Dear Pastor Whoever
Dear Pastor Whoever….
Though Jesus was not confrontational (adversarial), He was often embroiled in confrontation. Religious leaders felt threatened by those questioning ‘the way it is’ of that era and Jesus, unlike most, didn’t go along to get along. He functioned by the leading of the Holy Spirit and the “scribes and Pharisees” did not. Those religious leaders were strongly attached to “the tradition of the elders” (Matthew 15:2). Jesus, on the other hand, was strongly attached to His Father. Conflict was inevitable. Conflict erupted repeatedly.
Pastor Whoever, you and I are in strong disagreement with each other. I oppose the evangelical traditions that you strongly endorse. Perhaps you are comforted by the fact most evangelicals are with you and not with me. I am often confronted (Facebook, Youtube, etcetera) by both pulpit-people and pew-people.
And yet I am the one with a valid cause. Christ’s beloved have been taught, by you, to submit to “the tradition of the elders”. Those evangelical traditions have been communicated, by word and example, so repeatedly that they have been accepted as on par with the Bible. It’s the same story that was played out two millennia ago.
I will not be silent and, sadly, neither will you. Conflict is inevitable. So be it. I will preach personal revival and personal reformation; you will preach teamwork and submission to evangelicalism. I will point christians to Christ; you will point christians to christians. I will promote the governance of the Holy Spirit; you will promote the governance of religious lords. I will expose your religion (“tradition[s] of the [evangelical] elders”) as non-
Biblical and devastating; you will spend your christianity appeasing the religion that ensures your salary. I will serve my Lord; you will serve your lord.
Both of us will be summoned to “the judgement seat of Christ” to give an account for our words and example. We will both be rewarded for obedience and “suffer loss” for disobedience. Regarding this matter (and only this matter), I would rather be me than you. God bless….
Larry Jones