When David had the opportunity to kill King Saul he refused declaring, “Far be it from me because of the LORD that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD’S anointed” (1 Samuel 24:6). These words have been used and misused too often to suggest that Christian ministers and priests are exempt from scrutiny because of the divine anointing that rests upon them. This is a serious misuse of God’s word.
Recent news about the leadership of Willow Creek Church and the Roman Catholic Church in Pennsylvania bring this to the forefront. In both cases, church hierarchy and leadership were aware of the offenses and allegations. With their silence church leaders have become complicit in the crimes.
The recent news is not new. We’ve been hearing of child abuse among the Roman Catholic church for decades. And, let’s not forget the scandals of the Pentecostal/Charismatic Movements – Bakker, Swaggart, Paulk, etc. Why does church leadership allow such toxicity to fester?
I’m reminded of Jesus’ warning to the church of Thyatira: “. . . I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols” (Revelation 2:20). The spirit of Jezebel is not caused by, nor limited to, women. It is a toxic spirit that infects persons of power and authority. Toxic leaders may serve megachurches or small churches, but they have something in common – they misuse people. They are no longer shepherds. They have become wolves in sheep’s clothing.
The church in the USA resembles the Church at Thyatira in that we tolerate immorality and idolatry. All too often we bow before the idol of success. When success (that is, notoriety, numbers and dollars) is the primary goal of church leadership, toxic tendencies are ignored, integrity is sacrificed, and the church’s mission eventually collapses. Sexual immorality, whether child abuse, unwanted advances, or complicit immoral behavior, are all symptomatic of toxic and narcissistic behaviors. People of toxic anointing, power, and authority resist accountability, or think that their success exempts them from scrutiny.
Jesus warned of false prophets (Mark 13:21-23). Paul encouraged us to discern the anointed gifts (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22). Also, Paul gave direction in dealing with accusations against church leaders: “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning” (1 Timothy 5:19-20). The serial sins of leaders should not dismissed, nor hidden away in ecclesiastical files. They should be made public.
So what about “Do not touch the Lord’s anointed?” We must realize that all of God’s people are anointed. The children in our midst are anointed and should be protected. The women among us are anointed sisters and should be respected. All of God’s people – men, women, boys, and girls, should be diligently guarded from the wolves in our midst. Every deacon, elder, pastor, and bishop must hear the cry of the Spirit: “Do not touch the Lord’s anointed!”
A church that neglects discipline doesn’t understand grace. The purpose of grace is sanctification and glorification. The Apostle Paul has told us that we – the church – will judge angels and declared, “How much more matters of this life? (1 Corinthians 6:3). The Apostle Peter reminds us that judgement begins with the household of God (1 Peter 4:17). When Israel refused to repent, God allowed the Babylonians to raze Jerusalem and enslave her citizens. Maybe the message of the Spirit to a negligent church is:
BEHOLD, THE BABYLONIANS ARE COMING!
