If we do not let the Holy Spirit reveal error in us and others than we cut ourselves off from the maturing process we all must go through. We must be humble enough to remain teachable....this is yet another aspect of becoming "like a child" in order to enter the Kingdom of God, for children must learn almost everything! They instinctively know how to feed from their mother's breast, thereby establishing a pattern, a "way of life" God wants us to repeat and continue as adults - that of being intimate with the one who is feeding us, to be fed directly by the Holy Spirit Himself we must be intimate with Him. Likewise, we are to feed one another with "breast milk", words directly from our hearts, flowing our of our mouths, into another's heart. Words from our minds alone to another's mind alone are not pure).
The idea of remaining teachable applies to our pastors too. If our leaders cannot be confronted (in a loving manner) about error in their lives or teachings, we end up in a church where all the pastor teaches and says is accepted without question. This opens the door for error to be swallowed by the people and, sadly, teaches them that they are "amateurs" while the pastor is a "professional". The point is, if the people are taught and allowed to be baptized in the Spirit, as is God's desire for each and every one of His children (even as a baby is "baptized" in his mother's life preserving water of the womb, so it is God's plan for each of us to be baptized in His Spirit as we exit the womb where He has birthed and nurtured us).
Now if we are filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb, as John the Baptist was, then we can from a young age recognize error. We may not be able to explain it with words but we can instinctively know falsehoods when we're taught them, if not intellectually. Indeed, God can use children to teach adults a thing or two, if the adults are humble enough to receive from them. Granted, the Christ in us, the hope of Glory, must grow in wisdom and stature as we decrease within us, but the Holy Spirit in us is fully grown, as mighty and full of wisdom and knowledge and power as He was when He was filling Jesus without limit. So pastors and leaders must remain open to correction by being willing to listen to even very young believers - for God may use them to speak to us, especially in areas where we think we know but in reality we don't know what we're talking about at all. Pastors often feel pressure to "know it all", to be experts in every area of scriptural doctrine. They feel pressure to come up with a sermon each week and will intellectualize the sermon rather than wait on the Holy Spirit for inspiration. When I was a pastor, there were times when the Lord gave me nothing at all to share with the people come Sunday morning - it was a test - was I willing to sit down and shut up? Could I tell the congregation "I have nothing for you today"? Perhaps the Lord has given a word to someone in the congregation today. The same Spirit that abides in me abides in you. I may be more mature than you but that does not mean i cannot be wrong on occasion, nor does it mean that you cannot teach me something. If we all "in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than ourselves" than we will all remain in the proper state of humility God requires for us to become great in his eyes, in His kingdom.
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who....made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant". The trap many pastors fall into is trying to establish a reputation, trying to make a name for themselves, becoming less and less like as servant and more and more like a Lord. The first thing Jesus ever said to Peter is also the last - "follow me". Peter's eyes were on John. Peter was comparing himself with John, he wanted to know what Jesus was going to do with John. Jesus rebuked him and told him to keep his focus on Jesus - so must we all. "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, "are not wise". Paul also taught us not to boast of "other men's labors" - we are not to exalt our pastors or favorite teachers and go around boasting of them - this does them and ourselves a disservice. How many pastors attend a Bible college so they may be approved of men? How many seek man's approval instead of God's? How many commend themselves because of outward success? A degree on the wall, buts in the seats, a nice car, a nice house? "For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth." We should all seek out leaders who are commended by God. But if we are in a place where the leadership is commended by men (something many pastors insist upon), if they are recognized and exalted by men as wise and worthy of a leadership position, then they, like Herod, will seek to kill the leadership approved by God.
The idea of remaining teachable applies to our pastors too. If our leaders cannot be confronted (in a loving manner) about error in their lives or teachings, we end up in a church where all the pastor teaches and says is accepted without question. This opens the door for error to be swallowed by the people and, sadly, teaches them that they are "amateurs" while the pastor is a "professional". The point is, if the people are taught and allowed to be baptized in the Spirit, as is God's desire for each and every one of His children (even as a baby is "baptized" in his mother's life preserving water of the womb, so it is God's plan for each of us to be baptized in His Spirit as we exit the womb where He has birthed and nurtured us).
Now if we are filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb, as John the Baptist was, then we can from a young age recognize error. We may not be able to explain it with words but we can instinctively know falsehoods when we're taught them, if not intellectually. Indeed, God can use children to teach adults a thing or two, if the adults are humble enough to receive from them. Granted, the Christ in us, the hope of Glory, must grow in wisdom and stature as we decrease within us, but the Holy Spirit in us is fully grown, as mighty and full of wisdom and knowledge and power as He was when He was filling Jesus without limit. So pastors and leaders must remain open to correction by being willing to listen to even very young believers - for God may use them to speak to us, especially in areas where we think we know but in reality we don't know what we're talking about at all. Pastors often feel pressure to "know it all", to be experts in every area of scriptural doctrine. They feel pressure to come up with a sermon each week and will intellectualize the sermon rather than wait on the Holy Spirit for inspiration. When I was a pastor, there were times when the Lord gave me nothing at all to share with the people come Sunday morning - it was a test - was I willing to sit down and shut up? Could I tell the congregation "I have nothing for you today"? Perhaps the Lord has given a word to someone in the congregation today. The same Spirit that abides in me abides in you. I may be more mature than you but that does not mean i cannot be wrong on occasion, nor does it mean that you cannot teach me something. If we all "in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than ourselves" than we will all remain in the proper state of humility God requires for us to become great in his eyes, in His kingdom.
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who....made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant". The trap many pastors fall into is trying to establish a reputation, trying to make a name for themselves, becoming less and less like as servant and more and more like a Lord. The first thing Jesus ever said to Peter is also the last - "follow me". Peter's eyes were on John. Peter was comparing himself with John, he wanted to know what Jesus was going to do with John. Jesus rebuked him and told him to keep his focus on Jesus - so must we all. "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, "are not wise". Paul also taught us not to boast of "other men's labors" - we are not to exalt our pastors or favorite teachers and go around boasting of them - this does them and ourselves a disservice. How many pastors attend a Bible college so they may be approved of men? How many seek man's approval instead of God's? How many commend themselves because of outward success? A degree on the wall, buts in the seats, a nice car, a nice house? "For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth." We should all seek out leaders who are commended by God. But if we are in a place where the leadership is commended by men (something many pastors insist upon), if they are recognized and exalted by men as wise and worthy of a leadership position, then they, like Herod, will seek to kill the leadership approved by God.
