Covenanter Witness Vol. 55 - Rparchives.org

you."this'purity"ward."purity"sample."pattern."bewalked"laving Done ill to StandA Series of Five Devotional Addresses Given Before the Synod1)I. How to Be an ExampleSynod Devotional Address, Thursday, Julie 10, 1955S. Bruce Willson, D.D.Scripture Reading: I Peter 5:1-4The Apostle Paul wrote to his friend Timothy,"But be thou an example of the believers in word, inconversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in(I Tim. 4:12). The challenge comes to the elder inthat day and in this, to guard well his example.Repeatedly we read in the records of the kingsof Judah that "he did according to all that his fatherhad done." Or, "he walked in the way of his father."In the recorded history of the nation of God's selected people we are thus reminded of the power ofthe influence of a man's example. We may haveheard of the story of the little boy who in attemptingto follow his father's footprints in newly fallen snow,calls, "Don't take such long steps, daddy, I'm following But the implications of that story fail tostrike home to us until some similar incident takesplace in our own experience. We then begin to wonder what steps we have been taking in all our influences over others. These influences reach out intoall our relationships with others in the home andfamily, in the school, in the church, in business, andin the nation.Furthermore the influence of example may befor good or evil, for upbuilding or for wrecking, forconstructive moral righteousness or for destrucivecorruption. It may be seen in a Hannah nurturinga son dedicated to the Lord, or in a Jeroboam,Ahab, or an Athaliah.or anThere is nothing novel in considering the respnsibilitythat rests upon anyone in a place, of influence over others. There is even greater responsibility resting upon the church, the body of Christ,through which God works and speaks in the worldtoday. It is well then, to consider the soberingthought that the "elders" of the church, both teaching and ruling, have a particular place of responsibility and privilege.1. The Example of an Elder.We might spend an hour discussing the subjectof "examples" in general; that of a teacher to thepupil, the plumber to the apprentice, the sergeantto the private, the father to his son, or the motherto her daughter. But we are met morning inthe capacity of a Synod, an assembly of ruling andteaching elders in the Church of Jesus Christ. Inwhat then does our example as elders consist? Peterwrites of the elder, as a leader in the church, as awitness of Christ's sufferings, and as a partaker ofthe glory that shall be revealed.We should digress long enough to note that theword example has various meanings in modern usage.86One, "a portion taken to show the character orof all a This meaning is implied atqualitytimes ; as a sample of wheat seed to test for germination, or quality ; or a sample of ore to determine theconcentrate. Another meaning is, "That which is tobe followed or imitated, such as aIn Christian circles both meanings of the term"example"have been taken.There are those who conceive of Christianity asbeing determined by a sampling of the qualities ofnominal Christians taken here and there, and thereby learning its essential nature.Others insist that Christianity is the following, and the imitation of the Saviour who redeemsand empowers to the aspiring after a totally newlove and loyalty.The example of those who are leaders in Christ'schurch seek to know and follow Him who hasbought us with His precious blood, who has bestowed upon us a new life, who has called us to anew obedience and commitment, to bring our ownlives and the lives of those who have been committedto our charge INTO CONFORMITY unto the perfectimage of His Son Jesus Christ.2. The Nature of this Example of the Elder.Peter, James, John and Paul, all write of theexample of Jesus to the Christian, and write to the. .leaders of the Church to be an example. Peter writes :"Feed the flock . take the oversight ... examples not lords . . . look for the enduring reJohn says, "He that saith he abideth in himought himself also to walk, even as he (IJn. 2:6). James speaks of the prophets as examplesin "suffering affliction and Paul patience."writes,"Be an example: in word (speech), in conversation(behaviour), in charity (love), in faith and in(I Tim. 4:12). We may summarize all thisin a three-fold characterization. There is the consecrating grace of life, purity; there is the rulingprinciples of the inner life, faith and love ; and thereis the outward expression of these, in speech andin behaviour.Before our speech or behaviour can be effectivewe must have the purifying love of God which enables any person to be an example in the Christianlife. Our example is determined by the inner statusof our heart. Malachi could say to his people thateven the sons of Jacob could be purified and bemade Israels princes of God, because the Lord isJehovah, and it is because He has given His mercythat we are not consumed. The gospel is the recordCOVENANTER WITNESS