The Man Who Elevates Himself Will Not Be Elevating Christ

Are you in a family that uses exclusivity to control those that don't toe their line?

There are many families who are toxic, if you do not do things their way, love the things they love, dress and act the way they think you should, you will be left out of the inner circle.

These groups are called cliques, they cater to the desires of their own cloistered group while ignoring or excluding anyone who is not just like them.

Of course this does not have to do with adherence to Scriptural principles or allegiance to Christ, but to traditions and outer appearance that have nothing to do with spirituality or godliness.

People who are in bondage to these cloistered groups are not free to be in obedience to Christ, often the rules of the groups have more to do with controlling others than they do with the freedom to obey Christ.

One man pastor systems are this way too. The problem with the one man pastor system, that is not at all Biblical, is that it places one man in authority over the group, dictating his own idea of the proceedings rather than Christ as the head.

Christ is the head, the men lead, each man, not only one man. When every man participates and they seek God together for the truth, then there will never be a controller, there will not be an opportunity for the congregants to become lazy in their walk.

Often church gatherings depend on the "pastor" for their spirituality, their answers and everything else. Even neglecting their own studies at home depending on the pastor once a week to impart tidbits rather than depending on Christ throughout the week.

Every man should be participating in the preaching and teaching. No one man has the authority over a gathering, no one man is paid and no one man dictates anything. A plurality of leadership as the Bible teaches prevents "pastor worship" and a dictatorial setting in which people are frightened to speak boldly and truthfully, even afraid to correct a pastor when correction is needed.

We all ought to be seeking Christ not the pastor.

We experience this in extended family sometimes, in which the men of the family consider themselves superior to their "underlings", those whom they assess as inferior in some way.

These self appointed superiors, those they perceive as less than they, are expected to elevate them and obey their dictates. They do not allow discussion or disagreement, it is quickly squashed through intimidation and mocking.

The best way to handle these types is to avoid them. If we have to be in company with them, it is best to state our view quickly concisely and then move on if there is a sense of rage demonstrated.

The Bible clearly states that everyone who is born again has the Holy Spirit and has something to offer in a conversation about God and His principles. Every believer has gifts and insights to share because of Christ Who lives in us.

1 John 5:3-5 "…3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, 4 because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. 5 Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.…"

1 Peter 2:4-8
"4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For this is contained in Scripture:
“Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone,
And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,
“The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the very corner stone,”
8 and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;
for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed."

Every believer, man, woman and child have gifts and callings according to the Holy Spirit within them.

1 Thessalonians 5:19
"19 Do not quench the Spirit."

Anyone who desires to place you in bondage to their own power is not acting in a Christlike manner and has no interest in your spiritual health, their only interest is in controlling others.

Those who lead properly and through the Holy Spirit will recognize and encourage your gifts. When you are face with having to choose between obedience to man or obedience to Christ, you must choose Christ.

If the authority over us is cooperating with Christ then that person will be pleased with your gift and never seek to discourage you from it.

Spiritually abusive people will gossip against those how love Christ, they will even concoct a reason to turn others against their target to maintain their own power.

We can recognize these people easily when we have discernment. It is good to encourage leadership that is Biblical and to honor those in authority, however we are not called to accept everything just because a leader declares it. The leaders are just as accountable to those over which they lead as anyone under them.

John 3:30
"He must increase, but I must decrease."

Every leader ought to have this mentality, that they are to diminish themselves while uplifting Christ. They will also want correction and instruction as any believer will need.

Proverbs 4:23
"Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it springs all life."

Proverbs 4:23-24 "23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. 24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth And put devious speech far from you.…"

Colossians 3:2
"2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

The man who desires to be elevated in his own right, will not be elevating Christ.

Seeking the Lord in All Things

Want to make your life better? Your troubles will not disappear, but you will go through with Christ and know what to do.

Seek Christ every day and ignore those who will discourage you from doing that.

Those who do not seek Christ will not support your desire to seek Him.

Psalm 14:2
"The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God."

1 Chronicles 16:11
"Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually."

May the Lord Come Quickly

YES, Lot was "vexed" daily because of what he saw around him, just as we are today in our world that is becoming worse every day.

Matthew 22:36-40

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

When we love Christ above all else, our love for others will reflect His desires for them.

Rebellion is Contempt for God

There are those who boast of their sin as though since they are "Christians", God no longer cares that they sin, I think this is referred to as hyper-grace.

The problem with this thinking is that Christ had to die, shedding every last drop of blood to pay for the sins of mankind. This makes sin pretty important to God.

Would He not care about sinfulness when He was brutally killed and bled out, if sin were not a big deal?

So defending your sin under the excuse that "God knows your heart", is not only silly, but downright foolish.

What the hyper-grace crowd use as an excuse to ignore and even justify their sin, has been condemned by God. Flippancy about sin, even defending it is a clue that the one who is not ashamed of their sin, is probably not born again.

When we are born again we hate sin. We want righteousness and we know that the only way we can be so is if Christ lives in us.

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 "…20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

A heart that does not feel guilt or remorse for sin, is one that has not been changed into a new creation by Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:16-18 "…16 So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:"

Jeremiah 6:15 "15 "Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; They did not even know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time that I punish them, They shall be cast down," says the LORD. "

What is sin? Everything that defies the commands and principles of God in His Word is sin.

Hebrews 1:8-9 "…8 But about the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of Your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has placed You above Your companions by anointing You with the oil of joy.”"

Do you really think that Christ the Son of God would wink at or ignore sin when God states clearly that He loves righteousness and hates wickedness?

God says that if we are born again, He works in us and we are ambassadors for Him. Would ambassadors promote anything except that which the Master wanted?

Sin is so bad that none of it can come before the Father in heaven, the very reason Christ's blood had to pay for our sin. Only death of a perfect Sacrifice would do for our sin, how then could anyone think that God is not grieved by sin? Just because Christ paid the price for sin, does not mean we are free to flaunt it in His face as though it doesn't matter, its the same as if sin didn't matter to us, even when our Savior had to bleed to pay for it. How callous is that, to make light of sin when it cost Christ everything to pay the penalty for it.

Even in human nature, if someone saves our life we feel a sense of gratitude, not wanting to do anything that displeases our rescuer. How much more should our gratitude be toward Christ Who pays for the sin with His blood and then saves us from an eternal hell.

God says: Psalm 5:5-6
"For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight: You hate all workers of Iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the "bloodthirsty and deceitful man."

There is hatred and contempt for God in anyone who is not ashamed of sin, defending it reveals a rebellious heart while using the excuse that "God knows my heart", is lying, God does know a heart who will not confess their sin and turn from it, that being a heart of contempt for Him.