Christendom will soon commemorate Reformation Day, which commemorates the revolt against the erroneous teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Ironically, centuries after the Reformation, the Christian Church did precisely what it had revolted against. They developed traditions that are not found in the Bible. I will cite only one example here:
Some pastors held the title of reverend, derived from the Latin word “reverendus,” meaning “worthy of respect” or “one who is to be revered.” However, the Bible exclusively attributes reverence to God. For instance, Psalms 111:9 states, “God sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever. Holy and reverend is His name.” Shouldn’t Christians, despite their religious positions, be mindful of not robbing God of His rightful reverence by attributing it to men?
The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, rendered the word corresponding to “reverend” as phoberos. This term appears only three times throughout the New Testament—Hebrews 10:27, Hebrews 10:31, and again in Hebrews 12:21—and in each case, it is used exclusively in reference to God.
In Ephesians 4:11, Christ Jesus specifically gifted the church with the apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists. There is no mention of a reverend. Therefore, why create titles that are not found in Scripture?
When Christians loosely attribute to men what is solely God’s, they lose sight of God’s true nature. Vanity in human titles deprives God of what is rightfully His. If we Christians genuinely promote the Gospel, we wouldn’t succumb to the temptation of upholding human vanities.
Anyone who disagrees kindly study your Bibles. Let me know if there’s one instance man was attributed with reverence.
Isn’t it just a vanity act for human titles? If you’re interested, here’s a related blog: [Vanity in Human Titles].
Peter, in the words of Acts 3:6, declared, “I possess neither silver nor gold, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I offer you what I have.” Share this article freely, for you freely receive. Take note, underlines and highlights are clickable links for definitions or Bible references. Stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Blessings!
