"Speaking the truth in love" means telling God's people what is right. It means that if a person who has heard from Jesus knows something that will benefit those who have the holy Ghost, he will "speak plainly" so that those who love the Spirit of truth may prosper. With that, I must tell you that if you go to a "Christian church" on Sunday, you are being led by a minister whom Jesus has NOT sent. God certainly "calls" and "sends" men to lead His people, but God has sent no man to encourage His people to be content within the walls of "Christianity".

Paul asked the rhetorical question, "How shall they preach except they be sent?" (Rom.10:15), expecting, of course, the obvious response, "They cannot preach except they be sent." No one can understand either Paul's question or the answer, without first being made aware of the difference between being called and being sent. Jesus first called disciples to follow him. Later, from among those whom he had called, and there were many, Jesus chose certain ones to send to preach the gospel. As Jesus said, "Many are called, but few are chosen."

It may seem at first to be a small matter, but we need to know that no one has ever been "called to preach". That phrase is found nowhere in the Bible. Rather than "calling men to preach", our Lord calls for men and women to be silent and to learn of him. Then he chooses some of those followers to be sent with his gospel of peace. He calls men not to preach, but to be quiet. Only after teaching his disciples the fundamentals of the faith did Jesus send some of them to carry his gospel.

In Matthew 5:1-2, we read, "And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain. And when he was set, his disciples came unto him, and he opened his mouth and taught them." After this lengthy session with his disciples, teaching them the moral requirements of the kingdom of God, Jesus descended from the mountain (Mt.8) and demonstrated to his disciples the miraculous power of God to heal the sick and deliver the oppressed. Then, in Matthew 10:1, we find that Jesus gathered his disciples, and "He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease." Mark describes this sending of the disciples with these words, "And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sickness and to cast out devils" (Mk.3:14-15).

Notice, please, that these disciples were ordained after they were called. And ordained for what? "That they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out devils." What about this, preacher? Prayerfully consider, my dear pastor friend, this question which I ask in deepest sincerity: Have you been sent? Or have you only been called? Each experience is definite and wonderful. But most ministers never speak of more than being called. There is no cause to doubt the reality of their call to follow Jesus; however, their own testimonies are witness that Jesus has not sent them to preach his gospel. There is a seminary of God, where the Spirit reveals the true doctrine of Christ and gives power which no man can give. Men are not able to confer upon other men the power to preach the gospel. Only Christ can send a man to preach. In the seminary of God, Christ alone confers the degrees. As wise Peter said, "If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth."

Yes, my reader, it was by receiving the power of God to heal and to deliver the people from evil spirits that the twelve apostles were ordained as ministers of God. Demons were subject to Jesus' disciples, just as they were subject to him, for he gave them power to heal the sick, cast out devils, cleanse the lepers, and even to raise the dead. This, of course, was all done in the wonderful name of Jesus. And God has given the privilege of the authority of that great name to all His ministers. Oh, my friend, so many people are sick and dying, not because God's healing power is unavailable, but because real faith is becoming rare. How it must grieve the heart of God, who has willed His power of complete deliverance to all faithful ministers!

The Pharisees opposed both Jesus and ministers of the early believers because of the power of God which they possessed to heal and deliver the people. Every unanointed minister today, like the Pharisees of old, senses that the power of God is a threat to his unauthorized, man-appointed ministry. It seems easier for some of them to fight the power of God than to seek God and receive it. Hear Paul's description of such religious leaders, and note his warning that follows: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. From such turn away" (2Tim. 3:1-5).

What a warning! What a description of every mocker, who walks after his own ungodly lusts and prophesies out of his own spirit! "These be they", Jude tells us, "who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit [holy Ghost]." May God anoint and send men to heal His divided, hurting people! Only men who are sent from God have God's answer to our deepest needs.

Every minister must face this issue: "Shall I resist or yield to the power of God - the force that not only cleanses the soul, but also heals the body and mind?" Remember that he who said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" also said, "And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Thousands of ministers, ignorant of the true gospel, have established word-only ministries of their own, "teaching" ministries without the power and signs that Jesus said would follow believers. This is Christianity: a form of godliness without the power of God. It is "another gospel", not the one we read of in the book of Acts. And who knows how many Sundays God's people sit, being lulled to spiritual sleep by men whom Jesus has not sent to do what they are doing, or to teach what they are teaching. Jesus never sent any man to teach that a person can "accept Jesus" as their Lord and saviour (for the greater accepts the lesser). Jesus never sent any man to teach that men are already "saved" (for Jesus will judge us when he comes again). Jesus never sent any man to teach that a person is born again prior to receiving the baptism of the holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues (for we are baptized into the body of Christ by receiving the holy Ghost - 1Cor.12:13). Jesus never sent any man to teach that Satan is the god of evil things, and Jehovah is the God of good things (for God is the Lord of all things, good and evil). There are thousands of other doctrines we could touch on, but the point is this: the Father of Jesus Christ is calling to his people: "come out of her my people" (Rev.18:1-4). Come out of "Christianity". Our heavenly Father has a gospel for his children... The unrepealable gospel which Jesus preached is to be preached and practiced by all believers, even to the end of this age. May our God enable us to do so! Amen.

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