Many ministers have a fancy for titles; this fancy is partially because of the deficiency they have in their ministries and their own sense of insecurity. Regardless of the reasons for acquiring titles, titles alone do not enhance a person's ministry, but they may act as deceptive tools to the unsuspecting follower of Christ. In cheap and vulgar ways, many ministers are using titles and degrees behind and in front of their names, but without the substance that a certain title is supposed to represent.  Such titles may deceive some for a while, but any thinking person will see after a while that something is wrong; something is missing. 

Of the many titles appended to ministers today, some have no Bible foundation, and some have Bible foundations but are misapplied. And as one minister vulgarly applies a self-given and unearned title, another will follow suit because they are doing as the Apostle Paul has warned against: They are comparing themselves by themselves, and measuring themselves among themselves. And when this is done, as the scripture says, they are not wise. [2 Cor. 10:12]      

False PhD's and Other Academic Degrees
It is vulgar and deceptive for ministers who are supposed to be models and ministers of righteousness to give themselves unearned degrees--degrees that are academic, indicating that one has gone through rigorous courses of study and mastered certain fields of learning, and even added to that field. These degrees or titles are all over the place, being used by men and women who have not paid intellectually for them. They have no idea of the work and academic toil required to honestly take these degrees and if they did, they would not be unwilling to do the hard work needed to take them. Like so many other carnal people, they want what they are unwilling to work for! And these degrees attached to these types of ministers only indicate their desire for academics and their unwillingness to pay the price to acquire the knowledge that the degrees imply--much learning wearies the flesh, and since they live in the flesh, being carnal, they are unwilling to weary their flesh; they only pleasure it! 

An academic degree says to the knowing world that the bearer holds a certain body of knowledge within him acquired at great cost; however, one can readily see many ministers have no great academic knowledge within them, only a fake degree. These are false ministers, false prophets, and religious profiteers who shear the sheep instead of feed them. In spite of their much vaunted false degrees, their speech and lack of knowledge, as well as their behavior,  belie their supposed degrees and cast those ministers as false and deceitful workers, from whom truth cannot come because they are false from their very introduction.

If from the start these ministers are deceitful, the rhetorical question of Job is asked: "Can one bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing?" If they are untruthful from the start, how can truth come from them thereafter? That is the profundity God gives us in that rhetorical question.*  The ignorant minister cannot see that profundity; neither can those who follow blind leaders. Of necessity, those who follow them are also blind, for no sighted person allows himself to be led by a blind guide, lest they both fall into a ditch--so says Jesus. [Mat. 15:14] The words of Job readily apply to these blind leaders with degrees falsely or deceitfully attained: “O if you would altogether hold your peace that would be your wisdom.” [Job 13:5 ]   

Some of these sad ministers only take on these titles because they see other false workers doing the same, and they think it is okay. These are those who run with the herd, having the herd's instinct. These are not men of God but men of men. They do not believe in the naked, hard truths of God; they believe in the fancy and fantasies of this world. They will, therefore, behave as the winds of this world behave; they will not regard the dictates of Christ. Look at their gospels carefully. No one who follows after the trends of this world will ever be able to rightly divide God's word. He/she will always compromise the truth of Christ and will always attempt to rationalize that compromise! This is sure!

The Title of Bishop 
There is also the ubiquitous Bishop title; a title that is surely Bible originated, but many such bearers of it have only made gifts to themselves and to each other. There was a day, however, when one who possessed this title had something from God! A word, an anointing, something! Today the title is often flaunted as the false degrees are flaunted--meaninglessly and as affectations for the parade of men! Gone are the qualifications for that office and that work: "If one desires the OFFICE of a bishop he desires a good WORK; such a one MUST be BLAMELESS, the HUSBAND of ONE WIFE, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach, not given to wine, no striker, NOT GIVEN TO FILTHY LUCRE; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity...not a novice...he must have a good report of those who are without....” [1Tim. 3:1-7]   These qualifications and all others are disregarded by many who hold the title. God's word is not controlling in their decisions to be called bishops.

In Titus 1, Paul also included items not found in 1Timothy 3; a bishop must be a lover of good men, he must hold fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able to by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. [Titus 1:6-9]  These are the explicit requirements for the office and the work of a bishop.  Even though we are living in a liberated world today, these godly requirements preclude a female from the bishopric, and they also preclude, maybe, over 85-95% of the existing males in holding the office of a bishop.  

Some time ago at one of my Bible classes, a poor sister who is blinded by the trappings of holiness and not concerned about God's word whispered to me that she was a bishop. Weeks latter she introduced herself to the group as Queen Archbishop. Since we are deeply into a study of another book and she seemed to be coming regularly, I decided to get to that subject after we complete our study. But this is the confusion even the insanity many labor under today. And it is so widespread and frequent in occurrence that many think it is reasonable or even Godly.

The Title of Apostle
Some ministers are so self-exalted and brazen with the word of God and these holy things that they append Apostle to their names. They have used a common language dictionary's meaning [to set forth or to commission] and have given themselves the title of apostle, as if it enhances them--they cannot see that it actually diminishes them because sighted saints know the truth and can see that they are blind. Their blindness and vulgarity is so common that ungodly men do not value the holy things of God.

God's criteria for an apostle are not placed in a dictionary but in the Bible. These blind men who give themselves the title of apostle  are some of the same who have already appended false and unearned degrees to their names. So they go further in showing their ignorance by demonstrating they have no understanding of how language is used or what a dictionary is and how it is to be used--as a reference book of general meanings, but specific fields of learning have their own definitions. These are called terms of art, and they are not to be found in a dictionary of common usage. No intelligent person would go to a dictionary of common use to define medical or legal terms; one who does so has little understanding of language. Any man who takes the dictionary as the final arbitrator of specific words is superficial and has not studied enough to be called learned. He has no notion of connotative and denotative meanings, no understanding of stipulative meanings, historical meanings, or  terms of art and special fields of learning, etc.

Anyone who takes a dictionary's meaning of apostle and appends that title to his name is in a field beyond his abilities and is thinking more highly of himself than he should. That truth will show itself as soon as he opens his mouth. But sadly, these men are often too unlearned to recognize their own ignorance. So they shame themselves as shipwrecks of this Christian ministry and the entire ministry of Christ because they are handling the precious things of God deceitfully. [1 Tim. 1]

Many who append "apostle" to their names have little understanding of that word's definition and even less understanding of God’s word.  Paul tells the Corinthian Church there are certain signs of an apostle that they saw in his ministry [2Cor. 12:12]. He goes further with these signs than those laid out in that Corinthian citation. In 1Corinthian 9:1, Paul asks rhetorically (he is making a statement, not asking a question): ”Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord? For the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.“ In 1 Corinthian 15:6-8 he argues that another criterion of apostleship is having seen Christ in the flesh after his resurrection. Paul said that he was the last to see Jesus in the flesh. Now, know we him no more after the flesh. [2 Corinthian 5:16]. Paul writes more about the apostleship in Ephesians 4:11--”And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets....”  

A study of the Bible's criteria for an apostle precludes one from being an apostle today because we know him no more after the flesh, and Paul said part of the criteria of being an apostle was to have seen Christ in the flesh after his resurrection. Therefore, of the criteria as found in the Bible that  one uses to be called an apostle would stop our modern day apostles. These men have delusions of spiritual grandeur but nothing more. 

The Title of First Lady
Finally, there is the trend to take on the worldly title of First Lady for a pastor’s wife. Such a title has no basis in scripture. It is taken directly out of the world. The world has the president’s wife, the governor's wife, etc., as the first lady. Are we equating a pastor to a governor or a president? This is the implication and the honor many ungodly ministers have taken upon themselves. The church and many ministers therein have become so worldly that we have put on their dress, their titles, their behavior, etc. The parallel of this is seen also in scripture: The line of Esau that did not have God went their own way and put titles upon themselves. [Gen. 36] But the line of Jacob that had God needed no unearned titles; they had God. And so it is today. When we don't have what we are supposed to have, we start giving ourselves titles to enhance us.

If we have not honestly worked for an academic degree, we will dishonestly give a meaningless degree to ourselves; if we do not qualify for a title in God's word, we will give it to ourselves anyway; if we see a worldly title that has nothing to do with God's people, we will abscond with it anyway! Our existence is no longer about conforming to God's word, but God's word and God's people conforming to our worldly and carnal desires--it's about ourselves!

A word of caution to those who have unearned degrees and no sense of how the world accords and recognizes academic  degrees: If a person claims a degree to an employer, that person will normally claim that degrees for a greater job title and the greater money that goes along with it. That employer looks into a big book called the accreditation book, and if the school from which he has a degree is not listed in the accrediting book, that person is not considered to have a degree. Each school in that book is examined by a recognized team of evaluators--Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, etc.--and is accredited or it is not placed into that book. These agencies of accreditation examine the various schools in a number of ways. One important way is the rigorousness of their academics in the student's learning regimen to see if it meets the standards set for the degree awarded.

Second, even if the book  hosts the school's name, the employer looks at the prestige of the school in determining whether one is awarded the position and pay. Even though his school may have met the standards of the accrediting agency, some schools exceed those standards and develop a prestige higher than the regular school. This is academia, and since one is appending academic degrees to his/her name, it is good to know if those degrees are of worth or if they are worthless. Mind you, the very language of academia is a language of struggle; when discussing a degree, a fellow academician will inquire, "Where did you take your degree from?" The academician recognizes the same great struggle of the flesh that Jesus stated: "The kingdom of Heaven stuffers violence and the violent take it by force."  And one desiring an academic degree must recognize that as well!

But what has happened to the words of Jesus among ministers, when he said that he who would be greatest among you, let him  be your servant? [Matt. 23:11] And the words that say, do not as the heathen do?  Nowhere in New Testament scripture is there any such titles of first lady paid to wives--certainly not the apostles’ wives; they were hardly even mentioned. It is only said by John, in 2 John 1, “To our elect lady and her children….”  But today we have made pastors’ wives the first lady of the church. Such an affectation mars the concept of the church and speaks to the ignorance that is so prevalent in many churches today, as unlearned and ungodly men seek to vaunt themselves beyond the word of God and above the people of God. 

What is this desire that is so peculiar to Americans to want supremacy over other human beings? Seemingly, many Americans want to lord over their brothers or someone--this is true for American Christians as well. This desire for unwarranted and unearned titles speaks to and is generated from insecurity; we see ourselves as unworthy and deficient in some way, and to make ourselves feel adequate, we must debase other human beings or give ourselves unwarranted titles and unearned degrees. This is devilish and ungodly. Why can't we accept ourselves for who we are, without demeaning another? Certainly this desire, peculiarly American, is damnable, earthly, devilish, and the product of a diseased mind and spirit! It is this spirit that has gotten into the church and harmed God's people.

Look at the scriptures, it is supposed to apply and govern our behavior: Paul called Peter, Peter; Peter called Paul, Paul; John called James, James, and so on. No lofty titles that were so unbecoming, having been self-given.

This behavior of self-elevation is not what true Christians in light do. Indeed, it may be that American Christians are some of the most apostate of all Christianity today! We have gone after the American ethos--carnality personified. Although we are fostered by wicked men who are deceived and who deceive many people, the judgment of God is sure; this foolishness of debasing one man because of the deficiencies of another man will not stand in the presence of the Living God! And this insanity of unearned and self-given titles is just that! The foolishness of using worldly titles in God's house flies in the face of God's word to those who see and know the truth and are unwilling to allow and justify wrong or to compromise God's word for the popularity with the people.

The church is the body of Christ on the earth and will be the bride of Christ when this present system ends (and it will surely end!). Christ is the head of the church, not some pastor or some man. In real churches where Jesus is Lord (and there are a few still around) the minister of that church is referred to as the angel of that church in the book of Revelations. Oh, how we have marred the things of God by the foolishness and vulgarity of men in sin! But they will not go un-judged by a just and living God for these sins and foolishness, as they flaunt themselves in their own deceptions and in the face of God's unequivocal word. 

The Reason for Our Sin
The book of Genesis tells us why ungodly men rush to unearned positions and loftiness. In Genesis 36, we see the lines of Esau and Jacob began to separate and delineate themselves. The Esau line--the ungodly line--took upon themselves titles of dukes and kings, etc. Since ungodly men do not have God, they do not have sufficiency, so they anoint and crown themselves with titles as a way of finding sufficiency, but there is no sufficiency without God. That is the confusion of the world and ungodly men who are masquerading as godly men in the church! 

Once the title of bishop appended to one’s name meant that such a one would bring forth things that are new and old from the word of God; it also meant that such a one would meet the criteria God has set forth for that position. But those criteria have been set aside by men, as they seek to substitute titles and a form of godliness for real godliness.** These men have departed from the faith systematically—one false teaching after another—line upon line; here a little, there a little until all they have to say is false. These times we live in are the latter times that the great Apostle Paul spoke of as being times like these. [Isa. 28:10; 1Tim. 4:1-2; 2Tim. 3:5]  

Second, Paul warned the church in Acts 20: 29-30 that after he departed grievous wolves would come in to them and would arise from in their midst. That is what has happened today. Many once-saved saints have departed from the faith, but they remain inside the church and control much of the church of God. This action comports with scriptural teachings and prophesies. In 2 Thessalonians 2: 3-5, Paul again warns the church to let no man deceive them—whether he be from a far or from within. The man of sin will be revealed, the son of perdition, and he will be in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God and certainly will be worshipped as God. For he will teach the people to do so, and they who are unwise will never see their apostate condition; they will die in their sins, thinking they are saved.

Third, instead of repenting when they are given this raw truth I and other true men of God speak, they become angry and hurl invectives at me and anyone who speaks the bold truth. That is the way of the ungodly and the unlearned. Yet they tout unearned degrees, unqualified for titles, and they want men to honor their persons, as they snipe at others who lawfully have acquired degrees from academically accredited schools and who have really been appointed to positions in and by God.

Today is the days of the end time of Rev. 13, the Day of Man and not the day of God, and the Church of God is admonished to count the number of the beast, for his number is the number of a MAN, and that number is 666—in the sixth day man and beast were made; the seventh day, God rested.*** We are now before the rest of God is to take place. Men are running but God has not sent them; they are twisting the word of God to fit their carnal needs and desires. God has not sent them; they prophesy, but God has not spoken through them. [Jeremiah 14:14] 

These are those, some which have come into the flock of God from the outside and some that have arisen from among the flock, on the inside. They do not have God, so they have given themselves unearned titles, degrees, and positions, even as the ungodly line of Esau did. God is not speaking through them! []

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*A Rhetorical Question is a question that seeks no information/answer, but one that gives information and is really a Declarative Sentence rather that an Interrogatory Sentence, as standard questions are.

**These are those who seek to make to no effect the word of God by their own ways. But they use God's word as a covering to hide their reproach. [Isa. 4; Mark 7:13-14]

***The number is the number of a man. A Beast-man. A Man who is a beast in his ruthlessness. He will do whatever comes to his ungodly mind to do to work his will. He is a beast with no godly civility.

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The Word of Truth Ministries
2005
 The Truth of God