The Door-Step Evangel

Pastoral Career or Occupation?
Dr. Ronald L. Tottingham

In Revelation 3:1-3 we are shown a church and Pastor ("unto the angel") who is not fully pleasing to the Lord and actually are spiritually near dead (corpse). I wonder what prompted the Lord to make this appraisal, what condition would cause Him to see this "death" in this church?

Upon rereading and looking closely I noticed that the Lord talks of their works and says using the idea of a career or occupation. This is more than a job one may work today and change tomorrow. It refers to a profession, a professional career, a career one will follow from place of employment to place of employment. This speaks of a profession one would sell to promising employers as one's trade. Now with this in mind notice in verse two the statement "I have not found thy works (professional career) perfect..." The thought behind the word perfect is to be fully filled or in another realm, totally intoxicated. Now here, are we being told that our calling and service for the Lord should be as professional career, or profession and we should be completely filled with it? Many are not. They work side things, not of necessity (paying one's way to toil at the ministry is not meant here.) But of not being fully occupied in God's walk, or by God's work. Could such "ministers" be only pastoral hirelings and not God called? Wouldn't God's work be their single profession if His call were upon their life?

Here we are told this generated spiritual death to a church (v. 1-2) and is called defilement of garments (v. 4). Could it be that such brings into a church world affections and compromises big-time? Could it also bring in talk of world centered issues more than of the Divine? I think it's worth thinking about.