Issue 1275 – Dumb Sheep? – October 18, 2023

I chuckled because lately, my inbox has been flooded with memes about people being overwhelmed by the greetings they get when visiting a church, particularly a small one. They complain of being swarmed.
Generally speaking, my experience when you visit a church for the first time, particularly a small one, is that the congregation is more apt to have them look at you like this flock of sheep. Now, admittedly, my experiences may not be typical.
I have visited churches where I could not start a conversation with anyone. If you know how outgoing I can be, you will realize it is an unfriendly church.
Of course, if no one greets a visitor or talks to them, the perception is that the church is unfriendly. It’s a challenge to be sure.
That said, it isn’t why I chose the photo. There is a time and place for a Christian flock to adopt the pose and expression on the faces of these sheep.
When the pastor or preacher introduces some “brand new” take on theology or something novel that “the Lord has revealed to me,” that contradicts what the church has historically believed.
Over the centuries, the church has shifted its beliefs or practices. Still, the foundational underpinnings of crucial doctrines have remained unchanged. Be very cautious about abandoning them.
God has given us his Word, and the Spirit dwells with us. We are the recipients of centuries of sound theology and doctrine. We are wise to be cautious about any voice that attempts to change it. Not closed, perhaps, but definitely cautious.
There are, admittedly, secondary and tertiary areas of practice and theology with plenty of room for diversity. We can disagree on those points and still have unity in the Spirit.
A recent study of US Evangelical Christians showed that half of the respondents believed God can change. That’s a frightening thought. If God is not unchangeable, how can we trust in Him? If He is changeable, it means that He is somehow imperfect, which introduces all sorts of issues about Him and our security in Him.
We need to know the nature of God and unchangeable attributes. We need to be listening for the shepherd’s voice.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” John 10:1-5
We need to be hearing the Lord’s voice. Even a well-intentioned shepherd will get some things wrong on occasion, but when they strike out against the foundational truths, they become (knowingly or not) the enemy’s voice.
It is incumbent on us to know the Word and our doctrine well enough to see the difference. We might be sheep, but we don’t have to be dumb.
May the Lord give you discernment between truth and error.
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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