If I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
Lately, I've noticed a disturbing trend in many churches. Perhaps I've mentioned it before. Many modern Christians seem to think that God is not big enough for their needs; they need to add their superior humanism to the mix. Churches seek the help of government programs to assist their members to overcome addictions. Rather than point their members to the Savior and His Word to find the answers to their problems, they urge them to schedule sessions with a 'Christian psychologist' to explore the problem.
Worse, the psychologists are fond of interpreting the actions and teachings of Jesus through the lens of 'Christian' psychology.
For example, the Bible says:
In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. Simon and his companions searched for Him. – Mark 1.35-36
That's clear enough, isn't it? Jesus simply found a solitary place where He could spend time with the Father. But the Christian psychologists put a different slant on it. They'll tell you that Jesus just needed to get away from those people around Him because they were 'toxic'. They forget why He came; they forget that He is God.
'For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.' – Matthew 7.2
He illustrates this teaching in the following verses:
'Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.' – Matthew 7.3-5
'Christian psychologists' teach that anyone who dares question your views is a 'toxic' presence in your life and should be removed, lest they cause you distress. However, my Bible says:
[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. – 1 Corinthians 13.7
And then, there's this, which I've heard used to 'prove' that even Jesus considered some people 'toxic'.
But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. – John 2.24-25
Is that really what this is saying about Jesus? I don't think so. This passage followed the miracle of the wedding at Cana and His cleansing of the temple. There would have been those who were drawn to Him because of the miracle He performed (shallow believers) and those who would have been angry that He routed out those doing business in the temple (enemies).
Matthew Henry wrote this about those verses: 'He knows all men, not only their names and faces, as it is possible for us to know many, but their natures, dispositions, affections, designs, as we do not know any man, scarcely ourselves. He knows all men, for his powerful hand made them all, his piercing eye sees them all, sees into them.'
And David Guzik cites a man named Bruce as follows: 'Other leaders and teachers may be misled at time into giving their followers more credit for loyalty and understanding than they actually possess; not so Jesus, who could read the inmost thoughts of men and women like an open book.'
That's quite a bit different than what the so-called Christian psychologists teach, isn't it? I especially like Matthew Henry's observation that, of course, He knew their hearts, because He made them all.
And, of course, the Creator does not depend upon the approval of the men whom He created.
But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. – Luke 5.16
Yes, Jesus spent much time alone. He withdrew from the company of men not because He found them 'toxic' – after all, He made them! He withdrew to solitary places in order to commune with the Father.
We, too, should withdraw from the daily noise and distractions of our lives, spend more time with the Father, and less time with humanist 'teachers' who misdirect us and misinterpret the clear truth of God's Word.
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures are from the NASB.