Pastor to look at his office as a position, but as a work to do for Christ. God was reminding the Pastor that He gives position to work, and not to hold over the heads of those he leads as a whip to make everyone fall in line with what they should do. How the Pastor looks at the purpose of his position will determine how well he uses that office. If he looks at his position as a position, he will use it to cause people to help him to build his work. However, if he looks at his position as a work for God to serve others, he will use that position to build lives for Christ. If he looks at the office of a pastor as a position, he will use that office to make people serve Him. However, if he looks at the office of a Pastor as a good work, he will work in that position to help people to become what Christ wants them to become. Let me share some observations of the good work of this great office and how it applies to your life.

First, the office of a bishop or of being a Pastor is to be used to work. Some who hold this position become lazy and make others do the work, when they should be the ones leading the way to work. The Pastor should be the hardest working person in the church because he is to give an example to the believer how they should serve God. Serving the Lord is not a playground or a weekend gig, but it is to be a life to work for God.

Second, the purpose of the office of a bishop or of being a Pastor is to do the good work of God. Be careful about being sidetracked in life. It is easy to become sidetracked in the ministry with the demands of paying your bills and caring for your family, but never let these demands pull you into a work that will pull you away from the good work that God has placed you in. Many have gotten involved in a job that required so much of their time that they could not give their efforts and time to do the good work of God. Always remember that the highest work any person can do is the work of God. Be careful about becoming enamored with other things that might be worthy of doing because Satan will be sure to give you a worthy cause that will pull you away from the good work of God.

Third, the purpose of the office of a bishop or of being a Pastor is to be an example for the believer. Just because you are not a Pastor does not mean that you should not be involved in the good work of God. Yes, you have to work a job to pay the bills, but remember that job is not to be the excuse to stay away from the good work of God. You work a secular job to pay the bills, but that secular job should never pull you away from the good work of God. You are to be as involved in the good work of God as your Pastor. God will use you to influence many lives for good if you keep your primary focus on doing the good work for God that He calls every believer to do.