Christian Living

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‘For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face’

2 Corinthians 11:20



I begin this article with a sincere appreciation and honour for all who are active ministers of the gospel, from both the pulpit and the pew, especially the pulpit.


These are men who have had to yield to the pruning process that God often uses to qualify men for ministry; most have had to give up their secular careers, time with their families, comforts of life in order to answer the call of God. They minister to their flocks, week after week, irrespective of the ‘wounds’ and unspoken-of-battles they have to endure. Most are often lonely and I believe that only the Lord and they themselves can truly tell the price they have to pay to be able ministers of the gospel.


And against this background, I make a plea to all who will read this article to refrain from witch-hunting or in any way harming the true servants of God. While this article might draw attention to errors from the pulpit, it is actually a call to all of us on the pew. It is not so much about the shepherds but about you and I.


Amongst those who preach error are true servants of God, true not because they have remained faithful to the truth, but true because we can discern that they are called of God. They started off well, but somewhere, somehow have walked away from the truth. But of greater concern to us are those whom Jesus described in Matthew 7:15 as wolves in sheep’s clothing. For the first of these, we must intercede fervently in love that God would restore them to the truth. And of the latter, we must, as Apostle Paul stated in Galatians 2:5, refuse to yield submission, not even for an hour.


In 2 Corinthians 11, Apostle Paul confronts the Corinthian church on their willingness to receive and yield to men who had come in amongst them, claiming to be servants of God but who had sought to deceive and corrupt their minds from the simplicity that is in Christ. These men:


a. Preached another Jesus
b. Gave them ‘a different spirit’ from that
which they had received at their conversion;
and
c. Preached a gospel whose content differed
from the truth upon which their faith was
built.

He however puts the blame for this at their doorstep as he accuses them of putting up with things they should not have to put up with. In other words, yes, these men did come in to preach and establish doctrines that are contrary to God’s will, but they succeeded only at doing this because they – the Corinthians put up with or condoned it.

The same applies in today’s church. Many who claim to be servants of God teach and do such things as we know are not of God. But, we put up with it anyway.

I do not in any way mean to belittle the pains of our individual struggles. But why must we allow our cravings for miracles to be so intense that we are willing to put up with those who claim to be Jesus’ servant but teach doctrines and practices that we would otherwise categorise as occultism. Should our yearnings to get our problems solved be greater than our yearnings to remain faithful to God?

Our calling and election into God’s family creates a Father – Son/Master-Servant relationship. The blessings, the power and authority that rest on us as sons of God are enormous. But it also comes with a responsibility to uphold and defend the ways and doctrines of God as contained in His Word.

Amongst men, in the secular world, in kingdoms and families built by men, is often an unwritten code of the children’s loyalty to their parents and the values they stand for. A son who despises the ways and values of his parents is counted disloyal, unfit to be an heir and sometimes ostracised. How much more then should the standard for God’s kingdom be.

We have a responsibility to uphold and defend the truth of God’s Word and the biblical doctrines that must guide our way of life as the sons of God. How can we, who claim to be the sons of God remain passive as men, who claim to represent God, teach lies, manipulate the truth, proffer lifestyle choices that are clearly unbiblical and bring the Church of Jesus to a place where there is little or no difference between our lifestyle choices and those of the world?

Servants are meant to be just that, servants of their lords and master. If anyone stands in the pulpit, claiming that his right to teach, preach, evangelise or prophesy comes from his calling by the God of all truth, then we, as the Body of Christ, owe it to Jesus to demand that such a man must, in all his teaching and conduct in life uphold himself as one who is and remains faithful and loyal to the One he claims to represent.

Am I saying that such a man must be perfect? No. Though perfection is the will of God (Matthew 5:48) and to be desired. Nevertheless, God qualifies those He calls and the journey to perfection might take a lifetime. But, personal weakness in an area is no justification for a Christian to amend the truth of the Word in a manner that justifies or vindicates him. Rather, let such a one remain committed to the truth in his heart and teach the whole counsel of God.

We are putting up with a lot in today’s church. Yes,


a. We put up with it when a teacher of the Word denies the infallibility of the Word by seeking to persuade men that the truth - spiritual and moral, as contained in the Word of God is not absolute;


b. We put up with it when those who hold themselves out as servants of God pursue their own interest at the jeopardy of the One who sent them;

c. We put up with it when a professed servant of God denies the adequacy of the Word and calls us to send in money to buy a handkerchief or oil that purportedly contains the power of God;

d. We put up with it when a teacher or preacher of the Word states that a revelation he received takes precedence above the Word of God;

e. We put up with it when a servant of God denies the truth of Jesus being the only way to the Father by stating that all ‘religions’ are the same and represent different but acceptable ways to get to God;

f. We put up with it when a son of God dishonours Him by claiming that his Father’s righteous judgement of eternal damnation for those who reject Him is not true as it denies the proof of his love for mankind;



g.We put up with it when servants of God put a price to their release of God’s anointing by demanding a set ‘seed’ before ministering to the needy;



h. We put up with it when servants of God are more interested in feeding themselves rather than their flocks. In Ezekiel 34:2, God states ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?’

i. We put up with it when we see shepherds who have no compassion for their flocks and are unmoved by their afflictions – Ezekiel 34:2- 4. ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel… the weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost’.

But it is not only with those who stand as servants of God that we need to be watchful of. We also need to be watchful about ourselves and of one another. We must not be passive or put up with it when we or those close to us indulge in acts that are displeasing to God. For example, the 7 abominations to God – Pride, Lying, shedding of innocent blood – including abortion, allowing our hearts to devise wicked plans, allowing our feet to be swift – not hesitant or reluctant - in running to evil, rising up as false witnesses, creating strife by sowing discord amongst brethren.

There is so much more to be watchful about. I guess we know our weaknesses best.

Jesus commands us to ‘Watch and Pray’. There is never a greater time to obey this commandment than now. It is true that the signs indicate the imminent return of the King of Glory. But of far weightier concern is the need to be watchful and alert given the truth in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. It states:

‘Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first’

The falling away refers to the apostasy – the falling away from the truth by those who once believed but now reject the truth in both the pulpit and the pew. It is everywhere – men who once vociferously taught the truth of the Word have begun to question and run from affirming the truth as contained in the Word they once defended and held dear.

And we, who have opened up our hearts to let them teach and guide us in the will and purpose of God must be sober and alert to what is taught and proffered as representing the will of God. But we cannot do this, except we ourselves are armed with the truth.

So, if we do not put up with it, what do we do when we discern or realise that what is being passed off as the spiritual and moral truth is not biblical but rather represents the will of man or man’s erroneous interpretation of the truth?

We pray. We choose not to be deceived and reject what is taught but not supported by the Word. We, where we are close enough to be opportuned to do so, must speak and respectfully draw their attention to the truth. We walk away from such ‘spiritual covering’.

But in all of these, we must allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, for truly our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against powers, principalities and the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. We must remember to put on the whole armour of God knowing that we ourselves are not qualified to ‘punish’ all disobedience, until our obedience is fulfilled.


Shalom!


Chi Onwuchekwa

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