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There Are No Spiritual Elites in the Church

Posted by on September 26, 2012 in General | 3 Comments

If there’s anything that stands neon in social media, it is the exaltation of spiritual celebrities and heroes. Brethren, let us be careful. Scripture opposes such notions, and no good is done to those to whom exaltation is given.

Like high school, there are, and probably will continue to be, cliques in certain circles, but this we must be careful in approving or participating in.

On far too many occasions, I have witnessed, not only in social media, but in person within local fellowships, the setting of certain evangelists or pastors on a pedestal. It is not healthy, either for us, nor for the Church at large.

The Church is the living body of Christ, not an organism in which we should be climbing the ladder of spiritual notoriety for exaltation of ourselves or others.

By no means am I against the use of social media; yet, when I see young people proclaiming that so-and-so is “the greatest mind of our day” or “we need more like” so-and-so, are we not taking the focus off of Christ who is our goal regarding conformity, and placing it upon His disciples? Is there not a danger that younger, perhaps less mature brethren will be tempted to ask themselves “How can I be like him?” rather than “How can I be more like Christ”?

I grow weary of spiritual elitism and the promotion of some members of the Church above others. We all have our place in the body of Christ, and yes, we need each other. Promoting spiritual elitism leads not only to cliques and herd mentalities, but leads those being exalted into temptations of pride and self-centeredness. It is altogether unlovely, unlike our Lord Jesus.

“We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.” – Colossians 1:28 (NASB) (emphasis mine)

“For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” – Romans 12:3-5 (NASB) (emphasis mine)

“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, Ipress on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.

Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.” – Philippians 3:7-17 (NASB)