This is connected to The Inherent Impurity of Monsters posted yesterday; this is a corollary.
Our Radix Fidem community is familiar with the important truth behind high-trust and low-trust social structures. We keep warning folks that, while a high-trust society is more comfortable and conducive to material prosperity, it’s not the way the Bible looks at the world. The Covenant has always been aimed at creating a high trust in the Lord, and no more than moderate trust in each other.
You cannot trust yourself. More specifically, you are two people in one, a fleshly mortal being and an eternal being. You cannot trust your fleshly nature; it will consistently lead you wrong. You’ll spend the rest of your life trying to discipline the flesh. If you try hard enough, and live long enough, you may be able to instill enough discipline that others can hold a moderate trust in your flesh. Few get there.
When are you are in the company of the few who have pushed that hard for some years, then you call them “elder” in one sense or another, because they can be trusted somewhat. They are reliable enough that you don’t watch them like a hawk, but also don’t revere them as somehow “holy” and untouchable. Wise elders always keep people around who will not hesitate to set them straight. Wisdom means not trusting your own flesh, ever.
As James said in his letter to Hebrew believers: Temptation is not externally sourced (James 1:13-25). It always comes from within. God doesn’t “allow” temptation, but He does commission testing. The weak spot is in you already. You are tempted because you have a fleshly nature. This is the ancient Hebrew understanding; it’s behind the teaching of Jesus, and His brother learned it well.
Modern church leaders get into trouble because they can. They live with temptation day and night, and the Devil is going to use his lackeys to make those compromising offers. The only way to keep your hands clean is to keep them exposed to people who know you.
It is human fleshly stupidity to seek, or even permit, the company of sycophants. They should give you the willies. Keep them at arm’s length; it’s called “holy cynicism”. An elder/priest should be eager to keep the low-trust social structure of the Covenant alive. This is why the Old Testament is loaded with low-trust protocols. A high-trust social structure is the Devil’s playground.
