WHO SETS THE MORAL PACE FOR US TODAY?

By A. W. Tozer                                     

For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.  -  -  1 Peter 2:21

The history of Israel and Judah points up a truth taught clearly enough by
all history-that the masses are or soon will be what their leaders are.
The kings set the moral pace for the people.

Israel sometimes rebelled against her leaders, it is true, but the rebellions
were not spontaneous. The people merely switched to a new leader and
followed him. The point is, they always had to have a leader.

Whatever sort of man the king turned out to be the people were soon
following his leadership. They followed David in the worship of Jehovah,
Solomon in the building of the Temple, Jeroboam in the making of a calf
and Hezekiah in the restoration of the temple worship.

It is not complimentary to the masses that they are so easily led, but we
are not interested in praising or blaming; we are concerned for truth, and
the truth is that for better or for worse, religious people follow leaders.

A good man may change the moral complexion of a whole nation; or a
corrupt and worldly clergy may lead a nation into bondage.
The transposed proverb, "Like priest, like people," sums up in four words
a truth taught plainly in the Scriptures and demonstrated again and again
in religious history.

The rewards of godly leadership are so great and the responsibilities of
the leader so heavy that no one can afford to take the matter lightly.

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Yours in Christ,
Paul N. F.