I am taking a short break from spending my time in writing my book to post the following message.
There is a false teaching and attitude that has been circulating around the Christian community that fosters sin and rebellion. It is an evil taint and twisting of scripture.
It is one that I have encountered this week while studying Galatians. It is one that has been tugging on me since February when I first encountered it when reading about the beliefs of a ministry on the internet. It is very close to home right now, and I am grieved over it. Many churches and ministries fondle this passage to promote the human notion of equality within community and even within governance.
The passage:
” For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” — Galatians 3:26-29
Many have wrongly taken this passage to mean that everyone is equal as Christians. It does not matter if you are male or female, young or old, we are all equal. There are no barriers between us any more. What a man can do or want to do, A woman can also do. The authority of a bishop or pastor is no greater than the member. We are all equals in authority. This is a heresy and goes against the context of this passage and against the rest of scripture. It is true that all who come to Christ are equally redeemed from their sins and enjoy the abundant new life God gives, but it does not mean that all are equal.
This passage needs to be coupled with the following particularly as it relates to roles within the church.
” For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.” — Romans 12:3-8
When both scriptures are rightly applied, the Holy Spirit is instructing Christians that not all members have the same function. This particularly applies to other passages of scripture that forbid women being pastors, overseers, bishops, or elders. see 1 timothy 3:1; Titus 1:6. This is a hard saying for some, but one I must say. The church is not a community of equals. God appoints Pastors to watch over them and Deacons to care for them. As spiritual authorities and leaders they have been delegated authority by God and been given gifts to watch over the members, members need so show them obedience and submission, just as Jesus showed us in the garden before he went to the cross to bear our sins. He submitted and was obedient.
Members need to submit and be obedient to our God appointed spiritual leaders.
Repent Christian of your rebellious heart;
Seek Forgiveness from your Spiritual Leader now–Do not wait, Again I say NOW!.
Humble yourself before God and His appointed and delegated authority.
Your Brother in Christ.
