THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE FALL- part 1 (THE TRAVELLING SEMINARY PREACHER SERIES)

All scripture quotes are from the King James Version of the bible except otherwise stated.

It is a good thing we are gathered here today with this one verse in mind.

“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief".Pr 24:16 kjv

This is an important scripture that speaks about a very critical issue that every seminary student would do well to lay to heart i.e. falling. Looking at this scripture some things easily comes to mind. Things like falling as it has to do with being a spiritually low point in a moment or point in time. Falling as it has to do with sin.

For the preacher man, the former seems to carry more weight than the later. No man or woman of the pulpit wants to 'fall'(in quote). We say in quote here as it has to do with this particular interpretation of falling. The preacher man who has come to some level of success or desires to come to any level of success does his or her utmost to keep from falling. This particular scripture talks of the righteous falling seven times but nobody wants to fall even once! Yet the import of this scripture when viewed in this perspective sheds a great light into the error many walk in today’s ministry.

Pastors in training, much has been written and said about integrity, character, holiness, even image. That is, as it has to do with the minister of God Much has been said about this and for good reasons too. This is because the world (the visible church inclusive) and life in general can be most unforgiving to one whom sitting in this office (the office you are all training to assume) should 'fall'.

There are some professions where it is not given a second glance when there is one character failure or the other. In fact, there are some professions where is presumes or expected! You know some that would readily come to mind. And it would be thought to be suspiciously strange if one (in that profession) goes through it and at the end of the day(maybe on retirement) still come out as clean as a whistle i.e. without one scandal tainting his or her name. Frankly, people will just presume that he or she did some things but either he (or she) hid it well or let's just say knew the right people.

Then there are other professions (we are not going to say politics) where lying, subterfuge, betrayal etc is just a matter of expediency and management (and every thing else in between).

In this profession you are about coming into, some one can loose an office for being seen in front of a brothel (just a picture of him or her in front of one will do. But in some other, even after being found out to have committed murder (or any other heinous crime) can by good management, political expediency etc still win another term in office.

However, the profession you are about coming into is not really so. It is such that just a suggestion of doubt or a question mark on your person can cost you so, so much. Ministers know this, and you should very well put it in mind. So all the emphasis in integrity, character, and image is very well justified.

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