Think For Yourself!
I’ve been working on a new book, Philemon: Reflections on Christian Maturity. It’s the beginning of several books I hope to write on New Testament gospels or letters. My goal is to provide everyday Christians with short but thoughtful teaching on complete Bible books. Beyond that, I hope to encourage my readers not to simply assimilate Bible knowledge but allow that knowledge to lead them to attitudes and behaviors that reflect Jesus in their lives.
Since retiring as a pastor, I have been able to say some things I never felt comfortable sharing from the pulpit. I want to share one of those things with you today. It’s actually something I just finished writing about in a section of my book on Philemon which I entitled, “The Prodigal Slave.” The reason I share this is because it is directly related to a lot of Christian immaturity in the church today.
Pastors are not immune from immature and unChristlike words and behavior.
This immaturity can be heard in what they say from the pulpit or in how they treat others in and out of their congregations. There is an arrogance and harshness seen in many of the celebrity pastors in our day. The things these Christian celebrities say about others with whom they disagree, in our out of the church, reflect nothing of the Spirit of Jesus. Sadly, these celebrity pastors influence other Christian leaders who look up to them and model their own leadership after them. In turn, these pastors often pass these same attitudes on to the members of their churches.
I say this a lot, and I say it because it needs to be said, but Bible knowledge and right doctrine is not the end, but rather the means to the end in our Christian faith. A pastor may be an excellent Bible teacher, while at the same time a disciple who reflects little of the heart and ways of Jesus. It is not my intention to be harsh and critical toward pastors. I am one! But there was a time when I was one of the very pastors I’m describing, without the celebrity status!
In many ways, it is this issue that led me to write these reflections on Christian maturity found in Paul’s letter to Philemon. There is a great need for discernment among God’s people. More needs to be said about not just blindly following our leaders. Praying, thinking, and reflecting not just on what so-called mature Christian leaders teach, but how they live, and especially how they treat others is something we need more of among followers of Jesus.
Here’s a quote from a post by the Gospel Coalition. It describes the doctrine known as “The Priesthood of the Believer” —
The doctrine of the priesthood of all believers states that all believers in Christ share in his priestly status; therefore, there is no special class of people who mediate the knowledge, presence, and forgiveness of Christ to the rest of believers, and all believers have the right and authority to read, interpret, and apply the teachings of Scripture.1
Here’s another quote from an even more reliable source, the New Testament -
As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.2
John is not saying we don’t need teachers, he is saying the Holy Spirit guides us in receiving what is taught. And something I learned as a pastor is that some things are more caught than taught if you know what I mean.
Respect those who God has placed in leadership positions in His church. But when it comes to your spiritual maturity as a Christian, you can and must think for yourself!
In Christ,
Dan
Check out my podcasts from Church on the Edge and my books on Kindle.
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-priesthood-of-all-believers
I John 2:27, (NIV).