Personal Authority is being Practiced, Part 1

Scripture: Jeremiah 5:30-31

"An appalling and horrible thing Has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?

Insights: In so many ways, the state of America mirrors the history of Judah before they were taken into captivity by Babylon.  Yesterday we looked at the mirror between prophets giving false prophecies to preachers preaching false doctrines.  As horrific as the first problem was, this second problem is even worse.  Jeremiah said the priests rule on their OWN AUTHORITY!  God forgive us for our arrogance.  Church leaders today often rule on their own authority as well.  One of the pathetic jokes about us Baptist is the Holy Spirit could leave the average Baptist church and no one would know it for fifty years because we are so efficient at governing ourselves.  We have allowed modern American business protocols to infiltrate the church to such an extent that we default to these comfortable ways of doing things rather than surrender to the Lordship of God Himself.  This faulty managerial approach treats the church like an organization rather than the organism it truly is.  Along the way we have come to believe the church is a democracy when it is reality a Theocracy.  There is only One who has the right to rule the church and it is NOT us.  Our authority and wishes have no business in the governance of the church.  For the remainder of today and tomorrow I am going to use the worship wars which have been going on for over 25 years, and sadly are still going on in some places, as an illustration of our own authority verses God’s authority.  I write this in an exaggerated way, but hopefully you will get the point.  We have churches that refuse to use instruments at all.  We have churches that use a full orchestra.  We have churches that only allow a piano or organ.  We have some churches unwilling to sing any song written before the electric guitar was invented.  And at the same time we have churches that sing song only written by John or Charles Wesley and Fanny Crosby.  I hope you get the point: who is making the decisions in each of these churches regarding worship styles?  Is God making the decisions or is man and his rule by his own authority making the decisions?  Sadly, man.  Beloved, it ought to be God.

Questions:

1. Does the Scripture stand as the authority by which you make decisions?
2. Are you one who hear the words of the Bible, but choose to make your own decisions?

Prayer: Father, forgive me, when I act as if I know better than You.  My personal pride so often hinders my walk with You.  May Your word truly be the authority by which I live my life and may it bring honor and glory to You.  Amen.