Worldly Affections in Ministry: A Biblical Warning
Worldly Affections in Ministry: A Biblical Warning
The Bible warns ministers against allowing worldly affections to hinder their ministry. In Colossians 3:2, Paul exhorts believers to "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" [1]. This warning is particularly relevant for ministers, who are called to prioritize their spiritual duties above earthly concerns.
The apostle Paul emphasizes the importance of watchfulness in ministry, urging ministers to "watch thou in all thinges" and to "cause thy ministerie to be throughly liked of" (2 Timothy 4:5) [2]. This watchfulness involves being mindful of the dangers of worldly affections, which can "choke the word of God in the heart" (Luke 8:14) [5]. According to Torrey's Topical Textbook, "care about earthly things" is "forbidden" and can be an "obstruction to the Gospel" [3].
Ministers are called to be "ambassadors for Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:20) and "stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 Corinthians 4:1) [4]. To fulfill this calling, they must prioritize their affections on heavenly things. As John Gill notes on Colossians 3:2, "unless the affections are set on them, they will never be sought after in a proper manner" [7]. Matthew Henry similarly emphasizes the need to "mortify our members which are upon the earth, and which naturally incline us to the things of the world" [8].
The Bible warns that worldly affections can lead to idolatry, with covetousness being described as a form of idolatry (Colossians 3:5; Hebrews 13:5) [11]. John Gill notes on James 4:4 that those who set their affections on the world are considered "adulterers and adulteresses" because they have removed their affections from God [9]. In contrast, ministers are called to be "zealously engaged for God" and to have their affections "supremely set upon God" (Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 12:30) [6].
The consequences of neglecting this warning can be severe. According to Adam Clarke on Ezekiel 3:18, ministers who fail to warn their congregations about the dangers of worldly affections will be held accountable for the spiritual harm that results [12]. As Jamieson, Fausset & Brown note on 1 John 5:21, believers must be cautious not to compromise with idolatry or worldly influences [10].
Sources
- Colossians “Colossians 3:2 (Webster) — Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
- II Timothy “II Timothy 4:5 (Geneva1599) — But watch thou in all thinges: suffer aduersitie: doe the worke of an Euangelist: cause thy ministerie to be throughly liked of.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Care, Overmuch — About earthly things, forbidden -- Mt 6:25; Lu 12:22,29; Joh 6:27. God's providential goodness should keep us from -- Mt 6:26,28,30; Lu 22:35. God's promises should keep us from -- Heb 13:5. Trust in God should free us from -- Jer 17:7,8; Da 3:16. Should be cast on God -- Ps 37:5; 55:22; Pr 16:3; 1Pe 5:7. An obstruction to the Gospel -- Mt 13:22; Lu 8:14; 14:18-20. Be without -- 1Co 7:32; Php 4:6. Unbecoming in saints -- 2Ti 2:4. Uselessness of -- Mt 6:27; Lu 12:25,26. Vanity of -- Ps 39:6; Ec 4:8. Warning against -- Lu 21:34. Sent as a punishment to”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Ministers — Called by God -- Ex 28:1; Heb 5:4. Qualified by God -- Isa 6:5-7; 2Co 3:5,6. Commissioned by Christ -- Mt 28:19. Sent by the Holy Spirit -- Ac 13:2,4. Have authority from God -- 2Co 10:8; 13:10. Authority of, is for edification -- 2Co 10:8; 13:10. Separated to the gospel -- Ro 1:1. Entrusted with the gospel -- 1Th 2:4. Described as Ambassadors for Christ. -- 2Co 5:20. Ministers of Christ. -- 1Co 4:1. Stewards of the mysteries of God. -- 1Co 4:1. Defenders of the faith. -- Php 1:7. The servants of Christ's people. -- 2Co 4:5. Specially protected by God -- ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Amusements and Pleasures, Worldly — Belong to the works of the flesh -- Ga 5:19,21. Are transitory -- Job 21:12,13; Heb 11:25. Are all vanity -- Ec 2:11. Choke the word of God in the heart -- Lu 8:14. Formed a part of idolatrous worship -- Ex 32:4,6,19; 1Co 10:7; Jdj 16:23-25. Lead to Rejection of God. -- Job 21:14,15. Poverty. -- Pr 21:17. Disregard of the judgments and works of God. -- Isa 5:12; Am 6:1-6. Terminate in sorrow -- Pr 14:13. Are likely to lead to greater evil -- Job 1:5; Mt 14:6-8. The wicked seek for happiness in -- Ec 2:1,8. Indulgence in A proof of ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Affections, The — Should be supremely set upon God -- De 6:3; Mr 12:30. Should be set Upon the commandments of God. -- Ps 19:8-10; 119:20,97,103,167. Upon the house and worship of God. -- 1Ch 29:3; Ps 26:8; 27:4; 84:1,2. Upon the people of God. -- Ps 16:3; Ro 12:10; 2Co 7:13-15; 1Th 2:8. Upon heavenly things. -- Col 3:1,2. Should be zealously engaged for God -- Ps 69:9; 119:139; Ga 4:18. Christ claims the first place in -- Mt 10:37; Lu 14:26. Enkindled by communion with Christ -- Lu 24:32. Blessedness of making God the object of -- Ps 91:14. Should not grow cold -- P”
- Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 3:2: Set your affections on things above,.... For unless the affections are set on them, they will never be sought after in a proper manner. The word signifies to mind them, and think on them, to favour and approve of them, to be affectionately desirous of them, and concerned for them; for where the treasure is, the heart should be; and as the saints' best things are above, their minds and affections should be there likewise; their contemplation should be on those things, and their conversation should be in heaven; nor should they regard anything but what is there, or c”
- Colossians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Colossians 3:5: The apostle exhorts the Colossians to the mortification of sin, the great hindrance to seeking the things which are above. Since it is our duty to set our affections upon heavenly things, it is our duty to mortify our members which are upon the earth, and which naturally incline us to the things of the world: "Mortify them, that is, subdue the vicious habits of mind which prevailed in your Gentile state. Kill them, suppress them, as you do weeds or vermin which spread and destroy all about them, or as you kill an enemy who fights against you and wounds you." - ”
- James (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on James 4:4: Ye adulterers and adulteresses,.... Not who were literally such, but in a figurative and metaphorical sense: as he is an adulterer that removes his affections from his own wife, and sets them upon another woman; and she is an adulteress that loves not her husband, but places her love upon another man; so such men and women are adulterers and adulteresses, who, instead of loving God, whom they ought to love with all their hearts and souls, set their affections upon the world, and the things of it: the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, leave out the word "adul”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 5:21: Affectionate parting caution. from idols--Christians were then everywhere surrounded by idolaters, with whom it was impossible to avoid intercourse. Hence the need of being on their guard against any even indirect compromise or act of communion with idolatry. Some at Pergamos, in the region whence John wrote, fell into the snare of eating things sacrificed to idols. The moment we cease to abide "in Him that is true (by abiding) in Jesus Christ," we become part of "the world that lieth in the wicked one," given up to spiritual, if not in all places li”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 13:5: Let your conversation be without covetousness,.... Which is an immoderate desire, of riches, an over anxious care for worldly things, attended with dissatisfaction, and discontent with their present state: it discovers itself many ways; in preferring the world to religion; in laying up treasure for a man's own self, without being any ways useful to others; in withholding from himself the necessaries of life, and in making no use of his substance for the glory of God, and the interest of religion: this is a very great evil; it is called idolatry, and is said to be the”
- Ezekiel (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Ezekiel 3:18: Thou shalt surely die - That is, If he turn not from his wickedness, and thou givest him not warning, as above, he shalt die in his iniquity, which he should not have committed; but his blood will I require at thy hand - I will visit thy soul for the loss of his. O how awful is this! Hear it, ye priests, ye preachers, ye ministers of the Gospel; ye, especially, who have entered into the ministry for a living, ye who gather a congregation to yourselves that ye may feed upon their fat, and clothe yourselves with their wool; in whose parishes and in whose congregation”