Bishop of Our Souls
The word, bishop, comes from the Greek word,
episkopos, and literally
means an overseer. In most instances this title has
reference to a
pastor or gospel minister (Acts 20:28; Phil. 1:1; I
Tim. 3:1, 2; and
Tit. 1:7) and denotes their responsibility and
accountability to watch
over the flock (congregation) over the which the
Holy Ghost has made
them overseers. However, in one instance, the term
is used in reference
to Christ: 1 Pet. 2:25, "For ye were as sheep going
astray; but are now
returned unto the Shepherd and BISHOP of your
souls."
Jesus Christ is the "bishops of our souls." Jesus
and Jesus alone has
the responsibility and accountability for our
eternal salvation as he
said in John 6:37 39, "All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me;
and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast
out. For I came down
from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will
of him that sent me.
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me,
that of all which he
hath given me I should lose nothing, but should
raise it up again at the
last day." Consequently, we are "preserved in Jesus
Christ" (Jude 1)
and not a one of us shall be lost: "And I give unto
them eternal life;
and they shall never perish, neither shall any man
pluck them out of my
hand. My father, which gave them me, is greater than
all; and no man is
able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my
Father are one." (John 10:28 30).
While we may suffer
troubles in this life we are as secure as Job was
when Satan designed to destroy him as the Lord
said,"Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his
life" (Job 2:6). Satan cannot touch our eternal life
because our Bishop is watching over us and not one
of us will be lost!
Jesus' work as a
Bishop extends beyond just preserving our eternal
life. He also watches over his people as we live in
this time world.
According to Ps. 34:7, "The angel of the Lord
encampeth round about them
that fear him, and delivereth them." This lesson is
illustrated in II
Kings 6:13 18 when the king of Syria had sent an
host to capture Elisha
the prophet and when Elisha's servant saw the great
host encompassing
the city he cried, "Alas, my master! How shall we
do?" To which Elisha
answered, "Fear not: for they that be with us are
more than they which
be with them." Then Elisha prayed, "Lord, I pray
thee, open the eyes of
the young man; and he saw: and, behold the mountain
was full of horses
and chariots of fire round about Elisha."
Ps. 34, 121, and 139 are full of precious treasures
of the Lord's
oversight over his people. A few of these nuggets
are presented below:
1. Ps. 34:4, "I sought the Lord, and he heard me,
and delivered me
from all my fears." The Lord's people have many
fears in life, yet the
Lord watches over us and delivers us from our fears.
2. Ps. 34:6,
"This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and
saved him out of all
his troubles." In Job we read that "man is born unto
trouble, as thesparks fly upward." We also read in Job 5:19, "He
shall deliver thee in
six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil
touch thee." Again, the
Lord watches over us in our troubles and delivers us
as he did the "poor
man" of Ps. 34:6.
3. Ps. 34:9, "O fear
the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to
them that fear him." The word "want" here means
"lack." Thus the Lord
watches over us to supply all of our needs so that
we do not lack
anything that we need.
4. Ps. 34:15, 17, "The
eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and
his ears are open unto their cry...The righteous
cry, and the Lord
heareth, and delivereth them out of all their
troubles." Thus the Lord
watches over us, listens to our prayers, and
delivers us from our
troubles.
5. Ps 139 tells us
just how closely and intimately the Lord watches
over us: Ps. 139:1 10, "O Lord, thou hast searched
me, and known me.
Thou knowest my down sittings and mine uprisings,
thou understandest my
thoughts afar off. Thou compassest my path and my
lying down, and art
acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word
in my tongue, but,
lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast
beset me behind and
before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge
is too wonderful
for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither
shall I go from
they spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy
presence? If I ascend up
into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in
hell, behold, thou art
there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell
in the uttermost
parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me,
and thy right hand
shall hold me."
6. Ps. 121 also speaks of the Lord's watch care over
us. The three
key words in this chapter are help, keep, and
preserve. The Lord is our
helper, he is our keeper, and he is our preserver.
With such an
overseer as this we truly have no reason to want or
fear for indeed the
Lord is the "Bishop" of our souls.
THE LORD WILL
1. For the LORD will not hold him guiltless that
taketh his name in vain.
2. For the LORD will not forsake his people for his
great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD
to make you his people.
3. But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is
godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call
unto him.
4. The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD
will receive my prayer.
5. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the
LORD will take me up.
6. The LORD will give strength unto his people; the
LORD will bless his people with peace.
7. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD
will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will
preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be
blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver
him unto the will of his enemies. The LORD will
strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou
wilt make all his bed in his sickness.
8. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in
the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with
me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
9. For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD
will give grace and glory: no good thing will he
withhold from them that walk uprightly.
10. I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he
will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints:
but let them not turn again to folly.
11. For the LORD will not cast off his people,
neither will he forsake his inheritance.
12. For the LORD will judge his people, and he will
repent himself concerning his servants.
13. The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me:
14. I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of
the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
15. The LORD will not suffer the soul of the
righteous to famish: but he casteth away the
substance of the wicked.
16. The LORD will destroy the house of the proud:
but he will establish the border of the widow.
17. Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither
oppress the afflicted in the gate: For the LORD will
plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that
spoiled them.
18. And the LORD will create upon every dwelling
place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a
cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming
fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a
defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a
shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place
of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from
rain.
19. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is
none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the
LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not
forsake them.
20. For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
21. But though he cause grief, yet will he have
compassion according to the multitude of his
mercies.
22. Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his
people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and
oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will
no more make you a reproach among the heathen:
23. The LORD will be the hope of his people,
24. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not
impute sin.
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