Mt. 23:9 π Lk. 14:26 π 2 Cor. 5:17
Jesus said, “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.” ( Mt. 23:9; top )
The Catholics have long ignored or explained away this clear command as every priest is called “father” and the pope is called “holy father” and is even bowed down to as being nearly, if not completely, an equal with God. But there has arisen a new variant of deception that teaches that, in order to reach real spiritual maturity, we must first submit ourselves to a “spiritual father.” The proponents of this error wriggle away from this clear command of Christ to call no man “father” by differentiating between one’s physical father, one’s heavenly Father and one’s “spiritual father.” These hold that Jesus was obviously not telling us to not call our physical father “father,” so we can call our spiritual father “father” so long as we recognize that this “spiritual father” is not our heavenly Father. This linguistic shuffle game, however, simply and only allows us to disobey Christ and insert some man into a place that belongs rightly and only to God.
Jesus said, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father…he cannot be My disciple.” ( Lk. 14:26 ) This is the change in the physical paternal relationship required of one who has come to Christ. There is no point in commanding the followers of Christ to not call their physical father “father” because they are to no longer look to the man as even being their father! The new has come – the old has passed away. ( 2 Cor. 5:17; top ) Any return to the ways of the flesh (any way that corrupts or usurps our faith-based relationship with God the Father through Christ Jesus) is treason against our new King and Father.
What the proponents of this “fresh revelation” about “spiritual fathering” have overlooked is that in the physical realm, any man who interjects himself into the fathering process is deemed an adulterer or fornicator! In the physical realms, this is a clear violation of God’s laws – but because the process has been spiritualized, now, suddenly and inexplicably, it is God’s way of bringing forth mature sons. Not even.
This “spiritual fathering” error is built contrary to Jesus’ clear command and built only on twisted meanings of obscure and unclear references to fathers. Because the “church” has failed miserably at producing mature sons of God and because the simple Kingship and Lordship of Christ is perceived as insufficient to bring forth sons fit for His work and kingdom, we must now submit ourselves to a “spiritual father” (who very well might just be a woman in some cases!) so that we can be more like Jesus. If this error were not supported by demonic power, it would be quickly dismissed as the foolish nonsense it really is!
For those who still feel compelled to take on the title and role of “spiritual father” over some other immature follower of Christ, I severely warn you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that you had better completely give the love of the real God and Father to those you are victimizing because of your own desires (for power or children or followers or attention or affection or whatever) – or else your title will simply be an additional weight of judgment against you on the last day. I also warn you that because your desire for the title of “spiritual father” is a carnal desire, it can only prevent you from giving your subjects the pure love of the only Father and therefore it can only add to your judgment!
Let he who has ears hear.
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