The Cut Down

The other day I saw a Facebook post from a prominent Christian ministry where they were slandering other pastors and preachers.

These pastors were not embroiled in any recent scandals. There were no secret pasts that have suddenly rocked their congregation. There were no devious schemes of embezzlement or fraud. There were no adulterous relationships or unwholesome videos surfacing.

They are just pastors that some people do not agree with for various reasons.

Is cutting down fellow believers right?

I cannot help but think, but wasn’t it the Pharisees that cutdown others when they didn’t agree with them? Wasn’t it the Pharisees that thought they were better and tried to point out peoples flaws? Wasn’t it the Pharisees that missed the love and grace of Jesus because He taught in a way that was different.

Are we living in a world of Pharisees still?

The sad thing is, they don’t know they are Pharisees. They think they are good, Christ following believers pointing out the supposed flaws of others.

The Pharisees were constantly trying to find flaws in Christ. Gasps…did he just heal on the sabbath? Gasps…did he just forgive sins. Gasps…did he just touch a leper? Gasps…did he just have dinner with that scoundrel?

Gasps.

Jesus did all that and more. He didn’t worry about pleasing the Pharisees because He knew they were not in the right.

Yet, the Pharisees continued to try to find fault until they crucified him.

I know there are some pastors that are not living the way they should as being a leader in a church. But calling out a pastor or group of pastors in a slanderous way to better yourself is far from the Christian thing to do.

If you disagree with someone you are not supposed to broadcast it for everyone to see. You are supposed to go to that person one on one.

Mature people handle situations delicately to help the other person. Foolish people handle it without care of the other person or even to hurt them.

Jesus didn’t tell us to slander our fellow brothers and sisters. We are to encourage, lift up, discipline (in the right way), grow closer, and watch out for one another.

I wonder what God thinks when He sees His Church cutting down on one another? I wonder if He sees memories of when His Son was cut down to die a blameless death in each of our careless tweets or posts?

When are we going to learn?

If you care more about what your church family thinks of you than acting ridiculous for the sake of saving someone, you may be a Pharisee.

If you think you are better than someone else because you are better at following the “churchy” rules, you may be a Pharisee.

If you care more about memorizing verses and having Bible studies in the church than reaching out to a lost world, you may be a Pharisee.

If you gasp at someone, you may be a Pharisee.

Now that you see you are one, what are you going to do?

Lay down your ax or sharpen it?

Peace