Ron Garber Ministries  

If you ask a Christian if they believe the word of God, 99 % of the time, they will answer with an affirmative. So why is there so much division in the church? Is it not because they allow doctrine and tradition to rule over the word of God? Even when presented with the facts of God's word, they are adamant that they follow what the word teaches. Just as King Saul insisted to the prophet Samuel, "I have carried out the command of the LORD." (1Sam.15:13)

Why is it that Christians will not take a stand with the truth? I believe it is because they do not have the backbone to stand up against the traditions and teachings of men. Instead they cower in the safety and comfort of the multitude so as not to be persecuted or called a false prophet.

Jesus prayed to the Father, "Sanctify them in the truth: Your word is TRUTH." (Jn.17:17) So when I am speaking about the truth, I am speaking of GOD'S WORD. To be sanctified in the truth is to hold the TRUTH of GOD'S WORD as sacred. Everyone may claim to hold the word of God as sacred, but as the truth is brought out we will see that this is not the case.

Paul wrote to the Corinthian church; "And brethren, I could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able." (1Cor.3:1-2) Knowing I may be considered arrogant, I must say that the churches today are in the same condition as the Corinthian church, they are still babies in Christ. Therefore, I will attempt to show THE TRUTH by SLOWLY weaning the church from milk to solid food. There will be VERY FEW who will receive the TRUTH, but instead will try to justify their distorted teachings.

Often we believe things that are not in the Bible simply because we read it wrong. This is the way most people read Ephesians 4:11; "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors, and some as teachers." Actually it reads: "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as PASTORS AND TEACHERS." (They are one, not two.) Take for example, my wife is also the mother of my children. I may refer to her by one of her titles (wife or mother) or by both (wife and mother); never-the-less she is still only one person.

It takes two or more witnesses to make a fact (2Cor.13:1),so if this is a true fact, there must be other Scripture in agreement to establish it as a fact, or as truth. Look at 1 Corinthians 12:28; "And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, etc." If there had been anyone in the church called a pastor, he would have been fourth or fifth. There was never anyone over the church who was called a pastor, but a group of men who were called elders;. and THEY had to be qualified to TEACH, (thus teachers), and were to oversee and Shepherd the church. (1Tim.3:2;Tit.1:9;1Pet.5:1-3) The word pastor is the same word that is translated everywhere else from the Greek as Shepherd. In Acts 20:17-28, Paul sent for the elders from the church at Ephesus, not a PASTOR, and INSTRUCTED THEM to shepherd and oversee the flock. Paul and Barnabas were sent out from the church at Antioch by certain prophets and teachers (Ac.13:1-3), not a pastor or a church organization such as is done today. Some churches may have elders, but in reality, they are no more than glorified deacons, whose job is not to rule and shepherd the flock, but to "amen" someone called a pastor.

Look what John wrote in 3 John 1:9-10, "I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to be first among them, (probably wanted to be the chief elder and may have considered himself the lead or head pastor), does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he, himself, does not receive the brethren, either, and forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church." We know who the apostle John was, but this man put himself above a man Jesus chose and gave the word to for the church. Notice what can happen when one man seizes so much power, he will reject the word of truth, and put anyone out who disagrees with him. "Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in ABUNDANCE OF COUNSELORS there is victory." (Pr.11:14)

I have given numerous Scriptures to back up what I have said, and there are NONE to back up the teaching of a man called a pastor over the church. That one Scripture in Ephesians has been distorted to create a special office for one man to oversee and shepherd the church; just as the Scripture that says, "He has made us to be priests to His God and Father, " (Rev.1:6) was twisted by the Catholics to justify putting a priest over the local church.

I have often if anyone could give Scriptures (2 or more) to disprove what I have presented, that I would acknowledge that I was wrong and a false teacher. On the other hand, if no one can, and they are teaching that a pastor is over the church, it is a different gospel than what Paul and the other apostles preached and according to Paul, they are to be accursed. (Gal.1:6-9) Let me say with Paul, "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ," (Gal.1:10).

I have been called a false prophet and people have been warned to stay away from me. Why? Is it because they cannot give Scripture to prove that I am wrong? I have not twisted any Scriptures, have I? I only quoted what was written by men who laid the foundation for the church. Remember, it is Satan who wants to destroy the truth; as Jesus said, "You are seeking to kill me, a man who has told you the truth." (Jn.8:40)

LOOK AT THE HISTORISAL FACTS: THE ORIGIN OF PUTTING PASTORS AS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH

New Testament writers seemed to use pastor as a synonym for the office of church elder (presbuteros) or Bishop (episkopos). For example, in Acts 20:17, the Apostle Paul summons the "elders" of the church in Ephesus to give a last discourse to them. In the process, in Acts 20:28, he tells them that the Holy Spirit has made them "bishops," and that their job is to "pastor" the church. Peter uses much the same language in 1 Peter 5:1-2, telling the elders among his readers that they are to pastor the flock in their charge, acting as bishops.

Paul also gives a list of characteristics that men serving in this office ought to possess. In 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Paul gives a list for those serving as bishops. In Titus 1:5-9, a remarkably similar list is given; this time directed to elders, also referred to in 1:7 as bishops.

According to many scholars, the practice of separating the offices of pastor and bishop did not originate until at least the 2nd century. At this time, single bishops (as opposed to the body of bishops, or elders, that churches had in the 1st century) began to oversee an entire city's group of believers, even if they met in different locations around the city. By the 3rd and 4th century, some of the most prominent cities' bishops began exercising control over an entire region of churches.

END

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths." (2 Tim. 3:3-4) What is sound doctrine? Paul said, "They will turn away their ears from the truth," the reason being,"they will not endure sound doctrine." I believe it is safe to say TRUTH is sound doctrine, and the word is truth; therefore, what is NOT backed by the word is not sound doctrine.

The Sadducees, who didn't believe in a resurrection, "...turned away his ears from the truth," and continued in their false belief, even after Jesus gave them proof through the word concerning a resurrection. When people turn away from the truth, they go into a defensive mode and claim it doesn't matter; or make up excuses; orcreate fables; to explain away the Scriptures.

Now in the face of all this evidence, what will you do? Undoubteble you will continue in your distorted traditions, thus saying to God, "We have found a better way to do things."