When we see people spending time criticizing ministries of which they do not approve or when people try to infer only one translation of the Bible is acceptable or when you are told you must believe their narrow interpretation on points of theology, you have met a modern-day Pharisee.
These self-appointed spiritual hall monitors typically begin raising their voices just before the next move of God is about to take place. They are used by the enemy as a diversion tactic to blur our focus and drain our energy. These kinds of people surrounded Jesus during His earthly ministry. They were not from “the world.” They came from within the community of faith.
Nothing we do or believe is perfect. That includes how we engage in ministry, our preferred translation of the Bible, or our conclusions regarding theology. Only Jesus can fulfill those demands. If you encounter this hyper-critical spirit, keep walking. They have nothing to add to your faith or to the advancement of God’s Kingdom.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Garris Elkins
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