Sunday, October 29, 2023
Do Not Call Anyone Teacher
2 Timothy 3:1-5 describes the last days churches. It proves that we are in the end times. Notice God says they would have a "form of religion" but they deny God in their attitude and resistance to His Word.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Difficult (ragingly insane)Times Will Come
"3 But realize this, that in the last days, difficult times will come.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of [b]godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
Many people are in the church buildings today who are not interested in obeying the Word of God, they are only interested in appearing special and good.
Matthew 23:26-28 "26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.
27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."
This is also a description of the modern hierarchical church we see everywhere. They have their "specially educated" men who dominate the gathering but refuse correction themselves. These people have grown in arrogance as though superior to others while they lead many astray with their false cultural teachings not based on the Bible.
Oh, they use the Bible but out of context while adding human wisdom to their teachings. They resist any correction at all from those in the pews because they are seen as underlings. The Holy Spirit is treated as a concept instead of a person Who dwells in every born-again believer.
I was once told I couldn't know the truth of the Bible because I didn't go to seminary. My response was; "Oh, you think the Holy Spirit only goes to seminary." Of course, there was no response because this person was trained by our modern culture that it is men who train people for the ministry, not the Holy Spirit.
We see no commandment in the scriptures to attend a college, or special school, but we see many scriptures that tell us that it is the Holy Spirit Who leads us into all truth.
John 16:13 "
But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come."
Much of the scripture used to prove a matter is taken out of context and misused not at all what God said. But worse yet is that when someone corrects the one in error it is the one who corrects who is treated contemptuously.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
Some of the most arrogant and unkind people I have met came out of seminary with a superior attitude, unreachable and resistant to the truth. They rarely speak the name of Jesus Christ and are hostile to those who insist in Biblical understanding as God gives it.
My prayer is that those who have been trusting these modern day Pharisees will stop following them and begin seeking the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38
"And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Acts 1:8 ESV / 172
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
It is the Holy Spirit Who teaches and trains all of us. We all have a job to do, no one is superior to another and everyone should love one another as we walk through this life serving Christ in whatever He has given us to do. No job we have is superior to another job someone else has, they are all a matter of obeying Christ in what He has given us.
Believe God when He said it is the Holy Spirit Who leads us into all truth, but only if we want Him to teach us. Those who think they must learn from men will not be able to hear the Holy Spirit.
Godly people share with one another the wisdom God has given, but they are not the teachers, that is the Holy Spirit's job.
Matthew 23:8-10
8 But as for you, do not be called Rabbi (teacher); for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters.
9 And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
10 And do not be called leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ."
Wow, seems pretty clear to me!
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