Trust in God, Not in Man

“Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man in whom there is no salvation” (Ps. 146:2; ESV). “O how the mighty have fallen” (2 Sam. 1:19). “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes” (Ps. 118:8). It is dangerous business being a pastor. It is dangerous because pastors are men, but the people of God often treat them as princes. Certainly we want people to have a healthy respect for the Office of the Holy Ministry, as well as for the incumbents of that Office. But the Office is bigger than the man. The Office is Christ’s. The man is sinner. And the danger is, when the man, who is sinner, falls, he muddies the Office before the eyes of the people.

For this reason, we must not become Donatists. That is, we must not reject the Word and Sacrament ministry of the Office just because the man in the Office falls, or hurts us, or turns out to be a hypocrite. The Baptisms he administered are still a washing of regeneration and renewal. The Lord’s Suppers over which he presided are still the Body and Blood of Christ. And even the Word he preached, insofar as he preached the true, Scriptural doctrine, is God’s Word. So we rejoice in the gifts of Christ we have received from his hand, because it is not the hand that is important, but the gifts. The Gospel alone authenticates the work of the ministry.

We must also understand that pastors, insofar as they are sinful men, will fall. Don’t mistake the mud on their own sin-stained robes for something that has soiled Christ’s Office. The Ministry is holy, even when the minister is not. But insofar as pastors are baptized children of God, who have heard the Word, been absolved by the Gospel, and received the Body and Blood of Christ into their mouths, they are also forgiven of their sins. They, too, are saints before God on account of Christ. Christ died for them, too.

The reason for this post? We have all been disappointed by sinful men. I entered and remain in this Office with fear and trembling, knowing my own sins. And I know that it is only the grace of God if my own sins don’t appear to muddy the Office before the eyes of God’s people. I also know that God called me into the Holy Ministry by His grace, and that this is the same grace by which He called me by the Gospel, enlightens me with His gifts, sanctifies and keeps me in the one true faith, and daily and richly forgives all my sins for Christ’s sake. And by this same grace, the gifts that Christ offers His people by my hand are holy and effective, even when my hands are dirty. Faith in men will always be disappointed, for men are sinners. But faith in Christ will never be disappointed, for He never falls and never fails and is always faithful to His Word.