The sinning of church leaders not only reveal their nature and state, but also the nature and state of the church. Although many churches (worldwide) make changes and compromise and adjust the words of God and lower God’s standards, God and His Word will never change. We serve the Almighty God, Who is the Creator of heaven and earth and all there is within. UThixo uyafana, izolo, namhlanje nangonaphakade. God shall never compromise and adjust His word and lower His standards. He still speaks and acts according to His Word that stands forever. God is very clear in the Bible about sin and the consequences of sinning willfully. Is it the will of God that fallen pastors and leaders stay appointed in the church and preach behind the pulpit or not? What does the intentional sinning of church leaders say about them?
Do pastors and other church leaders, who are sinning willfully, belong in the pulpit?
Church leaders who are sinning willfully don’t belong in the pulpit. If church leaders keep on sinning willfully after their repentance, ukuzalwa ngokutsha, and during their leadership in church, they shouldn’t be appointed and teach in the pulpit and lead the church (indibano yamakholwa).
This may be hard to read and some people may find this ruthless. Nangona kunjalo, a sinning pastor or church leader has consciously made a choice to disobey God and His Word and serve the flesh and do something that opposes the will of God.
That’s why in the Old Covenant there was a difference in sin. Everything a person does that opposes the words and will of God is sin. Nangona kunjalo, there is a difference in the kinds of sin.
Someone can unconsciously say or do something that is not good and during or afterward be confronted and corrected by the Holy Spirit. But someone can also consciously say or do something with premeditated intent. This means that a person knows that it’s not good and not according to the will of God and diametrically opposes His Word, but the person does it anyway, because the love for the flesh is stronger than the love for God and His Word. (Funda kwakhona: What is a sin not unto death and a sin unto death?)
Take for example adultery.
Is adultery a premeditated sin?
Adultery is a premeditated sin. Ukukrexeza akuyi kwenzeka. Pants don’t fall down themselves. Hayi, a person has consciously made a choice to commit adultery, despite the knowledge of the truth and God’s will. Every Christian knows, that adultery is a sin.
Ngoku imisebenzi yenyama ibonakalisiwe, zeziphi ezi; Ukukrexeza, uhenyuzo, ukungahlambuluki, I-Lascivied, Unqulo-zithixo, ubugqwirha, intiyo, umahluko, ukufuya, ingqumbo, Imbambano, ukumiselwa, i-heredies, Umona, ukubulala, ukunxila, impindezelo, kwaye kanjalo: yeyo, Njengoko bendikuxelele ngexesha elidlulileyo, Ukuze benze izinto ezinjalo abayi kulifumana ilifa uBukumkani bukaThixo (kwabaseGalati 5:19-21)
Malume emalunguleni akho asehlabathini; uhenyuzo, ukungahlambuluki, I-Inordinate Uthando, Ingqiniso lobubi, kunye nokubawa, engowasezithixo: Zeziphi izinto’ Ngenxa ingqumbo kaThixo yeza abantwana bokungathobeli: Kwindawo enahambe ngayo, oko benihleli kuzo. Ke ngoku nani zilahleni zonke ezi zinto; umsindo, ingqumbo, ububi, ukunyelisa, Unxibelelwano olungcolileyo ngaphandle komlomo wakho. Ulele enye kwenye, Ndibona ukuba niyilahle ixhego ngezenzo zakhe ezindala; Kwaye ubeke indoda entsha, oluthi luhlaziyeke ekwazini, ngokomfanekiselo walowo wamdalayo: Apho kungekho mGrike namJuda, ukwaluka nokungaluki, Umqaba, UmSkitiya, ikhoboka okanye okhululekileyo: usuke uKristu waba kuko konke, nakuzo zonke (KwabaseKolose 3:5-11)
adulterers don’t love God and their neighbor but themselves?
When a person commits adultery, the person doesn’t walk in love toward God. Not walking in love toward God means, that the person doesn’t keep God’s commandments (which are also The commandments of Jesus).
Only if you keep the commandments of God, Uhamba ngothando. Ukwazi oku, if a person knows the truth (adultery is sin) and God’s will but consciously rejected God and His word, then the person doesn’t walk in love.
The person shows through his deed that he doesn’t love God with all his heart, umphefumlo, ingqondo, kunye namandla.
When a person commits adultery, the person loves himself, umfazi ongaqhelekanga (okanye indoda) and above all the lusts of the flesh.
The person doesn’t keep the second commandment either, oko ikukuthi, you shall love your neighbor as yourself, but rejected it. Since the adulterer didn’t remember his wife (or her husband) and the wedding vow he (okanye yena) yenziwe.
When people commit adultery they don’t love their neighbor (Iqabane labo) but themselves. They want to satisfy their (okwethutyana) sexual feelings of the flesh.
When church leaders commit adultery they forget their responsibility for the precious souls of the saints
When a pastor or other church leaders commit adultery, they don’t remember the precious souls of the saints. They don’t remember their responsibility for the saints and the consequences of their selfish deed to the church. Since the uncleanness of sin defames (disgraces) eGameni likaYesu, and defiles His church, and mocks His redemptive work. (Funda kwakhona: Ngaba uYesu unguMkhuthazi wesono?).
And so the adulterous pastor or other church leader despised God, by rejecting both the words of God and his wife (or her husband) and disobeying the words of God, breaking the wedding vow, not remembering the souls of the saints, and defiling the church.
God hated Esau, who sold his birthright to satisfy his hunger
It’s just like Esau, who didn’t consider his birthright from God a privilege and precious. Ngoko ke, Esau sold his birthright to satisfy his temporary hunger. This act of Esau was abominable to God.
God didn’t say about Esau that He loved him but that He hated him. Ngoba? Because of his deed that originated from his wicked heart. (uMalaki 1:2-3, AmaRoma 9:13, Hebhere 12:16-17 (Funda kwakhona: Ngaba unokusixhathisa isilingo??)).
Maninzi amaKristu, who jeopardize their relationship with Jesus Christ and the Father and the abiding of the Holy Spirit and eternity, by prioritizing their feelings and the will, iinkanuko, and desires of the flesh and putting them above the Word
The blind guides and white Sepulchers
It’s already bad that adultery happens among Christians, who don’t hold a leadership position in the church, but that adultery also takes place among church leaders is really bad.
Because how can they, who are spiritually blind themselves and led by their flesh and don’t live a disciplined life after the Spirit in obedience to God and His Word, but reject God and His Word and walk in disobedience in darkness and sin willfully, teach the members of the church and expect the believers to walk after the Spirit in obedience to God in holiness in the Light?
These pastors and church leaders are blind guides and white sepulchres, njengabaFarisi.
The Pharisees appeared beautiful, charismatic, piously and righteous on the outside. Nangona kunjalo, inwardly they were full of extortion, ukungahlambuluki, hypocrisy and iniquity (ukungasebenzi kakuhle).
Although the Pharisees taught the people in the Law and Prophets, and made God’s will known to them, they didn’t submit to the Law and the prophets and didn’t walk in the will of God. (Funda kwakhona: Ngaba icawe ibona okanye imfama?)
And so there are many pastors and church leaders, who have not truly repented and are not born again in Christ. They don’t walk after the Spirit in obedience to God.
Why do many pastors and other church leaders fall?
Many pastors and other church leaders fall, because they have not crucified their flesh in Christ. If they had crucified their flesh, they wouldn’t keep sinning and, umzekelo, commit adultery. Adultery is a work of the flesh.
The work of their flesh shows that they walk after the flesh. They don’t fear the Lord and don’t take the Word seriously, because they consciously keep sinning (Zingisa esonweni).
These church leaders assume they can keep sinning without consequences, since they remain appointed in the church anyway or they leave the church temporarily and after some time are reinstated in the same office again.
And the carnal church that makes decisions on the basis of feelings and emotions instead of the Word of God, substantiates this wicked behavior. The carnal church gives a foothold to the devil and accepts and supports sin, by keeping the fallen pastor or other leader in their office or reinstating the fallen leader in their office after some time. (Funda kwakhona: Wayethetha ukuthini uPawulos ngokubeka izandla ngequbuliso ngaphandle kwendoda)
What is the will of God concerning His sons and daughters?
It is the will of God that all His sons and daughters, who are born of Him and have His nature and represent Him on earth, walk after the Spirit in holiness and not in uncleanness, fornication and the lust of concupiscence, as the Gentiles do, who don’t know God and are not born of Him and walk in disobedience to God and His Word in the will of their father in darkness.
Kuba le yintando kaThixo, Nokuba ubungcwalise lwakho, ukuba nikhumke kulo uhenyuzo: ukuze elowo kuni akwazi ukusizuza asiphathe kakuhle isitya sakhe, enobungcwalisa, enembeko; Hayi kwinkanuko yenkanuko, kwanjengeentlanga ezingamaziyo uThixo: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, Kodwa kubungcwele. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, Kodwa nguThixo, who hath also given unto us His Holy Spirit (1 KwabaseTesalonika 4:3-8)
Is God love, merciful and forgiving?
People say God is love, merciful and forgiving. Kodwa yinyani? God is absolutely loving, merciful and forgiving if someone truly repents and not because someone is caught in the act and asks forgiveness out of a religious habit and after some time falls back into the same sin. Nangona kunjalo, God is also righteous and many times they leave that part out.
The love of God is a righteous love and not a uthando lwexesha elitsha. (Funda kwakhona: UMoya oyiNgcwele vs umoya wexesha elitsha, nguwuphi na umoya omiyo ngaphakathi kwenu?)
Wathi uYesu kubaFarisi (Indalo yakudala yenyama) that they obeyed the lust of their father and not of God. (Funda kwakhona: Ukuthanda kukaThixo ngokuchasene nentando kaMtyholi).
Would God trust and appoint a worker of iniquity in the church?
How can God trust and appoint a leader in the church to raise His sons (oku kusebenza kuzo zombini iinkunzi nemazi) and teach them in the Word, so that they get to know the will of God and lead them into the truth and grow up into spiritual maturity in Christ after His image, if the leader is not spiritually mature?
How can God appoint a leader who doesn’t walk as a mature son of God after the Spirit and doesn’t submit to the Head Jesus Christ and don’t do what Jesus; Lithi iLizwi, kodwa unekratshi, nemvukelo, carnal and does the will and the works of the flesh and keeps sinning willfully?
Would God trust His sons to someone, who claims to know God, but doesn’t listen to Him and doesn’t do what He says and deny God through His works? Does this worker of iniquity belong to God?
“He gave some, abapostile; kwaye ezinye, abaprofeti; kwaye ezinye, IVangeli; kwaye ezinye, Abefundisi kunye nootitshala; Ukugqibelela kwabaNgcwele”
Kwaye wanika abanye, abapostile; kwaye ezinye, abaprofeti; kwaye ezinye, IVangeli; kwaye ezinye, Abefundisi kunye nootitshala; Ukugqibelela kwabaNgcwele, Umsebenzi wobulungiseleli, ukwenzela ukwakhiwa koMzimba kaKristu: De sonke singene kumanyano lolo kholo, nolwazi loNyana kaThixo, kwindoda egqibeleleyo, Ukulinganisa ubugqwetha bokuzaliseka kukaKristu:
That we henceforth be no more children, ukuphoswa phantsi, kwaye iqhubelelene nomoya wemfundiso, ngokulala kwamadoda, kunye nobuqili bobuqili, apho balele ukukhohlisa; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, nkqu noKristu: From whom the whole Body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of itself in love (Kwabase-Efese 4:11-16)
Sonke Isibhalo sinikelwa ngokuphefumlelwa nguThixo, kwaye iyingenelo kwimfundiso, ngenxa yokohlwaywa, ukulungisa, Ngqeqesho ebulungiseni: Ukuze umntu kaThixo abe egqibeleleyo, Ngokuhlwayo inikezele kuyo yonke imisebenzi elungileyo (2 uTimoti 3:16)
What does the intentional sinning of a pastor or other church leaders say about them?
The intentional sinning of a pastor or other church leaders say that the pastor or other church leader is carnal and walks in darkness and does the will of the flesh. The intentional sinning of a pastor and other church leaders testify that they are a slave of sin. Sin still reigns as king in the life of the pastor or church leaders and the wicked one aka the devil still has a hold on the church leader. This should already be a warning to the church.
Wabaphendula uYesu, Inene, inene, Ndithi kuni, Bonke abenza isono bangamakhoboka esono (UYohane 8:34)
Bayavuma ukuba bayamazi uThixo; Kodwa kwimisebenzi bayamkhanyela, ukubasi, kwaye ongathobeliyo, nakuwo wonke umsebenzi olungileyo (uTito 1:16)
Kuba ubabalo lukaThixo olusindisayo usindiso lubonakale kubo bonke abantu,, Sisifundisa loo nto, Ukukhanyela ukungaduki kunye neenkanuko zehlabathi, Sifanele siphile ngokukodwa, ngobulungisa, kunye nokuhlonela uThixo, Kweli xesha langoku; Ukujonga ithemba elisikelelekileyo, Kwaye ukubonakala kobuqaqawuli boThixo omkhulu noMsindisi wethu uYesu Kristu; Abazinikele kuthi, ukuze asikhulule, sikhulule ubugwenxa bonke, azihlambululele abantu abakhethekileyo, Inzondelelo yemisebenzi elungileyo.These things speak, ndibongoze, wohlwaye ngawo wonke ummiselo. Makungabikho namnye ukudelayo; (uTito 2:11-15)
Vuka uye ebulungiseni, kunye nesono; kuba inxenye inentswela-kumazi uThixo: Nditsho ukuba nidane (1 KwabaseKorinte 15:34)
Siyazi ukuba bonke abazelweyo nguThixo,; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not (1 UYohane 5:18)
What is the danger of appointing a fallen pastor or church leader in the church?
The danger of appointing a fallen pastor or other fallen church leaders in the church is that they not only despised God and His Word and defiled the church, but Christians will follow their example.
If a pastor or other leaders in the church, who should be born again and spiritually mature and should know the will of God, refuses to submit to God and His Word and therefore is prideful, nemvukelo, kwaye ongathobeliyo, the sheep will follow the example of the fallen pastor or other fallen church leaders and shall also walk in pride, imvukelo, and disobedience to God and His Word.
Enjalo (iyinqambi) spirit that dwells in the pastor (or other church leaders) shall come over the church.
Nje ngeziphumo, the church members shall bear the same fruit as the church leader. They shall walk in wickedness and uncleanness. (Funda kwakhona: Abefundisi abaninzi bakhokelela izimvu enzonzobileni).
How can a fallen pastor or other fallen church leaders expect from the believers that they submit to God and obey His Word, when they don’t do it themselves?
If a preacher or other church leaders commits fornication and adultery, how can the preacher confront, warn, correct and chastise a church member in these areas and forbid fornication and adultery? Exactly the church leader can’t.
Nje ngeziphumo, the church shall compromise and allow sin in the church and approve of Christians living in sin.
Putting the relationship with Jesus at stake and playing with eternity to fulfill the lusts of the flesh
Hlalani ngoxolo nabantu bonke, nobungcwele, ngaphandle koko akukho namnye uya kuyibona iNkosi: Lumkani kungabikho mntu uphulukana nalo ubabalo lukaThixo; hleze ingcambu yobukrakra ithi ithi tuu, inikhathaze, baze abaninzi bazenze iinqambi ngaloo nto; kungabikho mhenyuzi, okanye umntu okhohlakeleyo, evela kuEsawu, owathi ngenxa yentwana yokudla wananisa ngobuzibulo bakhe. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears (Hebhere 12:14-17)
KuMnqophiso Omtsha, kwi dispensation of the Holy Spirit, Paul mentioned the thoughts of God regarding the profanity and act of Esau, who despised the Lord by rejecting his birthright for the temporary carnal lusts and desires. Paul warned the believers. Kwaye u, there are many pastors and church leaders, who say they have knowledge about God’s Word and claim to see, but don’t care about Paul’s warning and disregard this Scripture.
Many people object to women in ministry but don’t mind male church leaders who are sinning willfully
It is remarkable, that so many people object to women in ministry and substantiate their objection with two Scriptures. Nangona kunjalo, they forget the Scriptures about carnal leaders, who are sensual and unspiritual and have the mind of the world and are addicted to pornography, ukuphulula amalungu esini or involved with other sexual uncleanness and commit fornication, ukukrexeza, phila kunye ungatshatanga, have a i-vermosex relationship, zi divorced and remarried and therefore the spouse of more than one women, ninqule izithixo, ubugqwirha, ukuba, ubuqhophololo, (pathologic) ubuxoki, have an ukukhotyokiswa butywala, njl. These sinning male church leaders get free rein and are appointed in leadership without any objection.
No objections and Scriptures are cited with them, while there are many Scriptures in the Bible to exclude these males from ministry. (a.o Romans 1,2,6,7,8, 1 KwabaseKorinte 15:34, 2 KwabaseKorinte 6, kwabaseGalati 2:17-21;5:13-26, Kwabase-Efese 4,5, 1 uTimoti 3; 5:19-25; 6:2b-12, 1 uTito 1:6-9, 2 UPetros 2, 1 UYohane 3,5).
Does the intentional sinning of church leaders have consequences
If an apostle, evangelist, umprofeti, pastor, utitshala, umdala, deacon, worship leader or anyone else, chooses deliberately to obey the will of the flesh above the will of God, then the person has made a conscious decision to reject God and His Word and shall bear the consequences thereof.
Ngoko yibani ngabaxelisa uThixo, njengabantwana abathandekayo; Kwaye uhambe eluthandweni, njengokuba naye uKristu wasithandayo, wazinikela ngenxa yethu, ukuba abe ngumnikelo nedini kuThixo, ivumba elithozamisayo. Kodwa uhenyuzo, nako konke ukungcola, okanye ukubawa, makungakhe kukhankanywe phakathi kwenu, njengoko kubafaneleyo abangcwele; Nokungcola, kwanentetho yobudenge, okanye ukuqhula, ezingafanelekanga: makube kokukhona nibulela. Kuba oko niyakwazi, ukuba kungabikho lihenyukazi, nomntu ongahlambulukanga, nomntu obawayo, ongumkhonzi wezithixo, sinelifa ebukumkanini bukaKristu noThixo. Makungabikho mntu unilukuhlayo ngamazwi alilo: kuba ngenxa yezi zinto kuza ingqumbo kaThixo kubantwana bokungathobeli. Musani ukuba ngamadlelane nabo (Kwabase-Efese 5:1-7)
What does the Bible say about someone who habitually commits sin?
Whosoever commits sin transgresseth also the law: Kuba isono kukunxaxha komthetho. Kwaye niyazi ukuba ubonakalisiwe ukuba azisuse izono zethu; kwaye kuye akukho sono kuye. Bonke abahlala kuye aboni: Bonke aboni abangambonanga, Ayamazi. Bantwana abancinci, Makungabikho mntu ukhathalelayo: Owenza ubulungisa ulilungisa, njengokuba elungile. Lowo wenza isono nguMtyholi; Kuba uMtyholi wonile kwasekuqalekeni.
Ngenxa yoku Unyana kaThixo wabonakaliswa, ukuze ayonakalise imisebenzi kaMtyholi. Bonke abo bazelwe nguThixo abayi kwenza isono,; kuba imbewu yakhe ihleli kuye: kwaye akanakona, ngokuba ezelwe nguThixo. Kule ndlela abantwana bakaThixo bayabonakala, kunye nabantwana bakaMtyholi: bonke abangenzi bulungisa abangabakaThixo, kwanalowo ungamthandiyo umzalwana wakhe (1 UYohane 3:4-10)
Even if the person is famous, influential, and powerful in the church world or bears the name of a famous father, mother or any other relative, or is a theologian, charismatic, an eloquent speaker, ubutyebi, and seems to be sincere and piously from the outside, God is not a respecter of persons.
God is not misled by words and outward appearances, but God looks at the heart, since all the works of a man derive from the heart.
When church leaders keep sinning willfully their flesh is alive and their heart unchanged
As long as church leaders willfully keep sinning it proves that the flesh is still alive and the heart unchanged. The intentional sins that derive from the heart testifies that the heart and nature of the person are not changed and the person is not born again and doesn’t walk after the Spirit.
The heart is still of stone and that person doesn’t belong in church leadership of the church of Jesus Christ.
‘Yiba yityuwa yomhlaba’
