The Meaning of life, page five.

Regarding member submission, let me interject this: part of the problem we face regarding lay member submission has to do with the pastoral misinterpretation of what a spiritual leader is. I knew a pastor that arrogantly called himself the “boss” of his church. This assumption is, without a doubt, obtuse, because a “boss” is someone that pays cold hard cash for services rendered, even in the trickle-down arrangement of managers. Yet for the most part, these members are being forced through the use of sophistry to give the so called “boss” their hard-earned money. I also knew of another pastor that disrespectfully referred to members that leave his church as “runaway slaves.” This is completely opposed to God’s Word, which in John 8:32 reads, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” With that kind of demeanor, why would anyone want to stay in his church?

I mention these examples because they demonstrate a different and much needed reason for the pastoral account on the Day of Judgment. This perspective of pastoral accountability is often not preached or mentioned from our pulpits, yet it upholds God’s plan regarding the judgment of angels. Pastors have the responsibility of preparing the church for this purpose. This is why it says in Luke 12:48b, “from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

Now comes the amazing part. This is where your life is pricelessly precious. Now the purpose of all of your tears and all of the unjust things you’ve suffered through comes into focus. On judgment day, the Great One will look at you as the lamb that He has chosen from His flock. You will stand up and tell that fallen angel the words that many ministers cannot say. They go something like this; “I never felt God’s Spirit move in me while preaching His Word. I was one of those with the ‘ambition to lead a quiet life’ (1^st Thessalonians 4:11). I suffered many afflictions, including the immense pain of seeing my dear ones pass away. And in all this, I knew that there is a God, and I accepted His reign over me. Therefore, you have no excuse, fallen angel!”

This makes a huge difference from someone that has a life-transforming vision, or a testimony about drug and/or alcohol abuse, and someone that has never experienced any of those things. It’s true that those life changing testimonies are of great value, for they bring hope to us all, for if God can transform a life like this, He can surely help us all. But don’t sell yourself short, because God has a strategic purpose for those Christians that live the “quiet life.” A life transforming testimony is also an open door for a hostile angel to claim that God is unjust, since he was never given such an opportunity for restoration, also known as a second chance. On the other hand, we all have inherited the original sin, and because of that, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, like how it reads in Romans 3:23. Therefore, everyone that decides to turn around after living in sin and gives their back to sin and repents becomes of great value to the Lord, regardless of the degree or amount of sin committed, whether great or small.