Shepherds and Hirelings
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not
the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees;
and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does
not care about the sheep.” (John 10:11-13) The word hireling means wage worker. This person
works only for pay, having little or no concern for the sheep, which sought the position as a profession
or saw it as a means. He puts in only what the position demands never going the extra mile. Like an
employee of a corporation working forty hours per week, doing solely what is required, and whose
heart is not for the good of the company. He merely works there for earthly ends. Hirelings are
insincere and self-seeking. They were abundant in Paul’s day, as in our own. He said, “For I have no
one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are
of Christ.” (Philippians 2:20-21)
The foundation of every hireling’s theology is not Christ but humanism.
Hirelings are humanistic theologians who are as spiritual pharmacists handing out prescriptions with no
cures. Patients explain their symptoms, a diagnosis is made, and from the resourceful library of
humanism, a treatment is procured, but leaves the patient worse off than before, though momentarily
they feel better. For the patients now live the rest of their lives deprived of the real cure. This
pharmacist merely treated the pain in their flesh but neglected their ill spirits. Nevertheless, the
majority of these patients love to be deceived, as it is written: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the
priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?
(Jeremiah 5:31)
For example: there was a woman who worked hard at homeschooling her children, doing laundry,
preparing meals for her husband, and taking the children to church every week. The husband was a
self centered, egotistical, ill tempered man who was never satisfied. In fact, the more she tried to
please him, the more he complained. He often boasted about the soreness in his body, attitudes of
employees which he tolerated at work, and how he labored earnestly to provide for his family. He was
a prideful man, which if anyone dared challenged his character or wit, would quickly become red of
face and assail them with all kinds of threats. In his opinion he was as good as they come! But his
wife felt like she was “walking on eggshells” all the time and that she could never satisfy her husband.
Now the church this poor lady has attended for the past several years has consistently taught that
husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the church and that wives should submit to their
husbands in everything as unto the Lord; also that divorce was not an option for her. But the day
came when she hired a babysitter and went out with some old friends from high school. They knew
she was mistreated, never appreciated, and always serving having to put that miserable husband of hers
first. They began to tell her God has a plan for her life, that she deserves a godly husband, who will
look after her needs, and that God has not called her to misery, but peace. She was invited to their
church for the following Sunday service. She was so nervous and afraid. After much thought she
decided to go by herself, leaving the children at home with their father. As they approach the large
building she hears the sound of music and people singing. Frustration and restlessness which she
brought from home is now beginning to dwindle away from hearing the joyful celebration inside the
walls of this church building. She enters the auditorium and sees masses, thousands of people all
singing praises to the Lord. Peace begins to cover her as with a blanket and she weeps for several
minutes. Now the preacher was filled with enthusiasm and was eloquent of speech. The message he
spoke really hit home with her as he laid out before her all the struggles and burdens she has carried for
so long. After the service her friends take her to the pastor and she begins to cry telling him all that has
befallen her and how his sermon spoke directly to her poor lonely soul. To her surprise the preacher
boldly explains that she is not called to bondage, but to peace and that God’s will is for her to be
happy. He asked if her husband was an unbeliever and she said yes. He then explained that it wasn’t
God’s will for her to be yoked together with an unbeliever. He counsels her to get a divorce from her
husband and she inclines to his voice.
This preacher is not a man of God, nor a shepherd, but a hireling, who does not care about the sheep!
He preaches humanism, self idolatry, and is far from the grace of God. He doesn’t know what real
love is? His earthly mind makes him an enemy of the cross of Christ, and he despises the counsel of
scripture, as the apostle said, “Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to
depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her
husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife. But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother
has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a
woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce
him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the
husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. But if the unbeliever
departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us
to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know,
O husband, whether you will save your wife?” (1 Corinthians 7:10-16)
The Lord’s command is to not depart from your spouse, but if your spouse sins and divorces you, you
must remain alone or be reconciled.
Paul’s counsel is to make every effort through affectionate servitude and godly behavior, that perhaps
by these the unbelieving spouse may be won to Christ. But if the heathen persists in unrighteousness
and hardens his heart, you cannot force him stay. The word bondage in this passage is translated from
the Greek word doeloo meaning to enslave. If the unbelieving spouse departs you are not subject to
fulfill the duties of a spouse. Your entire life does not revolve around that person so long as they are
away from you. Paul would not dare advise the church for which Christ died to behave contrary to
Christ’s teachings by consenting to divorce! Paul concluded this doctrine with, “A wife is bound by
law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she
wishes, only in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 7:39)
In this example the hireling has diagnosed and treated the disease of the flesh. In many such cases the
spouse who filed for divorce ends up like the woman with the issue of blood who spent all of her
livelihood on doctors who never made her well, but rather grew worse. (Mark 5:25) Hence, the
hireling does not care about the sheep.
Think of it—this woman experienced thousands of people happily singing praises, who believe this
hireling is a man of God. She was spellbound by the multitudes and from the preacher having never
heard her story yet he told it from the pulpit. As an ox goes to the slaughter so she went after the
hireling’s counsel. The preacher gave her advice laced with death and now she lives the rest of her life
deprived of the truth, that is, unless someone teaches her.
The resurrection of Jesus reveals eternal life, eternal judgment, and an eternal home. Hirelings have
little or no confidence in the resurrection therefore they are ever mindful of earthly things. Their
inspiration comes from material happiness, being praised by men, and more liked by this world. They
have lost touch with reality. If there are no strings which bind their teachings to eternity then you may
assume, the teacher is a hireling. Leaders should bring heavenly perspective to the minds of their
flocks charting their eternal course.
Perhaps the final apostasy will be wrought through hirelings as it was in times past, being puppets of
the Lawless One, who craftily condemn the narrow teachings of Jesus as legalism through humanism,
creating an unbiblical image of Christ which many foolish and ignorant people have fallen in love with,
preparing multitudes for his ultimate lie to be well received. Could the times we are in concerning the
church, be like that of Jerusalem during the days of Jeremiah? Judgment was looming over Judah’s
horizon as the sovereign hand of God was executing His will by kings, judges, priests, prophets and the
people.
Hirelings appeal to the carnal desires of immature believers through a form of wisdom which God’s
word does not support, leading them away from the narrow road which leads to Heaven. They are
Satan’s children collaborating to keep the saints occupied with the cares of life and satisfied with the
pleasures of this world.
Because there is a large building filled with people who love the Lord do not concede that they are
walking a narrow way, nor if these be small. For, “They [who] do not regard the work of the LORD,
nor consider the work of His hands, [remember] therefore [that] hell hath enlarged herself, and opened
her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth,
shall descend into it.” (Isaiah 5:12, 14) For every person must give an account for their deeds done in
the body, whether good or bad, therefore, each individual should purpose to live with a good
conscience before God with whom we have to do. Leaders are good and profitable so long as their
consciences are guided by scripture. But the glory of the New Covenant is that, “I will put My laws in
their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None
of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know
Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.” (Hebrews 8:10-11)
For a believer to become a Christian he must be persuaded only by scripture, guarding against the
cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, men who with smooth words and flattering speeches deceive
the hearts of the simple. (Ephesians 4:14, Romans 16:18)
Today there are dozens of denominations since the reformation of the fifteen hundreds, many which
boast that their way is right, ruling their members with fear, manipulation, and traditions. In many
ways what was lacking in the Catholic Church, is being filled by the institutional assemblies. Non
denominationalism is not excluded either. Nevertheless, because of His own faithfulness I believe
Jesus could have His witness in each one and that He is calling them out. But there are so many
persuasions today. Is Christ divided? Have we been baptized into an organization? Certainly not!
Those who are Christ’s have been baptized into His name. Then you will ask, “Who is right?” Only
the scripture! Every person is entitled to God’s word and His word is to guide the consciences of all
into the only one truth leading to everlasting life.
The reformers were born between two worlds of corruption: the sinners of this age and the ungodly
church, but is today any different? Since then the church has been divided and dispersed but with
different tenets of faith and doctrine. However believers become Christians when they come out from
the corruption of both worlds to follow the narrow way of Christ. Consequently however, the
reformed churches are suffering today from compromises these reformers made.
Following the reasoning of the majority from the assumption because they are many is to abruptly fall
under the same curse as those, who because of church culture, saw nothing forbidding them from
ordaining adulterers and homosexuals or burning people for praying in English. Christianity does not
change but cultures do. For many, the teachings and traditions of Christianity are merely a cultural
event. As these customs change so does their form of Christianity because their beliefs have become
based on culture, rather than being grounded on the Holy Scriptures. Just as politicians have such a
love for their party, though they are wrong, so do believers love and defend, even when in error, the
traditions of their organizations. The word culture doesn’t appear anywhere in the Bible; however, the
term synonymous with culture is, “The world.” We are to come out from the world, lest we be
cultivated by it. Culture is not to affect Christianity; rather Christianity is to affect the culture!
I have often been caught up into whirlwinds of confusion and fear as to whether I should dare preach
with such boldness, the holiness of Christ and His saints, knowing that I too will be judged and am
impatient and harsh at times. I do not take pleasure when others are discomforted, but I cannot
suppress the anguish which I know according to scripture must be in Christ’s heart from believers
putting Him to an open shame.
Hirelings are they who overcome others with their own delusions. These will never enter life eternal
and they do not allow those who are entering to go in either, as the scripture says, “I have seen a
horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem: They commit adultery and walk in lies; they also strengthen
the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns back from his wickedness.” (Jeremiah 23:14)
It is the common sentiment of all hirelings that since we all stumble at some point, we need not to
pursue holiness in the fear of God, nor feel condemned for habitually sinning. But to not pursue
holiness means one is persuaded that God isn’t holy either. In these, the words of Isaiah are fulfilled
saying, “Thy wisdom and thy knowledge have perverted thee.” (Isaiah 47:10)
Hirelings have blasphemed the way of the truth so that many follow their destructive ways, having
been allured by the lusts of the flesh through great swelling words of emptiness. Hirelings promise
liberty but they themselves are slaves of corruption, because it is the resurrection which sets us at
liberty providing true holiness.
The wisdom of all hirelings promotes envy and self seeking, which is earthly, sensual, and demonic.
Jesus said the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep, but the hireling does not care about them. As
he flees from the sheep when he sees the wolf coming so he will likewise flee when he sees the face of
Him who is seated on the Great White Throne!
Though teachers will receive a stricter judgment do not presume that sheep who have followed the
voices of strangers [hirelings] will escape condemnation, as it is written, “This is a rebellious people,
lying children, children who will not hear the law of the LORD; who say to the seers, “Do not see,”
and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy
deceits.” (Isaiah30:9-10) We know Jesus said that His sheep know His voice, and they will by no
means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers, (John 10:
4-5) but be watchful that what the apostle Paul spoke is not fulfilled in you: “Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the
church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing
shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men
arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember,
that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:28-
31) Its apparent men seek to deceive the sheep sounding with their voices the words of Christ.
Hirelings seek to extinguish the flames of illumination ignited in the minds of new creations by the
precious Holy Spirit, which threaten to burn up the stubble and chaff of their false teachings and to
therefore dim the light which exposes their many sorceries and delusions.
I think of all the newborns in the churches, the spiritual babes who have no knowledge of the word
except for what they heard the day they believed in Christ. They have become new creations liberated
from satanic rule and translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. As they know by revelation that
they were forgiven much, they now have a love which surpasses knowledge. A thirst has been
satisfied but they begin to desire more. Starting to read the scriptures, as weeks and months go by,
they begin to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now as their consciences are
being guided by scripture, errors in church doctrine become apparent. They think, “Surely those who
have been attending services for several years have noticed these errors also.” Humbly, questions are
asked to friends, elders, and pastors. The majority of these, especially the pastor, reprove the
newborn. Now the babe already felt inferior, but now has a complex every time the scripture reveals
the churches fallacious behavior, doctrine, and activities. This new creature does not yet feel confident
in his own convictions, and is overwhelmed by the masses of people, who all with one accord, agree in
the soundness of their church. The babe begins to despair because of their unbelief and fears
something is wrong with himself, or that maybe it isn’t even real. But he knows what the Bible
declares, remembers his new birth experience, and is consoled by the Holy Spirit. The organization has
now become a source of oppression for the newborn, but because of his sense of inadequacy he
complies with the ecclesial authorities, as an act of humility and submission, sinning against his
conscience through participating in certain intervals during the services, for he thinks, “I must not be
interpreting scripture correctly, after all I am only a babe; how could I possess more knowledge than
these learned and aged men, who have been serving God their whole lives,” thus fulfilling the scripture,
“For by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.” (2 Peter 2:19) The
word overcome is translated from the Greek word hēttaō meaning to vanquish, such as to vanquish an
opponent through a rebuttal as in a debate; to be made inferior. The pastor has boasted of his
knowledge and publically condemned the errors of others, he is praised and respected for his sermons
which are delivered every week, and his degree of learning is recognized so that by these things,
anyone who voices their opinions are already trembling and humbled, even if they have the truth. In
this way the babe is brought into bondage, because he fears confrontation, lacks confidence in his own
understanding of scripture, and the majority around him with one accord agree with the pastor. He
continues to attend services in this condition but if he tarries long enough in this course, he may
eventually become as the rest, who with one accord, follow the fallacious behavior, doctrine, and
activities of the institution. Sadly, when this happens the victim becomes inoculated. The measure of
truth he received by faith provided him an emotional and memorable experience so that when
correction and instruction come to reprove him, he is immune to both counsel and compunction.
There are churches I have met who show godly behavior, follow sound doctrine, and serve the Lord in
sincerity and truth. But we must have the same attitude as the Berean’s, who searched the scriptures
daily to find out if what they were hearing was so. (Acts 17:11) We must examine and prove those
who say they are men of God, as those in Ephesus who tested those who claimed apostleship but were
not and found them liars. (Revelation 2:2)
“Therefore, in a single day the LORD will destroy both the head and the tail, the noble palm branch
and the lowly reed. The leaders of Israel are the head, and the lying prophets are the tail. For the
leaders of the people have misled them. They have led them down the path of destruction.” (Isaiah 9:
14-16) A preacher who tells his adulterous, sin willed people, that they are blessed, have peace, and
nothing to fear is at best a liar; and his father must be the devil. Within one generation the church
began to ordain adulterers, then homosexuals. It was not a slow process. It happened so quick that the
following generation was born into a whole new culture, and at that, a blind one. Who is to blame?
Every sleeping Christian, every hireling, every coward who knew the truth but feared man more than
God-what a travesty!
Preachers today like in Jeremiah’s time who were manufactured by a religious assembly line were
saying things which the LORD did not command, or speak, nor came into His mind. They attempted
to use some of God’s word to frame a theology which the whole counsel of Scripture does not teach.
“I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if
they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have
turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.” (Jeremiah 23:21-22) God was
publically declaring that He was not the author of His people’s words and deeds. Israel was following
the ways of the infidel. The degradation and moral decline within their culture became a product from
not coming out of the world and being separate, as God had commanded. The church, not the world is
to set the standard. The church is to be the thermostat that changes their environment, not a
thermometer which holiness goes up or down by degrees depending on the spiritual climate of those in
their schools, workplaces, and cities.
For example: a family plans a vacation at the beach. They stay there for three days seeing and hearing
lawlessness. Minus a few inches of fabric around the upper and lower body parts, one would be in a
porn festival. Strangely this family is not even aware this place is unfitting for saints, because after all,
it is the beach, and it is our culture to dress this way for swimming. But what would Christ and His
apostles tell us? “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and
white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed.”
(Revelation 3:18) Nakedness is shameful. Besides why would one expose themselves before a world
filled with demonic influences, and various lusts? Would not these places serve as oppression for
saints, who are called to be holy? Those who would say, “You are weak; what may be a temptation
for you, is not necessarily for me.” But these comments only show you are hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13) We are to abstain from every appearance of evil, therefore do
not be haughty, but fear. (Romans 11:20)
Haughtiness is that which begins to roll down a snowy mountainside as little pieces of stubble, which if
not swiftly dealt with, is surely to crash headlong into ruin.
But how could partakers of the Divine Nature enjoy themselves, not suffering the reality of God’s
eternal judgment upon all the shameless souls who boisterously display unruly passions, who make up
the lost and dying in our world? Also, it is written, “If food makes my brother stumble, I will never
again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” (1 Corinthians 8:13) This means we should aim to
be modest in our appearance, for why should you become a stumbling block to those who are weak?
And why should the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? (1 Corinthians 8:9, 11) Also, I would
suppose the majority of conservative American men and women would be embarrassed to be seen in
public in their underwear, but I find it strange that the same would freely take off their garments leaving
on nothing more than a few strings at the beach!
Hirelings do not labor with birth pangs until Christ is formed in every believer, because they fail to
preach the whole counsel of God’s word. They have a foggy and warped image of Christ which
teaches that becoming a Christian is easy. For example: a preacher gives an altar call inviting sinners
to receive Christ. The sinner repeats a prayer, is told they are saved, and to attend church faithfully.
But believers become Christians when they walk in a narrow way, bear their crosses, and go the extra
mile. The narrow way is the teachings of the New Testament, the cross bearing is living out those
doctrines, and the extra mile is enduring until the end.
The old law said that whoever commits the act of adultery is guilty, but Jesus said, if we even lust after
another woman we have committed adultery with her in our hearts. The old law taught if you overtake
a person by force so that they die you are guilty of murder, but the new law teaches whoever hates his
brother is a murderer. “The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus
Christ.” (John 1:17) Which standard is higher, the law or grace? Again, grace is the Divine Influence
upon the heart with its reflection in the life. Grace keeps us walking in a narrow way. Grace teaches
us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. Grace gives us power to follow hard after Christ. Grace and
faith both give to each other so that we are kept by the power of God. But leaders today have led the
flock into perdition through teaching falsely on grace, as it is written, “My people have been lost sheep.
Their shepherds have led them astray.” (Jeremiah 50:6)
In a sense, just as the Catholic Church attempted to seal the covenant of circumcision through infant
baptism, so have modern teachers of Christianity attempted to seal the law of tithing. But in the New
Covenant we are all priests, as John wrote to the seven churches, “To Him who loved us and washed
us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father,”
(Revelation 1:5-6) and Peter put it this way, “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation.” (1 Peter 2:9) I am astounded at how so many teach and follow the laws of tithing to the point
that they say if you don’t tithe you don’t love God or are not a Christian. They teach and follow this
old law to the very jot and tittle, but the Apostles did not find it expedient or should I say the Holy
Spirit, to teach that law, but the laws of marriage, love, and holiness which Jesus taught. Some
ministers neglect these weightier matters which are the crux of Christianity, but will have a ten part
series on tithing or sowing and reaping. Why is this? It must be for financial security and freedom. Or
maybe as many charismatic’s have said, they just love money. It appears that many who teach such
strict laws on tithing have the greatest struggles in their love walk and have been married and divorced
or even remarried or sanction them. This should not be a sign but a road block! We are to give
generously and cheerfully, not out of necessity, according to new law. Jesus told the Pharisees,
concerning tithing, “These [justice, mercy, and faith] you ought to have done, without leaving the
others [tithing] undone.” (Matthew 23:23) But Jesus was speaking to lawmakers on legal matters.
The only time the gospel records Jesus talking about tithing is when He scorned the Pharisees. All His
teachings about money were simple, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew
6:21) We are no longer bound to financial obligations; rather through Christ we have been freed to give
generously! We as Christ, become poor, that through our poverty others will be made rich. But for
those who have an evil eye, “Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things
of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? Even so the Lord
has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel,” and, “If we have sown
spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? If others are partakers of this
right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things
lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 9:11-14)
It is strange how many pastors today exalt the rich and shun the poor. They think and lead others to
believe that every missionary, pastor, or evangelist whose bank accounts are scant must be ungodly
because they are not rich. If the apostles, such as Paul, were to attend a meeting, what would they
think of him? He said, “But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God,” for we are, “As
poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things,” (2 Corinthians 6:4, 10)
and, “To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and
homeless.” (1 Corinthians 4:11)
I have seen with my own eyes famous charismatic preachers literally dancing over money people threw
on the stage steps. Furthermore, it is reported that the same have boldly said, “I love money.” They
teach that it is not wrong to love money. Gullible people gulp all of this garbage up. Any sect of
Christianity who accepts, approves, or even associates with such apostates, are partakers with them.
Therefore the apostle said, “From such withdraw thyself.” (1 Timothy 6:5)
Come out from the world and be separate says the LORD. Is He calling us to come out from
mainstream Christianity? Leaders of the mainstream in many ways are not leaders of the Church but
of institutions. They have gone to seminary to learn what all of the ministers in their stream have
learned and to familiarize themselves with the scriptures that are popular among there stream, never
leaving the dark, hiding in the shadows of the truth. They have not discovered the heart of God and do
not know His ways. They only discovered the heart of their organizations and learned its ways. But
not all denominational pastors are in the dark, for the Catholic Church throughout history had its
witness as well, but as the leaders of Israel did to the prophets, so did the Catholic authorities do to
those who were sent to her.
“The people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the
scribes.” (Matthew 7:28-29) Jesus brought people in touch with reality. His delight was in the fear of
the LORD. (Isaiah 11:3) He had no worldly ambitions or lusts. There was a quiet somberness about
Him. Unlike the scribes and Pharisees He never sinned!
Holiness and humility add weight to your words, but pastors today share the pitiful sentiment, “We all
sin and fall short.” However the true elect of God have no sympathy towards sin, rather they slay it
making no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Hirelings use the word of God to control through fear for the purpose of securing their organization
rather than shepherding the flock. They, “Shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for [they]
neither go in [themselves], nor do [they] allow those who are entering to go in.” (Matthew 23:13)
These were the leaders, the guides to the blind, and the teachers of the Law! “Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly,
but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. (Matthew 23:27)
There was a meeting of kings and leaders in Israel who were seeking to inquire a word from the LORD
concerning the war against Syria. King Ahab had assembled four hundred prophets together and with
one accord they proclaimed, “Go up, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.” (1 Kings
22:6) But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here that we may inquire of
Him?” (1 Kings 22:7) Ahab responded, “There is still one man, Michaiah, but I hate him, because he
does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” (1Kings 22:8) Then Ahab sent someone to bring
him. Now, “The messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the
words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of
one of them, and speak encouragement.” I want to be an encourager who makes people feel good but
the most good they could ever possibly feel is the presence of Jesus in Heaven, though it will never
happen if I do not encourage them with truth. Truth is refreshing to those who love it, but to those
who do not, truth serves as a rod. Out of four hundred prophets Michaiah was the only one loyal to
God, the truth, and wicked King Ahab. That is far less than one percent. I so desire to be a source of
healing and hope; to be one who encourages bringing smiles to the faces of many, but the truth
weighing upon my conscience will not permit me to do so if the words I speak are to secure
ungodliness and excuse men of their vices under the cloak of grace. Do you not know that blows
which hurt cleanse away evil, as do stripes the inner depths of the heart? (Proverbs 20:30)
Earlier I wrote that hirelings procure a treatment, but it is to satisfy the fleshly desires of people, not to
heal their ill spirits. “For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying,
‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.” (Jeremiah 8:11) Their counsel is untempered mortar which
will not preserve nor protect the flock from destruction in the Day of Wrath.
Sadly, those who believe the whole counsel of scripture, are often noted as lacking compassion and full
of self righteousness, while the hirelings are praised among the churches being received and spoken
well of by all, even secular progressives, that in them the words of Christ are fulfilled, “Woe to you
when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:26)
Most assuredly, the hirelings have their reward, but to the true shepherds of the church, Jesus says,
“Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your
name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward
is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.” (Luke 6:22-23)
We must be mindful that hirelings do not want people to suffer on earth, so they lace scripture with
humanism rather than reminding them of the resurrection. The resurrection provides hope for all
Christians, and this hope causes us to persevere during trials in righteousness. But many exchange the
truth [resurrection] for the lie [humanism], and for this reason God will give them over to a reprobate
mind. (Romans 1:28)
Where the hireling gives counsel to escape earthly discomforts suffered because of truth; the shepherd
speaks the truth, that the flock may escape eternal torments. “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us
in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased
from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the
will of God.” (1 Peter 4:1-2)
I have heard it said, if you study anything for two hours a day for five years then you will become an
expert on the subject. Now let’s apply that to scripture. Today we have possibly thousands of
ministers who have done just this and their congregations say wow what an anointed man of God, they
must be close to the Lord. But if a love for the whole truth is not a part of them, they may have a gift,
but it was developed in time, they may have an anointing but King Saul had one too.
King Saul was a people pleaser. He didn’t want to make people unhappy by his obedience and
commitment to God. There was no fear of God in him. He didn’t want to offend any of his
colleagues or associates or make them feel uncomfortable. He wasn’t willing to risk the loss of his
popularity. He loved the praise of men more than praise from God. He wanted to be socially,
politically, and religiously accepted. He was concerned with the affairs of this life and the deceitfulness
of riches rather than devotion and obedience to God. He feared man, the created, instead of God, the
Creator. He did not believe the integrity of God’s word. He was a smooth talker who humbled
himself before man but not before the LORD. (1 Samuel 15:10-35)
Those who reflect the image of Christ are often hated and ostracized from the fellowship of those in
churchianity. “This is the condemnation: that the light has come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light
and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” (John 3:19-20) Churchianity is a
term used in Christianity to make a distinction between those who have substituted the teachings of
Christ with the traditions or habits of the institutional church; the central focus has shifted from Jesus to
the organization; hence the replacing of Christ in Christianity with church. Church is not an
organization but an organism. Organizations are dead but an organism is a living thing. Genuine
Christianity is the light that those in churchianity hate. For this reason many members of the same
institution do not get along. If you walk in the light as He is in the light some of your contemporaries
will abandon you or accuse you of being too serious or heavenly minded; that you have become
religious, when really you have laid hold of the mind of Christ, laying down all ‘religion.’ Many times
you will hear them suggest, “Has indeed God said?”
When a person is in sin and they are confronted with the truth in a spirit of love they will run one of
two directions: either to God or away from God. The Christian believes the Bible is truth, and his life
is consummated by it. However this end is not a means to gain, but the end of self-living for the glory
of God. A serious problem in the church today is that many are looking for ‘godly’ influence instead of
God’s influence.
Do you blend in with society? All of the men and women God used to shape societies and reform
communities, states, and nations for His sake did not blend in. Like a steak soaking in marinade with
many seasonings we become flavorful by assimilating the grace and truth Jesus brought. This is how
we need to be in our world, full of flavor and not bland. We have every reason and cause to be so in
love with Christ. We should be so intimate with Jesus that we look like Him, smell like Him, Sound
like Him. Jesus is hungry for some real fruit. But this will only be realized through good shepherds
and every individual taking personal responsibility to walk the narrow way.
Loving Simplicity
Consequently, as hirelings motivate, encourage, and teach the Bible, confidence is built in them so that
the people do not wholly follow the Bible’s teachings. The trust becomes a blind spot. They fail to
mature beyond their pastor. Instead of building confidence in God’s word and their relationship with
Jesus, the confidence grows in their pastor and their relationship with him. They have been misled by
the way the message and its presentation makes them feel or having exalted their feelings above the
words of Christ. Rather denying what they felt, they deny Jesus’ teachings or that He really meant
what He said. Rather than believing the Bible they believe the pastor. Instead of doubting the pastor
they doubt Christ. In doing this they reduce the beauty of His truth. They have exchanged the truth of
God for the lie. Because they have loved simplicity (that is being seduced through ignorance) hating
knowledge (being made aware of God) wisdom will laugh at their calamity and mock when their terror
comes. (Proverbs 1:26) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. This knowledge tips
the balance by an eternal measure. This knowledge will weigh reality upon your thoughts and feelings.
The medieval church which united Europe for almost a millennium, which brought illumination and
order to civilization, had grown in wealth and power. Because there were no Bibles in the vernacular
of these nations the Gospel became seasoned with superstitions and half truths. But there was a
hunger in the people for the words of the Lord and a handful of noble characters risked their lives to
give the Bible to the people in their own language. Today, what common folks were burned alive for
reading now collects dust on coffee tables as decorations.
“For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my
counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be
filled with their own devices.” (Proverbs 1:29-31)
Sinners, who love their sin, seem to love their sin more so than the church loves their Christ. This is
why those who are anti-Christ are doing more than those who say they belong to Christ. They are
more motivated from their love for sin, pleasure, and self idolatry than the church is for holiness,
contentment, and the will of God.
Much of the church is apathetic and when apathy is fully grown it brings forth apostasy. You can see
this in churches today, such as when love grows cold because of lawlessness. When people lack godly
interest and concern for the truth, then the beauty of the church slowly fades because she fails to come
out from the world and be separate.
The True Witness
Many missionaries have it easy when they travel to other lands despite weather, sickness, poverty, and
loneliness. For they are not preaching the narrow messages of Jesus which He said leads to life.
(Matthew 7:13-14) Now the Greek word for life in this passage is zoe. This is the same life Jesus said
that He came to give in abundance. (John 10:10) Peter said to Jesus, “You have the words of eternal
life.” (John 6:68) Our Lord Himself said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they
are life.” (John 6:63) Now my question to you is, “What poor nation wouldn’t welcome a person
from a wealthy country, who is bringing a message of comfort, blessing, prosperity, and salvation from
the consequences of their sin?” But if you preach Jesus’ narrow messages on murder, adultery, and
loving your enemies, as did the apostle Paul to the new Gentile believers, you are surely going to be
persecuted and that, in a nation under whose authorities and laws you are subject, being far away from
family, or any agency where with you may be able to call for help and justice. You risk the chance of
never being able to see the light of day again; for an angry tribesman, officer, or any native, who was
offended by the words of Christ on your lips, though he previously professed Christianity, is now
handing you over to state authorities, for who knows how long or how you will be treated.
Missionaries today lead people to a Christ without law; however to truly lead a person to Christ is to
lead them to His very words, which He said are spirit and life. If they will still love Him and follow
Him, after hearing His teachings then you know they have a revelation from the Father, that Jesus is
the Son of God. If you want to be a true witness to the nations you must lead them to the words of
Christ, for, “A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies.” (Proverbs 14:25)
Parable of the False Cure
There was a certain man who took pity on a far off land, because many there were dying from a
dreaded disease. He left all for this country he loved and spent his life on a cure for their illness. Now
there were others who marveled as they observed the wondrous effects of the cure and how they loved
him for it. So they decided to make a counterfeit imploring that the same man had hired them to take
over his service. Not only was it counterfeit, but they also sold their cure for profit. However, the
people still rejoiced because this potion likewise achieved its desired effects of a strong sense of
happiness, comfort, peace and safety. Furthermore, though they paid thirty silver pieces for the cure,
whereas before it came free, they find their cure to be cheaper, though before they paid not even one
small mite.