For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Do you gravitate to teachers who say what you want to hear or teachers that speak the Truth no matter the outcome? Who doesn’t like a group that you totally enjoy and everyone agrees with you? Unfortunately the human condition seeks out those who will agree with your … sin. Those who are condemning those who are speaking Truth these days is becoming increasingly common and they are seen as being ‘righteous’ for doing so by the current culture. Sexual immorality has become hailed the most important thing. They’ve set aside an entire month to celebrate it. This is NOT a new thing. For the rebellious angels have thrust this perversion on the human race for millennia. Yet…. it has infiltrated many of the so-called Christian Churches TODAY. Why? Because the leaders themselves want “to suit their own passions”. Many won’t address the immorality of the day .. because they don’t want to lose … the money flow.
Is the Holy Spirit pointing out certain things in your life that need to be removed? Are there disciplines He wants you to improve on? Are you being challenged by the Truth about yourself He is revealing? Are you growing in spiritual maturity? What does that look like? It looks like the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Are you purposely setting your yourself in a place to be sharpened by those who are seeking hard the wisdom from the Holy Spirit? This means an actual deep intimate spiritual conversation with people who they themselves are wrestling with the things the Holy Spirit is working on in their lives. Do you even have those types of friends? So many are just comfortable sitting in a Sunday morning service or listening to a Sunday sermon hour on a screen or listening to a blog – rather than actually engaging with other real people and discussing deeply personal challenges and questions. What does you pastor / spiritual leader really know about you? Are you just accepting their words without any relationship with them? Are they just as personally real with you about their own challenges as they are with challenging you?
Do we really have a good example of a working model of the Body of Christ? Where every member contributes their gifts and abilities as the Head directs them. Understand the Head is Christ — not the human leader. The human leader is just another member of the Body just like you. This is why real true unity will not happen unless every member is being filled, and directed by the Holy Spirit. Most of the time the ‘call to unity’ is just another platitude the human leader is saying to get everyone hearing them to agree with what they want. And like Diotrephes (3 John 1:9-10) they just want to remove anyone who will not do as they want. Who do you know by their very gifting exposes sin gently to those around them? In love they speak of repentance and the genuine love of Jesus and His willingness to forgive.
Are you even around other members of the Body? Do those members challenge you to grow deeper with Him? Are you even having conversations about spiritual things? Are you purposely asking for and setting aside time with those who challenge you? What is your role to be in the Body of Christ? Has he explained what He has given you and how it is to function in the Body of Christ? Do you understand that all these gifts (actual people in your group) are for your benefit as well? Do you understand you are called to pour into them, and that you have a responsibility to encourage and pray for them? Does your group even have a time for those members who aren’t “platform” gifted to even share what they have? Or should they just stay quiet? Is there time for them too?
Find a real functioning group of the Body of Christ — in the way all members are valued and allowed to workout their ‘gift’ in the group. At this time in history – that really doesn’t exist in the big American Christian Sunday morning ‘worship service’. And unfortunately that is where the majority of people sit and listen to sermon — and call that their ‘connection’ to the ekklesia. Find a small group who are determined to grow in the Holy Spirit and spiritual knowledge. Do it together with them. Ask lots of questions. Be willing to be humble and open to share your real heart. We desperately need these kinds of connections.