To me, there are two kinds of respect. There is the normal respect, being considerate of each other. Then there is "respect" as in honor. Not everyone who says they're called of God should be honored. That kind of "respect" is what must be earned.
Honor comes after duty is served. It can't be demanded or expected. It should never be coerced. And it can be done to the point of becoming people-worship, and that's sin.
Some things I've seen Apostolics do that were questionable displays of honor:
Putting a pastor in a sort of litter and carrying him around the church while he or someone else tells everyone how wonderful the man is.
Carrying the pastor around on a few men's shoulders and doing the same thing.
Refusing to question anything that a pastor said or did because of his "office".
Refusing to stop possibly illegal and definitely immoral behavior because "he's the pastor. If he's wrong, God will fix it."
Holding the pastor's words above God's.
1 Tim 5:17 is telling Timothy, the pastor, to hold church leaders and those who work for God in double honor. It was not telling members to doubly honor their pastor. Honor here in Strongs means value, worth, price, or deference, reverence.
Threaded Mode
