A CRITICAL SPIRIT

When a person is judged by proclaiming Christians, as being judgmental or critical to another, it is said that they have a “critical spirit”. I have been interested in the subject as of late, did a little bit of reading articles written by proclaiming Christians on the subject at various sites, by different authors. What was very apparent to me, and I guess I already knew this, people who are accused of this “critical spirit”, are the most hated and reviled people living! The person contemned by others as a fault finder, judgmental, accusers of the brethren, “critical spirit”, they might as well kill themselves, you see to proclaiming Christians in America, there is more hope for a fool! As I read the endless hatred of such people, the psychoanalysis, the continual one sided misquoting of scriptures, I couldn’t help but wonder; what if the person being accused of this heinous crime is actually right in his or her judgment and is seriously trying to save the other person from the pain of their error or maybe even hell? What if the apparent harshness of the rebuke, was the wise action being taken by a wise person? This person is NEVER seen as wise or prudent, he is hated by all with a vengeance, as I said before, there is more hope for a fool than this man. Anyone who criticizes another, well let see if we can go down the list: they must be proud and arrogant, they must be insecure about themselves, they must be trying to put others lower and raise themselves, they certainly want to take everything over and make the world bow to them! They deserve no patience or respect, they must stopped at all cost, they are dangerous, like Jim Jones, they are budding cult leaders!

I found it interesting that among the many articles on the subject, I observed hardly the use of any scripture whatsoever, or what little scripture was used, was grossly used out of context. So in this article I thought that I would give you the other side, for your consideration. I don’t believe that everyone trying to correct others is wrong for doing so. I believe that many times the one crying foul saying “he or she has a critical spirit!” is simply rallying a mob to their own defense, rather than obeying the scripture that says:

 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” (1Pe 3:15 AV)

 “The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.” (Pr 15:28 AV)

 “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.” (Le 19:17 AV)

 “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” (1Ti 5:20 AV)

 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2Ti 4:2 AV)

 “This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;” (Tit 1:13 AV)

It is so completely easy to give in to those who cry foul when they are rebuked, it is also so easy to join a mob against those who you do not like or love, because they say what you don’t want to hear. The person who loves the Lord and is obedient to the Lord, obeys what the Lord commands. That person, just as the scriptures require, (Pr. 15:28) studies to give an answer and does so with meekness and fear (1 Pe. 3:15). If you want to shield yourself from rebuke or questions that may stretch you, you can so easily just accuse the other person of not being loving, gentle or having their words seasoned with salt, it is so easy! It is just such a cop out! It demonstrates such weakness! Why don’t you stand up and be a man or a woman of God? Why cannot you just walk by faith and trust the Lord your God to deliver you and give you the words to answer those who confront you? Well there are a few reasons that could possibly answer this, let us discuss them.

 “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (Joh 3:20-21 AV)

One reason people do not want to be examined or criticized is because they are walking in darkness, they do not have answers for their faith, they do not want to come to the light less their deeds should be manifested that they are not of God. As for me I rarely sharply rebuke the weak and babies of the faith, I am much more likely to take those to task that claim to speak for God! I believe that if you claim to speak for God, you should be held to a higher standard, to whom much is given, much is required. Most of the time men who claim to speak for God, have found a way to gather a group of professing Christians that accept their teachings as being from God. The sad thing is that these people just perform as a mob and any criticism directed at their fearless leader, is considered an assault on them! They have placed their teacher, prophet, pastor or whatever title they may give him, in a place of idolatry, and most of the time they will defend him regardless of the circumstances.

PEOPLE CRITICIZE WHAT THEY WANT TO CONTROL OR PLAY A PART IN!

In my world of reading and influence, many of the people I have contact with, are people who have left conventional - church building - institutional - professing Christianity for a home church ekklesia, (called out ones) model. I have had contact with some of the more prominent voices speaking out against “The Apostasy of Christendom”. Many of the points made by these professing brothers in the Lord, I whole heartedly agree with, they teach many good things, but I have noticed something. These men and some women, criticize what they want a part in. They criticize or rebuke the fallacious teachings of obvious frauds like Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar, TD Jakes, Kenneth Copeland and the TBN crowd, because they want to control or play a part in favor of their own ministry, rather than these frauds. If these frauds were irrelevant, they would not mention them, it is only because they see their influence and power relevant, that they criticize and rebuke them. PEOPLE CRITICIZE WHAT THEY WANT TO CONTROL OR PLAY A PART IN. These men wouldn’t publically mention my name, because they believe that I am irrelevant, if they mention my name to their audience, they are giving me a statice that they believe I don’t deserve. Now I am not complaining now, don’t get the wrong idea, I am just pointing out the reality I just mentioned in human nature, people criticize what they want to own.

Words to remember:

 “Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Mt 15:12-14 AV)

Jesus said, “Let them alone, they will be uprooted in time” I don’t spend my time criticizing these people, because to me, they are irrelevant. I don’t cast my perils before swine who trample them under foot, I criticize that which I believe is worth confronting, that which I want to play a part in or control! I don’t rebuke those who I don’t see any hope for, I would consider it a waste of time.

 “Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.” (Jer 7:16 AV)

 “Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.” (Jer 11:14 AV)

 “Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.” (Jer 14:11 AV)

 “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” (Joh 17:9 AV)

The ONLY valid reason to criticize anyone, is to bring them to repentance and because you think that there might be a chance that God will grant them repentance. I can almost certainly assure you that there will be no repentance for any of the fraudulent wolves I previously mentioned; So the question is, why do the Apostasy Watchers of our time or the Apostasy Hunters, spend so much time trying to expose the obvious frauds? Why do they join themselves with those who also expose the obvious frauds, rather than exposing the lies being taught between themselves? They don’t easily criticize one another, because they are on a team, working together to criticize that which they want to control or play a part in. Do you understand my wisdom here?

 “We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.” (Jer 51:9 AV)

Don’t spend your time criticizing Babylon, you cannot save her, don’t pray for her, she is rejected by the Lord! Instead let’s learn to criticize each other and bear the fruit of the Spirit among ourselves, let us be that city set on a hill, that light unto the world. Let’s make our light bright and obey the Lord. Don’t continue to use the tactics of wicked men when you disagree with others; I happen to be one person who believes that the Lord will come back to start judgment at his house and it has no doubt already begun. But don’t be so sure that those crying foul against the “Criticizers” will be the ones standing at his coming. I believe that God is able to make the criticizers stand, God knows their heart and he knows yours as well, so walk in the fear of God, will you!

The word “Critical Spirit” is not found anywhere in scripture.

Sincerely,

Robert Begnaud