Beware of
following someone
Who special
insight claims,
Who pressures you
into certain deeds,
Or says you’re
unworthy of Jesus’ name.
Test everything
against God’s word
And hold tight to
the Lordship of Jesus.
For Christ is our
only supreme head,
And His leadership
always frees us.
“Let no one defraud
you by acting as an umpire
and declaring you unworthy
and disqualifying you for the prize,
insisting on
self-abasement and worship of angels,
taking his stand on
visions [he claims] he has seen,
vainly puffed up by his sensuous notions
and inflated by his unspiritual thoughts
and fleshly
conceit,
and not holding fast to the Head,
from Whom the entire body,
supplied and knit together
by means of its joints and
ligaments,
grows with a growth that is from God.”
Colossians 2:18-19 (Amplified Version)
auxēsis838 – growth:
increase.
When I was
in college, I unwittingly visited the meeting of a cult. I picked up a seemingly Christian pamphlet
during a new student orientation. A nice young man noticed this and invited me
to a meeting saying I could meet Christian friends. It was to be a potluck
supper. The supper time was fine. Everyone was nice, but seemed
ultra-conservative. Keep in mind that observation is being made by someone who
has been called “the Baptist nun”.
When the
meeting started, people sat in chairs in concentric circles. The men were in
the middle and the women on the outside. The leader invited comments during his
talk, but after a few moments of discussion, I realized I was the only female
speaking; and people were giving me polite smiles. I began to feel uncertain
about them even though nothing overtly anti-Christian had been said or done.
The leader was dynamic, but the others seemed docile.
God placed
a friend at church in my path who had researched this particular group. He had found that they had a dictatorial international
leader that insisted they give up property, fast at certain times, and do
whatever he deemed right including estranging themselves from their families. I
was not as strong in God’s word or my relationship with Jesus at that time as I
am now, so I am thankful God guided me to the friend who pointed me back to
Jesus as the only Head of the body.
God has at
times asked me to give up things or habits, but that has always been a nudging
from within through His Holy Spirit and His word. I understand that I am not to
impose on others what is right for me because the Lord deals with us on an
individual basis. No one is to judge me and I am not to judge others. We are to
judge ourselves according to the truth of God’s word. Our leadership should be
gentle servant leaders. No Christian leader should be a dictator. Nor should we
be non-thinking, passive individuals who allow ourselves to taken in a
direction contrary to Christ’s leadership. Growth comes as we know Christ more
intimately and seek to find and follow His will.
Father, help me to respect the people you
have placed in authority, pray for them, and encourage them. However, help me
to be a responsible follower of Christ and recognize Him as the true head of
the church. Help me to study your word and listen to the Holy Spirit in order
to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment