Be careful how much stock you place in leaders. Remember, the goal of any endeavor is not the leader, but it is the goal itself. Leaders are a means to an end, they are not the end. Think about that for a minute.
A pastor is not the answer, a pastor only points the way. A Christian writer or TV preacher is not the way, He or She is only a finger pointing at the moon, they are not the moon. Their interpretation of Scripture is theirs, not necessarily God's. Scripture itself does not point toward itself, but it points toward the goal, a relationship with God.
Leaders are good, usually. Christian books are good, usually, Biblical reading is always good, Biblical interpretation is subjective. All of these things must point us toward a deeper relationship with God.
If a leader is manipulating you or guilting you, if someone is using Scripture as a hammer, beware. Truth is always freeing. The truth will set you free. It does not put great loads on our backs or beat us to death. Even truth that hurts, if it comes from God, is accompanied by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, which is a sweet, loving, grip on the heart which draws a person towards our heavenly Father.
If it is not helping you be free of religiosity, it may not be spiritual. If he or she is not pointing you towards a relationship with Jesus, watch out! An apple does not fall far from the tree. Is joy and celebration growing in your life? Is God's love filling you more and more? If not, what are you following? Test the spirits to see if they are from God. Wisdom is proved right by her children.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
1 comment:
Thank you for this!
There are some in my family who are so beat up by others telling them what is right and wrong (mostly wrong) with their spiritual lives, that they have chosen a path that feels more accepting and loving than the "Christian" church they grew up in. What you wrote is exactly what we, as Christians, should be doing for each other. Let's show each other how to be free through grace and truth. Burdening each other is not what I believe Christ ever intended. Loving, forgiving, and having a relationship with us was what his life was all about.
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