Jesus said titles belong only to Himself

I am going to say something that many won’t like, but the truth must be said. Jesus forbids ministers of the Gospel to have titles to their names. Just look at Matthew 23:18-20:

“But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.”

Observe that Jesus talked about what you should not be CALLED: Teacher, Rabbi, Father and by implication all other titles like: Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Senior anything, Reverend and the like. 

I challenge you to show me one place in the New Testament where any of the apostles called themselves or were called by others with any titles. Let me show you what they were called:

‘Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ’ – He said I am Paul, no title, but my function is that of an apostle. He did not say: Apostle Paul, but Paul, an apostle.

Peter spoke about Paul with ‘our BELOVED BROTHER Paul’ – was Peter not honoring Paul? No, He was not dishonoring Jesus Christ, who said in Matthew 23 that those titles belong ONLY to Himself. In other words, titles are an anti-Christ thing, because they take the title which belongs to Christ and put themselves in that title.

Paul also spoke of ‘Timothy, my son in the Lord’ – Paul was free to say that his function was that of a father in the faith and he had sons in the faith, but he never allowed them to call him ‘Father Paul’. 

Paul also said: ‘Philemon, our dear brother and fellow worker’ 

Peter said about himself: ‘Peter, an apostle’ – he did not call himself ‘Apostle Peter’.

Some people might call this knit picking, but Jesus did not think so when he wrote those verses in the Bible. He was happy to deal with this issue and it was important enough to put it in the Bible. Why? Because Jesus says immediately after ‘11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’

In other words, please focus on your functionality, to serve, not on the greatness, by adding titles. And gives a warning: if you exalt yourself (from the context by giving yourself a title) you will be humbled. 

Why, because titles are like a leaven that grows pride in you, And pride is a serious sin in God’s eyes. Satan was thrown from the highest place in heaven because of it. So, I feel from the Lord to warn you in love …