Thursday, January 2, 2020

Say It Ain't So, Paul



But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who brought them, and bring on themselves quick destruction.
2 Peter 2: 1 NKJV 

I recall a acquaintance of mine some time ago that centered around the words of the apostle Paul.  Now, many Christians see Paul as one of the great defenders of the faith, but this man he was different.  after being in a few discussions with him on the reality of Christ in us, he came to the conclusion that Paul himself was guilty of more than a few heresies in his day.  Of course, this is based simply on his disagreement with what Paul spoke on the reality of Christ Jesus.  I'm assuming that it didn't fit into his narrative of who Christ was.  To him, Jesus was one who was totally disconnected with Gods creation.  Jesus simply sat in heaven all the while passing judgement upon those who could not, or would not "be like" Him.  My friend who continues to remain nameless refers to this as our "filter" on how we see things.  I agree.  Each of us, from the most devout believer to the baby Christian have our own views which our own experiences have all too often fostered.  Some time back I was reluctant to refer to God as "daddy" simply because of my own experiences with my father growing up.  Of course, this does not mean that God is not our heavenly Father, only that my own experience was at odds with how we should see Him.  That was my filter.  I can point to numerous television news channels that proudly display their own filters on a daily basis.  I also recall numerous friends and acquaintances who have allowed their own filters to cloud what they believe.  There are a few who know Christ and grew up in the church, yet refuse to believe that Christ could be in our presence.  This was the beginning for what my friend saw as Paul's heresy.  It is Paul who tells us in Galatians that Christ Jesus lives through us {Galatians 2:20}.  Are we to toss Paul's  words aside simply because they at odds with how we see things?  Where do we draw that line between a critic and a false teacher?  I once was in fellowship with a man who was so adamant on his old covenant beliefs of scripture that he refused to believe more than a few prophesies of the new testament.  This often led to many a argument between himself and those he was "fellowshipping" with.  To me, that's not teaching...but coercion.  

For 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, and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
2 Timothy 4: 3 - 4 NKJV 

I shouldn't say that I did not see this coming.  Paul himself spoke of these "teachers" in his letter to young Timothy {2 Timothy 4:3}.  Paul knew that among the many believers of the followers of Jesus that eventually those who had another agenda would seek out teachers who would agree with their own view of how things should be.  For it is from their own desires that their "itching ears" will desire someone to tell them what they want to hear.  I've seen it too many times.  This is why I believe to this day that the duties of our pastors should never be to win a popularity contest.  Far from it.  I believe that beyond the politics of modern congregations, a pastors duties should begin, and end, with the proclamation of the truth of our personal relationship with Christ Jesus.  However, like the tail wagging the dog, all too often it is the congregation who ends up determining the message we hear from our church pulpits.  If we don't agree with what pastor says, we simply find a new one.  All too often, it is our own itching ears that turn away from the truth.  Which brings me back to Paul and his supposed heresies.  Was Paul speaking heresy when he claimed his realization of Christ in us?  No more than Noah was proclaiming the flood or Moses proclaiming Gods word to His people.  Yet, we agree with some parts of our faith while discounting others.  More often than not, we're turned aside to those fables we long to hear.  I get it.  After all, we all have our filters we use to base our beliefs on.  However, if you're inclined to see Paul as one who spoke heresies...then call me a heretic.

~Scott~ 

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