Using Religious Titles

In Matthew 23:8-10 Jesus taught, “But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.” In almost every denomination, this simple command of the Lord is disregarded as they place titles upon their preachers to denote a higher place for them. Preachers should be respected for the work that they do (1 Cor. 16:18; Phil. 2:29). However, we are all brethren and no preacher should have a title of distinction attached to his name. Let’s notice a few of the more common titles abused by the religious world in this regard.

Father – Those in the Catholic denomination refer to their preachers as father. However, Jesus commanded that we “do not call anyone on earth your father” (Matt. 23:9). Using this term to address a man in a religious sense is an outright violation of the commandment of our Lord, and as such, it is sin. There is nothing wrong with referring to our earthly parent as father as Paul did in Ephesians 6:2. However, to call a man father, as a religious title, is in error.

Reverend – Some will refer to their preacher as “Reverend so-and-so”. David, speaking of God, said in Psalm 111:9, “Holy and reverend is His name.” Whose name is reverend? David says it is the name of the awesome God and His alone. Woe unto the man who seeks by a title to set himself as an equal to God in Heaven! To refer to a man on earth as reverend is verging on, if not outright, blasphemy.

Pastor – Many, in referring to their preacher, will call him their pastor. In Ephesians 4:11 Paul said, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.” This word pastor is indicative of an overseer or shepherd. The pastor is an elder of the local church. Unless a man meets the qualifications of I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 and was appointed by the church to such a role with a plurality of men, he is not a pastor and should not be referred to as such. Even if a man holds such a role in the Lord’s church, it is a description, not a title.

It should also be noted that a Christian should not support false ideas or sin in calling any man by these titles. Job said, “Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man” (Job 32:21). A preacher can be called a preacher, evangelist, or minister, as those are descriptions of what he does (2 Tim. 1:11; Ac. 21:8; Rom. 15:16). Yet, we are brethren of one another and though we may do different works, we are not to have titles to elevate one above another.

David Eldridge