Don't Touch God's Anointed

In my former church, we were taught that the pastor has special anointing and that his anointing was such that it was greater than other peoples. That he was on a much higher spiritual level than all of the other people in the church. That no one was ever to question his decisions or what he did. He said on several occasions that no one in the church was qualified to correct him, that only another great preacher or prophet could do that because no one else was on his spiritual level. He put himself on the same level as an Old Testament king or prophet.

In 2Corinthians chapter one, Paul is writing to the church. First, he refers to himself as Paul, An apostle. He didn't demand title or "honor" and yet I am sure that he was much more educated than any of the pastors or so called prophets in this day and time who do demand these things. He actually comes across in his letters as humble. A quality these pastors and prophets of this day seem to lack.

In verses 21 - 22 of this same chapter he talks about the difference in him and the others in the body of Christ at Corinth that he is writing to. The Amplified translation says it like this, "But it is God Who confirms and makes us steadfast and establishes us (in joint fellowship) with you in Christ, and has consecrated and anointed us (enduing us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit). (He has also appropriated and acknowledged us as His by) putting His seal upon us and giving us His (Holy) Spirit in our hearts as the security deposit and guarantee (of the fulfilment of His promise)." This says that we are all anointed. Even Paul didn't claim to have a greater anointing than his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. He made it clear that there was NO difference in him and them.

We were always taught that scripture "touch not mine anointed" when anyone questioned what the pastor was doing or had done. This scripture was pulled out and quoted by itself. I went back and looked at both of the places it was used in the Old Testament (in context) and it is talking about the children of Israel. This scripture does not give pastors and "prophets" free reign to do anything they want to anyone they want or criticize and bash anyone they want and no one can correct them because they are "anointed" .......We all are! Nor does it give them to run the church like a dictatorship.

1 Timothy 5:19-20 NLT says, "Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two to three witnesses. Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others." This is laid out quite plainly. If your pastor refuses to listen when accused by many witnesses and refuses to reprimand sin in the church there is a problem.

It amazes me how many Old Testament scriptures pastors demand that their congregation observe, yet they seem to ignore the majority of the New Testament instructions that we (and they) are supposed to be living by.

In our former church we were taught that God created the earth and gave us dominion over it.
We are the ones who allow or don't allow certain things. If we see things that are very wrong going on with leadership in a church and people being used and abused we are taught that we are not to do anything about it because we are not on the same spiritual level as these leaders and we are not to touch God's anointed. Not only are these things in contradiction with scripture, they are in direct contradiction with what is taught at these churches. We are the ones that have allowed it and it is up to us to speak up and exercise our authority and put a stop to it.

Back in 2 Corinthians, verse 24 of that same chapter Paul said,"Not that we have dominion (over you) and lord it over your faith, but (rather that we work with you as) fellow laborers (to promote) your joy, for in (your) faith you stand firm.

If Paul didn't consider these practices right....they are not! Our pastors should be fellow laborers with us, not dictators ruling over us and calling us dummies and idiots. A pastor should fit the example set before him in the New Testament and not abuse God's anointed. God loved us so much that He gave His only son for us and He doesn't even lord that over us or rule us. A man has no business trying to do that either. Pastor or not.