One of the greatest dangers for theologians, and their ongoing universal practices, and their followers, is this:
Theologians (who by their education believe they know more about God) make statements of doctrine in their own words.
Then these theologians must use Bible verses to back up and defend their statements.
Then other theologians who disagree with those doctrine statements must use Bible verses to refute them and defend their own opposing position.
Then all the non-theologians are confused—how can these learned men of God disagree so firmly on so many matters?
Then all the non-theologians have to pick sides, and in turn disagree with each other, and label each other, even separate from each other, and even worship separately.
This is not necessary!
What starts all this?
What keeps all this going?
Can all this be stopped?
HOW?
+What starts all this?
In all walks of life, there are those who want power to control people by any means possible.
We recognize the more obvious means of military might to control people.
We don’t as readily notice the economic means to control.
We get angry but helpless when we see orchestrated chaos causing displacement and hunger, as means to control.
We all have vulnerable spiritual needs, which are exploited repeatedly throughout history, as means to control—lots of people falling prey to educated leaders ‘speaking for God’ (in reality, ‘for god’).
+What keeps all this going?
Whenever individuals (and in turn the organizations they create) gain power to control people, innate human nature compels them to hold on to the power and control, by all means possible.
Until people rise up and face the power head-on, accepting the consequences, those at the top keep control over people for decades, or centuries, or in the case of theologians (the church) for millenia.
In one sense this defies logic, how religious power maintains control longer than even military power.
Kingdoms come and go, including dictators, while the church sets up structure that people succumb to, then voluntarily subscribe to forever.
Slaves built the pyramids (for religious reasons), poor people built cathedrals (buying indulgences for forgiveness for dead relatives), suicide bombers guarantee provision for their families (promised by their religion), and even today at the highest levels of churches, people accept and believe their eternal spiritual welfare is covered, by doing what the leaders tell them to do.
Amazingly the churches don’t all say the same thing—just follow what our church says, because our theologians have a corner on the spiritual market.
People desperately want to belong to something, and people desperately want to be told they’ll be okay after they die—so they will believe anything.
What keeps all this going—money, money, money—food, food, food—survival, at all cost, including the cost of losing freedom (freedom to think, freedom to own property, freedom to read the Bible, and in America, freedom to live out our convictions in public and in business).
So what do church leaders (theologians) do to maintain control when the prevailing beliefs in the culture turn against Christians and the Bible?
Sadly, history records religious compromise and sufficiently modified doctrine statements to prevent revolution in the church and still capitalize on universal, ongoing spiritual needs.
+Can all this be stopped?
If history is any indication, the answer is “no.”
But there are exceptions in history to the patterns of history.
+How?
Power (control) is relinquished only by force—sometimes military invasion, sometimes revolution, sometimes widespread protest, sometimes superior ideology, sometimes religious persuasion, sometimes spiritual revival—all including conviction and sacrifice.
Spiritual revolution, like other revolutions, can happen when enough people get sick and tired enough of control by a few at the top, and use any means possible to throw them out of power. And they pay a price in the process.
Spiritual revolution, unlike other revolutions, happens when people remember that God answers prayer for change—change that moves people to get right with God instead of religiously correct with man. And they pay a price in the process.
Man’s power, however high and mighty, however clothed in spiritual garb, is no match for the power of God changing lives.
Then people find that they don’t need the fake church leaders, more interested in perpetuating their power than promoting the real power of the Holy Spirit.
And where do people go from there?
Continued intense prayer and searching the Word of God gives comfort, courage, and direction.
Faith to face persecution, life-sustaining fellowship with a few faithful Christians, and God honors a remnant of true believers with His presence and joy in the midst of suffering and sacrifice.
“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”
“They searched the Scriptures daily, to see if the things were true, which were taught to them.”
“My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.”
Teachers in the church? Yes, but with fear and trembling, not for power.
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