Thursday, July 31, 2008

The Have's & the Have Not's of Christianity


Spiritual class system in Christianity? What?  Didn't know such an animal existed did you? Well, when you've got men who claim to be prophets and neo-apostles and who have reached a higher spiritual plane, then we have a spiritual class system within the Body of Messiah.

We have the have's (those who have reached a higher spiritual place) and the have not's (who have yet reached the higher spiritual dimension).  One group has discovered the secret, the formula or a special prayer that has ushered them into a greater spiritual dimension than the average Christian.  


Yet, in these meetings where those with greater spiritual unction are presiding, chaos reigns.  People  are falling on the ground, speaking out of turn, uttering tongues that are not interpreted or writhing in convulsions on the floor "touched by the Spirit of the Living God." 

However, throughout I Corinthians 14 where spiritual gifts and manifestations are discussed, Paul exhorts these gifted individuals to operate in order in their meetings.  if Paul walked into some of these so-called Holy Spirit services today, he would be dazed and confused, and would admonish the participants for their inconsistent behavior.  

Rather than orderly or reverent, these meetings are led by people filled not with the Holy Spirit but themselves. It is so obvious when a viewer observes these services that these men are inflated with their own egos, telling the audience how special they are.  They draw attention to themselves and not Christ by informing the audience that they have a special anointing, a gift, a revelation and have reached another level of spirituality.  These teachers appeal to Christians who are seeking something special from God; they are not there to worship the Lord.  They want to bring God down into their meeting so He can give to them what they want . . . a healing, a miracle, an anointing, or some special manifestation of the Spirit.  Christ is not the center but their own desires become the center.  This whole movement of neo-apostles and prophets is nothing more than a spiritual me-centered movement. 

I often wonder about the anointing these so called prophets claim to have.  They travel from city holding their meetings, dumping their false teachings on unsuspecting sheep, claiming to speak for the Lord promising healing and prosperity.  Then they leave town to travel to the next city to start their ministry all over again.  No one asks them questions about what occurred in the previous town, especially any prophecies that were made or claims of healing that were pronounced.  How do we know these supernatural signs really took place? Who's checking up on these people?  Where is the spiritual accountability? 

It's rather rare that the one person who wanted the "power" of God and was willing to pay for it to do signs and wonders  was Simeon, a man Paul rebuked for seeking signs and wonders. 


With this class system these false prophets have set up, it makes you wonder about the people who are under their guidance and teaching.  Are these people coming to know the Lord under these neo-apostles truly coming into a saving relationship with the Lord?  Are they being told false information about the gospel and promised things God will do for them but without any biblical authority?  

I am concerned for young believers who come into contact with any shades of the Kansas City/Toronto blessing movement. In essence, these unsuspecting sheep will eventually face a spiritual crisis once the reality of life hits them. They will find out out God does not heal every disease nor does He answer every prayer the way we assumed He would.  Even worst is the fact these new believers under the tutoring of these neo-apostles will be led into doctrines of demons and become part of the great falling away at the end of the age.  

Perhaps these false teachers are manifesting supernatural experiences among their followers . . . My question is this:  who is the source of these supernatural experiences . . . is it God or is it Satan?  I am not a betting man but if I were to play a game of roulette, my money would be on the red! 

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

last few days our group held a similar discussion on this topic and you point out something we have not covered yet, thanks.

- Laura