CONFUSING THE MESSAGE WITH THE MESSENGER

We constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its working you who believe. I Thess. 2:13

Do you test the spirits of the messages you hear?  We are, each of us, Bible students who have been personally called to contend for the faith.  Sound theology falls into the hands of God’s children to defend and protect.  Yet, we can coast and sit like sponges under charismatic platform personalities and rarely question the words that are preached.

In many sermons, there might be a portion that God would characterize as ‘the word of man’, but the non-discerning listener will never pick up it.  Why?  He is not a student in his own right.  His study skills like cross-referencing, reading things in context, and using commentaries and concordances are dull or non-existent.  Those who preach can too easily achieve god-like status; their word goes uncontested and we enhance their platform by way of our own laziness.  The result is a polluted doctrine which can only breed confusion and eventual distrust of God.  We put our faith in unstable theology and blame God when it fails us.

Paul commended the new Thessalonian believers for being discerning.  They heard a man preach yet were able to recognize words of God in his message.  They did not become enamored with Paul but bonded to Christ.  There was no second-hand faith going on.

I can easily follow the superstars that have arisen to bring me the Gospel.  At trade events, the lines are hours long just to shake a hand and get an autograph.  I can easily wear the starry gaze of one who hangs the poster of a star on my wall.  While God has chosen to bless many of His servants, they are still just spokesmen. I am not to confuse the message with the messenger.  Just because a messenger said it, doesn’t make it so.  I am to be well studied, armed with discernment, with my eyes ever set on the Savior to worship and adore.

Reading Christian books isn’t the same as reading Your Word.  They aren’t the sword of the Spirit.  I commit myself to serious study because I love You.  Knowing enough to defend Your Word is the same as defending You.  I see that. Amen