The Attitude of the Mature

August 29, 2024

 Thursday

I spoke at a funeral yesterday. Afterwards, I sat at a table with people who don't go to my church. I listened to them brag on their pastors. I thought that was fine until one asked me how long I had been at the current church. I said nineteen years. (I probably said that with a bit of pride.) She pointed out that her pastor had been there over twenty years. Then, she said his name and waited for me to be awed. Truthfully, I don't know him. I don't think I have ever met him. She told me how great he was. Praise God she loves her pastor! 

But this seemed a little too cultish for my approval. It seems that many people either love or have contempt for their pastors. They are either heroes or someone to be tolerated. They are either lifted high or thrown out with the garbage. Neither attitude speaks of maturity. Both speak of the flesh.

In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul addresses this issue in the early church.

1 Corinthians 3:1-4 (ESV) ¹  But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. ²  I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, ³  for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? ⁴  For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? 

The evidence of the immaturity of the Corinthian church was jealousy and strife. The root of the matter was pride. And it came from a very unusual place. They were proud of whom they supported as preachers. They, too, had become cultish. They were not able to accept the solid food of the faith. They were still on milk. They were still acting more in the flesh than in the Spirit.

The flesh divides believers. It claims a greater status because of the internal character of whom is listening. That being said, there is nothing wrong with being proud of your pastor. There is something wrong when it is a pride that seeks to dominate. It seeks its own praise. Seeking praise from others will divide.

Maybe this is why there is so much controversy going on between churches. One says we baptize by immersion. Another says we sprinkle. Another says we baptize by immersion one time for each member of the Trinity. Each claims the other has deviated from the scriptures. Each claims superiority. Each is in the flesh as it does so.

There are a string of YouTube videos telling people which churches and pastors to avoid. Yes, they name names. While the New Testament warns of false prophets, it has neglected to name them. There are clear teachings on how to spot a false prophet, but they are not called out. We know what they did. We just don't know who they are. We do know the preachers that people gathered around. This was deemed immature. It seems we haven't escaped pride. You are wrong and therefore less knowledgeable than me if you listen to that preacher. It reeks of saying, "I follow the best. You follow less." Maybe that's why these YouTube channels are followed. They are succeeding in gathering the people who listen to the "right" preachers.

Of course, that doesn't mean that we tolerate false preachers. We simply need to point out the truth and lead people to follow the truth rather than seeking an audience for our own selves. 

So, be careful when you praise your pastor. Ask whether this is a matter of pride on your part. Know what the truth is so that you can unite with those who believe the truth. Work to unite in truth rather than divide believers. This is the attitude of the mature.