“They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.” (Lev.21:6)
Christian leaders are accountable to God. That is why the qualifications for pastors and elders in the New Testament are so stringent and also why it’s insisted upon in Leviticus that priests stay morally and ceremonially clean. If they were unclean in any way, they could not be permitted to continue serving in their priestly role and offering daily sacrifices.
The old covenant, unlike the new, was dependent upon the priests to represent the nation to God. The priests were not perfect, sinless men. They had to offer sacrifices on their own behalf, needing atonement just as much as any other member of the community.
Today, if you have the responsibilities for Bible teaching or any other type of spiritual leadership, your example means a lot. Live the words that you proclaim. There is integrity to be found not just in what you say, what you do. While you’re not expected to be perfect, it’s still a sobering truth that you’ll be judged more strictly.
Therefore, come before the Lord in prayer before you represent Him to the people and ask Him to purify, cleanse and go before you. Thank you one and all for your courage to be in leadership.
The Truth: “For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.” (Jer.10:21)
