The first time I was introduced to the concept of godliness through control was over fifty years ago. I was preaching/teaching in the state of Florida. An active member of the congregation defended a personal conviction (in a private conversation) by saying I would force people to adopt godly manners/behaviors if I had that option. I immediately responded that I would not. I remember how shocked I was to hear a Christian suggest that godly practice could be produced by some means other than faith in Jesus Christ. I always was taught that any spiritual objective was achieved through faith.

Godliness by control is a “short cut theology” which completely bypasses godly motives and godly attitudes. People love short cuts! If there is an easier way to get there or an easier way to achieve an objective, we are all for it. Years ago my family often was amused by a friend who would take long and inconvenient routes in a conviction he had found a short cut.

The concept of “godliness by control” is just a short step away from the concept of “God does not care what people do as long as He gets His physical share.” Thus the Creator of all things is deeply preoccupied with possessing physical things—which He made! That thinking is even a shorter step away from the concept which suggests God can be bribed with physical things.

In this way of thinking, godly motives and attitudes are not essential to godly conduct. The result of such concepts: Faithless service to God becomes reality in the pursuit of salvation if a person knows which buttons to push so he can control God.


Jesus’ Statement on Motives and Attitudes

Read Matthew 6:1-18. This is a part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Jesus in Matthew 5:21-48 already had noted the common convictions that one could be godly (righteous) and do ungodly (unrighteous) things. For example, a godly person could murder if he killed the right people. A godly person could sexually violate the marriage of another person if he lusted for the right woman. A godly person could deliberately deceive if he swore by the right things. A godly person could seek strict justice if he targeted the right people. A godly person could hate if he hated the right people. Being godly was a matter of directing ungodly attitudes to the “correct” people rather than having a godly attitude toward all people.

Jesus plainly said if a person did godly deeds for self-centered acts he should NOT expect any form of benefits from God. In illustration of his point, Jesus cited three common godly acts/deeds performed by all devout Jews in Jesus’ time: almsgiving (benevolence), praying, and fasting. Jesus did all three. He in compassion helped numerous people (Matthew 9:36; 20:34; Mark 1:41). He prayed frequently (See Mark 1:35; Matthew 14:23). He fasted (Matthew 4:2). It was not the acts that were inappropriate or the methodology of the acts which Jesus condemned. He condemned the attitudes that prompted the acts. It made a difference if the deed was performed to magnify God or to satisfy the person’s self-centered desire.

If it was attention from other humans one sought when he gave alms, he received what he wanted when he called attention to his deed. If he wanted to receive attention by praying his private prayers publicly, he received what he wanted. If he wanted to receive human attention and fasting was his means of obtaining it, his fasting resulted in his receiving the human praise he cherished. In all three, he should expect no response from God—he did not do this for God. He did this for him.

With God, motives are essential! God not only seeks the act, but He notes the reason for the act. Why you did the act is as important as what you did. How often did Jesus do a kindness and tell the person who received the kindness, “Do not tell people” (Matthew 8:4; 9:30; 17:9; etc.)


Faith in God’s Work in Jesus

Scripture emphasized that faith in Jesus Christ was at the core of response to God. When the gospel was first preached to an audience of Jews and proselytes, the core of the message was that God made Jesus Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). When Peter preached to the crowd who gathered after he healed the lame man, Peter plainly said it was faith in Jesus that made the miracle possible (Acts 3:16). When that miracle resulted in the arrest of Peter and John, Peter plainly said to the Jewish counsel (Acts 4:8-12) that the name of Jesus made the miracle possible and salvation could occur in no other name. When Philip went to the city of Samaria, he proclaimed Christ to them (Acts 8:5). When Peter preached to Cornelius and those assembled, Peter told them about Jesus (Acts 10:38-43). When the congregation began in Antioch, Jesus was preached to the people, and many believed (Acts 11:20, 21). The initial sermon in Antioch of Pisidia that eventually began a congregation there focused on God’s work in Jesus (Acts 13:23-39). When Jewish Christians in Jerusalem understood that gentiles could be saved by faith apart from Jewish customs, the grace of Jesus was an essential evidence (Acts 15:11). When the Philippian jailor, who likely knew little if anything about the religious reasons for which Paul and Silas were imprisoned, asked what he must do to be saved, Peter told him to believe in the Lord Jesus (Acts 16:30, 31). Was that everything he needed to do? No! However, it was the foundation, the beginning of everything. Everything that would follow would be based on his faith in Jesus.

Give consideration to two more interesting statements in Acts. The first is found in Paul’s meeting with the elders from the Ephesus congregation in Acts 20:21. Listen to Paul’s emphasis:

. . . solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

The second is a defense statement made by Paul when he spoke before King Agrippa in Acts 26:23:

. . . that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.

This same Paul declared to the Christians in Rome that it was faith that activates God’s power to save, and he unashamedly believed that good news (Romans 1:16). He told the Christians at Corinth that Christ was God’s power and wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:24). He told the Christians in Galatia that faith in Jesus Christ produced divine justification (Galatians 2:16). To the Christians in Ephesus he stated there is no authority superior to that which God placed in Jesus (Ephesians 1:15-23). It is through him that God produced peace between Jews and all those who were not Jews (Ephesians 2:11-22).

As an elder, you are committing yourself to building faith in Jesus Christ. You are not committing yourself to seeking to control people. God controls. You lead.


The Voice of Faith

Many things can distract elders. Too many situations can deceive them. If they are not thoughtful and careful, they can redefine their mission in ways that have little to do with God’s purposes.

Elders can decide their mission is to control. How do you control sheep? Sheep follow! God’s sheep follow godly leadership. How do you control people who are too self-centered to be sheep? If people are so self-focused that they will not follow God, what makes you think you can control them? People can and will make personal choices in spite of your finest influence and leadership efforts.

Even if you as elders had the power to make people who come to the congregation do as you say, what is accomplished if they do it for any reason other than faith in Jesus?

Please define success in leadership differently! Using statistics is a horrible way to determine the primary definition of successful congregational leadership. While statistics have their place and their value, statistics are no substitute for walking in the pasture. Do the sheep hear God’s voice? Are they maturing in their choices? Can they see their life through God’s eyes? Are they coping better with their stresses? Are they better spouses, better parents, and better friends? Do they value and show compassion? Is personal righteousness a serious goal? Is faith in Jesus the light of their life? Are they growing in their understanding of God’s purposes? Is their life increasingly a journey in Jesus? If the answer to such questions is yes, you are successful in your leadership, and people want to be a part of God’s congregation.

Do not focus your attention on those who rebel to the extent that you are blind to those who seek encouragement. Frequently spend some time noting some of the things that are going well and commend them. Do not let “putting out fires” consume all your time and attention.

Learn from past mistakes, or you will duplicate them. Do not spend all your time with those you cannot help to the neglect of those you can help. Never forget there is a difference between victims and people who endure the consequences of their own choices. Often they knew the consequences when they made their choices!

Never forget you are not God, so do not try to be Him. Serve Him, but do not think you are Him. Even the most devout and talented individuals have limitations. Know yours, and do not feel like a failure because you have them.

Lead with faith in Jesus so people can follow with faith in Jesus. Have the courage to believe. Believing in Jesus always takes courage!

Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fifteen

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