Man of God or Man of Gold?

Are some of the Preachers and Pastors really men of God? I would rather call some of them “men of gold” rather than “men of God.” There is a difference with the “men of God” in the Bible and those for today. What is the difference?

The “man of gold” does not care whether he rightly interprets God’s word or if people are being led the way God has stipulated in his word. All that he is concerned about is that his bag of gold should keep increasing because that is his calling, to acquire wealth. So he will not rebuke, correct or instruct in righteousness. He tells the people what they desire to hear. He says, “You are blessed in your family, you are blessed at your work place, you are blessed in your bank accounts” and so on and so forth. Many are times they get a portion of Scripture and use it to suit their message. They take the passage out of context. The following is an example of what you hear in their sermons:

“The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 8:9 that …Jesus became poor so that through his poverty you might become rich. So this means each one of you is blessed. Hallelujah Church, Hallelujah!! Hehehe! You see when you are blessed, you are blessed. Hehehe! This suit I am wearing I just got straight from Italy. Look at your neighbor and say Italy! Hehehe! Hallelujah. People say we cannot preach in Jeans but I wear my suits with Jeans. Look at your neighbor and say Jeans. Hehehe! Hallelujah.” This weekend I spent some time watching some soccer on my new LG flat screen. Oh, you should see the size of that screen. It is massive. I am a supporter of Real Madrid and we worn actually. Those are rich teams for men like me. Everyone say real Madrid! Hallelujah! But there is this team called Liverpool which has gone bankrupt and I think they need the “man of Gold” to go and pray for their deliverance amen? Look at your neighbor and say Liverpool. Hehehe, Hallelujah!

This is how the whole the sermon goes. Tell me, why do I have to look at my neighbor and say all those things? What has my Spiritual life got to do with the suit and television of the “man of gold”?

Man of gold walks away after telling congregation to sow the seed

On the other hand, the “Man of God” is very careful the way he handles himself, God’s word and the people he has been entrusted with.

 Moses is the only one called the man of God in the first five books of the Bible (Deut 33:1), the angel of the Lord who appeared to Samson’s Mother in Judges 13:6,8, Samuel in 1 Sam 9:6,7,8,10, David in Nehemiah 12:24, Elijah in 1 Kings 17:18 and Elisha in 2Kings 4:7 just to mention a few. Most of these men were leaders, prophets and messengers. We can then conclude that the “man of God” was a representative of God. There are two major roles which fitted the men who were given this title. First is that they spoke, proclaimed and taught God’s word. Secondly, they led people based on God’s command and guidance. Think of Moses, think of Samuel, think of David, Think of Elijah and Elisha. These men represented God in their messages and leadership. Even the title itself is very clear. He is “a man of God. God is the one in control and the man is only a vessel.

A man of God will correct, instruct, rebuke and even chastise his sheep if there is sin present. This is what Moses would do with the people of Israel. His desire is to see to it that he accomplishes his God given task. He cares for his people. He loves his people. He will speak and preach nothing else but God’s Word. Even when the audience only wants to hear that which is appealing to their ears, the man of God preaches God’s Word. When the flock wants to be led in a worldly way, the man of God goes back to the Bible and searches to find how God desires his people to be led. He will make sure the flock is led Biblically. The following is an example of a sermon from a Man of God. “John 3:36 says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”

“Based upon this verse and many other like verses in Scripture, eternal life comes through faith in Christ. Apart from Jesus there is no other means of salvation. Everyone stands condemned before God because of sin. There is none righteous no not one so says Romans 3:10. Everyone who is without Christ will test God’s full wrath in hell. Notice it says “whoever rejects.” In other words whoever does not believe that Christ has the power to deliver from the bondage of sin will not see life. What life? He will not see eternal life. When he dies, that will be the end of him.  Notice next it says, ‘that the wrath of God remains on him.’ Why is it so? It remains because it has always been there. Why?  It is because of sin.  How? God is a just God and will not let sin God unpunished. So every human being stands condemned because he is a sinner from birth as David says in Psalm 51:5. So, based on this fact, everyone must taste the full wrath of God when they burn in hell. Failure to believe in Christ for salvation does not bring God’s wrath but instead keeps or maintains God’s wrath which has always been there while faith in Jesus will lift that wrath of God hence liberating ones soul.” Have you trusted in Jesus? Do you believe that Jesus can save you from the wrath that is upon you? Come to Jesus today and let him be you Savior.

You notice the “man of God” has not said anything about his Jeans, cars, blessedness and whatever else. Not that he does not have them but because he knows his God given task. He is to preach the truth and the truth is what God has said for God cannot lie. A listener is able to reason based upon what God says in his word. He is able to say “I am condemned and will perish in hell if I don’t put my faith in Christ.” But how does someone know the will of God if all you keep talking about is your Navara and Range Rover? Will acquiring a Navara save someone from hell? Will purchasing a ten bedroom mansion teach someone how to love and forgive others? 

The “men of gold” are after wealth and they will use anything to get it. The reason people don’t want to go and listen to sound preaching is because they have what the Bible says, “itching ears.” They want to hear what is appealing to them and for sure we all want to hear people say good things about us. If someone tells you, “you will have mansion in two months.”  You will come next week so that he tells you another lie. Who doesn’t want to have a mansion? We all want a good life. But that is not how it works for everyone.

Be careful not to become a “man of gold.” You also must be on the lookout not to fall prey to “men of gold.” No matter how hard the sermon from a “man of God” may seem, listen and ask God to help you understand and put that into practice.