All together now

Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.  – 2 Corinthians 1.23-24 

Paul could easily have claimed all kinds of authority over the people at Corinth. He was an apostle. He had a direct comission from Jesus.  The apostles all had what we now call apostalic authority. Without the completed word of God these men could speak with the voice of God to the people. It would have been a prime opportunity to 'boss the people around' and rule with a firm hand. 

But Paul was humble. He was not going to exercise dominion over the Corinthians or their faith. He pointed out that they were merely fellow workers, co-labourers, for their joyful service.  Paul, apostle and missionary, saw himself as nothing more than a co-worker with the believers in Corinth. 

It is easy for those of us who are outside the major denominational groups to be critical of those groups where the clergy are somehow ranked higher than the 'laity.' We can attack them for having 'fathers' and 'reverends' and 'cardinals' and 'vicars' and all kinds of titles. 

But there are times when we can be just as guilty. Because the scriptures admonish the churches to submit to church leadership we can get the idea that somehow pastors are somehow different or more spiritual or godlier than the rest. There has even been a notion that pastors are above criticism or question because they are the pastor. 

It is true that pastors or elders have high standards applied to them. It is true that they are to be respected. It is true that when an accusation is brought against them two or more should bring it. 

But it is not true that somehow pastors or elders are somehow better or more spiritual. We are all in the same boat. We are all fellow workers in doing God's. We work, not as master and servant, but shoulder to shoulder as we seek to do the work we are called to do.