"Who Are the Nicolaitans, and why did Jesus
hate their deeds and doctrine?"
(Who
are they today? How can we identify them? How do we handle them?)
~ 'a
Snapshots of a Disciple' Study
www.incpu.org/who-are-the-nicolaitans.htm
www.incpu.org/who-are-the-nicolaitans.pdf
Started on August
31, 2016, Completed on September 29, 2016
Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,
and friends,
This is a deeper study that will only
make sense to those who have the Holy Spirit. So, sorry to my unsaved friends.
You are welcome to read this study, but if you are not genuinely saved and have
the Holy Spirit to teach you His Word, then some of this strong teaching from
the Word will not make sense to you, because this is some of the deeper and
more complex, spiritually-understood principles taught from Scripture in this
study. Even still, you will likely/probably be able to follow the logic of it.
So, hello brethren. Have you noticed
how many high-powered and high-profile religious leaders we have today in
America? They are on many TV (trash vendor) shows and radio shows, and have
their own radio program, and they talk with such "top religious
leaders" such as the blasphemous "pope" and his counterfeit
leaders below him. And, sadly, many of these high-powered teachers are linking
up with the well-known false teachers, such as Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, TD
Jakes, Joyce Meyers, etc... And yet, even worse, no one is holding them
accountable... Really? No one? Why?...
I'm sure there honest brethren who are
trying to reason with each of the hundreds of 501c3 "clergy" (CEOs)
of today... And they probably feel alone and isolated, as all of God's honest
servants do from time to time (sometimes more, sometimes less)... Well, this
study is for them (and you). I pray it encourages you, and shows you from
Scripture how you can grow and serve Christ more.
But, to find out how to move forward, we
first have to understand what is wrong with the current structure around us and
compare it to Scripture, and then we can put a plan together of what to do
next.
You see, in America today, the whole
religious system has agreed together, to water down sins, hype the free-grace
false teachings, and create a non-Biblical hierarchy that keeps the "good
ole boys" as the "prominent" teachers, with the
"clout" and "honor", that the freemasonry/masonic system
gives them. And yet, so many honest Christians all across the US have found
many of the 501c3 clergy today as *liars*. Well, that's good, because so did
Jesus! But, before we get there, I want to tell you the progression of what I
hope to cover in this in-depth Bible study.
1)
First, I want to look at God's definition to the problem of
"Nicolaitans".
2)
Second, I want to (without naming names) help you and me and others to be able
to identify false teachers who parade themselves as "Bible teachers"
and "scholars".
3)
Third, I want to show you briefly how they are all agreeing on a lower
common-denominator on lesser truth, just like we find in Jesus' letter to
Laodicea.
4)
And fourthly, I will want to explain what direction I believe the genuine body
of Christ needs to go, and how we can work together to pick up the pieces
dropped by older generations and these "Nicolaitans", and how we can work
past the false stereotypes that world keeps pushing on us [their boxes never
fit :)].
So... that's a mouthful, huh? Well,
let us both make sure (you and me) that what I say is Biblical. If I miss
something in Scripture - note that and maybe (If you're willing) jot down a
written note to send to so I can ponder it and study it out. This is the kind
of deep study that takes a team to identify the main problems explained in
Scripture, and then working together to solve them, resolve them, or start new
outside them. I'm going to try to make this very complex problem as simple as I
can, and it's my concerted aim to try to quote, reference and explain many
passages that make this plain. So, my goal is to carefully build a clear
Biblical perspective. But, I say this to prompt you to double-check me, and by
pattern, every single person who calls themselves a Bible teacher from now on. When
we listen to or read a Bible teacher, our guard needs to go up - even if we
trust their pattern as faithfully teaching the whole counsel of the Word. Does
that make sense? You with me? Okay, let's dig in.
I *must* say one more thing before we
dig in. You are as qualified to study the Word as me, if you have the Holy
Spirit. I may sound more studied, but that's because I took the time to study
it out to make sure (as best as I can) that what I'm teaching is true and
honest to the whole text of God's Word. But, you can do the same type of study,
yourself. You don't need me. In fact, I really hope you aren't looking to me as
your only source of solid Bible teaching. Every human teacher (no matter how
helpful they are), they're human. If they are walking clean and pure and
preaching against their sins and the sins of the world, then God can use them
and He gives them tidbits that help the whole Word of God make sense. and the
whole world make sense too. There are (I believe) many honest teachers out
there that we can all glean from. Sadly, there are also a lot of teachers out
there that we need to realize that the direction of their message is false, so
we need to downplay how much credibility we give them. When the world
recognizes, honors, and praises them, we need to say goodbye (Luke 6:26). -- All of that to say - one main theme of this
study, as I'm sure you'll notice, is don't make yourselves slaves of men or
women. If you have the Holy Spirit inside of you, as every genuine follower of
Christ does (John 14:26; Ephesians 1:13), then when you open the Bible, with a
pure heart before God (not intentionally holding onto sin), the as you pray and
ask God to teach you His Word, and then read and study it - He's there with
you. And HE can teach you *far* better than any human teacher. Hands down - all
day long. I'm absolutely serious about that. The Holy Spirit is the teacher for
those who walk in holiness, honesty and truth - all of which are *only* found
in Jesus the Christ. Did that inspire you? :) I pray that it did. Because we
need more people to step out from under many a corrupt man, and start studying
God's Word to find out what all God's Word *actually* says, rather than just
going with what we're *told* it says.
Two more tiny tips before we dig in.
1) There are a lot of study Bibles
today that are popular. I have actually used quite a few different ones in my
search for a good one. Most of the notes won't hurt you, but aside from the
parallel passage notes, the rest of their notes usually are baby-notes not deep
notes. But, I know for some it gives them a good start in the Bible research. I
personally find that hearing the Word of God as close to 24/7 as I can to be a
far more powerful way to study God's Word. If you need tips on finding a way so
that you can listen to the Bible on your MP3 or tablet or phone or computer,
just ask. I'll be glad to help - with whatever translation you find most
helpful. I personally recommend the NKJV/KJV, but I know that some like the
NASB which is also pretty good. ESV is fairly good (though almost too
simplistic for deep research).
2) I highly encourage you to start
familiarizing yourself with the Hebrew and Greek. I know, I know. That sounds
like a *daunting* task... and you're right to an extent it is. But, it's not as
hard as it sounds. Just like anything else, if you take it piece by piece, little
by little, then you can learn it over time, year by year. I also want to see
more brethren (and sisteren) studying the literal languages, because I want the
average honest Christian to become a better scholar than the pagan clergy that
are so common today. Some wealthy people are paying good money to reduce the
context and quality of teaching that trains the pastors in the US, which then
means that they don't know as much to teach their flocks. I want to see the
common genuine follower of Christ studying the Word deeply so we can see this
whole tide reverse back toward getting more toward holiness and teaching/discussing
the Word of God from house to house, and teaching and explaining the Word of
God and the gospel Jesus taught on the street corners in every city of America.
I want to see God raise up a new group - leaving behind the "good ole
boys" because they don't care about God's Word anyway. So, all of that was
to say - I personally suggest people get a Scriptural Interlinear, which is a
printed or electronic resource that shows the Hebrew and Greek next to the
literally translated English.
>> For print, I personally
suggest the Interlinear of Jay P. Green Sr. I'm sure you can probably still find
it on Amazon.com or Alibris.com or half.com,
etc.
>> For computer, I personally
suggest the ISA (Interlinear Scripture Analayzer),
which can be found for free at www.Scripture4all.org.
It's been my favorite for over 7 years. I consider it a bit better and a bit
deeper than Jay Green's, or Weust's.
Who
are the "Nicolaitans" and why did Jesus hate their deeds and doctrine?
The Nicolaitans are one of the hardest
groups to find any verses or history on. The word "Nicolaitans" only
shows up twice in the Bible - both of them in Jesus' seven letters to the 7
collections of church gatherings in the 7 cities of the Book of Revelation:
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum/Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea.
The first of
those two passages that actual word "Nicolaitans" shows up is in
Revelation 2:6, which is just at the end of Jesus' letter to the literal
collection of gatherings of believers in the city of Ephesus. "6 But this you have, that you
hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." (Revelation 2:6)
Please keep in mind that Jesus' 7
letters to the 7 churches are not just written to/for old ancient and archaic
cities. What Jesus had the apostle John write down was three-fold:
A) an actual letter that was delivered
and read in the collection of church-gatherings (ecclesia/ekklesia) in the city
of Ephesus.
B)
a "type" of "category" of church - meaning the category of
churches that were similar in style and sin-problems as those in Ephesus, and
the other churches.
C)
as well as a stage in the "church age" (a period lasting almost 2000
years. The letter to Ephesus is the first of those 7-stages of the church age
(Revelation 2 and 3). Lord-willing, once I finish this study, I plan to make
progress on until I can complete and publish/post my active study on Jesus' letters to these church-gatherings
in each city, as well as what Jesus rebuked them for, His direction to correct
the sin-problems, as well as other passages that help us learn from these
teachings... But, I'm still in the study stage on that. In God's timing -
hopefully soon.
The second of those passages is in
Revelation 2:15, in Jesus' letter to the collection of church-gatherings in the
city of Pergamos. "15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the
Nicolaitans, which thing I hate." (Revelation 2:15)
So, from what I have read of early
church history and comparing notes with other Bible students/teachers on this,
the "Nicolaitans" were proselytes or students of a younger man named,
Nicholas. Now, Nicholas, was apparently, the man who was among the 7 men chosen
to help with feeding the Greek-speaking Jewish believers in early-church times
around Jerusalem. Nicholas is first referenced in Acts 6: "5 And the
saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith
and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed,
they laid hands on them." (Acts 6:5-6) Obviously, to be counted among
this group of seven, Nicholas was thought to be an honorable follower of
Christ. But, he didn't stay that way (or never was that way, but put on a good
show, like Judas). Either way, we do know that he fell away from his interest
in following Christ. So, that's who
Nicholas is.
So. what about the
"Nicolaitans"? What was so wrong with them? Well, to find that out,
let's first look at the word "Nicolaitan" in the Greek (Old Testament
= Hebrew; New Testament = Greek). The word "Nicolaitan" literally
means, according to the Greek-Interlinears: "Conquer-Peoples", which
Strong's Notes defines as "a Nicolaite, adherent of Nicolaus."
One other note on this word "Nicolaitan", do you see the word
"laitan" in there? That is the word for "laity" meaning
what we call clergy/bishop/pastor. The Vatican has done a great job of messing
up a lot what Jesus commanded us not to do, as referenced in Matthew 23, among
other places.
"6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in
the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men,
'Rabbi, Rabbi.' 8 But you, do not
be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all
brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on
earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the
Christ. 11 But he who is greatest
among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:6-12) ~ What Jesus
taught was that we only have 1 Teacher - the Christ, Jesus Himself, and the
Holy Spirit helps us read and remember what Jesus taught. The rest of us are
just brethren. Yes, you are correct, God did set up a Biblical structure for
the (ecclesia) gathering of believers (1Corinthians 12:27-28; Ephesians 4:11),
but even in that setup, we are all servants (Luke 17:10; 1Corinthians 3:5-8).
There is never supposed to be a system
where some people can dominate others, politely demand money because they are a
religious leader, and then pretend themselves to be "above accountability". Never. If
you see a brother walking in sin - tell him. That's what Jesus said to do in
Matthew 18. That's what we are *supposed* to do. Now, doing it in grace and
humility is a vital part of that, and so is making sure our rebuke is not us
defending something that the Bible does not. But going to that brother and
speaking to them is vital to the genuine body of Christ, to keep it holy,
healthy, and active in the work of teaching the Word of God and proclaiming and
sharing and explaining the gospel of Jesus the Christ to a lost and dying world.
The whole fabric and community becomes harder (even impossible) when we follow the
teachings of a man we've never met and we don't see, but we follow him because
he's popular for the preaching the gospel and the Bible. And yet we can't hold
him accountable - we can't even reach out and call him up on the phone or send
him an email and get a direct response. A quick change of subject: I say this
often, but maybe people don't realize how much I mean it: Write me! If you see
I have sin that I'm not dealing with properly or something that I need to
improve - just say so. I have a group of brothers and sisters that I grow with.
And we spur each other on in our spiritual growth. As I study, I post things
that make them uncomfortable but spur them to grow and stand higher and they do
that for me as well - that is what the honest body of Christ looks like. So
with that said, I as an honest growing student of God's Word want to hear from
other likeminded believers - be it encouragement or constructive criticism. Write
me. Call me. Hold me accountable as a fellow laborer with you. I think I get
slandered by some as not being approachable, but in every study I put out, I
try to include my email address. You can look me up on Facebook too (by my email, there are thousands of Steven
Henrys), and add me and we can discuss God's Word there. I don't run from
accountability - I cherish it. Yes, of course, any correction hurts, especially
for those of us whom the world hates because we preach that their sins are
wrong and they need to repent. But, I value those who graciously correct or enhance
what I'm trying to teach or speak up about and explain from God's Word. Those
who communicate with me are cherished! Even when I don't hear from them for years,
I still thank God for them! ~ So, here's my email: Steven.H3(at)gmail.com. I apologize for not having
it as a working email. I don't like junk mail and there are computer programs
that add any working email that is posted online to their spam lists. But, if
you just replace the "at" with "@" then that's my email. I
welcome and value Biblical encouragement and discussion. That's what every
honest Bible student and teacher does and ought to do. Every single one of
them. And, I strive to do that as do all other honest servants of Christ. It's
the fakes that don't want accountability because their deeds are evil - just
like Jesus said in John 3:16-21.
Back
on subject:
We've lost the community aspect that is vital to a spiritually-healthy church,
and we've got to get that back! Everyone in leadership in the body of Christ is
supposed to be an under-shepherd under Christ not a self-proclaimed,
self-established, popular personality who can lord it over the gathering of
believers, with little to no oversight, accountability or the ability to
question him. I hope you're starting to see the difference between what Jesus
taught, and what has become (sadly) the popular unBiblical model here in the US
(and is being exported worldwide). Jesus' model is the exact opposite of the
Nicolaitan model. Jesus hates the deeds of those who refuse accountability
while pretending to be His under-shepherds. He's furious with them. Sadly, we
have a lot of those in the US today...
So, digging deeper. Just like the
corrupt Judaism/Talmud crowd of Jesus' day, so the Nicolaitans set up a similar
hierarchy for the church of Jesus, the Christ. These followers of Nicholas
decided to create a system of man-approved clergy, in contrast to the pattern
of working with whom God approved as under-shepherds under Christ. They had
schools where they would teach this unBiblical heresy and hierarchy. And, apparently,
the "high-church" societies, through the last almost 2000 years, continue
to copy these Nicolaitans - if not in appearance, at least in heart of
rebellion. They demand to be the false leadership, and yet all the while are
constantly, unceasingly fighting against and contradicting God's Word,
holiness, and those who teach the healthy "fear of the Lord" (Proverbs
1:7; 9:10).
So, Jesus, Himself, called these false
shepherds out in His 7 letters to the 7 churches (Paul, Peter and John did too).
Jesus spoke against them in His letter to the church-gatherings in the city of
Ephesus, and in His letter to the
church-gatherings in the city of Pergamos. There are some clues that Jesus was
also frustrated with the same problem in other churches, but He did not address
is specifically - when we just look at the text. But, let's look at the 2
verses where Jesus calls out this "doctrine" of the Nicolaitans.
"6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans,
which I also hate." (Revelation 2:6)
"15 Thus you also have those who hold
the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate." (Revelation 2:15)
Notice the word "hate"
in both passages. Jesus, is the One Who created the ability to communicate. God
is the One created language and communication. So, He would, of course, know
how much intensity and emphasis to put on words, and how to more strongly warn
about key problems that we'd say are okay... until we see the consequences of
sin that they produce. So, there are things (sins, deeds, customs, social-norms,
etc) that God hates. If that is a surprise to you, then I encourage you to do a
word-study on it. You'll find out, in the process, how much lukewarm-ness is
trying to reduce the gospel to "just have good morals and you'll be fine",
and the "God knows your heart and excuses your 'mistakes' and 'faults'"
lies, and the "everyone goes to Heaven" lies. I don't have time in this
study to cover that subject with any depth. But, there are things God hates and
there are things that God calls us to flee from. I encourage you to study that out
soon. Here's a good passage to start that study with: "17 Therefore 'Come
out from among them And be
separate, says the Lord. Do not
touch what is unclean, And I
will receive you.' 18 'I will be a Father to you, and you
shall be My sons and daughters', says the LORD
Almighty'" (2nd Corinthians 17-18) As you see clearly written,
there are sins and activities that God says are unclean and detestable to Him.
Same-gender perversion is an "abomination" to Him - it's His Word,
not ours.
So, looking closer at this word
"hate" that Jesus used and is translated into our English language
this way. Hate is a strong word, and Jesus used it specifically. The Greek word
is "miseo" and it is an active word
meaning, more literally: "I AM hating" or another fitting
wording would be: "I Am detesting". Study it out,
that's how serious Jesus was about this form of lording-it-over-the-flock. So,
let's fill that out more, on what this looks like. Here are several passages,
from the Old and New Testaments.
"31 The prophets
prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to
have it so. But what will you do in the end?"
(Jeremiah 5:31)
"1 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the
sheep of My pasture!' says the LORD.
2 Therefore thus says the LORD
God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: 'You have scattered My
flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you
for the evil of your doings,' says the LORD.
3 'But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all
countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and
they shall be fruitful and increase. 4 I will set up shepherds over
them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor
shall they be lacking,' says the LORD.
5 'Behold, the days
are coming,' says the LORD, 'That
I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and
prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth...'" (Jeremiah 23:1-5) - this passage continues
into some prophecies of the coming of Jesus the Christ (in Hebrew: Yeshua
HaMashiach).
"7 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8 'as I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'surely because My flock became a
prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My
shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not
feed My flock.'" -- 9 therefore, O shepherds, hear the Word
of the LORD! 10 Thus
says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I AM
against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause
them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no
more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be
food for them.' 11 'For thus says the Lord GOD: "Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek
them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is
among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from
all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. 13 And
I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and
will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel,
in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country.'"
(Ezekiel 34:7-13) - This is another passage where God is furious with those who
are supposed to be spiritual shepherds, and yet they turned into a
self-centered, self-serving enterprise.
"... 6 They
love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7
greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by
men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.' 8 But you,
do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.
9 Do not call anyone on earth your father;
for One is your Father, He who is in Heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the
Christ. 11 But he who is greatest
among you shall be your servant." (Matthew 23:6-11) --
Matthew 23 is a long public rebuke of the evil, deceptive, and hypocritical
activities of the religious clergy who were lording-it-over the Jewish people,
in Jesus' day.
"1 'Most
assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but
climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber...' 4 'And when he brings out His own sheep, He goes before them; and
the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee
from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers...' 7 'Then
Jesus said to them again, 'Most assuredly, I say to you,
I AM the Door of the sheep. 8 All
who ever came before Me are
thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I AM the Door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and
will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except only to steal, and to kill, and
to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 11 I Am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for
the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the Shepherd, one who
does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees;
and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care
about the sheep. 14 I AM the Good
Shepherd; and I know My sheep,
and am known by My own."
(John 10:1,4-5,7-14)
"1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times
will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of
money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful,
unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without
self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors,
headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having
a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For
of this sort are those who [religious teachers] creep into households and make captives
of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always
learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now
as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of
corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they
will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs
also was." (2nd Timothy 3:1-9) - Did you notice that this
passage is about false teachers as much as it is also about those who claim
Christ yet live lawless against Christ? If not, please re-read it. You'll gain
more from the text when you remember this context is in there too.
"1 I charge you
therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and
the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom: 2 Preach the Word!
Be ready in season and out of
season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 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; 4 and
they will turn their ears away
from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."
(2nd Timothy
4:1-4)
"1 The
elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the
sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd
the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion
but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as
being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and
when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does
not fade away." (1st Peter 5:1-4)
"1 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 bought them, and bring on themselves swift
destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways,
because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By
covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their
judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber."
(2nd Peter 2:1-3)
"9 I
wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among
them, does not receive us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call
to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And
not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids
those who wish to, putting them
out of the church. 11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but
what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen
God."(3rd John 1:9-11)
"10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and
whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt
themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of
Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the
rebellion of Korah. 12 These are spots in your love feasts,
while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They
are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees
without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging
waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is
reserved the blackness of darkness forever." (Jude 1:10-13)
Okay, so the above texts, are passages
from the Old Testament and New Testament where God describes hirelings and
teachers feeding themselves, and not watching over the souls of those in their
care. Those are the false teachers and false shepherds that Christ is frustrated
with.
You will probably want to re-read
those passages above for yourself (and study them out, when you have time). Thos
passages remind all of us of the sin-patterns of false teachers, right from
God's Word. In God's Word, you'll see that false teachers all have numerous
similarities, as do (in contrast) honest teachers of the Word of God.
Okay, so part 2 of this study will be
to look deeper by looking at God's Structure for the church and 4 key passages
that every God-fearing man (and his wife) should be growing obey and walk in.
***
Until next time, grow in the grace and
knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ! Make sure that you are adding the levels of
holiness to your daily walk as described in 2nd Peter 1:5-11. And, please don't
forget to encourage, challenge, exhort and inspire your brothers and sisters to
grow in understanding Biblical definitions, as well as Biblical qualities such
as humility, holiness, purity, and in faithfulness to read, study, and teach
the gospel and the Word of God to all who will listen. Pray for your brethren!
And please include my family, team and I in your prayers too.
Watching, Preaching, Praying,
~ your growing bro,
a servant/life-slave of Jesus,
and a growing disciple whom Jesus
loves, SH
