Is The Voice Consistent With the Character of Christ?

As leaders we must test the voice we hear to assure it is that of the Father. The first test was that of scriptural integrity under the New Covenant. The second test emanates from the first test: Is the voice consistent with the character of Christ? Christ is the conduit of the New Covenant of grace and faith.

For example, I just returned from ministering in Kenya where a "prophet" is going around the country calling people to repentance, calling down God’s judgment on the nation and believers, walking around in sackcloth and ashes, demanding forty days of fasting, and requiring followers to come out of association with believers who do not follow his message. Let’s look at this. Calling people to repentance is good: we should change our minds and attitudes about sinful behavior and walk the walk of Jesus. Repentance is an okay word.

Next, calling down judgment on the nation and upon believers is inconsistent with the character of Christ. Jesus said He did not come to ‘judge but to save’ (John 12:47). Jesus very clearly took all the Father’s judgment for us (the believers). You can read Romans chapters 5-8 and get the full power of what Jesus did for us, but the bottom line is that He very clearly took God’s judgment of sin upon himself and removed that same judgment from us, if we believe by faith that He is our savior, Lord, and Messiah. We have Christ in us. If the Father were to judge believers again for sin, He would also be judging His Son who lives within us. That cannot happen!! Therefore, this aspect of the "prophet’s" message is inconsistent with God’s voice coming through the character of Christ. More on this next time.