Sirs;

I cannot begin to tell you how important your site is to me. I read it daily and have for quite a while. Unfortunately God has not blessed me with a mind that seems to hold these things for very long. Perhaps at 63 it is too much to expect, perhaps, the 70’s took their toll.
Our pastor, 41, married, son college age, recently left his wife to hook up with a deacon’s wife whom he had been counseling. Obviously, everyone in the community is shocked. I teach a Sunday school class, and am able to introduce the truths of the bible as I have come to know them as ‘let’s look at other viewpoints on scripture’, perhaps a coward’s way out. I don’t expect any converts, just honest discussion.

This pastor came to this church about 13 yrs ago as a relatively young man and was regarded as an evangelist. The church had 35 members then and up to recently has about 450, new buildings et al. I have personally spent time with the man socially and liked him very much. As a preacher I thought he left much to be desired. It was always the “gospels” or a story about Moses or David. Interestingly he was starting a series on David when he up and left. We all know where David’s story ends. I was in a minority of one when I expressed any opinion about his “children’s” sermons. Pointing out how ‘weak’ he appeared to be and how little actual teaching was going on fell on deaf ears. Not an “eyes to see and ears to hear” crowd.
My question is, can we scripturally identify why this man fell, or was going to fall? We’ve been discussing First and Second Corinthians, and even though they are identified by Paul as saints, there was still a lot of sin in that Church. Looking at Heb 6, we see the teaching that should have been accomplished and moved on from. So, I guess I am trying to find a scriptural link between the ‘milk’ teaching and the consequences that were in the Corinthian church and the ‘milk’ teaching by this mentioned pastor and his sin. I am hoping to show the importance of ‘meat’ and its relationship to living for Christ. And since we are in the process of hiring a preacher, I would like to have some guidelines besides “he’s sincere”.
Any thoughts or direction you can offer will be greatly appreciated. If not, keep up the good work and I will continue to take advantage of your site.

Thanks again.
J____

Hi J____,

Thanks for your questions. You are beginning to experience what all of those to whom God has given ‘ears to hear and eyes to see’ will experience when they are true to the Word of God. We are ‘promised’ to be hated of all men.

Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

While that is not a pleasant position to contemplate, the other promises we have in Christ Jesus will more than nullify any negatives of the trials our temporary flesh must go through.

1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Since you have been studying Hebrews, you are familiar with Heb 6:1-2 which teaches us what the milk principles are. Backing up to chapter five, and realizing that in the original texts there were no chapter breaks, we see the words for which chapter six was a continuation.

Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [ be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

In considering one who would be a leader spiritually, it is imperative that he be a person who ‘by reason of use’ (searching the scriptures daily – Act 17:11) can discern good and evil; can discern truth from false doctrine. They must ‘be no more children’ and true to God’s word rather than be ‘carried about by every wind of doctrine’ (Eph 4:14). Their spiritual walk must be circumspect as Col 2:6 points out:

Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

One who would teach others must lead a life that sets a Christ- like example, which your previous minister certainly failed to do. As 1Ti 1:7 tells us:

1Ti 1:7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

The words a true teacher speaks must be truth, yes, but also must be understood spiritually.

Luk 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures
Mat 15:16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

The Pharisees and scribes certainly had knowledge of the scriptures, but did not have a spiritual understanding, which was essential.
I applaud you in your search for such a man as you describe, but you will find no such person in orthodox Christianity. Christ came to the man to whom He had given vision only after they had cast him out of the synagogue:

Joh 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
Joh 9:36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
Joh 9:37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
Joh 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

You are being given sight. If as this formerly blind man, you are faithful to what you are given to see, then you too, will in due time, be “cast out.”
It is what Christ says to the “Pharisees which were with him” that is so overlooked by all who believe in a ten second sinner’s prayer:

Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Joh 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

So that is your answer. Find a man who is willing to admit that he was born blind from his mother’s womb and that everything he has ever been taught is in error, and you will have found a man who is fit to lead our Lord’s flock.
‘Many are called, but few are chosen’ (Mat 22:14) means exactly what it says. It would be rare to find such a teacher and rarer still for his words (the words of Christ) to be received and believed by the congregation.
Continue to be a witness for the words of Christ, but be prepared to be ‘hated of all men’.
Anyone who openly claims to be a member of any particular denomination is simply saying “I am of Paul or I am of Apollos.” Such a person is a “yet carnal babe in Christ,” and is in no way fit to be leading our Lord’s flock.

1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co 3:4  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

The meat of God’s Word is not for those who are “unskillful in the word of righteousness.”

Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

In God’s own time, it will be you who will be the leader of His flock, but that comes only after we are “separate from our brothers [ in Christ].”

Gen 49:22  Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:
Gen 49:23  The archers “our own household”] have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
Gen 49:24  But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty [ God] of Jacob; (from thence [ is] the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
Gen 49:25  Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
Gen 49:26  The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

God bless your walk.
Mike