On Church Corruption: (1 Samuel, Chapters 2 & 3) Once upon a time, there was a High Priest named Eli. By nature of his position alone, he seemed to be a good man and was very well respected by all who knew him. Unfortunately, the same could not be said about his sons who helped him govern the temple/the church/Gods house. They were: a) whoremongers- (loved to sleep with different women in the temple), b) greedy- (cared more about themselves than the people of God), and c)unscrupulous-(of poor personal character and integrity). The sins which made Elis sons so blasphemous and great in the sight of God was that they were sins that were committed against God, in Gods house, and against Gods people. The nerve of those scoundrels....(and Im quoting the bible:) How dare they treat the Lords House like a Motel 6 or a Hilton? Now back in the day, the average saint thought that because God is so loving and forgiving that perhaps He didnt mind what Elis sons were doing. They thought even if God was displeased with Elis sons, surely He would not hold the High Priest accountable for their actions....but those who know God and His Word also know that God WILL NOT be mocked...not by a high priest, bishop, pope, pastor or any other leader for that matter. A person will reap exactly what they have sown (Galatians 6:7). Dont worry, when we get confused by the long flowing robes, eloquent speeches, and sultry songs...Jesus said there is a way that we can still know a disguised wolf or a corrupt leader....by their fruit. In other words, if a person is decent or somewhat right, he or she should not make a hobby out of leading others into wrong. Well, back to the Word, one day God called a young boy named Samuel and told him that he was bringing judgement upon ELI AND HIS WHOLE FAMILY because Eli failed to take action against the improper conduct of his sons in the temple. Not only did Eli die an awkward death for failing to act righteously by boldly upholding the Word of the Lord, but BOTH of his sons died on the same day, and God cursed his family by limiting their priesthood and causing ALL men in Elis family line to die in the PRIME of their lives. As Christians, we must realize that our sins have the potential to impact our household, our children, and our childrens children for generations to come. Generational curses can be broken when we are willing as individuals to serve God completely in thought and deed. Thats why the bible warns us that not many of us should aspire to be leaders in the household of faith. Leadership requires that we: 1) FIRST be servants of God and then of His people, 2) carefully employ grace and forgiveness WITHOUT compromising the Word, and 3) make all decisions in consultation with the Almighty knowing that God will hold us accountable when we fail to stand upon His word after coming into the light and knowledge of the truth. There are some Christians who believe that we should not go around judging others. This is so true; Jesus Himself said do not judge or you shall be judged (Matthew 7:1). However, when blatant and willful sin exists in the church and especially among Gods leaders, 1 Peter 4:17 tells us that judgement MUST BEGIN with the HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH. If it does not, the Enemy will attempt to establish a foothold in the hearts and minds of believers and in the very places in which they choose to worship. We must remember that holding ungodly leaders accountable for their actions is not an act of discipline, its an act of love because the strong arm of biblical accountability is designed to keep Gods House holy and Christians off the pathway of Hell. Did not Jesus say with both righteous indignation and zeal, This is my Fathers House? Do me a favor, if you see me doing something that can potentially lead myself and others down a pathway of sin, warn me, hold me accountable and perhaps it may lead me to repentance but please.....DO NOT keep silent. I like it warm, but Hell is too hot for me!
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 20:35:26 +0000
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