“The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers.”
II Timothy 4:3
I have a Christian friend who just can’t get enough “spiritual education.” Every time there’s an evangelist, teacher, healing service or revival service in town, she signs up, pays the required fee and attends. She always shares with me the “vast knowledge” she gained while she was there.
“It was so spiritual! You should have been there! You wouldn’t believe how spiritual he or she was!” she will say.
“What did he speak on?”
“Um, well,” and her response will be pretty vague, followed by “But the spirit was there! Everyone was crying and singing and well, you just wouldn’t believe it!”
On one rare occasion, she was able to tell me a little of what was spoken, and I couldn’t believe my ears. I remember thinking the guy was a subtle representative for New Age ideas. Mention was made of inner guides and oneness with the god of the universe and letting ourselves follow what we have inside. There was a little Bible scripture mixed in and a few comments that had some Christian undertones, but that was it. No amount of pushing would convince her that the guy was not a teacher from the Lord.
I have another friend who found the Lord in college. She was on fire for the Lord, had considered changing her major and becoming a missionary. There was such an incredible change in her after she received Christ. She switched colleges in our sophomore year. She found a church and dove in head first. All she wanted was to serve the Lord with all of her heart.
I hadn’t heard from her in quite a time and believed that she had become a missionary and was over-seas somewhere. I ran into her a year and a half later and was shocked at what had happened to her. The pastor of the church she was attending was arrested, admitted guilt to charges that landed him in jail for a very long time. The church went from a membership of 2,000 people to a handful of people that were struggling just to keep the electricity on. My friend had seen him as a great man. Her heart broken, she turned away from the Lord and wanted nothing to do with Christianity.
“Jesus Christ is on trial every time a man or a woman picks up the mantle of the priesthood. Jesus Christ is taken into the dock every time a man or a woman takes the title, “minister.” That man, that woman, is called to witness to the things they know personally. No other testimony will be heard.” (David Sisler, “Not For Sunday Only”)
As Christians, we need to keep our spiritual eyes open to the “truth in advertising” for those who profess to be teachers for the Lord. They may sound good, but the reality is that many are preying on our desire to know more. Our intentions may be pure, to seek more of God, gain more knowledge, draw closer to Him, but the intentions of those who aren’t what they profess are leading many into darkness. We must stay alert and consult the Word before we take what they say as truth.
For those of us who long to be teachers, ministers, missionaries, we must remember whom we represent. It’s impossible to share a truth we ourselves don’t embrace. It’s the reputation of Jesus Christ we are putting on the line and souls to be potentially lost or won. In business, research and planning are essential before representing our employers. In the same way, we should make sure we seek God in prayer and dig into His word before standing up as representatives of our Lord.
Whether we are searching for or sharing spiritual knowledge, we must be sure to weigh every bit of information against God’s word. Anything that isn’t backed up by scripture will lead the listener away from the Lord and His purposes and could seriously damage a soul in need of the Truth.
