No Endorsement

Now that I have sufficiently challenged a number of long held beliefs and traditions of almost the entire 'church' as being completely unbiblical and improper, I think it time to introduce to you this important Bible principle:
Just because God works through someone is no endorsement of that person, whatsoever.

We finite humans have a strong tendency to think otherwise. If we can see the hand of God working through a particular person or human structure, we associate that person or structure with godliness. Why would God work through someone that He did not endorse? God is working through this man or this woman or this ministry or this institution: shouldn't I listen to what they have to say? If He works through a person, 'church', or ministry which you say is unbiblical, doesn't that contradict what you are saying?

No. You should listen to the Bible. Or put another way, we judge our experience through the Word; we don't judge the Word through our experience. Otherwise we have nothing to stand on when some cat shows up out of the Arabian desert claiming that an angel from God gave him great revelation or some special golden tablets to translate while peering in his hat. But when we judge experience by the Word, we know that, "...even if we ourselves or an angel from God comes to you proclaiming a different Gospel from the one we have already proclaimed, let him be accursed."

The reason this principle is important is because there have been 'churches' and 'ministers' through whom God has definitely worked in our own lives – which naturally inclines one to give credence to that 'minister' or 'church' – but which have clearly unbiblical lives or structures or teachings. God can and does use people to further His kingdom who have unbiblical teachings, or unbiblical 'church' organization, or even immorality in their lives. We know this, because we have seen it with our own eyes. So don't accept teachings or behavior just because you see God working through someone.

Just because God works through someone is no endorsement of that person, whatsoever.

There are probably a host of good examples of this principle in the Bible, but let me give just two.

• 1Kings 15:25-16:13 In 1Kings 14, God spoke through Abijah the prophet against Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that He would utterly destroy him and his house because of his sin, and that he led all of the Northern Kingdom of Israel into idolatry and false religion. Beginning in 15:25 God uses Baasha the son of Ahijah to fulfill this prophecy and utterly destroy the house of Jeroboam. Yet, as you read on, Baasha himself is condemned by God and it comes to pass that the entire house of Baasha is also destroyed due to the sins of Baasha. So you see that God actively used Baasha to perform his will, but this in no way indicates any endorsement of Baasha.

• Numbers 22-24 My favorite example of this principle is the story of Balaam. Many people are familiar with the story of Balaam and the Talking Donkey, but the whole story is much more powerful than this one fantastic part. Whatever the deal was with Balaam, it is clear from the text that the man was a pagan, occultic, diviner who was also familiar with YHWH and heard from YHWH directly. YHWH spoke directly to him, and through him. YHWH delivered powerful blessings and prophecy through Balaam. And after He through Balaam had blessed Israel abundantly, He then delivered through Balaam a beautiful, poignant, early Messianic Prophecy:

"Then Balak’s anger was aroused against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have bountifully blessed them these three times! Now therefore, flee to your place. I said I would greatly honor you, but in fact, the LORD has kept you back from honor.”

So Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also speak to your messengers whom you sent to me, saying, ‘If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the LORD, to do good or bad of my own will. What the LORD says, that I must speak’? And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”
  
So he took up his oracle and said:
“The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor,
And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened;
The utterance of him who hears the words of God,
And has the knowledge of the Most High,
Who sees the vision of the Almighty,
Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

“I see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near;
A Star shall come out of Jacob;
A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,
And batter the brow of Moab,
And destroy all the sons of tumult."

On the surface, Balaam might be a sincere, godly man giving sound counsel. He even prophecied the coming Messiah! But look at what the rest of the scriptures say about Balaam.

Numbers 31:8
They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.

Numbers 31:16
Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

Deuteronomy 23:4
because they did not meet you with bread and water on the road when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.

Deuteronomy 23:5
Nevertheless the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.

Joshua 13:22
The children of Israel also killed with the sword Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, among those who were killed by them.

Joshua 24:9
Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose to make war against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you. But I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he continued to bless you. So I delivered you out of his hand.

Nehemiah 13:2
because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Micah 6:5
O My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab counseled, And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, From Acacia Grove to Gilgal, That you may know the righteousness of the LORD.”

2 Peter 2:15
They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

Jude 1:11
Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

Just because God works through someone is no endorsement of that person, whatsoever.