Giving Back a Statement

In Hebrews 13:17, the author states one of the reasons for which pastors watch over other’s souls is that they will give an account for those souls (“as they that must give account”). In the original text, this phrase is literally “as a statement they themselves will give back.” Although the passage does not use the word “pastor” nor does its counterparts in vs. 7 and 24, it stands to reason that “them which have the rule over you” is best understood as referring to a pastor(s). This deduction is reasonable based upon the context of the passages in which this phrase or a similar phrase is found (I Thess. 5:12; Heb.13:7, 17, 24). This deduction is further supported given the dispensational timetable of these NT books.

While it is acknowledged that there are other authorities over Christians, this article will focus on the pastor as being the one considered to “have the rule”. Has the average Christian ever seriously considered who these pastors have the rule over? They obviously have the rule over someone and thus they are to give an account for the same. But who exactly are they? Is any particular pastor expected to have the rule over all Christians? Is any particular pastor expected to have the rule over all the believers in his town, county, parish, or state? Is any particular pastor expected to have the rule over any person who walks through the doors of the church that he leads? The obvious answer to these rhetorical questions is “of course not!”

Whoever these people are that a pastor has the rule over, they are the same people for which he will give an account or give back a statement concerning to the Lord. It would seem intuitive that the pastor would know who these people (over whom he has authority and for whom he will give an account) actually are. It ought to be intuitive. Sadly, this is a most neglected thought - that Christians know for themselves who has the rule over them. What sane pastor would want to give an account for the soul of someone who has not allowed himself to be ruled over? It is hard enough caring for those who have submitted to his God-given spiritual authority!

There must be some objective way that the pastor knows whom he has the rule over and thus for whom he is going to render back an accounting to the Chief Shepherd. Moreover, it must be recognized that the Christian places himself in the best position to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord when he knows who has the rule over him and who does not. For surely, not all the pastors in the world at any given time have the rule over every single Christian with whom they come in contact!

The point is rather obvious – or at least it should be. The pastor only has the rule over and will only give account for those believers who have voluntarily submitted themselves underneath his spiritual authority. How does he know who they are? This is a very serious question that must be answered reasonably. Returning to the above examples, does a pastor have the rule over a visitor to the assembly? Does a pastor have the rule over a regular attendee of the assembly? He of course does not in either of these cases.

Who does he have the rule over? He has the rule over his flock for which he is to provide spiritual food (I Peter 5:2). Therefore, there must be some form of agreement, covenant, or acknowledgment between individual Christians and the pastor. He is only responsible to those believers who have submitted themselves to his leadership in such a way that he (the pastor) knows it and that they (the Christians) know it as well.

Church membership is the biblical, reasonable, and historical means for passages such as I Thessalonians 5:12 and Hebrews 13:7, 17, 24 to have any practical reality. If the pastor is going to be responsible to “give back a statement” for another Christian, then that other Christian ought to recognize the practical reality of church membership. Church membership makes this biblical dichotomy of ruling and accounting an actual reality and not just a metaphorical concept! Perhaps that is why church membership has been around for a few thousand years.