Do you Run The Race... Or, do you Impersonate?

All Christians have various teachers from whom they have gained wisdom, understanding and enlightenment in regards to God's Word. We grow up under these people, learning doctrine, being strengthened in the faith, being encouraged to do what is right. It's probably how Timothy felt about Paul the Apostle.

Now, Timothy was not Paul the Apostle, but he saw first hand Paul's faith, his walk and learned from him doctrine, and, like an Olympic runner passes the baton, Paul passed the baton on to Timothy that he would run the race to win and to pass the baton on to other brethren, that they would run the race and win the prize. This baton has been passed to you and me.

But, there are many in the 'Christian' community whom receive the baton, and instead of running the race they try to duplicate and emulate the runner, as if to 'piggyback' on their faith, as they themselves lack faith. These are people whom spend their christian life competing with and admiring other christian's faith, but they themselves have no faith. They just run around in circles, never going anywhere or accomplishing anything for the Kingdom, but, nonetheless, they make an extravagant show of it for everyone to see.

These fake runners come from all denominations and all corners of orthodox Christendom; you can see them at Calvary Chapel, emulating Chuck Smith right down to the smiles, pauses and the classic Hawaiian shirt. When you talk to them, they will talk all day long about some man and his doctrine, Calvin this and Armenian that, "Mr. Swindol said today...", referring to these big names as if there was great power in the name of Dave Hunt, Benny Hinn or James Dobson. Or, they follow cultic leaders like David Caresh or Jim Jones, or they follow exclusionary, dogmatic and schismatic church groups such as The Assembly, whose leader is Mr. Grove, groups like Antipas, or the Amish.

Possessing the latest and greatest books on eschatology or faith or the holy spirit, these fake runners can quote chapter and verse from these books, as if God, Himself, had written them. Some attend the latest concerts or buy the newest cds, spending billions of dollars on 'how-to-christian-retro-fit-your-faith-today' material.

Some of these fake runners emulate the latest psychology such as spelled out by the Minirth Meier Clinic, which promotes worldly wisdom from a bitter well, or marriage counseling techniques or new ways to evangelize, quoting passages out of movies like the "Left Behind" series.

They love to quote their pastor as if he is Numero Uno, is if God only speaks through the priest and not to the people, as in Catholicism and, that all church doctrine supersedes the Scriptures and passes through the priest. The fake runners will regale to you the jokes the pastor has told and dogmatically quote the anecdotical stories. Worst of all, they repeat un-biblical buzz Phrases to condemn the faith of the righteous: "don't beat people over the head with the Bible!", or my personal favorite, "It's not what you say, it's how you say it..."

The Scriptures describe these fake runners as "blemishes on your love feasts", or "clouds with no rain" passing a thirsty man in the desert, "waves of the sea being tossed back and forth" foaming up their own shame, that they "strain at a gnat and swallow a camel", "white-washed sepulcures" that are beautiful to look at but "full of dead men's bones", they are "workers of iniquity", they love to appoint themselves to Moses' seat so they can pontificate and, like the high priest and all his associates, they are "filled with jealousy".

And, they do work; they are continually trying to trip-up the runners of faith by telling them their posture is not good enough, or that they should smile when they run, or that they should greet people along the track and every other form of rabbit trail that leads to a ship-wrecked faith.

The righteous, however, they follow Jesus Christ, for they know that there is no other name given among men by which men must be saved, our Lord, our Savior and our Judge.

- Steven Styles

We encourage you to email the author to prove or disprove, from the Scriptures, the intent, meaning, purpose or doctrine of this piece. email Steven