Journal: Journal of Dispensational Theology
Volume: JODT 24:69 (Autumn 2020)
Article: The Pastor-Teacher’s Responsibilities In Any Theological Conflict As Enumerated From Scripture
Author: Cliff Allcorn

JODT 24:69 (Autumn 2020) p. 191

The Pastor-Teacher’s Responsibilities In Any Theological Conflict As Enumerated From Scripture

Cliff Allcorn

* Cliff Allcorn, M.A., M.A., former pastor

“The apostle Paul, in the 12th chapter of his First Epistle to the Corinthians, directs their exercise of spiritual gifts . . . the imagination of some, concerning spiritual persons to be here intended . . . is inconsistent with the context. . . .”1 John Owen’s words are ones that today’s world would never utter, as they would offend too many supposed believers. Owen was complaining about a problem in the church, a horrid problem at the time for those who truly wanted to serve Christ, but alas, one that seems to have returned at full (or even greater) force in the modern world. The problem is a failure to measure God’s words by his own standards, and instead try to measure them by those human. As Owen said, some people seem to forget that the words in 1 Corinthians were mostly reproof and not congratulations to the Corinthian church. Corinth was not a spirit-led congregation, as some today would contend, but rather one mired in false teaching. Recently, several disparate sources2 have made serious charges that Christianity is facing yet another in a very long string of crises designed by her great foe; this one intended to bring anarchy into the true doctrines of the church. Satan’s purpose (as always) is the destruction of the testimony and unity of Christ’s body; today he is trying something similar to what he did in Corinth, but on a much larger scale.

JODT 24:69 (Autumn 2020) p. 192

Now, in response to Satan’s attack, several voices have raised a call that the pastor-teachers of today’s church must directly confront these false teachings on biblical grounds, and teach believers to refuse the evidences of culture, and their own fallen senses, about accepting any false prophecies. Instead, the whole church must demand that Scriptures again be the only sufficient standard for evaluating all things necessary for a believer’s spiritual life today. When this call was first sounded there was (and remains) a sustained wail of protest. The howl forces followers of Christ to ask questions like, “What is the role of the pastor-teacher in today’s context?” “Does that biblical office’s mandate require more than just looking after the local assembly’s doctrine and worship, or does it also include the role of commenting on the church at large?” “When there are protests, do pastor-teachers need to seek some surface unity, or boldly and clearly speak the truth, regardless of what that truth does to the church’s appearance of unity?”