Tuesday - November 7, 2023

Kris Baker

SCRIPTURE


Acts 13.1-12


Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.


WORDS OF HOPE


I have spent a lot of my life wondering if I am doing the things and being the person that God created me to be. As I first read this passage from Chapter 13 of Acts, I was a little jealous that Barnabas and Paul received a clear message from the Holy Spirit as to what work they had been called to do. That is, until in verse 6 where it becomes clear that their job is to call out false prophets.

 

Barnabas and Paul encounter Bar-Jesus who is presumed to be a false prophet, saying to him, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.” 


How unkind are those words? Is this really the way to spread the word of Jesus? For some it is. I personally have been bombarded by such words by those who believe they are doing the work of the Holy Spirit. Reading Acts 13:1-12 lead me to do some reading about the concept of false prophets.


As I scrolled my way through the Internet reading various articles about the notion of false prophets, I was horrified, humored, saddened, and entertained all at the same time. Entertained because some of the ideas I stumbled across were so ridiculous; yet I was also horrified and saddened because there are so many people who find their truth in such words. To summarize what I read, false prophets may look like you, but they do not have your same heart and mind of Christ. They speak and live from their own delusions. Their sole purpose is to lead people away from Christ and amass money, power, and pleasure for themselves. This much doesn’t sound too unrealistic, though I know the “heart and mind of Christ” that they speak of is not the same “heart and mind of Christ” that I have. 


A deeper dive spells out exactly what “they” believe the heart and mind of a false prophet hold. False prophets refuse to acknowledge sin as (in their reading) it is clearly defined in the Bible. They don’t believe in the inerrancy of the Bible. They don’t believe in hell and the need for repentance. And they don’t believe that Jesus is the only way. Based on these characteristics, I am guilty of being a false prophet and, if this truly is how a false prophet is defined, I am proud of it. The way I see it is that those of us who may be labeled as false prophets are the ones who USE their hearts and minds of Christ not just proclaim to have them. True followers of Christ believe in the grace and mercy of God that redeems us rather than in a life that is shrouded in sin and damnation. As progressive Christians, we read the Bible prayerfully, but as with any piece of writing, it is impossible to read the Bible without interpretation, without bringing a part of who we are to every word and passage. Again, the heart and mind of Christ is important here. Reading the Bible literally diminishes the importance of our responsibility to read its words carefully and seriously. And lastly, there are thousands of active religions in the world today. Can Jesus really be THE ONLY way?


I had a spiritual director many years ago tell me to live my life humbly, honestly, and kindly as best I can. Living in this way, he said, is far more important than trying to prove that you know the one right way. That is what I’ve done, and will continue to do, as long as I walk this earth. I don’t feel that it is my right or my responsibility to publicly call out someone as “a child of the devil.” Actions speak much louder than words. Acting from a place of humility, honesty, and kindness seems much more Christ-like than calling people names. And if because of this, I am labeled as a false prophet, so be it.


PRAYER


Holy Spirit, fill my heart and mind with humility, kindness, and love so that I may be the person you made me to be and do the work that you desire for me to do. Amen


DEVOTION AUTHOR


Kris Baker

Order of St. Francis and St. Clare


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Friday - February 21, 2025

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Thursday - February 20, 2025

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Wednesday - February 19, 2025

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Tuesday - February 18, 2025

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Monday - February 17, 2025

By Thomas Riggs • February 17, 2025
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Friday - February 14, 2025

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