Q: How do you know dancing is a sin? (or some other judgmental question)
A: Well, the Bible says you'll know the tree by the fruit. (or some other ridiculous, non-answer)
Huh?
But these days we have some televangelists who teach such error, misquoting the Bible for their own purposes, and are seemingly unconcerned that their viewers know God for who he truly is. That's been going on for quite a while now, often unchecked. The church drinks it in.
A new trend I see is the idolization of traditional Bible scholars, conservative Bible teachers, pastors, and well really, anyone with a pulpit, blog, or Twitter account. I hear it constantly.
"Well, I read _____________."
"Pastor __________ always says..."
"____________ was retweeted 6523 times."
At most Christian conventions, the most discussed person is probably not going to be Jesus.
I'm not complaining about social media. Y'all know that I use it as much as anyone. The problem occurs when the person becomes bigger than the message, and when the message becomes distorted.
Although it pains me to admit it, I'm not always right. No one is. There is no Gospel According to Tozer, Bonhoffer, or Piper, no First and Second Osteen or First, Second, and Third Warren. (Feel free to insert the name of the person you most often criticize.)
Instead of accepting everything that these teachers (some with very good intentions) have to say, you need to be in the Word for yourself, studying, asking the Holy Spirit to enlighten you. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't receive instruction or that we should arrogantly become unteachable. Instead, realize that God wants you to know him, not through a middle man, but through the God-man, Jesus.
For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. 1 Peter 2:5,6
Get to know him! Our church leaders and teachers may get it wrong. When they do, it should be obvious to you because you are so intimately acquainted with God and his word.
Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:12-14
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I know of a couple who go to my former church because of a certain pastor. They have told me, if he was no longer the pastor, they would no longer attend. That is a revealing and sad statement at the same time. They need to look into the Word instead of relying or following what someone says. That is one of the reasons we have such weak Christians. They rely so much on what someone says instead of looking and searching further for themselves.
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