Welcome to God’s Generals. Today we will begin to looking some of the great men and women of God have been credited with the title or position of God’s General. These are people we admire, even look up to as having reached the pinnacle of ministry.
But, who are these people and what criteria is used to elevate them to this high status in our sight?Is it based of their godly character? Or maybe their lack of moral failing?Is it to be based on denominationally grounds, maybe gender, age or even profession?
Let’s deal with each in turn.
1. Godly Character
If this was the basis on which promotion to the rank of General in God’s Army, no-one would make the grade.
“Rom 3:23 says for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
There is not one person through the history of humanity that would be named based on godly character, each individual that would be put up as a prospective candidate would fail miserably.
There is not one individual throughout the centuries that was any different, all of them were flawed in some way. It would be easy to lay before you the many failings of men and women of God – so numerous are they. Godly character, ethical behaviour, moral strength cannot be the standard which is used to promote people to the exalted ranks of God’s General
ABRAHAM
Take Abraham for example, the father of faith, He was flawed, not fully trusting God in the midst of famine – asking Sarah, his wife to lie to the King Abimelech, and say “she is my sister”, simply to save his own life. Abraham the friend of God would not be amongst the elite that we admire, if it were solely of the basis of moral fortitude.
DAVID
David, known as the man after God’s own heart, was a scheming, adulterer and murderer, just to hide his sin. His sin would have remained hidden if it were not for Nathan, the prophet of God, who confronted him. David would have disqualified himself by his actions.
PAUL
And what of, Paul, the man who wrote the majority of the New Testament, was impatient, not willing to give John Mark a second chance, and had known anger issues. Scripture records that there was “no small dispute” between him and Barnabas – so great was the disagreement between them that they parted ways. Paul flaws would see him also ineligible – if it were on moral fortitude.
2. What then of denominational identity?
To limit the list to one denomination would severely reduce the number of prospects. Both Protestant, Catholic, Charismatic and Pentecostals have made significant advancements to Christianity. Through out history, those who forged paths often began a new denomination, based on restored revelation. We cannot allow advancement to the ranks of general to be established on denominational lines for it would not truly reflect those deserving of this title.
3. Then be it should be gender.
To say men could be elevated to God’s General status but not women would receive harsh criticism today, and rightly condemned as sexist. Not only that it would diminish the many remarkable women who have furthered the kingdom of God. The bible tells us that God shows no partiality. Recognition of the women who have significantly impacted the world for the sake of the gospel is a must. Gender must not be the criteria used to determine who reaches the rank of general.
4. Maybe profession?
This would limit the selection pool to only preachers of gospel, thus removing those men and women who through their God-given vocations have affected the world around them for the Kingdom of God. In a changing world – fresh ways of reaching people with the good news is being forged almost on a daily basis.
If we were to shrink the group of contenders to preachers of the gospel for example the evangelist the list would be bereft those who were teachers of God’s word or pastors of God’s flock who through their minister gifting transformed the world in which they lived.
What of age? Does a general in God’s army need to have serviced for decades to be effective in ministry? To disregard those who valiantly service, impacting their world but were killed or died because of illness at a young age would be travesty.
So, what then is the measure that we should apply to determine who qualifies and who doesn’t?
It was Ralph Waldo Emerson who coined the phrase, “Do not follow where the path may lead, but go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Paul put it this way,
“And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another’s foundation”
(Rom 15:20).
In other words,
“be a pioneer, but leave a legacy for others to follow”.
This holds the key to elevating people to the ranks of God’s Generals.
Those men and women who forged new paths, who were pioneers in some way. Not just pioneers but those who left a legacy for the thousands and millions who would not only follow but build on the foundation they laid.