Once I saw a movie, where a person took responsibility for someone else’s flock. The person took the sheep and went to a beautiful green piece of land, near the abyss. While the sheep were pastured, the person was reminded of other stuff he needed to do. He assumed that the sheep were fine and he didn’t have to guide and watch them the whole day. И така, he left the sheep and went his way. When he returned the sheep were gone. He looked around but saw no sheep. Suddenly his face looked concerned and anxious. He walked to the edge of the cliff and looked into the abyss and what he feared became reality. All the sheep were in the abyss, мртви. Веднаш, I thought about the many pastors, who are leading the sheep into the abyss instead of saving the the flock from the abyss.
How are pastors leading the sheep into the abyss according to the Bible?
Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! вели Господ. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed My people; Ye have scattered My flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: ете, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, вели Господ (Еремија 23:1-2)
Тешко на израелските пастири кои се хранат себеси! не треба овчарите да ги хранат стадата? Јадете маснотии, а вие ве облекувате со волната, ги убивате оние што се хранат: но вие не го пасете стадото. Болните не сте зајакнале, ниту вие не исцелевте болни, ниту пак сте го врзале скршеното, ниту пак го вративте истераното, ниту вие го баравте загубеното; но со сила и со суровост владеевте со нив. И тие беа расфрлани, затоа што нема овчар: и станаа месо за сите полски ѕверови, кога биле расфрлани. Моите овци талкаа низ сите планини, и на секој висок рид: да, My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them (Езекиел 34:2-6)
False doctrines, that encourage iniquities and ungodliness
There are many false pastors, who preach false doctrines that encourage pride, себичност, бунт против Бога, and approve of the lusts and desires of the flesh. They use the лажни љубов и благодатта Божја and the freedom in Jesus Christ to make sin all right. Instead of being workers of the Kingdom of God and of righteousness, they are workers of the kingdom of darkness and iniquity. They encourage sin, беззаконие, and ungodliness, which lead many Christians into spiritual bondage.
These pastors twist the words of God and make sure, that Christians keep walking in sins and iniquities and stay bound to the devil.
Through their lies and deceptions, many Christians don’t find out the truth, nor walk in the truth of God. Како резултат на тоа, they will never arrive at the place, where God wants them to be.
Many pastors focus on themselves and use the gospel for their own gain. They’re prideful and want to be rich and famous, liked, и возвишен од народот.
Many pastors proclaim their own wisdom and philosophies, which derive from their carnal minds.
They preach their self-made gospel and motivational and self-help sermons.
They speak positive encouraging words into the lives of the people because that’s what the people love to hear. Во меѓувреме, they are leading the sheep into the abyss and destroying many precious souls through their deceptive lying words, vain philosophies, и лажни доктрини.
They’re just like the false shepherd and лажни пророци from the Old Covenant, who spoke after their own insights and for their own gain. They twisted the words of God, so that the words of God became pleasant to the flesh and fitted into their . They spoke lies and deceptions instead of the truth of God and led the flock astray.
Who appoints the pastors in the church?
There are several ways to become appointed to the pastor’s office. There are pastors, who are appointed by carnal people, because of their charismatic appearance, изгледа, and the way they talk. So that through their outward appearance and eloquent speech, they attract many people to the church, especially the youth and young adults.
There are pastors, who have inherited the role of a pastor from their dad, mom, uncle, aunt, или друг член на семејството.
And there are pastors, who have studied theology and got a Ph.D., and therefore have been given authority to lead and pasture the sheep of God.
There are many more ways, through which someone can be appointed as a pastor in the church. But which pastors are appointed by God? How many pastors stand in the service of the Lord and speak His words according to His will? Instead of standing in the service of the people and speaking according to their will?
Many pastors are not born again in Christ
За жал, many pastors and theologians, who preach from the pulpit are not повторно роден во Христа. They might believe that Jesus Christ exists, but they are not born again in Him. They don’t walk as sons of God after the Spirit in the will of God. Наместо тоа, they’re carnal and walk like the world after their flesh as sons of the devil in his will
They are still старото создание. Therefore they preach carnal sermons from their carnal mind that revolve around people, наместо Исус, and focus on the flesh and the world instead of the Spirit and the Kingdom.
Through their carnal walk and words, the spirit of this world that resides in them comes over the congregation and affects the lives of Christians. Како резултат на тоа, Christians become lukewarm, пасивен, себичен, rebellious against the words of God, lawless, and indifferent toward sin.
When you are a graduated theologian, the piece of paper doesn’t prove that you are a born-again believer and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Knowing someone by name doesn’t mean that you know the person. Many pastors know Jesus of the Bible, but they don’t know Him personally.
A Ph.D. or any other certificate doesn’t scare the devil. It doesn’t mean anything in the spirit world. A Ph.D. or any other certificate doesn’t give you any spiritual authority.
The only thing that counts is whether you are cleansed of all your sins and iniquities with the blood of Jesus Christ and are обрежан во Христа. This means that you’ve laid down your flesh, во која пребива грешната природа, во Христа, and your spirit is raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit and that you have become нова креација (born of water and the Spirit).
The new creation has all authority in Jesus Christ
Кога ќе станете нова креација, you are seated in Christ in the Heavenly Places. Вие have been given all authority and power in Jesus Christ to rule over every power, може, владеење, and principality of darkness.
Only that will scare the devil, but not a title, Д -р., or any other certificate. A Ph.D. might be valuable in the natural realm, but not in the spirit realm.
Many theologians expand the kingdom of darkness
There have been a lot of famous theologians and preachers, who have had a big influence in expanding the kingdom of darkness во црквата. They have deceived many Christians and persuaded them to believe and accept their lies and led them astray.
Many have combined the Bible with science. Take for example Darwin and his evolution theory. What happened on his deathbed; whether he renounced his theory or not, не е важно. His lie of evolution still exists and influences many lives.
Not only does the world believe this lie of evolution but also many Christians, вклучувајќи ги и пастирите.
Many Christians believe in evolution and combine this doctrine with the Bible. Which is an evil thing, because you cannot mix God’s truth with the lies of the world. When you mix the Bible with the lies of the world, it is no longer the truth, туку лага.
You either believe God’s Word or you believe the words of the world. You cannot believe in both.
And so many pastors are leading the sheep into the abyss by using the knowledge, мудрост, теории, and strategies of this world. Instead of leading the sheep by the Word and the Spirit to heaven. (Прочитајте исто така: Дали Библијата и науката одат заедно?).
What is the task of a pastor in the church?
And he gave some, апостоли; и некои, пророци; и некои, евангелисти; и некои, пастири и учители; За усовршување на светителите, за работата на министерството, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Додека сите не дојдеме во единството на верата, и за познавањето на Синот Божји, до совршен човек, до мерката на растот на полнотата Христова (Ефесјаните 4:11-13)
A pastor is a shepherd and overseer of the body of Christ; црквата. A pastor should guard and shepherd (tend, се хранат, водич) the flock. The task of a pastor, who is also a teacher, is to equip and perfect the saints, together with the apostles, пророци, евангелисти, и наставниците, за работата на министерството, and the edifying of the body of Christ. So that the saints mature and know the will of God and grow up in the image of Jesus Christ and walk as sons of God (ова важи и за машките и за женските).
The instructions, that Jesus gave to Peter are still valid for every pastor.
Pastors must feed His lambs (to pasture, by extension to, fodder; reflexively, to graze:—feed, задржи), shepherd His sheep (to tend as shepherd of (фигуративно, supervisor):— feed (cattle), правило), and to feed His sheep (to pasture, by extension to, fodder; reflexively, to graze:—feed, задржи (Џон 21:15-18)).
To pasture and keep the sheep doesn’t mean to speak nice, нежни, and encouraging words, while giving pats on the head. But it means to instruct, точни, and discipline the saints.
People reject instructions and corrections
When people hear the words reproof and corrections, they immediately think of legalism. Како резултат на тоа, they reject it and call it religious behavior. Но, според Библијата, there is nothing wrong with correction and reproof. Напротив, it only helps the believers to mature and walk in the will of the Father.
When parents raise their children without teaching them moral principles, правила, and values, and correcting them, but approve of their behavior and spoil, eulogize, and honor them, they become selfish, горделив, and rebellious. The children shall do their will and not respect their parents, obey them, and do their will. They will become unguided missiles and won’t be able to function in society.
Their children shall have difficulties in obeying instructions, keeping laws, and submitting to authorities. They shall not respect other people but shall be selfish, горделив, and only do what pleases them.
It’s the same thing in many churches. When the sheep, верниците, are not discipled correctly and are not corrected and disciplined, they become prideful, бунтовен, and unguided missiles.
We already see this behavior in many churches. Because of the many lies that have been preached in these last decades, Christians have been driven so far away from the truth of the gospel and the Word of God, that their ears have become itchy and they only want to hear, what pleases them.
They don’t want to be instructed or corrected. They don’t want to be bothered by others, but they want to live the way, they choose to live. Поради ова однесување, many live in lawlessness and walk as enemies of the cross. That is the fruit of all the lies that are preached from the pulpit.
Grievous wolves in sheep’s clothing
What has been written in the previous article, How do you recognize false prophets in the end time? also applies to the pastors; the shepherds.
There are many pastors, who look pious and upright, but their deeds, and their walk don’t line up with the words they preach and don’t correspond with the Word.
These false teachers are ferocious wolves, who enter the body of Christ and arise from among the believers, and won’t spare the flock. На почетокот, they look alright, but when you spend more time with them, their true nature and works will be revealed. (Прочитајте исто така: ‘Волците во овчо количе кои прават хаос').
The Bible warns about false teachers
God the Father and Jesus Christ; the Word warned about false teachers. Even the apostles Paul, Петар, итн. warned about false pastors; и наставниците, who would try to enter the body of Christ and defile the body with evil, through their false doctrines.
They are blemishes and spots. And they shall deprave deviations of the true gospel and with their words. They shall encourage ungodliness and promote sin. (Прочитајте исто така: Дали Исус е поттикнувач на гревот?).
Many preachers will draw the disciples away from Jesus Christ. So that they become their followers instead of followers of Jesus Christ.
Зашто јас го знам ова, that after My departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, не штедејќи го стадото. И од вас самите ќе се појават луѓе, зборувајќи перверзни работи, да ги повлечат учениците по нив. Затоа гледајте, и запомнете, дека во период од три години не престанав да предупредувам секоја ноќ и ден со солзи (Дела 20:29-31)
We already see this happening around us. People exalt, honor, and worship pastors and put them on a pedestal in the church.
Many Christians believe everything the pastor says, without searching and investigating the Bible by themselves. Because they think that everything that the pastor says is the truth. And so they blindly follow the words of the pastor. Instead of searching the Scriptures and following the words of Jesus Christ.
Many wonderful promises are spoken by the mouth of the pastors, while God’s Word says something else. (Прочитајте исто така: Ќе ти го дадам богатството на овој свет).
The warnings for the Church Today
Many pastors and teachers are carnal and walk after the flesh. They don’t have any awareness or insights into the spirit realm and the Kingdom of God. But as long as people stay carnal and walk after the flesh, they will be enslaved and influenced by the spirit of this world.
And so the spirit of this world, the spirit of the antichrist rules in many people’s lives.
What does the Bible say about pastors, лажни учители, and people in the end of times?
- They shall speak unholy and arrogant words of vanity
- Their profane and vain babblings will increase ungodliness
- Their word will eat as does a canker
- They beguile and lure through the lusts of the flesh, преку многу лудост
- While they promise the believers liberty, they are the servants of corruption
- They shall subtly introduce destructive heresies
- They shall deny the Lord Jesus Christ; the Word and they shall bring upon themselves swift destruction
- They shall walk in shame, and many shall follow their shameful ways
- Because they are pernicious and walk in shameful ways, the way of truth will be maligned
- They shall be greedy, and they shall exploit you with false arguments and twisted doctrine. Yes they shall treat you as merchandise (and get as much money from you, for themselves, колку што е можно)
- They’ve eyes full of adultery, constantly looking for sin, enticing and luring away unstable souls
- They left the straight road, and have gone astray. They have entered the road of Balaam, кој ја сакаше платата на неправедноста
In the end times, the people will be:
- Lovers of self (нарцисоиден, self-focused)
- Lovers of money (impelled by greed), лаком
- Boastful (bragging), a cause for pride
- Arrogant, надмениот, горд, appearing above others
- Revilers, blasphemers, scurrilous, т.е.. calumnious (against men), или (Особено) impious (against God), оградата
- Disobedient to parents
- Ungrateful, unthankful
- Unholy and profane, злобни
- Unloving (devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane), hard-hearted towards kindred: без природна наклонетост
- Truce breakers, irreconcilable, without libation, truce less, непопустлив
- Malicious gossip,
- False accusers, a traducer; Особено, сатаната, ѓаволот, slanderer
- Incontinent, немоќен, without self-control (intemperate, immoral)
- Fierce, brutal, savage
- Despiser of those that are good, haters of good
- Traitors, (in the sense of giving forward into another’s (the enemy’s) hands) a surrender, betrayer
heady, reckless - High-minded, conceited, inflated with self-conceit, lifted with pride, горд
- Lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God
- Having a form of (надворешно) побожност, религијата, but denying the power thereof (for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith)
- They’ll worm their way into homes and captivate morally weak and spiritually dwarfed women weighed down by the burden of their sins, easily swayed by various impulses, always learning and listening to anybody who will teach them, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- They oppose the truth
- They’re men of corrupt minds
- Reprobate (unqualified and worthless (as teachers)) concerning the faith
- Their folly (meaningless nonsense) shall be manifest unto all men
- They indulge in the corrupt passions of the sinful nature
- They despise authority
(2 Тимотеј 2:16,17, 2 Тимотеј 3, 2 Петар 2:10. These are not the only chapters, that warn about false doctrines, пастири, teachers etc. There are many more scriptures, that warns about pastors, и лажни учители, false doctrines in the end times)
Be aware of pastors, who are leading the sheep into the abyss!
Be aware of such pastors, проповедници, и наставниците, who are carnal and live like the world and tolerate and accept everything, вклучувајќи го и гревот. Пастири, who do the works of the flesh and walk in unrighteousness in sin.
You have to be careful for pastors, who do the works of the flesh and approve of those things, кои се одвратни пред Бога, Исус, и Светиот Дух. Because these pastors are leading the sheep into the abyss.
Stay faithful to the Word. Stay in His Word and keep His instructions. Only the Word reveals the truth and discerns fake from real.
But if you don’t read and study the bible and don’t stay in the Word, you will be misled and seduced.
Со текот на годините, many false teachings have entered the body of Jesus Christ and caused many churches to become like the world. Многумина црквите се сместени во темнина instead of the light and have no or little power.
The devil has taken his place and built his throne in many churches. И така the church is being prepared to receive the antichrist.
„Бидете сол на земјата’
