The Manipulation of The Church By False Teachers
Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. (Romans 16.17-18)
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a
thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let
him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. (1 Peter 4.15)
3 By covetousness they will
exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been
idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
19 While they promise them
liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is
overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. (2 Peter 2.3, 19)
The Nature of Power
I spend a
lot of time thinking about questions of power and how it is exercised in the Church
and Society. Authority is legitimate and necessary and of the two spheres, the
Church is certainly an easier question at least in terms of form. The Bible
gives us some specific direction as to how ecclesiastical polity is to be
structured. How to apply/wield authority within the Church? That's a bit more
difficult. What are its limits? That's another tough question with a host of
different answers dependent on context.
Of course in
society questions of structure and application are almost infinitely complex.
There are many people vying for power and it needs to be understood that not
all power is political. There's power over the mind for example and the powers
in our society are particularly masterful at manipulation. The media, peer
pressure, and the educational system all contribute to this. These subtle forms
of power are effective in their messaging and in their training of the public.
They keep the more overt forms of power from having to be used. It's not just threat.
That's part of the overall equation. Manipulation can also work to dull and
distract, to create malleable and compliant subjects who lose the ability to
think, question and exercise ethical judgment.
Power can be
exercised overtly and political power is always backed by the threat of violence.
There are more subtle ways even this power can be used...the threat of
financial ruin for example. Being forced from your home by armed uniformed men
carrying out the orders of the powers that be is also a form of violence.
Perhaps it's legitimate, but it's still violence and coercion. That's what the
state is. Paul affirms this in Romans 13.
There are
many people who don't wield political power per se, but can still throw their
weight around. They can threaten litigation, they can intimidate and
manipulate. Or some will call upon the political powers to do their bidding.
Warnings in Scripture
We're warned
over and over again in the Scriptures about riches. Riches can have a power
over us. The love of money can get us caught up in temptations and snares that
lead us to use power and threaten others. To keep our money safe we exercise
certain types of power and threat. We even redefine what wealth is, argue we're
not rich and even though we (in the West) have the highest standard of living
in the history of the world, we convince ourselves that we live simple
non-covetous and content lives.
Despite the
warnings most of the historical Church has refused to listen or even understand
why the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
We're warned
that people will try to manipulate us for their own ends. This is speaking to
the Church. These are people, in some cases false teachers who are within the
community who seek their own gain and advancement and in the process make merchandise
of God's people.
But we see
people being led astray every day. Sometimes the manipulation is blatant and we
see it clearly. But is our Adversary a fool? Do we not know that his ways can
be subtle, that the enemies of Christ are said to be able to deceive if
possible, even the elect?
Have we
lulled ourselves to sleep? The Crouch's and Pat Robertson's of the world are
evident scoundrels, but does that mean that only those of their caliber are a
danger to the Church?
We're told
that the world will hate us, we will suffer and we're told to rejoice when we
suffer for the name of Christ. We're told to turn the other cheek...to imitate
our master. He rejected all power, refused the offers of Satan for the kingdoms
of this world. He was content to wait until the Day when all will be
reconciled.
This is an
ethic of power rejection. It is anti-power and thus anti-riches. It is
rejection of both the power that comes with wealth and the sought power of
those who would rise against the wealthy. It is a rejection of all the strife
that comes with the struggle for power... to maintain and to take away. It is
an ethic that doesn't seek justice now (for only a fool would think it
obtainable) but is content to wait, suffer, and bear witness to the Consuming
Fire of Truth and Justice that will come in That Day.
But it would
seem the Church, even the Bible-believing Church won't hear these things. They
are admittedly difficult ideas to embrace. It means really and truly forsaking
this world and all it has to offer. It means not only humility but humiliation.
It means that we'll be laughed at, we'll be the losers... we won't have any
power at all.
And yet in
all these things not only are we are more than conquerors, we are the richest
of all. Because we understand that riches, 'true' silver and gold are wisdom
and knowledge of Christ, and peace reconciliation with God.
Self-Interest Means Using Others and
Being Used by Other Self-Interested People.
The historical
'Church' isn't interested. The reasons why are certainly complex and differ
from person to person but largely they can be summed up by the fact that people
are self-serving.
They want
power over their own lives and the lives of others. They don't want to think
through their actions... they might have to change or ignore their consciences.
The irony is
this...for all their desire to have power, they end up being manipulated and
used.
Why? Are
people that dumb? Many are, but many are busy with their lives and they likely
have never realized there are whole sectors of our society that train and hire
professional people whose job is little more than to manipulate and use people.
They want your attention, your time, your money and they excel at making you
believe (as you empower them) that you're doing the right, noble and reasonable
thing.
How do this
happen? People don't know the Word of God and they don't think about it, or meditate
on it night and day. They don't apply it to their lives.
They don't
'give' themselves to these things. They put many other things first and are
unwilling to turn their back on the world and live (as it were) on the
edge...by faith. It's too scary. Like Lot's wife, they keep looking back.
It is indeed
frightening, or can be, depending on what your expectations and standards are
for this life. Are we really willing to live more or less by the day and can we
be really and truly content with food in our stomach and clothes on our backs?
Do we
convince ourselves of this with our huge houses, multiple cars, savings
accounts and retirement plans?
When we
invest in society, we have to play by their rules. We get a stake in the game
and we become willingly subjected to those who are trying to sit atop the
mountain.
Some
(particularly Christian Financial Advisors) just embrace it and celebrate it.
That's the way the world works. If you want to play, you have to play by the
rules. If the rules mean that some people lose and even suffer deprivation as a
result (which is to inflict violence on them)...then that's just the way of the
world. The fact that our economy is built on the manipulation, plunder and
destruction of other countries and societies... well, that's just the forces of
the market.
Really? Are
we supposed to 'play'? Does this fulfill our calling as Christians? Does the world-reality just supersede
Scripture and the ethic it teaches us?
Oh, but if
we follow through on what the New Testament teaches us, then we'll fail. We
won't have successful businesses. We won't climb to the top of power. We won't
even be middle class. We won't be socially respectable. We might even have to
suffer.
Surely
Christ wouldn't want that!
And so
thousands of pages have been written and thousands of hours have been spent
attempting to explain away what the New Testament teaches. This has been
accomplished through various means, but the most effective method throughout
the history of the Church has been to extract and misapply Old Testament
passages in order to effectively 'cancel out' what the New Testament in its
lucid and post-Calvary context teaches us.
GO TO PART 2