Christ's Power in us
The death and resurrection of Christ have afforded us ultimate wisdom,
understanding, and knowledge in divine things. Jesus work has provided
complete power of the Holy Spirit to gain access to God. This is direct
access and requires no human interference, mediation, or governance. Paul
says in his writings, "there is one mediator between God and Men, the
man Christ Jesus" (1Tim.2:5). We need no human to stand between us and
the Lord in our relationship, communication, guidance, or things which we
must believe or practice. No man has been ordained to guide you to truth. If
born again, you have been personally ordained by the indwelling Holy Spirit
to seek the truth. Remember, greater is he that is in you, than he that is in
the world (1 John 4:4).
Men desire to have this power
John says in his epistle, "the anointing which ye have received of him
abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you" (1John2:27). Why
does he have to say this? Because many people submit to certain church
leaders who invent doctrines for the people to follow; these extra biblical
commandments slowly guide people away from the established truth of the word
(Mat 15:9, 14). John knows this first hand when he writes of Diotrephes, who
loves to have preeminence over the brothers, so he refuses to welcome
outsiders for fear of losing authority. He forbade the brothers of his church
to associate with other believers, and if his members associated with other
Christians, he excommunicated them (3John1:9-10). Diotrephes set himself up as
a spiritual leader between his congregation and God. He is a prime example
for us as we test our adherence to human doctrines regarding the faith.
The Apostles affirm that others desire power over us
Paul speaks of Christians who will live in complacency and have no desire to
learn for themselves, but rather entrust their faith to others. He says they
gather around themselves a great number of teachers to say what their itching
ears want to hear and they turn from truth and regard the fables spoken by their
teachers (2Tim4:3-4). Paul speaks to churches, which succumb to human
authority, and gives examples such as, "they command believers not to
marry and order them to abstain from certain meats" (1Tim4:3). They
promise the church a reward for submitting to rules, touch not, taste not,
handle not; which have a visual appearance of humility and humbleness, so
others will see, but Paul calls it self-willed worship brought about by the
doctrines of men (Col.2:18-23). All visual appointments intending to display
piety are false acts of humility with no reward (Mat.6:16).
Peter says these teachers gain followers while misrepresenting the truth so
others speak evil of us (2Pet.2:2). These teachers exploit the church with
stories they have made up (3). They seduce the unstable believers (14), and
by choice words appeal to the unstable by offering liberty, but they make
converts slaves of their own corrupt teachings (18-19).
Jude tells us to contend for the faith that was "once" delivered.
Not "our" faith, but "the" faith (3), because of certain
men crept in among us (4), who despise true authority (8). They pretend to
have some better thing to offer (11), but are clouds without rain (12). They
use powerful words, while holding the positions of advantage in the church,
and they love to be admired (16). They are the cause of division among
brethren (19).
Tactics of certain church officials
Some leaders counsel the church to submit to their doctrines. They generously
quote Hebrews, "obey them that have the rule over you, and submit
yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give
account" (Heb.13:17). They twist this scripture, "must give
account," by implying they are accountable to God for our spiritual
walk, when it clearly means they are charged to preach the written word.
"Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you
the word of God" (13:7). We are to remember, and obey, those who speak
God's word only, so we won't follow strange doctrines (13:9). Even Paul charges
men to preach God's word only (2 Tim. 4:1-2), because of the doctrines of men
(v.4). Be assured, every one of us will give an account of ourselves to God,
(Rom. 14:12) even for the words we choose to speak (Mat.12: 36), whether the
word of God, or our own teaching (Titus 2:1).
Testing required by the believer
Paul directs us to "know" them who are over you in the Lord. We
must esteem those who are over us in the Lord. But we must not forget what
the Apostle tells us, to "know" (consider, have knowledge, perceive)
when one is over you in the Lord (1Thes.5:12). He does not say "over
you" in regard to another's status or position, but recognition of
another's advanced knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and practice of the
scriptures. Paul wants us to know if our teachers speak truth or false or
invented teaching. "If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree
to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he
is conceited and understands nothing" (1 Tim 6:3-4).
Do teachers teach the scripture only?
The Apostle wants us to regard our leaders worthy after we conclude they are
teaching from scripture only. This means we must test them just as the
Bereans tested the things Paul taught them, "so they checked the
scriptures to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts17:11). The Apostle
tells us to test everything and hold to that which is true (1Thes.5:21). So
Paul wants the Thessalonians to be noble like the Bereans who test Paul's
words, because Paul was confident he was sent by God and not ordained by the
hands of man (Gal.1:1).
Therefore, we are not to favor the position of man; for there is no respect
of persons with God, (Lev. 19:5, Deut.1:17, Rom 2:11) but we are to call on
God who judges us (1 Peter 1:17). We do well to try the words of men,
"And thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and
hast found them liars" (Rev 2:2).
Scriptural protection
Then Peter pleads with the reader to remember God has given us all things
that pertain to life and godliness (2Pet1:3), so we need no teaching from
man. Peter wants us to diligently work on our own growth (v.5) and tells us
how to do it (5-7). The invisible qualities we gain will protect us (10).
Peter wrote us his letter so we would always have the true method for spiritual
growth (15). He does not want us to follow cunningly devised fables that come
from men's minds (16). He says we will do well to heed the apostles teaching
only (19), because "Private Interpretations" are cunningly devised
fables of men who claim their teaching comes from God (20). But prophetic
truth originates from God's apostles (21). Those who privately introduce
their own teachings are false teachers (2:1). They also twist the scriptures
and re-interpret the meaning (3:16), so we should beware of what we take into
our hearts (3:17).
Self protection
Paul carefully reminds us never to regard anything above that which is
written (1Cor.4:6). In a stern warning the Proverbs proclaim the same,
"Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a
liar"(Prov.30:6). The Torah does not excluded this admonition, "Ye
shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish
ought from it" (Deut 4:2).
The Prophets speak plainly about following the counsel of man and the dangers
of such. Isaiah says not to trust in man who is but a breath, for what
account is he" (Is.2:22). The Psalmist tells us, "it is better to
trust in the Lord than to put confidence in Man" (Psm.118:8). Micah
says, "put ye not confidence in a guide," and, "a man's
enemies are the men of his own house" (Mic.7:5-6). Jeremiah says watch
out for families who learn lies and deceive each other (Jer.9:4-6), and other
family members pretend to love, when in fact, they hate (12:6). If this is
true we should be very careful when taking spiritual advice, even from family
members, as some tend to do (Matt 10:37).
Personal accountability
Jeremiah continues with a harsher message, and because God cares for our
souls, he says, cursed is the man who trusts in man and depends on flesh for
his strength (Jer.17:5). God will not hold the teacher accountable if you are
misled, you will be held personally accountable (Ez.18:2-20), because a man
who proclaims to give truth but not according to the word has no light in him
(Is.8:19-20), and we are responsible for determining whether he has the light
or not. We read, "the leaders of this people cause them to err, they
that are led of them are destroyed," (Is.9:16), and, "Oh my people,
they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy
paths" (Is.3:12). If you insist on submitting to another doctrine or
custom which finds no place in scripture; Jeremiah says a horrible thing has
happened in the land; the prophets prophecy falsely, the priests rule by
their own authority, and the people love it this way (Jer.5:30-31).
Tactics of the invisible foe
If you continue allowing others to spiritually lead without question, you
make way for demons to guide you, creating and molding another doctrine, a
wind of doctrine tainted with the tradition of man and created by evil
spirits intending to divide Christians. "If he that cometh preacheth
another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit
which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted ye
might well bear with him" (2Cor11:4). What does this mean except if you
receive strange stories without confronting them you eventually accept false
teaching as true because of the force, power, and spirit of the preacher. And
no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore
it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of
righteousness (11:14-15). Ponder the results when these ministers of new
doctrines, establish a stronghold to themselves; debate, envying, wrath,
strife, backbiting, whispering, swelling, tumult (12:20), all causes of
division in the fellowship. So we must test ourselves to see where we stand
(13:5).
The foundation of true division
But there are those who still believe the unsubmissive cause division by not
obeying the teaching of the leadership. Since the stronghold established by
the leaders is great they are able to deceive many by quoting the scripture,
"stand fast, and hold to the traditions which ye have been taught."
Their private interpretation of this scripture comes by presumptuously
thinking they hold the keys of the kingdom. But they forget to interpret the
rest of the verse, "whether by word or our epistle" (2Thes.2:15).
Has the scripture come from these leaders of today or the apostles of old?
Paul says, "by word," because the apostles walked and talked with
the believers; "by epistle," because the scriptures are a living
witness, which God is pleased to provide. (1Pet.1:23), (Heb.4:12).
The love of customs
So division comes as the Christian grows and learns greater truth than his
brother. He is regarded as backsliding because he does not participate in
tradition that he learns is neither faith building, active, or living. Then
the brethren, who do not grow in understanding, condemn the inquisitive
Christian and consider their growing brother as sin-ridden and turning away
from the faith. Next, the sheep that follow the human shepherd turn against
the enlightened brother; telling him to repent, and contend for the faith
once delivered to the saints; believing they hold the noble customs and have
come into all the truth.
Customs become doctrinal laws
Consequently, if the Christian has too much understanding to turn back to
useless religion; if he won't be swayed by counsel or force, they disregard
him as a brother. Thus we see the true cause of division to be extra biblical
practices simply revealed by the developing Christian who is escaping from
customs that cause legalistic bondage in the church. Isaiah says those who
desire to esteem God's word only will be cast out by their brethren, and they
will excommunicate, in the name of the Lord (Is.66:5).
Is leadership always right?
Let no one think it is impossible for leadership to err because Paul
recognizes even apostles may turn from the truth and warns, "though we
or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we
have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Gal.1:8). Because he knows
the devil's effect over the desires of men who love to have authority over
others (Gal.4:17).
Men who usurp authority
Peter and Jude say these leaders despise dominion (God's ultimate authority)
and speak evil of dignities (2Pet.2:10), (Jude 8), but for us the dominion is
Christ (1Pet.4:11). Jesus says, "Ye know that the princes of the
Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise
authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be
great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among
you, let him be your servant (Mat.20:25-27). The apostles know this so they
dare have no dominion over us, because they are true helpers, and true
helpers help the Christian learn for himself (2Cor.1:24). Remember, our God
is able to make us stand in Christ alone (Rom.14:4), and not on the
foundations of man (1Cor.3:11).
Judgment for submitting to man's authority
But for the believer who refuses to learn, for the Christian who stands fast
to the teachings of man and whomever continues in invented practices awaits
heavenly comfort which seems genuine though false. Like Ahab, who refused to
listen to truth unless it suited his own desires and a lying spirit came from
the Lord to answer Ahab, because his heart would not be turned from following
his own path (1 Kings22:22). Note, this is in accord with the scriptures
which state, they have been "given up" to the sinful desires of
their hearts, because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and served
the visible creature, man, rather than the invisible creator, God
(Rom.1:24-25).
We obey man rather than God when we assume religious teachings not contained
in the Holy Scriptures. God will send us strong delusion when we do not love
the truth of the word only (2Thes.2:10-11), and we will believe lies as we
glory in the appearance of the flesh (Gal.6:13). Man loves to take confidence
in the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1Sam.16:7). We
are in danger of being "given up" when we insist on visual
appointments as proper worship. When we regard the visible, above the
invisible, we disobey God's requirement for true worship (John4:23-24),
(John6:63), (Phil.3:3).
Summing Up
Now we can fully understand the words, "try the spirits whether they are
of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world"
(1John4:1). So the Lord is right in his judgment when he says, their worship
of me is made up of rules taught by man (Is.29:13). This is the consequence,
blindness of heart for those of us who are complacent in our faith, who hand
over (give up) personal responsibility for the spiritual life to human
authority. God may "give us up" to serve man (the creature) rather
than God. In that "given up" state we believe we are holy then we
separate ourselves from other brothers, condemning and hating the liberty of
brethren who we think should follow the doctrines and customs we have
embraced (Is.65:5).
Where true unity is found
Lastly, Paul reminds us not to forget Satan's devices, which intend to keep
us in division (2Cor2:11), (Jas.3:14-15). If we regard the word of God,
rather than the word of man, we can confidently say we have held fast to the
traditions which we have been taught, and be true keepers of the faith.
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