Dear Pastor: Sunday's a Comin'

Instruction to Pastors: 

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (II Timothy 4:1-2)

Reprove: identify things of which God disapproves

Rebuke:  confront those who are living the things of which God disapproves

Exhort:  strongly urge to do what God does approve, what pleases God

The source of this preaching and teaching is identified in the preceding sentence: 

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (II Timothy 3:16-17)

Teaching: give instruction in the life of obedient faith

Reproof: identify the things of which God disapproves

Correction: show how to return to the things of which God approves

Training in righteousness: constant interaction in developing strength and maturity in the life of righteousness, including the obedience of faith

As pastors prepare for what they will preach and teach on Sunday, they must “teach what accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1), just as described in these passages (or, this one combined passage); and God’s people must pray that the pastors will do as instructed, and congregations will fully receive God’s word for their complete equipping for every good work.

© 2015 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.)