What Is That to You?

 December 13, 2024

Friday

John 21:20-22 (NIV) ²⁰  Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") ²¹  When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" ²²  Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."

It is common to point out what others are doing wrong and how they are privileged because we want to be told that we are better than them. People fill the internet with each error made by preachers but do not tell how these error finders are making disciples. They leave out the part of how they are following Christ. Yes, the Bible says there are false prophets but it spends most of the time telling people how they can follow Christ. The Bible urges us to follow Christ beyond taking on false prophets.

Maybe there is a Youtube channel that says, "Here are the preachers and churches that have it right," but I haven't found it. It seems that anyone who has any notoriety will get on one of these negative channels as having gotten it wrong. It seems that preachers that I admire sometimes are a part of castigating other preachers. Those of us without these channels need to say, "What is that to me? I just need to follow Christ!" 

I can find no place where that Bible encourages people to criticize others as part of being a disciple. I find that being a disciple is a full-time effort. Hating mother, father, wife, children and your own life doesn't really leave room for criticizing others. Giving all that you have to the Lord and going wherever He leads takes a focus on the Lord that few others have. Pointing out the errors of others intensely must cause us to take our eyes off of the Lord. And without Him we can do nothing.

We aren't known to be followers of Christ because we are better than others or are better at pointing out the errors of others. We have been given a "new commandment." It is one of love for each other. I find none of that in these criticisms.

I hope this blog is not a criticism of those who criticize. I hope that it is urging all who read it to pay attention to how they follow the Lord. I pray that we will focus on the truth so well that the lies are evident. That is really the problem, isn't it? People have flocked to those who are teaching errors because they haven't adequately heard the truth. How will they know the truth if we don't teach and preach it? How will they hear the truth if the Holy Spirit doesn't bring conviction? How will they see the truth if we aren't living it?

So, there are preachers and churches and attenders of these churches who aren't doing what they should. What is that to you? Just follow Jesus.