Use and Abuse of Religious Titles

In these days of popular clamor for titles and official recognition, we need to be guarded lest we follow the path of those who are seeking for the plaudits and honor of the worldly religious.

By F.C. Gilbert

In these days of popular clamor for titles and official recognition, we need to  be guarded lest we follow the path of those who are seeking for the plaudits and honor of the worldly religious. As Seventh-day Adventist ministers and workers we profess to be Bible Christians. We proclaim in public and in private that we believe and follow the word of God. This is proper, but we should closely adhere to that profession.

The Scriptures confer certain titles upon the servants of Christ, and these should be sufficient for workers who follow in the steps of the Master. In Old Testament times those advanced in years were called "elders;" men in official administrative responsibility, "judges" or "rulers;" those who min­istered in the sanctuary, "priests" and "Levites;" and the most responsible person who led out in God's work was known as "prophet," "seer," "mes­senger."

In the days of Greece, responsible leaders of the Old Testament church catered to the practices of Greek learn­ing and culture, and yielded to the influences of Greek philosophy. The professed people of God where assured that they would have greater influence among the people if they adopted titles and policies suggested by the Grecians. The Sanhedrin, which became the offi­cial administrative synod for the Jew­ish Church, is of Greek origin. With it developed a train of circumstances which finally led the professed church of God to commit spiritual suicide. While a synagogue was located in every Jewish community, and each synagogue had its church school where the children were taught the law and Bible oracles, the spiritual leaders accepted and adopted certain titles foreign to the spirit of the word of God.

"Rav," or rabbi, was the title given to the leader of the synagogue; "chazen," or minister, to the chanter or choir leader. "Rabban," "master," "lord," was a degree superior to rabbi, and was conferred upon those who held more responsible positions. The "chacham," wise man, was a more bril­liant and scholarly leader, whose tal­ents demanded that he receive a still greater title. The "nasi," prince, was a religious leader whose mental acu­men was unusually rare. A few in­fluential religious instructors were honored as rulers, and there were some who were known as "doctors of developed, and the religious title car­ried with it a degree of, reverence and honor, spirituality declined and reli­gious fervor abated. Religious forms were substituted for spiritual power, and outward ceremonialism became the custom of the day. What the nasi, the chacham, or the rabbi said had greater weight than what Moses or the prophets taught.

To be loyal to Judaism and to the teachings of the fathers was consid­ered indispensable; and the titled reli­gious leader was the custodian of all spiritual teaching. A spiritual guide without the title was reckoned of little value, and his influence over the peo­ple was deemed negligible.

It was during the administration of men conducting the work of God under the conditions portrayed that John the Baptist and Jesus appeared. Neither the Master nor His forerunner was brought under the influence of the Sanhedrin, or of the religious guides of the day. They read, studied, and obeyed the word of God in its purity. They did not receive any teaching of Scripture strained through the mists of rabbinism or chachamism.

The Saviour and the apostles, guided by inspiration, gave to the workers of Christ certain titles applicable till the Lord comes; namely, elders, evangel­ists, teachers, pastors, et cetera. The New Testament thus defines the work and position of the spiritual guide in God's cause, and every consecrated man of God should be content to use a title adapted to his work and in har­mony with the instruction given by the Saviour and by His chosen apos­tles.

Washington, D. C.


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By F.C. Gilbert

October 1932

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