The Scourge Of Racism
E-Book Availability 4/12-26
Released January 5, 2024
Download Your Copy
Now In The Strong Man Store!
From the 1st century until now, not only have sinful men as shepherds pursued their selfish ambitions and led God’s sheep quite unlike Christ, the Chief Shepherd, but they have also from many ego needs and character flaws sought for authority in and among the churches. What is the apostle Paul’s conflict with would be apostles about in the 1st century church at Corinth he had established, if it is not their challenge to and pursuit of the authority he exercised within it (2 Corinthians 10:1-13:10)? Today, for the same cause many pastors and others in the churches of Christianity the religion proudly exalt themselves over one another with educational accomplishments and titles.
The Lord’s gracious provision of spiritual gifts to carry out His will have been largely set aside for academic credentials among these churches. Select gifts such as pastor and teacher have been turned into titles of authority and status that are more important to the religious in the sinful flesh than God’s supernatural power at work empowering ministries of function in the Body of Christ. This, of course, is contrary to biblical instruction and dangerously infringes on God’s glory which the religious educated elite could care less about since they seek their own among themselves (Isaiah 42:8; Mark 10:35-45; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-26; 2 Corinthians 10:12-18).
Among those acknowledging spiritual gifts, men that crave for authority give themselves the title “apostle,” but do nothing like the missionary work of the original apostles sent for that purpose (for whom there are no duplicates) and those that came after such as Timothy in the New Testament. In accord with God’s will in providing spiritual gifts, there is a ranking of authority beginning with the original apostles sent out to us as the feet of Christ’s Body through whom we all have received the proclamation and instruction embodied in the Scriptures to which we are to submit. These are followed by prophets, teachers, all other leadership, sign and service gifts to be exercised in the power and love of God, not self-exaltation in the flesh (1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13; Ephesians 4:7-11).
These same men also clamor to be called “bishop” coveting authority over what has come to be defined as a group of pastors and churches in mimicking not the Bible, but the order of great Babylon that is marked out for destruction! It is in this larger context of pursuing authority that many also seek man invented credentials. Some even get “pay for paper” degrees to be able to boast of their academic credentials and in pride gain the authority and status they desire. But as the Lord leads me to write in this re-titled 2012 blog repost, credentials are no affirmative declaration of righteousness or wisdom in His sight; His judgment is coming equally upon those with and without humanly bestowed religious credentials among the churches who have been unfaithful to His Word. Therefore, the guilty are called to repent!
Originally Posted March 18, 2012
Western Protestant churches especially have allowed themselves in large numbers to come full circle from the Reformation that birthed them over 500 years ago and thus, to be overcome by a credentialed, professional class of elite, religious authority figures. Such a class in Judeo-Christian history goes back to the Scribes and Pharisees that fully resisted the Lord Jesus and was already developing among the Gentile dominated churches by the end of the 1st century.
The formally educated teachers, bishops and eventually priests that evolved over the next 1,400 years before the Reformation sparked by the former Catholic priest, Martin Luther, came to wield and abuse biblically unsanctioned authority over the lives of their religious congregants. Today, churches in pride even seek out highly educated pastors and defer to scholars to the point that many are afraid to trust the teaching work of the Holy Spirit in them as they study God’s Word (John 14:26, 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16). Whole denominations and sects in the thousands have come to exist in Protestantism because some credentialed pastor or scholar forced their heretically corrupt view or patchwork system of thinking on biblically illiterate people.
Please do not misunderstand. I am not anti-education being a seminary graduate myself. With the right motives and guidance of the Holy Spirit, gifted, called and educationally equipped men serve the biblical cause of Christ and His Body (Ephesians 4:7-16). However, I am against the arrogance, unbiblical authority, unchecked dominance and even idol worship given to many of those among the churches that have impeccable credentials from institutions prideful men in the flesh consider noteworthy. I also believe my concern is biblical and of the Lord given His dealings with the well credentialed religious leaders that dogged His ministry and instigated His crucifixion.
The Lord never condemned the credentials of His antagonists, but clearly called them to display the righteous knowledge and wisdom those credentials suggested they had (Matthew 15:1-9). It is because their deeds were corrupt (religious education is no restrainer of sin), he condemned them (Matthew 15:10-14; Mark 12:38-40). In my book, The Strong Man Of God, I challenge men to be Spirit-led students of the Word that they may wisely lead their families in and teach the righteous way of God as well as protect them from the spiritual tyranny that exists in the world and too many churches led by highly credentialed, but corrupt leaders. They are also unmistakably recognized even by the credentialed, religious elite as men who have been with Jesus (Acts 4:5-13).
Join The Strong Man Of God Resources Conversation!
Get Your Copy Of The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics Today!
Your purchase supports restoring men, families and communities through Strong Man Ministries!
Purchase It Now