An Open Letter to the Elders at RPC

This is an open letter to the elders at Redeemer Presbyterian Church. It is open because we must give account for how we shepherd the flock of God, and because the flock of God should heed warnings. In Jude 17-23 we read,

17But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions." 19It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22And have mercy on those who doubt; 23save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

Jude longed to write to the church about the joy they have in the gospel (v.3), but he was diverted from this joy to deal with the solemnity of warning them about ungodliness in the church. A warning we to must heed in our day for there are going to be those who follow their ungodly passions leading others away through division into ungodliness and judgment. Therefore as elders we must be building ourselves up as we do the flock of God through his Word and prayer in the Spirit. This requires our attending to his means of grace privately and publically and urging the flock to do the same. This must be primary in our thinking about what we are doing with the time that is given us. Second we must be cultivating our hearts and minds in the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ and the life that is promised to us in him. We must hold to his Word in the Spirit as his love letter to us revealing his eternal and enduring loving kindness toward us in Christ. And we must be boasting of this love to the flock of God calling them to sing with us in the love of God in Christ. Third we must bear with those in the flock who are struggling. We must listen to and help them answer their questions. We must pull them from the flames of hell with urgings, warnings, exhortations, encouragements and prayer. And we must hate their flesh and our own. While we warn them of the flesh that will destroy them we must see in their struggles our own struggles with the flesh and hate their sin and ours with tender mercies, love and a zeal for the holiness of God.

A flock not watched is a flock untended, and a flock untended is a flock destined the misery of their own waywardness and death. We must watch and tend the flock of God for his glory and their good that we may gather together and rejoice in the joy of the gospel of God in Jesus Christ. 1So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1Pe.5:1-4) I love you brothers.