I know, It’s bizarre. This title is probably the last thing you would expect from me. But lately more and more “faith” inspired posts have been popping up on my timeline. Most of them are from young girls who have just begun their faith walk and have decided to take it upon themselves to teach the masses how to be a Christian. All it takes is a title that’s click-bait and one viral post to make a name for yourself, right?
The problem with these some of these articles, is that they have little to no scriptural backing or reference, and many are centered around emotions—what makes me happy and what being a Christian means to me. They often contradict scripture. Other times they make excuses for blatant sin—“The bible was written thousands of years ago so it’s okay for me to sleep with my boyfriend” for example.
This is not teaching. “But I’m not trying to be a pastor or a bible teacher” you might say. “I’m just sharing my experiences.” Great. Share your experiences! But once you cross that line and begin telling your readers who God is, His nature, character, and what it means to be a Christian, you have taken a teaching mantle upon yourself.
And you never place a mantle upon yourself. What is a mantle? In the Old Testament, they were big cloaks that teachers, worship leaders, prophets and priests wore. Mantles are a physical representation of God’s covering because they covered the people who wore them. Mantles represent a call and an anointing that has been placed upon you by God that you wear and carry wherever you go.
Christian bloggers do not get the luxury of scheduling posts or waking up one morning and slapping some random inspiring thought together and present it as gospel like any other blogger would.
I never write posts just to write posts. Or because I have to keep my page relevant or need new and consistent content. Even if I have understanding, I will ONLY write a post once I have had revelation and prompting by the Holy Spirit to create and publish it.
I pray over every single word. I read the message over and over, and reference as many scriptures as I possibly can. I submit to the Holy Spirit and ask that he would be the one writing and speaking through me. I send the finished posts to pastors, mentors, and leaders just to make sure that everything is biblically sound. That is the kind of reverence I have for this mantle that God has placed on me.
You cannot force a call. You cannot force revelation. If God has not told you to teach and write about a topic, you will be 1. Acting outside of his will. 2. Will not have the proper or full understanding, revelation, and preparation to handle the massive responsibility and repercussions of teaching.
I did not want to be a teacher. I did not choose to be Christian Blogger. I did not want to be a life-group leader at my university and be responsible for teaching my peers the word of God, because I understood the seriousness of the call. God had to arrest my heart and even send multiple church members with prophetic words to tell me that it was time to step out, teach, and write. My point is this: God will make it clear as day that he has chosen, appointed, and anointed you.
James 3:1 says “Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards.” In most translations, this verse says, “Those who teach will be judged more strictly.”
The word ‘Judgement’ used in this passage is the Greek word, ‘Krima; κρίμα’ is defined as; A condemnation of wrong, the decision (whether severe or mild) which one passes on the faults of others.
The Greek word for ‘strictly’ used above is ‘Megas; μέγας’. One of its definitions is: Great mass and weight. Another definition is: Intensity; violent, mighty, strong.
One passes on the faults of others. If you are teaching false interpretations, false doctrine, or setting a bad example by not walking out what you teach, God will punish you and hold you accountable not only for your own sins, but the sins of others. He will pass that punishment from them on to you, because you misrepresented Him and caused them to stumble by teaching them incorrectly. The faults and sins that are passed on to the teacher are not small. They are of great mass and weight as we read in the original Greek. These judgements are not easy to bear.
Jesus says that we will have to answer for every worthless and idle word we have ever spoken at judgement. (Matt 12:36)
And a few chapters later, Jesus goes on to say, “If anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for him to have a heavy boulder tied around his neck and be hurled into the deepest sea than to face the punishment he deserves! (Matt 18:6)
This…coming from the mouth of Jesus? Absolutely terrifying.
Obviously, God does not take teaching, theology, knowledge, or understanding lightly. At all. He literally says that being tied to a boulder and drowned to death is better than the punishment God has for this serious crime!
Online articles (including mine, people!) cannot feed your spirit. You need the word of God to gain knowledge and understanding so you will be able to catch false teachings swirling around your Facebook and Instagram feeds.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
It truly angers me whenever I see viral posts that claim the heart of God but teach the opposite of scripture. I can’t imagine how that makes God feel. At the end of the day, its His precious children who are being taught that certain sins are okay, or that that He views his daughters as less valuable than His sons. (Real posts I saw today, guys)
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1-6
We have to guard our heart, spirit, soul, and mind. This is why John instructed us to test every spirit—because not every teaching is inspired by the Holy Spirit. And if it is not from the Holy Spirit, then by process of elimination, it is from an unclean spirit. And don’t forget, Satan knows scripture and has twisted it from the beginning. From Eve, to Jesus, to us till this day.
Always examine doctrine next to scripture. Ask God if it is truth. Ask the Holy Spirit for revelation. He’ll give it to you. This is a promise Jesus gives us in Luke 11:11-13—“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
At the end of the day, recognizing false teaching comes by being filled with the Holy Spirit and knowing the word of God. As long as you are seeking these, you do not have to worry about falling prey to deceitful interpretations, because the Holy Spirit is our interpreter (1 Cor 2:12).
Below are two prayers. One is for those who have found themselves placing a mantle of teaching upon themselves that God has not ordained or placed upon you. The second is a prayer to stand against and cast out any false teachings or ideologies that you have fallen victim to.
Lord, I repent for placing a false mantle upon myself instead of allowing you to call, anoint, and appoint me. In the name of Jesus, I surrender and release my giftings and desire to teach to you. Shape me, my understanding, and knowledge to your perfect wisdom, revelation, and will. Give me a new hunger and desire for you and your word, Holy Spirit. Remove anything in me that is not like you. I bind every spirit of false doctrine or false teaching that would confuse me and whisper untruths into my ears, heart, and mind. We pray and ask all of these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
Father God, I repent and ask for forgiveness for any sin I have committed, knowingly or unknowingly. I ask that you fill me with your Holy Spirit right now in the name of Jesus. Holy Spirit, I ask that you would be my interpreter, teacher, and friend. That you would strengthen me to withstand attacks from the enemy and give me a greater measure of your holy and perfect discernment in the name of Jesus. I renounce, bind, and rebuke any and all false teachings that have been spoken to me or over me in the name of Jesus. Jesus, shine your light and perfect knowledge over all of these areas and fill them with your Spirit and truth right now. I forgive any false teacher that has deposited untruths into me and ask that you would have mercy on them and bring them to You. In Jesus name, amen