I was doing a little Bible reading a moment ago, in the book of Malachi, and came across this passage where God is speaking to the Priests.
Now...I would think this same message would hold true today for all Priests, Pastors, Reverends, Ministers, Teachers of the Word.....which should scare the heck out of the ones that choose not to preach the Gospel.
"And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse on you and I will curse your blessings; indeed I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and I will put you out of my presence. Know, then, that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may hold, says the LORD of hosts. My covenant with him was a covenant of life and well-being, which I gave him; this called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in integrity and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you have not kept my ways but have shown partiality in your instruction." Malachi 2:1-9
There are too many people that send a distorted view, and teaching, of God through their ministries, and think they are getting away with it. Yes, maybe they are getting some wealth from teaching a prosperity gospel, or maybe they have some temporary power by holding people in abject terror of God (and of course of them, as God's "appointed spokesman.") But I don't think they've thought this through....I'm pretty sure invoking God's curse on you isn't the wisest thing to do. They may think that wealth and power, glory and fame are wonderful now......
But the day will come that they face a reckoning, and it will be harsh.
God does not view it lightly when His holy word is distorted for another's gain. Notice He says in the verses above that He will curse the Priests that do not do His will, for His glory. " But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you have not kept my ways but have shown partiality in your instruction."
Ouch. Just my layman reading here, but God sounds pretty serious...and pretty mad. It's almost as like He has a higher calling and job for a Priest/Pastor/Minister to do.....
The Lord says that " For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.." That would be that higher calling.
To be a messenger of the Lord of hosts. That has to be a weighty responsibility, and one that should not be taken on casually. That would mean that every time you went to speak as a representative of God, you had to take it seriously, give glory to God, and to accurately state what God teaches. Not for your own glory, but for God's. Not for your gain, but to reach people who desperately need to hear the Word of the Lord.
And there are a lot of pastors out there that aren't doing ministry in the right way. Using their role to gain wealth, take sexual advantage of others, to inspire fear or hatred, or to be a political pulpit instead of being a marked and holy servant of God.
But you and I, my friend, we can't get too smug just yet.
For we're accountable too.
While it is true that only some are called to preach and to teach, we are all called to be Christ's ambassadors, and to take part in the worshipful nature of the priesthood.
"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." 2 Corinthians 5:20
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9
We believers, born of faith and trust in Christ Jesus, called to live and walk in the light and love of God, have a responsibility too.
We are a walking witness to our faith. Our words and deeds need to reflect that faith, to show that our hearts, minds and souls belong to Christ. If we claim to be of Christ, yet use our lives to mock Him...through how we treat people, what we say, what we indulge in (that we know is sinful)....then don't you think we will be held accountable too?
The fruit of our lives will show whether we are a new creation in Christ, and if we have been living for Him, and trusting in Him. Just as the Priests of old were chastised by God, and the Priests/Pastors/Ministers of today face the same wrath if they teach a false message, so will we.
We are either in Christ, or outside of Him. We can pretend to the world that our faith is genuine, but our words and deeds will eventually give us up as frauds. And God is not even momentarily fooled by the image we put out into the world; He's not impressed by whatever role or title we give ourselves....He looks deeper. He sees the heart.
God knows we will stumble, He knows we are frail. And if our trust is in Him, and we love Him and seek to walk with Him, He will not fail to continue to reach out to us, forgive us, and love us. But He will also know if we are just pretending, or using our faith as a leverage in society, a weapon to hurt other people with, or a casual part of our cultural makeup.
How wonderful it is for God to see you as His child, covered by the blood, grace and righteousness of Christ; to rest in that love and surety.
How awful it would be to hear, "I know you not."
We need to be careful, my friends, that our words and works honor the Lord, that our lives are lived for Him, to show His light to the world. We need to listen to make sure we're hearing our Shepherd's call (and I'm a dense little lamb, so I need to listen extra carefully at times!)...and then to follow where He leads.
And we need to double and triple check that the ministers that we listen to in this life reflect the teachings of God, to bring the Lord glory, and the Lord alone. There are snares and pitfalls all around us.....from worldliness, to false teachings, to the myriad of sinful temptations....we can so easily slip to the side.
But if we call to Christ, ever putting our trust in Him, He will not fail us. He will guide us through life's traps, safely onto the other side.
So let's pray for our priests and pastors, teachers and ministers, that they ever hold firm to the truth of God's word. And let's pray for each other, that we may be good ambassadors for Christ, and conduct ourselves well as a members of a chosen race and royal priesthood. Let's be lights for Christ in a world wrapped in shadow.
Be blessed, my friends, and may you be a blessing unto someone else,
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