clcgh.org Building The Capacity Of Christian Leaders, Equipping The Saints For The Work Of Ministry, Redirecting Straying Christians To The Sound Knowledge Of Christ
HOW DO you know that this pastor or that pastor does not know God? How do you know that some pastors just mention the name of God in their prayers, but they do not genuinely have a relationship with Him?
John writes that any pastor who denies that Jesus Christ came in a real body…is a deceiver and an antichrist. “…Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son” (2 John 1: 7- 9, NLT).
From the passage of Scripture above, John teaches that pastors who remain in the teaching or Word of Christ have a relationship with both God the Father and the Son.
To remain in the teaching of Christ is to study the words of Christ, believe in the words of Christ, do or live the words of Christ and preach or teach the words of Christ to others for them also to learn and remain in the words of Christ.
This means that many pastors in our generation who refuse to faithfully abide in the teaching of Christ have no relationship with God; they do not have the God of the Bible.
Paul, the apostle, also teaches that, “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound knowledge of Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing (1 Timothy 6:3-4, ESV).
Jesus Christ is a King so He has a Kingdom. And His Kingdom has a message which His faithful servants preach and teach to save people. The message of the Kingdom points to the King.
Faithful servants of the King do not preach and teach whatever they like except the messages the King has given to them. God gives specific messages to everyone He calls. Thus a messenger of God and his message are inseparable. A minister of God is mostly known for the messages he preaches and teaches.
The foundational apostles of Christ taught and preached the messages Christ gave to them. They were not interested in any other message except the gospel of the Kingdom of God just as Christ commanded them (Matthew 24: 14).
John Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, John Knox also preached the Good News of the Kingdom of God which points to Jesus Christ.
One way we may know true servants of Christ is the message they preach and teach about – the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we should not follow prophets blindly. We should not follow a pastor simply based on his bodily stature, oratory skills, seminary training, priestly garment or titles.
A servant of Christ follows Christ; he is Christ-centred and gospel-focused. So, choose a minister who follows Jesus Christ. Choose a pastor with Christ in mind. Choose a pastor with eternity in mind and choose a pastor with the salvation of your soul in mind.
By James Quansah
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James Quansah is the Executive Director of Christ-Conscious Leadership Centre (CLC) and lead Pastor of End-Time Christ’s Commissioners (ECC), Kumasi, Ghana. James is also a journalist by profession. He is married with four children.
