Acts 15:24
We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. --NIV
In the name of the One Who is able to guard our faith, amen.
In looking at the Holy Ministry it is easy for a person to be led into thinking that a pastor's authority is above question. There are even some churches that teach that a pastor is given "indelible" character at his ordination. But the fact of the matter is that Holy Scripture warns us that there are many false teachers in the world. It warns us so that we can watch out and defend ourselves from such people.
Those who stand in the office of the public ministry are to be tested by us. This testing is not a one time thing; it is ongoing. What a pastor teaches is to be compared to the Word of God to see if it is true. Those who do not teach according to Holy Scripture are not sent out by Jesus. They are "Clouds without rain" as Saint Peter tells us (2 Peter 2: 17).
How are you testing your pastor? Do you check what he teaches against the Holy Word of God? Or do you follow shallow emotionalism. Does his authority rest squarely on the Word? Or does how much you like him as a person determine his authority? These are important questions, because if we give authority for any reason other than the Word of God, we make ourselves vulnerable to being led astray.
May God give you the ability to see what is right, and what is wrong according to the Scriptures. May He give you this gift because by it you guard the Faith for yourself and those around you. Our Savior knew how difficult things would get with so many false teachers around. He knew that it would be difficult for us to know who was sent by Him, and who was not. For this reason He gave us many warnings about false teachers. He also gave us His holy word so that we can tell the difference between someone who is sent by Him, and someone who is not. This is just another one of the many blessings that He has poured out on us. Amen.
Prayer: Dear Holy Spirit, come to us and open our eyes to see the difference between the teachers sent by Jesus, and those who are not. Bless us with faithful pastors who will always teach the truth and never stray from Your holy Word. Make us eager to compare what we are taught with Your Word so that we may guard the truth for ourselves and others, amen.