When being HOLY is a TRAP

The need to be Holy is a trap many Preachers fall into.  It's right to be Holy (set apart, consecrated, unique, eschewing sinful behavior).  The holiness I am talking about is the need to be consistent, even if you are wrong.  When a man or woman of God has preached or taught a certain bent of theology for a long time and then the light of revelation comes...the ability to say, "I WAS WRONG" is not in their vocabulary. 

This means that many good spiritual leaders end up in a box, trapped by their own words, writings and the people they have convinced.

I have watched this happen again and again and it nearly always leads to shipwreck.  Sometimes when a preacher is in error, he will double down on his error and make a crusade out of it.  You see some of these guys on Christian TV.  They keep hammering the same anvil with the same hammer.   It takes great humility and sensitivity to the Spirit of God to admit you were wrong.  That flesh got in the way.  That you were led astray.

Sometimes this happens in Seminary.  Sometimes this happens in Bible School.  Sometimes if you came up under a certain leader you buy into what he or she teaches.  When God says BEHOLD I DO A NEW THING...they resist by digging in their heels towards an old thing. 

The truth is all of this is driving by a demon.  Fear of Man.  One of the worst demons around.  We don't want to appear inconsistent.  We don't want to lose our congregation (income). Besides, we all have examples of someone who changed theological positions and suffered for it. Carlton Pearson is the poster child for this.  Besides, itching ears pay tithes.  Tell them what they want to believe and they will follow you into the pit.  There are many examples of this kind of relativistic preaching.

Yet, everything you  believe must  be measured by the Word of God, the Spirit of God bringing those things to life and the purposes God placed in you.  There are a lot of things God has given me more understanding on then I had 30 years ago.  Some positions I have actually changed. Some have matured.  This much is certain, you will not have the truth of God if you don't test it severely, if it's not tested by your life. 

Or you can just live in the fear of man:  The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted.  Proverbs 29:25