(Part II of Zadok, the True Minister)
© by Gary W. Crisp
While a lot of Christians have spent great energy and much zeal condemning and criticising the world’s music (i.e. rock ’n roll, beer-drinkin’ country songs, rap, heavy metal, etc.), they have for the most part overlooked or ignored a much more serious problem; a much more critical need. And that being a situation right under their very noses...in their very own churches!
# 1--The First Problem Area:
• Striving for Excellence! •
At first thought, “excellence” in anything done for God sounds right, doesn’t it? It’s how we “achieve” that excellence, and how we “arrive there” that’s the problem. That’s why I entitled this section “Striving for Excellence”, because that’s what ultimately happens... striving in the church, amongst the people. Excellence even sounds noble and right to the heart of carnal man, and therein lies the problem: Carnal thinking, carnal desires and carnal demands are not “gifts” of the Spirit by any stretch of the imagination, nor are they “fruit” of the Spirit.
Carnality and carnal ways have nothing to do with the Holy Spirit of the Lord, and He has nothing to do with them, outside of trying to do a work of Grace to remove them from our hearts and lives. These carnal ways are diametrically opposed to the simple, gracious ways of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me remind us once more: The carnal, soulish ways of the flesh are the Abiathar way, and “excellence” always sounds pretty good to him. I just want to keep this thought straight: Abiathar is the way of the flesh; Zadok is the way of the Spirit.
Do you remember the first time you heard the very simple words of that wonderful hymn of invitation,
“Just as I am, without one plea...”? That’s how we “come to Him”, that’s how we “exist in Him”, and that’s how we “live our lives for Him”. I know...He changes us from “glory to glory” (2nd Corinthians 3:18), but He does that. We cannot “make ourselves better”, or “improve our lot” in His Kingdom one iota. He judges and sees and makes all those decisions. Hebrews 4:12 explains how His Word searches us out and knows all of the “thoughts and intents of the heart”. Isaiah 64:6 tells us that all of our goodness, all of our righteousness is nothing more than filthy rags. If I told you what that Hebrew word for “filthy rags” really meant, you’d see how truly disgusting “our” righteousness is in God’s eyes. Now, His Righteousness imparted to us is another matter. I am “righteous” only by Him and through Him. Romans 3:1-28 explains this much better than I ever could, especially verses 20-25. Also see Romans 1:17.
Now, what am I saying? I’m attempting to show that nothing we have, nothing we do, nothing we can “work up” is in any way pleasing to our Lord and God, who is a Holy, Glorious, and Magnificent God! He needs nothing from us. So why do we try so hard to please Him? Partly because we’ve been taught to behave this way, but also partly because it’s in our “nature”, and that nature is the “sin nature”. Cain had it, and it caused him to slay his brother Abel. Esau had it, and he was constantly at odds with his brother Jacob. Ishmael had it, and he lived his life opposed to Isaac, his brother and the “son of promise”. Seems like an awful lot of “brotherly conflict”, doesn’t it? Just like in the church...all that fleshly fighting.
We primarily get the term “flesh” (relating to Isaac and Ishmael) from Paul’s teaching in Galatians 4:21-31. Also look at these verses: Romans 9:13, and the author of Hebrews adds more to this thought in 12:16, 17. The flesh is not pleasing to God at all, and those who “live and walk” in the flesh will be upset with those who delight to serve God in Spirit and in Truth, as “children of promise”. Look at how King Saul so violently reacted to David, who is fondly known as “a man after God's own heart”. Time after time he opposed, harrassed and even tried to kill David.
Here are but a few references: 1st Samuel 17:28; 18:5-13 & 25-29; 19:1-12; 20:30-34; 21:10; 23:7-9, 15 & 25; and 24:1 & 2. All of these verses give us a very clear picture of how the flesh despises (even to kill) the Spirit. It is vital that we know the difference between the flesh and the Spirit, as well as the differences between Abiathar and Zadok, but sadly too few Christians truly see that difference. Let’s look once more: Cain against Abel; Esau against Jacob; Ishmael against Isaac; Saul against David. All of these, Cain, Esau, Ishmael, and Saul are “types” of the flesh, revealed to us in the Old Testament. As we will see, Abiathar ministers are also “types” of the flesh.
In saying what I’ve been saying, please understand: I am not being judgmental, hateful or self-righteous, nor am I being spiteful. It has been a long-term observance of the Body of Christ and the lessons He has taught me that bring me to this conclusion. Actually, I partially blame the pastors, teachers and leaders in the church for not adequately teaching the differences “between the holy and the profane, and causing them (the people in churches) to discern between the unclean and the clean”.
This is found in Ezekiel 44:23, and the next verse (24) reveals that Zadok is to “stand in judgment in controversy, and they shall judge any controversy [a dispute, argument or opposing view] according to My Judgments; and they shall keep My Laws and My Statutes in all My assemblies; and they shall hallow My Sabbaths”. This is a pretty strong charge by the Lord, and how many of us in churches today have truly seen Zadok in our midst? Have we seen the Zadok ministers teaching us between the holy and profane, the clean and the unclean, and have we seen them judging in controversy? I am not speaking of “critical and abusive” messages to the Body. And I’m not referring to “hell-fire and brimstone” or “Bible-thumping preachers” either. I am talking about what Jesus did in His day, or what Paul did in his: Confronting a sinful or unhealthy issue with Honesty, Grace and Truth.
Jesus did it on many occasions, when confronting the Pharisees, the Sadducees, or the religious zealots of His day. See Matthew 5:20; 9:9-13; 12:1-14 & 38-41; 15:1-20; 16:1-12; 19:3-9; 21:33-46, and this is just some of the many, many references in Matthew. Paul also had confrontations, but I’ll just cite one, where he pointedly and openly confronted the great Apostle Peter. Peter had known the Lord longer than Paul, and was certainly considered more of a “leader” than Paul, but when Peter “slipped from the position of grace” Paul did not “wink” at it. This took place in Galatians, chapter 2, especially verses 11-14.
“(11) But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed. (12) For before certain brothers had come from James, Peter ate with the Gentiles; but when these brothers did come, Peter withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. (13) And the other Jews dissembled with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their hypocrisy. (14) But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, ‘If you, being a Jew, live after the manner of Gentiles, and not as the Jews, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews?’”
Paul then explains that we are “justified by faith” (v.16), that we are “crucified with Christ” (v.20), and that we must not “frustrate the Grace of God” (v.21). Frustrate means to “set aside, disesteem, neutralize or cast off; even to despise and reject”. This may sound serious and heavy-duty (and it is), but this is in regard to his confrontation with Peter. Peter, by his actions, had made it to appear that “circumcision was, after all, important to him and, therefore, must be important to God”.
While at first glance, this might seem a bit trivial to some, we know otherwise from Paul’s teachings. This action by Peter could have and would have annulled, weakened and undermined Paul’s teaching of Grace to the Galatians (and to all Gentiles, including us), and Paul quickly and effectively set things “aright”, like the Zadok Minister that he was. He openly, and in front of Peter (vv.11 & 14), explained that Peter had slipped from a position of “Grace”, and was now living under the law again (v.16). He, in effect, had “back-slidden”... a term we don’t hear too much about in the church today. I’m sure it was an embarrassing moment for Peter, but he lived through it, and Paul saved a grievous error from being brought back into the still young church. Grace, grace, grace...that is so very, very important.
As far as confrontation goes, even John the Baptist (Matthew 3:7-12) had his run-ins with the religious leaders of his day. His last run-in would cost him his life (Luke 3:19, 20 & Matthew 14:1-13).
Back to the question: Have we seen Zadok Ministers teaching righteous living and doing righteous judgments in our churches? Most of us have to admit we have not. If Zadok ministers led in our churches, we would see more unity, more peace, more rest, and more movings of God’s Spirit. I am not attempting to make a “blanket” charge against the church or to indict anyone in any manner. What I hope to see happen is the church coming to the realization that it is in need of Godly, righteous judgment. The Lord said that Zadok would “judge according to His Judgments”, not man’s.
I don’t mind judgments against me, as long as they are from the Hand of God. His judgments are righteous, equitable and fair. His judgments will bring me to a place of repentance and restoration; to a place of peace with man and God; to a place of rest to the heart and soul. I gladly welcome His Righteous Judgments. If we had more equity, fairness and righteous judgment in our churches, this next paragraph would not seem so “accusing”. I am, as I have said before, only sharing what I feel the Lord is teaching and sharing with me.
You’ve heard the verse, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the Name of the Lord, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.”? That’s Colossians 3:17, and it means what it says. But what does it really say? I believe that we should all do our best for God, but to push, prod and manipulate others to do the same is nowhere to be found in that verse. What do I mean by that? I mean that I have seen men and women of God (ministers of the Word) all but “threatening” the sheep of the Lord’s Flock if they did not “do their best” for their Savior! I have seen it in choirs; I have seen it in missions work; I have seen it in local church outreach ministry, such as soul-winning and witnessing campaigns; and I have even heard Godly, gifted ministers claim that, “If you don’t use the gift that God has given you, He’ll take it away from you!” This, brothers and sisters, is not Godly, righteous judgment.
First of all, folks...God’s “gifts and calling” are “without repentance” (Romans 11:29). That means His gifts are immutable. They are irrevocable and irreversible. We cannot nullify or cancel them, and God won’t! Why He chooses to do things that way, I do not know, but I accept it. I have found that life is much simpler, and I am much happier, if I just accept the things of God that I do not (or cannot) undertsand. Romans 11:29 is a very short verse, but packed with much power. It is one of the more simple and better principles of the Gospel. Maybe the “simplicity” of it is what has confused so many people (believers and non-believers alike) when it comes to ministers who have “deviated from the straight and narrow path”, and yet their ministry or their church still “seems” to flourish. We must not judge a minister’s work by how “successful” it appears to be, because God honors His Word and His Gifts, not the person who’s “using” (or abusing) them. We are but vessels.
That’s why Paul wrote, “...we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the Power may be of God, and not of us.” Do we really understand that? Any “excellency” at all must come because of God’s Power, not our own. Therefore, to
“strive for excellency” is foolish, because it is opposed to God’s Will, God’s Way and God’s Word. We cannot “earn” anything from God (though we sometimes try terribly hard), nor can we manipulate Him into giving us what we want (and we try here also).
And another thing: “striving” for anything will wear you down and tire you out. That is why, in the course of almost thirty years, I have witnessed the “burn-out” of many Christians. And burn-out is not necessarily a “sacrifice” to God, although many Christians will try and tell you differently, “glorying” in their sacrifice of weary suffering. 1st Samuel 15:22 & 23 shows us an interesting thing about obedience and sacrifice.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, Samuel added (speaking to King Saul), “Because you have rejected the Word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.” I believe we can miss out on many “blessings” of God when we either stubbornly or ignorantly reject His Word. Many times His Word is simple and subtle; other times it is hard and to the point. Either way, it is best that we submit and obey. “Striving for Excellence” will breed the desire to “perform”. Next, we will look at something that’s been in the church for the length of time that I’ve been in it, and I know it has been around for a long, long time.
The next portion of this article, “The Desire to Perform”, can be found here.
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