To Show that Not Every Teacher is a Teacher in the LORD

An Epistle Written Unto the Christians

LORD my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me

Psalm 131:1

We must be sure that we are doing our work for the Lord. This is what Christians should keep in mind constantly as we move through this world. More than ever, I say, because the days are evil, more evil than they have been before. And no marvel, for it is written that evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse. Paul wrote that two thousand years ago.

Are the Christians prepared for what is to come still? There is strong delusion in the world today, and there are false prophets everywhere. Many are in your Church, many call themselves Pastors and teachers. Yet, the scripture contains the prayer of the Psalmist, “Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.” How many Christians exercise themselves in things too high for them?

A lesson that can be taught about how to recognize the false pastors is whether or not they make merchandise of the congregation and of God’s word. Most every discerning Christian understands the destructive folly of Joel Osteen and T.D. Jakes, and the wicked blasphemies of Benny Hinn and Steven Furtick. Most discerning Christians understand that these men and their kind are not of Christ, they are not saved, and they are turning the hearts of the lost away from seeking God, and turning many Christians away from serving God as well. However, the false prophets the discerning Christians might overlook are the pastor of a Church, the teacher in the Sunday School room, the prolific Christian writer, and the Christian University professor. These false prophets also show themselves caring most of all about gain, and not caring at all about the Spiritual growth of Christians. 

This epistle is not to divide Christians between Christ, God forbid, rather the purpose is to hopefully show what canker is in the Church today, and to show the Christians that this canker is after the working of Satan. There is a division necessary in the body of Christ: the division between them and the world. 

Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD

Jeremiah 23:1

This may come as a surprise to many, but not every pastor is a real pastor. Examples from the Holy Bible may help for understanding. Saul, the first king of Israel, performed a sacrifice in his day, even though that was Samuel the prophet’s responsibility. God had made Saul the king, and Samuel the prophet and priest, yet Saul exercised himself in things too high for him. He did not behave himself in the Lord, and so God took away his role as king. Yet, Saul wanted to remain king of Israel and Judah, even when Samuel had anointed David as king instead. Again one may see how he exercised himself in matters too high for him. Saul eventually went to a woman with a familiar spirit, which is against the law of God. People that are in positions they have taken against God’s will always resort to actions that go against his law as well. They must do this to make their stolen position work.

The pastors from Jeremiah 23 exemplify this point, in that God said that these pastors were leading the flocks astray, and that God would return upon these pastors the evils they had done to his people. These “pastors” are described by the prophet Jeremiah as false prophets. Jeremiah had to deal with one, Hananiah, in Jeremiah 28. Jeremiah spoke the word of the Lord, in which God had said that Judah would be left destroyed and utterly desolate. Hananiah then lied to the people of Judah by claiming that all that had been taken, and that would be taken by Nebachadnezzar of Babylon, would be returned in two years. Hananiah actually used the words, “Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts” when he spoke of his own false prophecies. Hananiah sought the praise of men, and so he pretended to be God’s prophet to do so.

Another example would be Judas, who pretended to do the work of God but did not fulfil his purpose as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Diotrephes, from 3 John, is also an example of a pastor who should not have been a pastor, but “desired the preeminence” above the apostles. Diotrephes and Judas both sought positions above their peers, yet in blindness they could not understand that they were not made for this. There can be no position held by Christians that makes any of them higher than another. God has given each Christian a purpose, and we must each stay and work in that position.

We can see that Saul exercised himself as priest and prophet when he was only to exercise himself as king, Hananiah exercised himself as a prophet even though he was not one, Judas exercised himself as a business man instead of being a faithful disciple, and Diotrephes exercised himself as a pastor when it is all too obvious that he was never meant to be one. There are more examples, doubtless, and these are but a few for understanding.

We will next see how that the false prophets seek to make merchandise of the people.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

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