This kind of thing should not surprise us as the nature of man (flesh) is bent towards evil. It is only by the leading of the spirit that we can overcome the lust of the flesh. Our spirit needs to be made alive as it was dead and unable to be lead by Gods Spirit until the new birth. This sinful activity happened since the beginning and was the reason God destroyed the world by the flood.
Gen 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh
Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Mat 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and
giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
WE still live in the flesh but the flesh needs to be crucified. We don't become spirits that no longer have to contend with the flesh. This is the battle that Pastors have to battle with. Sinners that have become saints but have developed years of sinful habits. When you are converted this does not eliminate the memory of all that happened in the past. This is why we have to renew our minds by the word of God.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live
in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies (flesh) a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but
be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Are there those in the church who are not following the leading off the Spirit? If they are not listening to the Word of God their minds are still functioning according to the course of this world. It is only through the renewing of our minds that we will be transformed. Paul puts mankind in three different categories; 1. Natural/Unregenerate (Dead) 2. Spiritual (Christians) 3. Carnal (Christians) It is to whom we are lead by will we determine our final destiny.
1Co 2:10 But
God hath revealed them unto us
by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the
spirit of man which is in him? even so
the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But
the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1Co 3:1 And I,
brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto
carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Should we be surprised that there are carnal Christians who are lead by their flesh though attending a church, whether pastor or parishioner? If we stop praying and seeking God we all are subject to the will of flesh taking over. It is not whether these things happen more than a matter of how we handle these things when they do happen.
Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then
they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
That is why we have a spirit of fornication sweep through a youth group. Now we have a epidemic of homosexuality hitting our churches. The media and promulgation of metro-sexual, gay and lesbian lifestyles as normative have made it seem ok to try out or play with this. They are in the flesh. You can try to pretend this does not go on but Pastors are facing these trends in their offices more and more. When these things are started while they are young people they think they can stop them when they get married. It usually plays out after they've been married for a few years with a couple of children that their sinful lifestyle of infidelity comes back to destroy their marriage. The results are divorce becoming more common even in Apostolic Pentecostal churches.
When somebody tries these things (promiscuous lifestyle) before getting converted and they do not seek the spirits guidance through a genuine relationship with God, but rather begin a social relationship within a church and never that deeper relationship with God, that spirit can come back to deceive them and others as well.
No organization is exempt. Just take a look at what the Roman Catholic Church has done. They knew things were going on and covered them up. This has happened to the televangelists. I even know of cases where higher ups have done favors for friends by not exposing them for wrongdoing. They then have strings attached and blind the eyes of both believing that they can get away with sin. I have been extremely pleased to know Pastors that have been righteous and have removed their own proteges for sinful behavior. This shows the true integrity of an individual.
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