1st Clement 50 - Being found in love

Having understood the greatness of love, Clement ask this question,

"Ye see, beloved, how great and wonderful a thing is love, and that there is no declaring
its perfection. Who is fit to be found in it, except such as God has vouchsafed to render so?" (1 Clement 50)

The perfection of love is beyond our abilities to perceive, define, and describe because it reaches to the very essence of who God is. John wrote, "God is love" (1 John 4:16) and to the same decree that God is infinitely beyond our finding out the very depths of His nature, so is love. Love is as deep and as wide as God is Himself; it is beyond full discovery and interpretation.

Seeing how wonderful love is, and how deep and perfect it is, Clement asks, who is fit or worthy to be found in such a love? Many people want love and some search their entire lifetime for love and yet many fail to find love in all its perfection. The question is not how can we "obtain" love, but rather how can we be found "in" love. It is not enough to have love but we must live in love; living is a way that we extend that love to others. Not just receiving the love of God but learning to love others like God loves.

The Corinthian church was full of people who had received the love of God yet they had forgotten how to love with the love of God. The love of God had become limited and no longer extended beyond their own flesh. How could they once again learn to love; to let the love of God reach out to one another? How could they again find themselves fit to be found in such love? Clement's answer was to return to the God who is love. It is God who renders us fit for love and it is to Him that we must turn to to become perfected in love.

"Let us pray, therefore, and implore of His mercy, that we may live blameless in love, free
from all human partialities for one above another." (1 Clement 50)

We must turn to God and ask for His mercies to be made, or remade, perfect in His love. It is interesting that in Clement's opinion, at least as far as it relates to the Corinthians, to be made perfect in love means to learn to love without hypocrisy, without partiality, to learn to love everyone equally and with this Paul agrees, "Let love be without hypocrisy. " (Romans 12:9)

Finally, Clement reminds us of the great reward of Love.

"All the generations from Adam even unto this day have passed away; but those who, through the grace of God, have been made perfect in love, now possess a place among the godly, and shall be made manifest at the revelation of the kingdom of Christ. ... Blessed are we, beloved, if we keep the commandments of God in the harmony of love; that so through love our sins may be forgiven us." (1 Clement 50)

See how integral love is to the eternal purpose and plan of God! Without the perfection in love we would not be found worthy to inherit our place in heaven with God. Without love motivating us towards the commandments of God and to harmony with each other, the stain of sin would remain on our lives. Love draws us to God, empowers us to keep the commandments of God, and binds us to the brethren of God in peace and harmony. Love makes us both worthy and ready for eternity with God and with His saints. Oh how powerful is this love of God!

David Robison

1st Clement 49 - The value of love

John tells us that, "God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." (1 John 4:16) Not only is love of great value but it is also of great power; by abiding in it we also abide in God. Clement shows us both the value of love and the effects it has in and on our life.

"Let him who has love in Christ keep the commandments of Christ. Who can describe the [blessed] bond of the love of God? What man is able to tell the excellence of its beauty, as it ought to be told? The height to which love exalts is unspeakable. Love unites us to God. Love covers a multitude of sins." (1 Clement 49)

Love if more than a feeling, it is both an action and a response. Love compels us to keep God's commandments. Some may, our of fear, obey a tyrant, but only while the threat of violence remains. Should one become free of his oppressor he would return to his own ways. But love compels us to obedience, not out of fear, but out of gratitude and a desire to be pleasing to the one who loves us and the one we love. In the Kingdom of God, love is the motivator, not fear.

Love also binds us to God and one another. Hosea spoke of God's love when he said, "I  led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love, and I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; and I bent down and fed them." (Hosea 11:4)Paul also encourages us to, "Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity." (Collosions3:14) Love binds us together, it is through love that God forgive us of our sins and that we forgive others of their sins. Love is the perfect bond of unity.


Love is not weak, it is not a fickle emotion, but it has power to change our loves. Love produces within us character and strength. Clement, speaking of the character of love says,

"Love beareth all things, is long-suffering in all things. There is nothing base, nothing arrogant in love. Love admits of no schisms: love gives rise to no seditions: love does all things in harmony." (1 Clement 49)

There is nothing evil, sinful, or hurtful in love. As Paul reminds us, "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13:10) Love is real, it is demonstrated, it is evidenced by its fruit, and it is known by its character.


In our walk with the Lord and with each other, it is Love that moves us towards our goal of god-likeness and it is love that causes our way to be well pleasing to God.

"By love have all the elect of God been made perfect; without love nothing is well-pleasing to God. In love has the Lord taken us to Himself. On account of the Love he bore us, Jesus Christ our Lord gave His blood for us by the will of God; His flesh for our flesh, and His soul for our souls." (1 Clement 49)

Augustine of Hippo used to say, "God command what you will and give what you command." We are called to love and God has given us Himself who is love. We have been filled with the God of love. We can love because love resides in us.

David Robison

1st Clement 48 - The gates of righteousness

Clement tells the Corinthian church that it is time for them to put away, or to remove, this sin in their midst and he identifies their first step in this process as repentance.

"Let us therefore, with all haste, put an end to this [state of things]; and let us fall down before the Lord, and beseech Him with tears, that He would mercifully be reconciled to us, and restore us to our former seemly and holy practice of brotherly love." (1 Clement 48)

Someone once asked me, "If the scriptures say there is a time for everything under heaven, when is the time for sin?" The answer is "the past." Sin must be eradicated, it cannot be allowed to grow and fester; sin is one thing we cannot afford to ignore. Sin was destroying their relationships with one another and with their Lord. They needed a reconciliation with their Lord first and also with each
other.

Clement describes repentance as a door or gate.

For [such conduct] is the gate of righteousness, which is set open for the attainment of life, as it is written, 'Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go in by them, and will praise the Lord: this is the gate of the Lord: the righteous shall enter in by it.' Although, therefore, many gates have been set open, yet this gate of righteousness is that gate in Christ by which blessed are all they that have entered in and have directed their way in holiness and righteousness, doing all things without disorder." (1 Clement 48)

The "conduct" he is speaking of here is not "brotherly love" but repentance. There are many options available to us, many different gates open, many different ways we could go, but the gate of righteousness leads to life. The gate of  righteousness is pursued by those who desire righteousness; by those who desire what lies beyond its gates. However, it is repentance that turns us from the world towards that gate.

Repentance, among other things, is a change of mind. It is a change where we choose to prefer the things of righteousness rather than the things of sin. Where we choose to look towards Jesus rather than to ourselves. Where we prefer the fruit of the Kingdom of God rather than the fruit of this world. When we thus turn and implore Jesus for His mercy and reconciliation, we find ourselves passing through the gates of righteousness.

Clement finally offers this caution to those who believe that they stand, those who have already passed through the gates.

"Let a man be faithful: let him be powerful in the utterance of knowledge; let him be wise in judging of words; let him be pure in all his deeds; yet the more he seems to be superior to others [in these respects], the more humble-minded ought he to be, and to seek the common good of all, and not merely his own advantage." (1 Clement 48)

What keeps us inside the gates? Humbleness and a lifestyle that looks out for the needs of others before the needs of ourselves. If we remain humble as to the accomplishments and merits of our own life and rather focus ourselves on the needs and interests of others, then we will safeguard our lives inside the gate.

David Robison

1st Clement 47 - Being corrupted in the way

Clement reminds the Corinthian church of similar problems they had while Paul was still alive.

"Take up the epistle of the blessed Apostle Paul. What did he write to you at the time when the Gospel first began to be preached? Truly, under the inspiration of the Spirit, he wrote to you concerning himself, and Cephas, and Apollos, because even then parties had been formed among you." (1 Clement 47)

Early on in the church's existence parties and factions arose. People were gravitating to one apostle or another, preferring one minister over another, and counting themselves superior because of their chosen association. Paul writes, "For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you.  Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, 'I am of Paul,' and 'I of Apollos,' and 'I of Cephas,' and 'I of Christ.' " (1 Cor 1:11-12)  However, this present time of strife was different from the first.

"But that inclination for one above another entailed less guilt upon you, inasmuch as your partialities were then shown towards apostles, already of high reputation, and towards a man whom they had approved. But now reflect who those are that have perverted you, and lessened the renown of your far-famed brotherly love." (1 Clement 47)

Then, in their carnality they were rallying around honorable men, now they were taking up sides around me of no reputations. Then, they were taking up side for those who wished no sides be taken, for Paul, not wanting to be a part of of any faction, said, "Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Corinthians 1:13) But now they had given themselves to those who actively sought to divide the Body of Christ, to those who sought to "pervert" them in the way. Instead of rejecting those who brought division, they rallied around them, formed their factions, and fought against one another. Clement reminds them that such behavior us unbecoming of a christian.

"It is disgraceful, beloved, yea, highly disgraceful, and unworthy of your Christian profession, that such a thing should be heard of as that the most stedfast and ancient Church of the Corinthians should, on account of one or two persons, engage in sedition against its presbyters. And this rumour has reached not only us, but those also who are unconnected with us; so that, through your infatuation, the name of the Lord is blasphemed, while danger is also brought upon yourselves." (1 Clement 47)

Their good name was being soiled, the name of the Lord was being blasphemed, and danger and destruction was being brought upon the church itself. Such is the fruit of division, strife, and sedition. You cannot eat the fruit of poison without taking its poison within yourself. You cannot side with the wicked without bringing wickedness into your midst. You cannot allow someone to pervert you without becoming perverted in your way. All these things we must guard against, we must be vigilant, we must take heed, to reject these temptations whenever and from wherever they come.

David Robison

1st Clement 45 to 46 - Who are we emulating?

Sometimes our own zeal and conceit will lead us to justify ourselves and our behavior, but believing ourselves to be right does not make us right. Sometimes we must stop and ask ourselves, "who are we really emulating?" Clement challenges the Corinthians with this very question.

"Ye are fond of contention, brethren, and full of zeal about things which do not pertain to salvation. Look carefully into the Scriptures, which are the true utterances of the Holy Spirit. Observe that nothing of an unjust or counterfeit character is written in them. There you will not find that the righteous were cast off by men who themselves were holy. The righteous were indeed persecuted, but only by the wicked. They were cast into prison, but only by the unholy; they were stoned, but only by transgressors; they were slain, but only by the accursed, and such as had conceived an unrighteous envy against them." (1 Clement 45).

The Corinthians felt themselves justified in their opposition to the established order within their church, however, Clement challenges them that their behavior indicates that they are emulating the wicked and the unjust rather than the righteous and holy. The scriptural evidence is clear, those who bring strife, persecution, and innovation were the evil and the wicked, not the righteous. No matter how we try to justify our actions and behaviors, we are following in the footsteps of the condemned, not the justified.

To drive this point home, Clement sites some specific examples from the Scriptures

"For what shall we say, brethren? Was Danie cast into the den of lions by such as feared God? Were Ananias, and Azarias, and Mishaël shut up in a furnace of fire by those who observed the great and glorious worship of the Most High? Far from us be such a thought! Who, then, were they that did such things? The hateful, and those full of all wickedness, were roused to such a pitch of fury, that they inflicted torture on those who served God with a holy and blameless purpose [of heart], not knowing that the Most High is the Defender and Protector of all such as with a pure conscience venerate His all-excellent name." (1 Clement 45)

When we participate in envy, strife, and sedition we are participating with the evil ones. Instead of following the wicked, Clement encourages to follow the behavior and example of the righteousness.

"But they who with confidence endured [these things] are now heirs of glory and honour, and have been exalted and made illustrious by God in their memorial for ever and ever. Amen. Let us cleave to the righteous: your strife is pernicious. Such examples, therefore, brethren, it is right that we should follow; since it is written, 'Cleave to the holy, for those that cleave to them shall [themselves] be made holy.' And again, in another place, [the Scripture] saith, 'With a harmless man thou shalt prove thyself harmless, and with an elect man thou shalt be elect, and with a perverse man thou shalt show thyself perverse.' Let us cleave, therefore, to the innocent and righteous, since these are the elect of God." (1 Clement 44-45)

When we hang around wicked people we learn to be wicked, and when we hang around holy people we learn to be holy, or as Paul said, "Do not be deceived: 'Bad company corrupts good morals.' " (1 Corinthians 15:33) However, its not just we who is harmed when we learn the ways of the wicked. When we practice the behaviors of evil we also harm those around us and, as Christians, especial those of the Body of Christ. Clement shows us that the source of conflicts within our churches can often be traced to our own wicked ways and selfish ambitions.

"Why are there strifes, and tumults, and divisions, and schisms, and wars among you? Have we not [all] one God and one Christ? Is there not one Spirit of grace poured out upon us? And have we not one calling in Christ? Why do we divide and tear to pieces the members of Christ, and raise up strife against our own body, and have reached such a height of madness as to forget that 'we are members one of another?' " (1 Clement 45)

It is one thing to destroy own own body with our sin, but it is another thing for our sin to destroy the body of someone else. When we tear and bite and divided the Body of Christ we are doing so to His own body and we are destroying something He cares greatly about; something He gave His own life for. Clement reminds us of Jesus' own words.

"Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, how He said, 'Woe to that man [by whom offences come]! It were better for him that he had never been born, than that he should cast a stumbling-block before one of my elect.' " (1 Clement 45)

In striving for the top, those ambitious men at Corinth had greatly harmed the church at Corinth; Christ's own Body. In trying to achive for themselves, they lost site of the price that was being paid by those around them. In trying to "come out on top" and to be seen as right and justified, they did not see that many around them were "coming out on the bottom." Clement observes,

"Your schism has subverted [the faith of] many, has discouraged many, has given rise to doubt in many, and has caused grief to us all. And still your sedition continueth." (1 Clement 45)

We should care more about the welfare of those around us then we do ourselves. In caring only for ourselves we are showing forth the practices of wickedness. However, when we care more for those around us than for our own interests, we are showing forth the ways of Righteousness and even of our Lord Himself who, "did not come to be served, but to serve." (Mark 10:45)

David Robison

1st Clement 43 to 44 - Striving for the top

Clement reminds us that there have always been those who have striven to be at the top; that where honor was assigned to one there would be others who would strive to obtain like honors. He reminds us of the case in Israel when the priesthood was allotted to the tribe of Levi. There were those in the other eleven tribes who thought themselves worthy of such honor and strove against the decision of Moses.

"For, when rivalry arose concerning the priesthood, and the tribes were contending among themselves as to which of them should be adorned with that glorious title, he commanded the twelve princes of the tribes to bring him their rods, each one being inscribed with the name of the tribe." (1 Clement 43)

These rods were placed inside the Tabernacle of Meeting and the people dismissed until morning. When they returned, the rods were retrieved and inspected.

"And when the morning was come, he assembled all Israel, six hundred thousand men, and showed the seals to the princes of the tribes, and opened the tabernacle of witness, and brought forth the rods. And the rod of Aaron was found not only to have blossomed, but to bear fruit upon it." (1 Clement 43)

This was God's proof of the election of Levi to the priesthood over the other tribes. This was not done so that Moses would know whom God had chosen, but rather to make it clear to all the people of Israel whom God had chosen.

"What think ye, beloved? Did not Moses know beforehand that this would happen? Undoubtedly he knew; but he acted thus, that there might be no sedition in Israel, and that the name of the true and only God might be glorified; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Clement 43)

Like Moses, the Apostles understood that strife would rise within the church over who should preside over her as presbyters. In order to make this selection sure and evident, the Apostles chose succession; thus letting the people know for certain whom they had chosen.

"Our apostles also knew, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and there would be strife on account of the office of the episcopate. For this reason, therefore, inasmuch as they had obtained a perfect fore-knowledge of this, they appointed those [ministers] already mentioned, and afterwards gave instructions, that when these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed them in their ministry." (1 Clement 44)

And thus began Apostolic Succession. It is Clement's opinion that, honorable men who have been appointed thus and who have served honorably should not be thrust aside simply over preference for another or due to the desires and want of another.

"We are of opinion, therefore, that those appointed by them, or afterwards by other eminent men, with the consent of the whole Church, and who have blamelessly served the flock of Christ in a humble, peaceable, and disinterested spirit, and have for a long time possessed the good opinion of all, cannot be justly dismissed from the ministry." (1 Clement 44)

What is important to notice is the participation of the church in this process of succession: both with the consent of the church as to their qualification and appointment as well as the testimony of the church as to their honorable life and blameless service to the flock. Such men as these should not be dismissed from their place, but rather honored and obeyed.

Finally, Clement warns us what would happen if we dishonored such men and dismissed them from this honor without cause.

"For our sin will not be small, if we eject from the episcopate those who have blamelessly and holily fulfilled its duties. Blessed are those presbyters who, having finished their course before now, have obtained a fruitful and perfect departure [from this world]; for they have no fear lest any one deprive them of the place now appointed them. But we see that ye have removed some men of excellent behaviour from the ministry, which they fulfilled blamelessly and with honour." (1 Clement 44)

We should think twice before rejecting and dismissing those who have honorably and blamelessly served the church of Christ. To treat the servants of God in such a manner will certainly be accredited to us as sin; sin against those who have thus served, sin against the church, and sin against God. Unfortunately, this is exactly what some at Corinth had done.

David Robison.

1st Clement 42 to 43 - Apostolic Succession

God is a God of order. Everything He does carries the impression of that order, even when it comes to authority in the church.

"And thus preaching through countries and cities, they appointed the first-fruits [of their labours], having first proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons of those who should afterwards believe. Nor was this any new thing, since indeed many ages before it was written concerning bishops and deacons. For thus saith the Scripture in a certain place, 'I will appoint their bishops in righteousness, and their deacons in faith.' " (1 Clement 42)

Authority in God's church has been appointed in order; first God, then Christ, then the Apostles, then those they appointed as Bishops to watch over the church. It should be noted that, during the first century, when speaking of Bishops, Presbyters, and Elders that these terms were often used interchangeably for the same people and the same ministry. For example, most of our modern translations of the scriptures do not use the term Bishop, but we see the appointment of others to the same ministry of oversight, but only with different names.

"When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed." (Acts 14:23)

"For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you." (Titus 1:5)

In these scriptures, Paul uses the Greek word "presbuteros" which is often translated as elder and from which we get our word "presbyter". Here we see the appointment of "elders" being identical to the appointment of "bishops" as mentioned in Clements letter. In my opinion, these two functions are, or at least were, identical.

Thus began the practice of "Apostolic Succession," yet Clement tells us that we need no be surprised at that.

"And what wonder is it if those in Christ who were entrusted with such a duty by God, appointed those [ministers] before mentioned, when the blessed Moses also, 'a faithful servant in all his house,' noted down in the sacred books all the injunctions which were given him, and when the other prophets also followed him, bearing witness with one consent to the ordinances which he had appointed?" (1 Clement 43)

Here Clement likens the appointment of elders to the prophets that followed Moses. Moses received the Law from God and delivered it to the people. Similarly, the Apostles received the Gospel from Jesus and preached it to the world. Afterwords, the prophets gave continual testimony and witness to the Law Moses delivered just as the elders represented the Apostles, giving testimony and confirmation to their teaching and traditions.

These elders were not Apostles, in the since that they did not received the Gospel by a direct revelation from Jesus, rather they simply taught and defended those teachings and traditions that had been handed down to them from the Apostles. Their apostolic succession was based less on their being able to trace their appointment through an unbroken line of appointments back to an Apostle and more on their holding to, teaching, and defending those teachings and traditions that had successively been handed down to them from the Apostles. As such they were the teachers of the truth and protectors of the church.

Today, most of those who oversee our churches lack the authority that comes from Apostolic Succession, either because the church has rejected succession altogether or because succession has made impersonal. In many churches leaders and/or pastors are hired and, when they are hired they can be fired. Their authority lasts only as long as those who hired them are willing to give it to them or until the church can find someone who will do a better job then them. In churches where succession still exists, this succession is often performed by those they do not know and the one chosen is often unknown to the church as well. Far different from the current overseers of a church appointing the new overseers of a church. When succession happens outside of the local church the people are stripped of their ability to confirm the appointment and their willingness to submit to the appointed overseer's authority.

I don't know if we will ever be able to return to a time of Apostolic Succession in our modern churches but, it seem to me, its loss in many of our churches has been to our determent and not our advancement.

David Robison

1st Clement 42 - Apostlology

Apostlology is the study and theory of Apostles (yes that is my own made up word). Clement describes to us the early church's understanding and belief regarding the apostles.

The apostles have preached the Gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ [has done so] from God. Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ. Both these appointments, then, were made in an orderly way, according to the will of God. Having therefore received their orders, and being fully assured by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and established in the word of God, with full assurance of the Holy Ghost, they went forth proclaiming that the kingdom of God was at hand. (1 Clement 42)

The belief of the first century church was that God sent forth His Word, Jesus. Jesus then selected those whom He would call Apostles that He might teach them His message. He then sent them out into the world to teach His message to all who would believe. In so doing, the Apostles became the definitive and decisive source and authority on God's message for mankind.

The fact that God would send forth Apostles to proclaim His message was prophesied long ago. Jesus reminds us, "For this reason also the wisdom of God said, 'I will send to them prophets and apostles.'" (Luke 11:49) Also, Jude concurs with the idea that the God's message has once and for all been delivered to mankind."I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints." (Jude 3) In the first century church they understood that the delivery of this message, once and for all, was to the Apostles; they were entrusted with it and it was their responsibility to teach it to the world. In their minds, the Apostles had received the full and complete message of faith, once and for all.

When we understand this then we begin to understand some other scriptures. For example,

"They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42)

It was not just teaching they were devoted to, but the teachings of the apostles. The early church would never ask if an idea or teaching was biblical or scriptural, but rather if it was apostolic; does it conform to the teaching and message of the Apostles. A church or teacher was considered apostolic if they taught and maintained the teachings and traditions of the Apostles. The Apostolic church was first a church that was orthodox as pertaining to the things the Apostles taught and commanded.



Another scripture that becomes clearer when we understand how the early church viewed the Apostles is,

"Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 9:1-2)

Paul maintains that, in regards to the Gospel, he "neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:12) The Apostles were not simply passing on what they had heard, they were taught the Gospel directly from Jesus. This is a distinguishing mark of an Apostle, a disciple who was personally taught the message of God in a face-to-face meeting with Jesus. This is what brought the Apostles their authority and the authority of their teachings. They could be believed because Jesus Himself had personally taught them His message.


This also brings to light the importance of what John said,

"What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life —  and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us —  what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete." (1 John 1:1-4)

The Apostle's teachings are not just something they heard in the past, nor the machinations of an evil mind sent to enslave us in some cleverly devised heresy, rather is is the message of God, delivered once and for all, face-to-face to the Apostles of our faith. Our faith rest confidently in them and there message that it is the true message of God for the world.


David Robison

1st Clement 40 to 41 - Serving God in proper order

Clement reminds us that those who server God should do so in proper order.

"These things therefore being manifest to us, and since we look into the depths of the divine knowledge, it behoves us to do all things in [their proper] order, which the Lord has commanded us to perform at stated times. He has enjoined offerings [to be presented] and service to be performed [to Him], and that not thoughtlessly or irregularly, but at the appointed times and hours." (1 Clement 40)

Sometimes, the "proper time" has less to do with the time of day and more to do with the time, or phase, of our lives. Men and women are often called to serve God yet the actual fulfillment of their "calling" can be several years away. Years can occur between calling and acting. There is often several years of preparation necessary to meed the needs of the "calling". Jesus spoke about that servant who, "knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will." (Luke 12:47 NKJV) There is knowing God's will and there is preparing to do His will.

Consider Moses who, when it entered his mind to check out the state of his brethren,

"And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand." (Acts 7:24-25)

Moses understood his calling and thought that his brethren would also understand it, yet he acted at the wrong time and in his own strength. The result was forty years in the desert letting God prepare his heart for the calling God had on his life.

Clement also reminds us to serve God where we are called.

"Where and by whom He desires these things to be done, He Himself has fixed by His own supreme will, in order that all things being piously done according to His good pleasure, may be acceptable unto Him. Those, therefore, who present their offerings at the appointed times, are accepted and blessed; for inasmuch as they follow the laws of the Lord, they sin not." (1 Clement 40)

God not only specifies the "where" but also the "by whom". Sometimes we need to understand the limits of what God has called us to. Sometimes we need to be willing to let things remain undone knowing that we have not been called to perform every task. If we always do everything then those whose task those are will continue to remain idle. Clement instructs us,

Let every one of you, brethren, give thanks to God in his own order, living in all good conscience, with becoming gravity, and not going beyond the rule of the ministry prescribed to him. Not in every place, brethren, are the daily sacrifices offered, or the peace-offerings, or the sin-offerings and the trespass-offerings, but in Jerusalem only. And even there they are not offered in any place, but only at the altar before the temple, that which is offered being first carefully examined by the high priest and the ministers already mentioned. (1 Clement 41)

Consider the case of King Saul who waited seven days for Samuel to arrive and perform the sacrifices. However, Samuel delayed and Saul became impatient. "So Saul said, 'Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.' And he offered the burnt offering." (1 Samuel 13:9) Unfortunately, it was not Saul's place to offer sacrifices. No sooner had he finished sacrificing that Samuel showed up, and the news was not good for Saul.

"Samuel said to Saul, 'You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.' " (1 Samuel 13:13-14)

Not only must we serve God at the proper time but also within the proper limits He has established for our lives; limiting ourselves to the "ministry" allotted to us by God. We must avoid overreaching our calling, timing, and place in God. To do so is to invite trouble into our lives and danger to His body.

"Those, therefore, who do anything beyond that which is agreeable to His will, are punished with death. Ye see, brethren, that the greater the knowledge that has been vouchsafed to us, the greater also is the danger to which we are exposed." (1 Clement 41)

Let us stop trying to be someone else, or worse, everyone else, and learn to be content with who God has made us and how He has called us. Let us learn to serve God in this way and, in so doing, we will be blessed by God.

David Robison

1st Clement 38 to 39 - Humility and submission

Key to submission is humility. The proud man will never submit while the humble can't help but submit himself to God and His word.

"Let us consider, then, brethren, of what matter we were made,—who and what manner of beings we came into the world, as it were out of a sepulchre, and from utter darkness. He who made us and fashioned us, having prepared His bountiful gifts for us before we were born, introduced us into His world. Since, therefore, we receive all these things from Him, we ought for everything to give Him thanks; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Clement 38)

Regardless of our rank, function, or place in the Church, we have received it, not according to our own righteousness nor our strength or ability, but simply according to His will and His grace. Even before we were born, before any acts of worthiness were performed by us, God destined us for a place and purpose in His church; not because of what we had done but because of what He had chosen. Paul reminds us,

"For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God." (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

Our gifting and calling are not because we are something great, but simply due to God's selection. "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills." (1 Corinthians 12:11) However, it is the conceit of the proud that does not understand this and that seeks to be first and to claim the highest place.

"Foolish and inconsiderate men, who have neither wisdom nor instruction, mock and deride us, being eager to exalt themselves in their own conceits." (1 Clement 39)

Pride destroys community within the church and promotes strife, division, and sedition. Let us rather choose humility which promotes the building up of the whole body for the common good.

David Robison