by Michael Donahoe
Do you notice how we Christians get so caught up on which pastor, evangelist or leader becomes our focal point? We listen to this one or that one, read books from this guy, or listen to tapes by that woman. We attend a fellowship because we like the pastor, or we will drive miles to listen to a popular TV or radio evangelist. But wait a minute, doesn’t God’s word say that the Holy Spirit will teach and guide us? Aren’t we all brothers and sisters in Christ, all fellow-servants? We are not to be called leaders, no one is higher up than anyone else (Matthew 23:10 – Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ). We do not need anyone to teach us because we have the Spirit of Christ within us, the true living Word lives in each of us. In Christ, we are all His children, no one should be looked up to or revered more than anyone else. True, we can learn from one another by the way Christ works in each of our lives, but we should stop putting our hope in other people and start listening to the Holy Spirit that is within us for truth and guidance.
For many, it is hard accepting the fact that God lives within us. Sadly, the church rarely teaches or emphasizes this fact. We have been taught that if we listen to the pastor, read the Bible and live our lives trying to follow the commandments, one day we will go to heaven and live with God face to face. We have an image of God sitting on a throne way up in heaven and here we are, far, far away down on earth. Yet, Jesus said the Spirit lives within us, and the Kingdom of God is within us. We do not have to wait until some day in the future, we are living in the Kingdom right now.
Rather than spending time to focus on the inner voice, the inner intuition, we talk about going to a meeting and the Spirit showing up, or being at a specific place because God is there. We pray and talk with God, yet we wonder if our prayers are even being heard. The more I read, I am finding that we really have the whole thing backwards. God does not show up anywhere because God lives in us.
The Old Covenant has been fulfilled in Christ and we are now living under a New Covenant. We no longer have to try to be good enough. The law was a tutor that led us to Christ, but now that Christ has come, we no longer need a tutor. We are free from the law! The Spirit of God now lives within us.
Jesus came to live among us and show us the love of God. When Jesus left, he said he would send us the Spirit. Notice he did not say he would send us a pastor or a book. God has now come to live within us through the Spirit. Jesus said the Kingdom of God is within you. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we have the mind of Christ. Jesus prayed that we would be one with God just as he and God are one.
Sounds to me that we are missing the main point. We do not have to wait to die to go to heaven and enjoy kingdom living. We do not have to wait to be united with God. We no longer need to look to a human guide, teacher or preacher. We have the living, powerful, perfect Word of God living inside us who is our teacher and guide.
There is nothing wrong with listening to others, getting their thoughts and ideas and being encouraged by other believers, but we do not need to rely on other humans. We have the Spirit within us, teaching us and guiding us in the way we should go.
We do not have to look up in the sky to some far-away place and wonder if God is listening. We do not have to go to church to hear what the pastor has to say. We can turn our thoughts inward and realize the Spirit is right there within us, listening, loving us and ready to teach us as we begin to hear his voice from within.
We are all at different stages along the path we walk with God. We need to remember none of us have it all figured out. We so often want to fight and argue from the understanding we currently have without realizing that we have not reached completion. The Spirit did not stop teaching us when the Bible was completed. There is more the Spirit wants to teach us as we become ready to listen and accept it.
We should come to accept each other where we are currently, realizing what we know and believe today will more likely be different a little further down the road. We can love each other, learn from one another and accept each other as we are, just like Jesus loves and accepts us just as we are. Yet, our main goal is to look deep within ourselves, listening for the voice and guidance of the Spirit. We should not put our hope in others and those we think are more spiritual because they have been trained, educated or paid to do so. Remember, we are all kings and priests and have the same Spirit within us. Each of us are equal and important parts of the body with Christ as the head. His Church is not a building, not a denomination but it is the people.
This is not saying we are God, but the Spirit lives within us and we are one with God. It would do us all good to start focusing on this fact rather than thinking of a future event after we die. Kingdom living is now. Listening to the Spirit, being taught by the Spirit and living day by day in communion with God is a reality that we all need to live in each and every day.
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Michael Donahoe was added as a writer as his views fit perfectly with those of Done with Religion. He also writes on Substack at https://personalmeanderings.substack.com/
Done with Religion 