Christianity, Faith: Freedom to Criticize any Church or Pastor?

June 1, 2019
Christianity, Faith: Freedom to Criticize any Church or Pastor?

By Nneka Okumazie

If a Pastor does something reprehensible, does ‘touch not my anointed’ provide a cover from criticism?

In the current debate, some have said the verse referred to the children of Israel in the scriptures. Others said it meant do not persecute. Some said it’s in the Old Testament. Some others said it does not apply to Pastors. Some said everyone is anointed. Others said if something bad happened to one, the person would not quote it. Some even said the verse was used to scam them.

The painful thing about this kind of angry enlightenment is that the consequences would reach far beyond one church or pastor.

In any situation, if a genuine Christian takes a stand against the word of God, at that point, alliance is with the one who came to steal, kill and destroy, not the One who came to give life.

Yes, there are things pastors should never do. There are all kinds of strange addictions, horrible acts, desperation and compulsion that fake pastors do, but in coming out against them, a seed is sown to be useful against real pastors, for whatever grievance anyone would have, in the future.

True churches have disciplinary committees. Also, there are ways to discipline or pursue justice against one, without doing so in a way that affects the true church of God, or the body of Christ.

But using the scriptures to justify something that is not on the side of the Lord is dangerous for any sincerely true Christian.

Yes, everyone knows the Bible. Everyone now seems to be their own pastor. No pastor is anything to some. No pastor can tell some anything. Whatever they believe is true, and what they don’t believe is false. All pastors are humans and so anyone can get the true power of God just like that.

Discrediting the word of God, no matter how, is an attack on faith, hope and repentance which the world badly needs. There are those who have heard things that would make them not want to try. There are those who would already think nobody can be holy, so it helps them justify bad things.

Everyone has a tendency to criticize. Everyone has a tendency to do bad stuff. Everyone has some dissatisfaction with something. But there is always the discretion of consequence. So, if something is really mordant, there’s an approach to avoid destroying it all.

Christ chased away those selling merchandizes in the temple because there’s something more serious for about the house of God – prayer.

Christ chased away does not mean criticize churches and pastors. Those who do, never promote prayers, healing, deliverance, salvation or holiness, it is just pastor is bad, church is bad, full stop. Christ went on to heal people after He chased the sellers away.

[Matthew 21:14, And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple; and He healed them.]

Some often-said Apostle Paul criticized Apostle Peter. They take just that and not use context for the Scriptures when it is time to argue against the word of God.

Apostle Peter and Paul had bonded for 15 days – which may have included praying sessions and sharing of Scriptures.

[Galatians 1:18, Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.]

Apostle Paul blamed him later, but not as a false brother, or sin issue, or to destroy the church, or hate, or for superiority. Apostle Paul probably expected the same, if he did so too.

[Galatians 2:11, But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.]

It ended there. And wasn’t cited later, or becoming a divisive model, or a way to attack each other, or derail the growth of the word of God.

Criticism can lead to persecution; same way intention is sin.

[Matthew 5:28, But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.]

Sometimes, bitterness or envy leads to wickedness. But bitterness and envy, sins, are often intentions. Sometimes, pride is the reason for anger. But pride is already a sin, but the result – anger – is seen.

Peter and John were looked down on. Broad criticisms of the church, led to persecution some faced.

[Acts 4:13, Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.]

Any wise Christian would know not to ever go to war with the word of God, or go against His scriptures. It is possible to not like a Pastor, or the style, or whatever, but using the scripture as defense to judge others, condemn others and potentially sowing seed to turn any away from Christ is horrible.

[Acts 12:5, Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.]

Dipo Olowookere

Dipo Olowookere is a journalist based in Nigeria that has passion for reporting business news stories. At his leisure time, he watches football and supports 3SC of Ibadan.

Mr Olowookere can be reached via [email protected]

2 Comments

  1. The old Church of God of the New Covenant is the church that has Jesus as its head, this church people walked out of Jerusalem in AD 70 and returned to the British Islands just before the city Temple was burned down this is the same church that the man called Saul who became Paul was at war with as he tell us all in Galatians 1:13 we have always been around, yes most of us are Celtic people , we are those Galatians many of us now live in the Appalachian mountains in the united states, when our people went out of the city of Jerusalem that day, just before the temple came down we took some of the house of Aaron with us they still live in the British Island and the America, we are that old church where any person who comes to Jesus is saved John 3:16 all humans are God’s who-so-ever, the human needs Jesus as savior, and him alone
    From:::::: the Elder Until next time Let the love of God have its way with you, and He will make you into what He wants, Love like He loves, Go where He opens to you, love those who will not love you 1 Cor. 13:1-13

  2. Humans are always at war with God when they will not obey, God says and so does science that there are but one human race, but the human will not obey God and says with this color or that we are better, but the so called better does not do better, the so called better has only hate, and a us and them mind.

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