Pure Church

Last night at our small group meeting, a young man asked me to help him with understanding how God could be a jealous God and still be good. How can a good and righteous God be jealous?

Of course the question assumed a view of jealousy more fitting for fallen humans than God. My questioner understood that. What he wanted to know was in what way can jealousy be good.

The short answer is jealousy is good when it protects or cherishes virtue. When jealousy guards another's honor or purity or prosperity, it is jealous for the right reasons and with the right aims. Such is God's jealousy. Being infinite in all perfections, it's good and right that he should be jealous for his honor, glory, majesty, name, etc.

The Apostle Paul tells us that he, too, was jealous with godly jealousy. In 2 Cor. 11:2 Paul writes, "I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him."

Paul, as an apostle, is jealous for the church at Corinth. He describes it as a "godly" or God-like jealousy. It's a holy affection, care and protection for the church.

And then, to put this godly jealousy into a crisp word picture, the apostle likens his jealousy to that of a father who promises his virgin daughter in marriage to a groom. Verse 2 perhaps draws on the Old Testament law requiring women betrothed to a man to remain in their father's home during the time of engagement. The father was responsible for ensuring her virginity under the threat of divorce should she be found not to be a virgin on the wedding night, or the threat of death by stoning if she is taken in an adulterous situation (Deut. 22:13-29). Paul, like a vigilant father guarding the honor and purity of his daughter, is jealous for the church.

And more to the point, he understands that the groom to which he has pledged this bride is none other than Christ himself. As a "father," he could not possibly hope for a better suitor for his bride daughter. He is not indifferent regarding his promise. He's made it to "one husband." No other suitor is tolerated or entertained. No other bride price is welcomed. All would be calamity were this Suitor to find Paul's daughter defiled on the wedding night. So he is moved with godly jealousy to present the church "a pure virgin" to Christ.

This is an amazing thought. Paul's writing to Corinth, with all her stains and blemishes, faults and ungodly jealousies. And yet, he has in view the spotless, radiant presentation of the church as the bride of Christ. It's what he labored for. It's what he sought to protect with his ministry. The pastor's heart must be jealous for the bride of Christ, seeing and vigilantly protecting her honor and purity and glory, lest he allow her to date and sleep around with the Baals, Jezebels, Balaams, and Ashteroths. This is Paul's heart.

Is it the case that this kind of heart, a heart possessed of "godly jealousy" for the church, is not developed enough in many pastors? I don't know. But when I detect in my own heart, or in the comments and reactions of others, an indifference to the purity of the church, I suspect that the kind of godly jealousy that Paul speaks of is in too short a supply, or too inconsistently displayed. When we're not jealous for the pulpit and what's taught there, when we're not jealous for meaningful and regenerate church membership, when we're not jealous for the loving exercise of correction and discipline where necessary, or when we're more jealous for our personal reputations as preachers or leaders, more jealous for physical buildings and grounds, more jealous for large numbers... I suspect our jealousy is not "godly" or is altogether lacking.

This is a good thing to look for in prospective pastors and elders and leaders, and to encourage, support, applaud, and strengthen in existing pastors, elders and leaders. We require in our current situation a generation of men who are moved with godly jealousy to protect our Lord's bride until He comes and consummates the wedding. And such jealousy and concern should be for all the churches of our Lord (2 Cor. 11:28).

As of this past Tuesday, I have a new favorite passage from Paul's letters re: the pastor's heart. I had the privilege of hearing John Piper deliver a chapel address at Southern Seminary called "We Work with You for Your Joy" (2 Corinthians 1:24-2:4). Powerful. Fresh wine. Challenging.

Piper encouraged the seminarians and prospective pastors to tell the search committees and prospective congregations "I have a dangerous message for you: I'm here to work for your joy." Why would that be dangerous? Listen to the address.

He also spoke today, but I've not heard it yet. Go here to listen to the addresses (you'll need to scroll down a little).

Why am I a pastor?

Why are you a pastor if you are one?

If you're not a pastor, why do you submit to one? Why do you love one as "your pastor"?

I suppose there are various answers one could give to these questions, ranging from the answers that grow out of practical circumstances to more profound spiritual reasons. If I had to give in one sentence why I am a pastor and not a policy wonk or a basketball coach or a garbage man or a teacher or a criminal or a full-time World Series of Poker wannabe... it might be this:

Having been loved by Christ, and having had that love supernaturally excite love in me for the Savior and love for His people, the Lord has put it in my heart and burdened me with a desire to love and give myself to Him and His people by watching over, teaching, and living with them.

At God's initiation and by His design--because following my own preferences and wisdom, I ran from pastoral ministry for a good little while, so I can't take credit--I earnestly want to be poured out, to be spent for the people of God.

Paul's letters helped clarify that for me. Seeing Paul's heart for the churches he corresponded with not only caused my heart to resonate with him but shaped my understanding of a pastor's heart... perhaps what it should be.

It was statements like:

"O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open" (2 Cor. 6:11).

"You are in our hearts, to die together and to live together" (2 Cor. 7:3b).

I find these some of the most beautiful statements in the Word of God. The vision of reciprocal love between a faithful shepherd and loving sheep is sweet. Here's a man betrothed to Christ... which includes betrothal to the Lord's body, His people. Here's a man whose commitment and love for the church spanned this life and the next... to live together and to die together.

Here's how Paul put it to the saints in Thessalonica:
"For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness--God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us" (1 Thess. 2:5-8).

It was contemplating this passage that settled my heart and mind in coming to the wonderful people of FBC Grand Cayman. Particularly v. 8: "affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives." And here's the reason: "because you had become dear to us." The Lord had enlarged our hearts for the people here and filled it with affectionate longing, pleasure in preaching the gospel, and a desire to give our own lives to them.

Certainly not that my heart is by any means perfect or that there aren't times when my flesh seizes the reins... but I find it uncommonly sweet to be able to give my life to dear ones here, beloved in the Lord. And this example of Paul has become my desire for the pastorate the Lord has entrusted me with. For me, Paul's heart expressed in 2 Cor. and 1 Thess. is foundational to the pastor's heart: jofully self-giving affection for those Jesus has purchased and entrusted to their care.

So many pastors and congregations have found themselves with their hearts only slightly open. Pastors and congregations have at times completely closed their hearts to one another, speaking only guardedly and secretly. In some situations, the congregation has ceased to be dear to the pastor and vice-versa. What a mournful tragedy to live together and die together without mutual affection in the heart.

I pray that every church could be as the Macedonian churches who "first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us (Paul and his companions) by the will of God" (2 Cor. 8:5). May the Lord be pleased to unite the hearts of pastors and congregations in uninhibited, holy affection each for the other--for their mutual blessing and the glory of Christ, the Chief Shepherd.