{"id":46046,"date":"2021-04-30T10:39:54","date_gmt":"2021-04-30T07:39:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=46046"},"modified":"2025-05-16T22:53:42","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T19:53:42","slug":"three-major-characteristics-of-preachers-who-have-fallen-away-and-abandoned-gods-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2021\/04\/30\/three-major-characteristics-of-preachers-who-have-fallen-away-and-abandoned-gods-purpose\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Major Characteristics of Preachers Who Have Fallen Away and Abandoned God\u2019s Purpose"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Any <\/span>preacher <\/span>or <\/span>minister <\/span>who <\/span>turns <\/span>back <\/span>and <\/span>forgets <\/span>their <\/span>divine <\/span>calling <\/span>becomes <\/span>a <\/span>false <\/span>prophet. <\/span>It <\/span>is <\/span>important <\/span>to <\/span>note <\/span>that <\/span>when <\/span>the <\/span>Bible <\/span>speaks <\/span>of <\/span>a <\/span>false <\/span>prophet, <\/span>it <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>only <\/span>referring <\/span>to <\/span>someone <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>gift <\/span>of <\/span>prophecy. <\/span>Rather, <\/span>the <\/span>term <\/span>is <\/span>broad <\/span>and <\/span>can <\/span>refer <\/span>to <\/span>a <\/span>false <\/span>teacher, <\/span>a <\/span>false <\/span>pastor, <\/span>a <\/span>false <\/span>apostle, <\/span>a <\/span>false <\/span>evangelist, <\/span>or <\/span>even <\/span>a <\/span>false <\/span>worship <\/span>leader. <\/span>All <\/span>of <\/span>these <\/span>are <\/span>considered <\/span>false <\/span>prophets <\/span>according <\/span>to <\/span>Scripture.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, <\/span>we <\/span>will <\/span>learn <\/span>the <\/span>three <\/span>main <\/span>characteristics <\/span>of <\/span>preachers <\/span>who <\/span>have <\/span>fallen <\/span>away. <\/span>Recognizing <\/span>these <\/span>traits <\/span>will <\/span>help <\/span>us <\/span>guard <\/span>ourselves <\/span>against <\/span>their <\/span>deception <\/span>and <\/span>spiritual <\/span>ruin.<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. <\/span>They <\/span>Do <\/span>Not <\/span>Preach <\/span>or <\/span>Love <\/span>to <\/span>Preach <\/span>About <\/span>the <\/span>Last <\/span>Days<\/span><\/h3>\n

The <\/span>first <\/span>sign <\/span>is <\/span>that <\/span>such <\/span>preachers <\/span>avoid <\/span>preaching <\/span>about <\/span>the <\/span>end <\/span>times. <\/span>They <\/span>neither <\/span>warn <\/span>nor <\/span>emphasize <\/span>that <\/span>we <\/span>live <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>final <\/span>days. <\/span>The <\/span>Bible <\/span>commands <\/span>believers <\/span>to <\/span>stay <\/span>watchful <\/span>and <\/span>ready <\/span>because <\/span>Christ\u2019s <\/span>return <\/span>is <\/span>imminent <\/span>and <\/span>unpredictable (<\/span>Matthew <\/span>24:<\/span>44, <\/span>ESV):<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Therefore <\/span>you <\/span>also <\/span>must <\/span>be <\/span>ready, <\/span>for <\/span>the <\/span>Son <\/span>of <\/span>Man <\/span>is <\/span>coming <\/span>at <\/span>an <\/span>hour <\/span>you <\/span>do <\/span>not <\/span>expect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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2. <\/span>They <\/span>Attack <\/span>Ministers <\/span>Who <\/span>Preach <\/span>About <\/span>the <\/span>Last <\/span>Days<\/span><\/h3>\n

The <\/span>second <\/span>characteristic <\/span>is <\/span>that <\/span>they <\/span>criticize <\/span>or <\/span>oppose <\/span>faithful <\/span>servants <\/span>who <\/span>boldly <\/span>preach <\/span>about <\/span>the <\/span>return <\/span>of <\/span>Christ. <\/span>Instead <\/span>of <\/span>encouraging <\/span>readiness, <\/span>they <\/span>discourage <\/span>others, <\/span>saying <\/span>things <\/span>like \u201c<\/span>Jesus <\/span>will <\/span>not <\/span>return <\/span>soon\u201d <\/span>or \u201c<\/span>Live <\/span>your <\/span>life <\/span>as <\/span>usual.\u201d <\/span>This <\/span>opposition <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>clear <\/span>warning <\/span>sign <\/span>that <\/span>they <\/span>have <\/span>turned <\/span>away <\/span>from <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>truth (<\/span>2 <\/span>Timothy <\/span>3:<\/span>13, <\/span>ESV):<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>While <\/span>evil <\/span>people <\/span>and <\/span>impostors <\/span>will <\/span>go <\/span>on <\/span>from <\/span>bad <\/span>to <\/span>worse, <\/span>deceiving <\/span>and <\/span>being <\/span>deceived.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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3. <\/span>They <\/span>Are <\/span>Lovers <\/span>of <\/span>Pleasure <\/span>and <\/span>Worldly <\/span>Comforts<\/span><\/h3>\n

The <\/span>third <\/span>sign <\/span>is <\/span>their <\/span>love <\/span>for <\/span>luxury <\/span>and <\/span>worldly <\/span>pleasures, <\/span>either <\/span>openly <\/span>or <\/span>secretly. <\/span>Such <\/span>ministers <\/span>prioritize <\/span>material <\/span>gain, <\/span>popularity, <\/span>and <\/span>status <\/span>over <\/span>the <\/span>spiritual <\/span>well-<\/span>being <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>flock. <\/span>Their <\/span>messages <\/span>focus <\/span>on <\/span>worldly <\/span>success\u2014<\/span>getting <\/span>rich, <\/span>acquiring <\/span>homes, <\/span>cars, <\/span>or <\/span>wives\u2014<\/span>rather <\/span>than <\/span>on <\/span>holiness <\/span>and <\/span>readiness <\/span>for <\/span>Christ\u2019s <\/span>return. <\/span>This <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>fulfillment <\/span>of <\/span>Paul\u2019s <\/span>warning <\/span>about <\/span>those <\/span>who \u201c<\/span>have <\/span>a <\/span>form <\/span>of <\/span>godliness <\/span>but <\/span>deny <\/span>its <\/span>power\u201d (<\/span>2 <\/span>Timothy <\/span>3:<\/span>4\u2013<\/span>5, <\/span>ESV):<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c…<\/span>lovers <\/span>of <\/span>pleasure <\/span>rather <\/span>than <\/span>lovers <\/span>of <\/span>God, <\/span>having <\/span>the <\/span>appearance <\/span>of <\/span>godliness, <\/span>but <\/span>denying <\/span>its <\/span>power. <\/span>Avoid <\/span>such <\/span>people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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The <\/span>Parable <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Faithful <\/span>and <\/span>Unfaithful <\/span>Servants (<\/span>Matthew <\/span>24:<\/span>45-<\/span>51, <\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/h3>\n

Jesus <\/span>gave <\/span>a <\/span>clear <\/span>example <\/span>to <\/span>His <\/span>disciples <\/span>about <\/span>such <\/span>unfaithful <\/span>servants:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Who <\/span>then <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>faithful <\/span>and <\/span>wise <\/span>servant, <\/span>whom <\/span>his <\/span>master <\/span>has <\/span>set <\/span>over <\/span>his <\/span>household, <\/span>to <\/span>give <\/span>them <\/span>their <\/span>food <\/span>at <\/span>the <\/span>proper <\/span>time? <\/span>Blessed <\/span>is <\/span>that <\/span>servant <\/span>whom <\/span>his <\/span>master <\/span>will <\/span>find <\/span>so <\/span>doing <\/span>when <\/span>he <\/span>comes. <\/span>Truly, <\/span>I <\/span>say <\/span>to <\/span>you, <\/span>he <\/span>will <\/span>set <\/span>him <\/span>over <\/span>all <\/span>his <\/span>possessions. <\/span>But <\/span>if <\/span>that <\/span>wicked <\/span>servant <\/span>says <\/span>to <\/span>himself, \u2018<\/span>My <\/span>master <\/span>is <\/span>delayed,\u2019 <\/span>and <\/span>begins <\/span>to <\/span>beat <\/span>his <\/span>fellow <\/span>servants <\/span>and <\/span>eats <\/span>and <\/span>drinks <\/span>with <\/span>drunkards, <\/span>the <\/span>master <\/span>of <\/span>that <\/span>servant <\/span>will <\/span>come <\/span>on <\/span>a <\/span>day <\/span>when <\/span>he <\/span>does <\/span>not <\/span>expect <\/span>him <\/span>and <\/span>at <\/span>an <\/span>hour <\/span>he <\/span>does <\/span>not <\/span>know, <\/span>and <\/span>will <\/span>cut <\/span>him <\/span>in <\/span>pieces <\/span>and <\/span>put <\/span>him <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>hypocrites. <\/span>In <\/span>that <\/span>place <\/span>there <\/span>will <\/span>be <\/span>weeping <\/span>and <\/span>gnashing <\/span>of <\/span>teeth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In <\/span>this <\/span>parable, <\/span>the \u201c<\/span>master\u201d <\/span>represents <\/span>Christ, <\/span>who <\/span>has <\/span>entrusted <\/span>His <\/span>servants (<\/span>ministers <\/span>and <\/span>leaders) <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>care <\/span>of <\/span>His \u201c<\/span>household\u201d (<\/span>the <\/span>church). <\/span>The <\/span>faithful <\/span>servant <\/span>diligently <\/span>feeds <\/span>the <\/span>household <\/span>spiritually, <\/span>staying <\/span>alert <\/span>and <\/span>responsible, <\/span>knowing <\/span>the <\/span>master\u2019s <\/span>return <\/span>is <\/span>imminent.<\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>contrast, <\/span>the <\/span>unfaithful <\/span>servant <\/span>becomes <\/span>careless, <\/span>abusive, <\/span>and <\/span>indulgent, <\/span>assuming <\/span>the <\/span>master\u2019s <\/span>return <\/span>is <\/span>delayed. <\/span>He <\/span>even <\/span>mistreats <\/span>his <\/span>fellow <\/span>servants (<\/span>other <\/span>faithful <\/span>workers) <\/span>and <\/span>indulges <\/span>in <\/span>worldly <\/span>pleasures, <\/span>symbolized <\/span>by <\/span>eating <\/span>and <\/span>drinking <\/span>with <\/span>drunkards. <\/span>This <\/span>servant <\/span>faces <\/span>severe <\/span>judgment <\/span>because <\/span>he <\/span>is <\/span>double-<\/span>minded\u2014<\/span>pretending <\/span>to <\/span>serve <\/span>God <\/span>while <\/span>serving <\/span>his <\/span>own <\/span>desires.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Application <\/span>and <\/span>Warning<\/span><\/h3>\n

If <\/span>you <\/span>observe <\/span>a <\/span>preacher <\/span>or <\/span>leader:<\/span><\/p>\n