Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries |
Paul’s sarcasm, debunking the fallacy of the believer being a reflection of a pastor.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
JOH 15:20, “A slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”
LUK 6:40, “A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.”
The key phrase is found in the verb “has been fully trained” the perf-pass-part
katartizo
meaning to complete thoroughly, to adjust to totally, to strengthen, perfect, complete, make one what he ought to be.
COL 1:28, And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ.
Many times you can tell a lot about a teacher, not by those who follow him, but by the individuals who are trained by him.
Just because the “teacher” might be a serious and dedicated, and devoted student of the Word of God, Bible Doctrine,
2TI 2:15, Study to shew themselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
You cannot judge or evaluate the message from the pastor because many members of the congregation are not fully trained by his teachings.
Some choose churches because of condoning certain types of lifestyes that are contrary to the word of God.
That anti-biblical lifestyle is not an issue as JOH 3:18 states.
JOH 3:18, “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
The issue is
MAT 22:42, “What do you think about the Christ?”
Some choose churches because of the size or the beauty of the Church building.
They have apparently forgotten,
1CO 3:16, Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and {that} the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1CO 6:19-20, Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
The apostle Paul made it clear to us,
EPH 2:19, So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,
EPH 2:20-22, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner {stone}, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.