Tag Holy Spirit

Facebook Pharisees, Digital False Prophets

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

An editorial for the age of the algorithm—

There was a time when false prophets needed a crowd, a marketplace, or a pulpit to spread their delusions. Now they just need Wi‑Fi.

Open Facebook, scroll for five minutes, and you’ll meet them: the self‑appointed seers, the “thus‑saith‑the‑Lord” status updates, the viral rebukes dressed up as “discernment,” the spiritual hot takes that sound more like clickbait than cross‑bearing. It’s a strange new world where anyone can claim divine authority with a ring light and a strong opinion.

Scripture, however, is not surprised.

Jesus warned, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). The medium has changed—from hillside sermons to social media feeds—but the danger has not. The wolves have simply learned how to use hashtags.

The rise of Facebook Pharisees

Let’s start with the “Facebook Pharisees”—those who weaponize Bible verses in comment sections, not to build up, but to win arguments and score public righteousness points.

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were not cartoon villains. They were serious, religious, biblically literate people. Yet Jesus said of them, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8}). They loved the appearance of holiness, the respect of the crowd, the feeling of being right. Social media has given that same spirit a global platform.

You’ve seen it:

  • The thread where someone vulnerably shares a struggle, and instead of compassion, they get a barrage of proof‑texts and cold rebukes.
  • The “discernment” post that names and shames other believers, not to restore them, but to rally a tribe.
  • The public call‑out that conveniently forgets Jesus’ instructions about going to a brother privately first (Matthew 18:15}).

Jesus described Pharisees as those who “tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger” (Matthew 23:4}). That’s what happens when we use Facebook to pile guilt, shame, and spiritual pressure on others, while our own hearts remain untouched by grace.

The Facebook Pharisee is more concerned with being seen as doctrinally pure than being known as Christlike. They forget that “the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” ({1 Timothy 1:5}). Truth without love is not biblical boldness; it’s spiritual brutality.

Digital false prophets and the platform problem

If the Facebook Pharisee misuses truth, the digital false prophet distorts it.

We live in an age where anyone can start a page, call themselves “Prophet So‑and‑So,” and begin declaring dreams, visions, and “urgent words” to thousands of followers. Jesus’ warning feels painfully current: “Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray” (Matthew 24:11}).

False prophets are not new. Jeremiah had to confront them in his day:

“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ … They are prophesying the delusions of their own minds.”
(Jeremiah 23:25–26})

Social media has simply amplified their reach. A “word from the Lord” can now be shared, liked, and believed by millions before anyone asks the most basic biblical question: Did it come true? God’s standard is clear: “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken” (Deuteronomy 18:22}).

Yet online, failed prophecies are rarely repented of. They are quietly deleted, re‑framed, or buried under the next “urgent update.” The platform continues. The followers remain. The algorithm rewards engagement, not accuracy.

Digital false prophets often share common traits:

They prioritize visibility over accountability.
They operate without a local church, elders, or real spiritual oversight. But Scripture assumes prophets are tested in community: “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said” (1 Corinthians 14:29}). Online, there is often no “others” to weigh—only fans to applaud.

They center the message on prosperity and personal breakthrough.
God does bless, but when every “word” is about money, success, and “your next level,” we’ve drifted from the biblical pattern. True prophetic ministry calls people to repentance, holiness, and faithfulness. False prophets, by contrast, “heal the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14}).

They use fear and urgency to manipulate.
“Something terrible is coming—only those who sow a seed will be protected.” That’s not biblical prophecy; that’s spiritual blackmail. The gospel is not a subscription service you pay to avoid disaster. God does not sell protection through PayPal links.

They rarely preach the cross.
Paul resolved “to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2}). If a digital prophet’s feed is full of dreams, dates, and dramatic declarations but empty of the cross, repentance, and the hope of resurrection, something is deeply off.

The algorithm is not the Holy Spirit

One of the most subtle dangers in this age is confusing virality with validity.

A post goes viral, and we assume God must be in it. A “word” gets shared 100,000 times, and we treat it as confirmation. But the Bible never equates popularity with truth. In fact, Jesus says, “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26}).

The algorithm is designed to reward outrage, novelty, and emotional intensity. The Holy Spirit, by contrast, produces “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self‑control” (Galatians 5:22–23}). If a feed is full of anger, fear, and division—even if it’s draped in Bible verses—it may be driven more by the flesh than by the Spirit.

We need to recover a simple discipline: “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1}). Testing means:

  • Comparing every teaching with the whole counsel of Scripture, not just isolated verses.
  • Watching the fruit of a person’s life over time, not just the flair of their latest post.
  • Asking whether the message leads us to deeper love for Christ, greater obedience, and genuine humility—or just deeper obsession with signs, predictions, and personalities.

The Bereans were commended because they “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11}). If they tested the apostle Paul, we can certainly test our favorite Facebook prophet.

When we “love to have it so”

Here’s the uncomfortable part: false prophets and Facebook Pharisees don’t exist in a vacuum. They thrive because we follow them.

Jeremiah said, “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so” ({Jeremiah 5:31}). That line cuts deep. Sometimes we prefer the drama of sensational “words” to the slow, steady work of discipleship. We’d rather have spiritual entertainment than spiritual formation.

We click, we share, we comment, we feed the very voices that confuse us. Then we wonder why our faith feels scattered and anxious.

The truth is, God sometimes allows false voices to flourish as a test: “For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 13:3}). The question is not just, “Are they false?” but “What does my attraction to them reveal about my heart?”

Do I chase prophetic drama because I’m bored with simple obedience?
Do I crave spiritual celebrities because I’ve neglected the ordinary means of grace—Scripture, prayer, fellowship, sacrament?
Do I prefer outrage posts because they let me feel righteous without actually repenting?

These are not comfortable questions, but they are necessary ones.

A different way to be online

So what does faithfulness look like in the age of Facebook Pharisees and digital false prophets?

First, we anchor ourselves in Scripture.
“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32}). The more deeply we know the Word, the less easily we are swayed by spiritual trends. We don’t need a constant stream of “new revelation” when we haven’t yet obeyed the revelation we already have.

Second, we stay rooted in real community.
Online voices can be helpful, but they are not a substitute for a local church, pastors, and brothers and sisters who actually know our lives. The New Testament assumes believers are joined to a body where gifts are tested, character is seen, and accountability is real (Hebrews 10:24–25}).

Third, we practice humility in our own posting.
Before we hit “post,” we can ask: Is this building up or tearing down? Is this about Christ or about me? Am I speaking as one who will “give an account for every careless word” (Matthew 12:36})? We don’t have to be silent, but we do have to be sober.

Fourth, we refuse to participate in public stoning.
There is a place for warning against false teaching—that’s biblical. Paul did it (Acts 20:29–31}). But there is also a way of “discernment” that becomes a sport of humiliation. When we delight in exposing others more than we grieve over sin, we have slipped into the spirit of the Pharisee who prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men” (Luke 18:11}).

Finally, we fix our eyes on Jesus, not on the feed.
The writer of Hebrews calls us to be “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2}). Social media constantly invites us to look at ourselves, our brand, our enemies, our fears. The gospel invites us to look at Christ—crucified, risen, reigning—and to let His voice be louder than any timeline.

Conclusion: less spectacle, more Savior

The Church does not need more Facebook Pharisees or digital false prophets. We need ordinary, faithful believers who quietly love God, love neighbor, and refuse to let the algorithm disciple their souls.

False prophets will continue to arise. Pharisaical spirits will continue to comment. The feed will continue to churn. But in the midst of it, God’s call remains the same:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37}).
“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16}).
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16}).

In an age of digital noise, that kind of quiet, rooted faith may not go viral—but it will endure. And in the end, when every platform has faded and every feed has gone silent, it won’t be the Facebook Pharisees or the digital false prophets who stand. It will be those who heard the Shepherd’s voice, tested every other voice by His Word, and chose, day after day, to follow Him.



This has been “{A View From the Nest} and that is the way I see it. What say you?

Who’s Guarding the Tomb of Jesus?

Allen Frederick Leave a comment
A Call for the Church to Return to the Living Christ

The Borrowed Tomb and the Fear Surrounding It

“And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed.” Matthew 27:59–60

Jesus was laid in a borrowed tomb cut from stone — a place meant for the dead, not for the Lord of life. Wrapped in linen and sealed behind a stone, He appeared to be at the end of the story, yet fear still lingered around Him. Herod feared His influence, the chief priests feared His promise, and Rome feared His followers. So they posted guards, sealed the tomb, and tried to contain the One who had already said, “I will rise again.”

They feared His body might be stolen and His resurrection proclaimed. They feared a rumor, a movement, a miracle. But no fear, stone, soldier, or seal could hold the risen Lord. Death could not keep Him. The grave could not restrain Him. The tomb could not silence Him. He walked out of the place they tried to secure.

Yet today, the church often attempts what Rome could not do.

We carve out our own “tombs” — leather-bound, gold-leafed, printed, indexed, and wrapped in doctrinal linen — and call them the canon. We treat Scripture not as a witness to the Living Word, but as His container. We wrap Jesus in pages and call it reverence. We seal Him behind interpretations and call it orthodoxy. We post guards named Tradition, Control, Suspicion, and Fear, insisting that God speaks only in the past tense.

Still, the angels’ words continue to answer every attempt to confine the living Christ:
“Why seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.” Luke 24:5–6

The Danger of a Past-Tense Christ

Jesus warned the Pharisees in words that still speak to every generation:

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” John 5:39–40

They studied the text but missed the Person. They honored the words while ignoring the voice. They revered the scroll but rejected the Savior. The modern church repeats that error whenever it says, “We know God only by what He has said,” as though the risen Christ stopped speaking when the apostles died.

Yet Jesus promised the continuing ministry of the Spirit:

“When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth… He will speak… He will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16:13

The Spirit has not retired, the Shepherd has not gone silent, and the Head of the Church has not stepped aside.

The living Christ still leads, speaks, knocks, and calls His people into fellowship with Him.

Sewing the Veil Back Together

When Jesus died, the temple veil was torn from top to bottom — not by human effort, but by God Himself.

“And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” Matthew 27:51

The torn veil declared one thing: access. Through Christ alone, the Father opened unrestricted, unmediated, unguarded access to Himself.

But religion often tries to sew the veil back together. The Pharisees did it by laying unbearable burdens on others:

“You travel land and sea to win one convert, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” Matthew 23:15

They wrapped God in rules, rituals, and requirements; they wrapped people in expectations, traditions, and fear; and they wrapped truth in layers of human authority.

Today, we can wrap Jesus in the burial cloths of catechisms, doctrinal statements, theological systems, Reformation language, dissertations, and denominational fences. We stitch the veil with academic thread and call it faithfulness, placing barriers between God and His people that neither we nor our ancestors could bear.

But the Gospel remains simple:
Jesus died for our sins. Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus alone opens the way into the Holy of Holies.

The way into God’s presence does not rest on catechisms, confessions, doctrinal precision, theological pedigree, denominational loyalty, or intellectual mastery of Scripture.

Jesus Himself is the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6

Not merely the Bible about Him — but Christ within us.

Christ in Us — Not Christ Confined to the Pages

Paul did not say, “Christ in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is the hope of glory.”
He said:

“Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27

Reading about Jesus is not the same as walking with Him, studying His life is not the same as hearing His voice, and knowing His teachings is not the same as knowing His presence.

The Gospel was never meant to remain a museum exhibit; it was meant to become a living encounter with the risen Christ.

The Closed Door of the Church

One of Revelation’s most sobering images is not a rebellious world, but a closed church:

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” Revelation 3:20

Jesus is not knocking on the door of unbelievers; He is knocking on the door of believers. He is not outside the world in this image; He is outside the church that has shut Him out. He is not asking for a platform from which to be displayed; He is asking for a table where fellowship can be restored. He is not seeking a pulpit for performance; He is seeking communion with His people. He is not offering a lecture from a distance; He is offering the shared intimacy of a meal.

The risen Christ desires to tabernacle with His people — to dwell, dine, speak, guide, comfort, correct, and commune. Yet He will not force His way past the guards we place at the tomb, shout over our programs, or break through the stone of our fear; instead, He knocks, calls, and waits.

Return to Your First Love

The church at Ephesus had doctrine, discipline, endurance, and order. Still, Jesus said: “Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” Revelation 2:4 Although they possessed many marks of religious faithfulness, they had lost the One who mattered most.

That is the danger of a tomb-guarding church: we can honor the Christ of history while neglecting the Christ who is present, defend the Word of God while resisting the voice of God, and preach the resurrection while living as though He remains sealed behind stone.

But the risen Lord calls us back — not to a memory, doctrine, or system, but to Himself. He calls us to open the door, welcome His presence, hear His voice, dine with Him, and return to our first love.

The Final Call: Stop Guarding the Tomb

The question is no longer, “Who guarded the tomb then?”
The question is, “Who is guarding it now?”

We must ask whether we are the ones keeping Jesus sealed behind tradition, wrapped in doctrinal linen, locked inside the pages, held outside the church door, and prevented from speaking, leading, interrupting, and reigning among us.

And perhaps the deeper question is this: Where did you bury Jesus? Have you buried Jesus beneath your fear, your theology, your suspicion of the Spirit, your comfort with silence, or your preference for control?

The risen Christ will not remain boxed, sealed, scheduled, or scripted; He walks into gatherings rather than graveyards, breathes on disciples rather than doctrines, knocks on doors rather than pulpits, and speaks to hearts, not only through pages.

And He is knocking now. The final word belongs to the risen Christ Himself: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20



This has been “A View From the Nest,” and that is the way I see it! What say you?

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Hearts of Stone or Hearts of Flesh

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

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How our response to the Holy Spirit reveals our true condition

This reflection argues that spiritual maturity is revealed not only by what we believe, but by how quickly we yield when the Holy Spirit speaks. A softened heart responds today; a hardened heart delays, negotiates, or resists.

Introduction

No it Few things reveal the condition of the heart more clearly than the way we respond to the Lord’s leading. In medicine, heart disease is monitored with electrodes, screens, and alarms that track rhythm, pressure, and electrical activity. In the Kingdom, the Great Physician uses a deeper measure: our responsiveness to His voice (Hebrews 3:15). Scripture exposes hardness not to leave us fearful, but to move us toward the One who can replace resistance with tenderness.

The Spiritual EKG

Scripture says it plainly and urgently: “Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as they did in the wilderness.” (Hebrews 3:15). That single line functions like a spiritual EKG. It diagnoses whether the inner life is soft, tender, and teachable—or calcified, resistant, and dangerously unresponsive.

The Wilderness Generation’s Heart Condition

The wilderness generation had miracles, manna, deliverance, and divine presence, yet their hearts stiffened like stone. They heard His voice, but they did not yield. They saw His works, but they did not trust. They received His correction, but they did not adapt. Scripture records their condition not as a distant historical footnote, but as a living warning for every believer who hears God and is tempted to delay obedience.

Characteristics of a Heart of Stone

A heart of stone is not merely sinful; it is spiritually slow. It delays repentance, postpones obedience, resists correction, and treats the Spirit’s promptings as interruptions rather than invitations. Over time, that slowness becomes resistance, and resistance becomes hardness.

Characteristics of a Heart of Flesh

A heart of flesh, by contrast, is quick to yield, quick to bow, and quick to change course. It says, “Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10), and means it. It lets the Spirit interrupt plans, challenge assumptions, expose hidden motives, and reroute the path.

God’s Promise of a New Heart

This is why God promised through Ezekiel: “I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26). A heart of flesh is not weak—it is alive. It beats. It responds. It feels. It moves when God moves. It bends when God speaks. It adjusts when God corrects. It is spiritually sensitive, not spiritually stubborn.

The Monitor of Spiritual Health

And that sensitivity—your responsiveness—is the monitor of your spiritual health.

Diagnostic Questions

When the Spirit convicts you, how long does it take before you repent? When the Spirit prompts you, how long before you obey? When the Spirit warns you, how long before you turn? When the Spirit comforts you, how long before you rest? When the Spirit redirects you, how long before you follow?

These are not small questions. They are diagnostic. They reveal whether your heart is tender or tough, pliable or petrified, Spirit‑led or self‑led.

The Gradual Hardening of the Heart

The wilderness generation heard His voice repeatedly, yet their hearts hardened incrementally. Hardness is rarely sudden. It is gradual. It forms layer by layer—one ignored conviction, one delayed obedience, one resisted prompting, one dismissed warning at a time. Stone grows slowly, but it grows surely.

The Holy Spirit’s Gentle Leading

And here is the sobering truth: the Holy Spirit does not shout to compete with a hardened heart. He speaks. He leads. He nudges. He convicts. But He does not force. The moment we stop responding, we start calcifying.

The Warning from Hebrews

This is why the writer of Hebrews repeats the warning three times: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:7–8; 3:15; 4:7). The urgency is in the word today. Not tomorrow. Not eventually. Not when obedience becomes convenient. Today. Delayed obedience is already disobedience, and slow responsiveness is already a sign of spiritual disease.

Heart Health in the Kingdom

In medicine, a heart monitor reveals danger before catastrophe strikes. In the Kingdom, God reveals danger through the speed of our surrender. When the Spirit speaks and we respond quickly, the heart is healthy. When the Spirit speaks and we hesitate, negotiate, or postpone, the heart is drifting toward stone.

The Pharisees’ Hearts of Stone

The Pharisees had hearts of stone not because they lacked Scripture, but because they resisted the One to whom Scripture pointed. Jesus healed a man’s hand in front of them, and instead of rejoicing, they hardened (Mark 3:1–6). Jesus taught with authority, and instead of yielding, they resisted (Matthew 7:29). Jesus confronted their hypocrisy, and instead of repenting, they plotted (Matthew 12:14). Their hearts were spiritually anesthetized—religiously active, yet unresponsive to God.

The Disciples’ Hearts of Flesh

But the disciples, flawed as they were, had hearts of flesh. They dropped nets (Matthew 4:20). They followed immediately (Matthew 4:22). They adjusted quickly. They repented deeply. They responded when He called, even when they didn’t fully understand. Their hearts beat with divine rhythm.

The Difference: Responsiveness

The difference was not intelligence, education, or religious background. The difference was responsiveness.

The Spirit Still Speaks

That same difference remains today.

The Spirit still speaks, leads, convicts, redirects, whispers, warns, comforts, and calls. The question is not whether God is speaking. The question is whether we are responding when He does.

Measuring Spiritual Health

Spiritual health is not measured by how much Scripture we know, how many sermons we hear, or how loudly we worship. It is measured by how quickly we obey the Scripture we hear, yield to the One who speaks through His Word, and surrender when the Spirit touches a hidden place.

A heart of flesh is not perfect—it is responsive. A heart of stone is not ignorant—it is resistant.

The Moment of Truth

And the difference between the two is revealed today—in the moment you hear His voice.

Closing Prayer

So let the Word be the monitor. Let the Spirit be the physician. Let responsiveness be the measure. And let the prayer of your heart be simple, sincere, and immediate:

“Lord, when You speak, I will not harden. I will not delay. I will not resist. I will respond—today.”

Final Reflection

Because in the Kingdom, heart health is not measured by beats per minute, but by obedience per whisper. The one who responds quickly walks in the life, softness, and sensitivity of a heart made new by God Himself.

This has been “A View From the Nest” and that is the way I see it. What say you?

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DAMNABLE HERESIES & THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES

Allen Frederick Leave a comment
A Modern Exposé of an Ancient Plague

Introduction: When Leaven Masquerades as Doctrine

There is a reason Scripture warns us repeatedly about leaven. Leaven is subtle. It works quietly, invisibly, and inevitably until the entire loaf is swollen with mixture. Paul warned, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” (Galatians 5:9) Jesus warned His disciples, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.” (Matthew 16:6) Peter warned of “damnable heresies” secretly introduced among the people. (2 Peter 2:1) These warnings were not aimed at pagans or outsiders. They were aimed at religious contamination — the kind that looks holy, sounds authoritative, and feels familiar, yet carries the poison of human influence.

The tragedy of modern Christianity is that we have inherited a system built on commentary, tradition, denominational identity, and seminary interpretation, all presented as “sound doctrine.” But Jude’s command to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3) refers to the apostolic gospel, not the inherited systems we now defend. The faith once delivered came long before King Jimmy, long before English translations, long before catechisms, councils, and confessions. And yet generation after generation has swallowed these systems whole, regurgitated them, added to them, and passed them down until the loaf is no longer unleavened truth but a mixture of Scripture and human additives.

The Shepherd’s Voice vs. the Voice of Men

Jesus made a statement that should have shaped the entire structure of the church: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27) He also said, “A stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” (John 10:5) But modern Christianity replaced the Shepherd’s voice with the pastor’s voice. Believers were trained to sit in pews, listen passively, absorb whatever was preached, and call it illumination. In reality, it was indoctrination. They were never taught to discern. They were never taught to test the spirits. They were never taught to hear God for themselves.

And when you cannot hear the Shepherd, you will follow anyone who sounds religious, educated, or authoritative. This is how false shepherds gain influence. This is how Pharisee leaven spreads. This is how damnable heresies take root.

False Shepherds and Religious Noise

The Pharisees knew Scripture inside and out. They memorized it, categorized it, analyzed it, and expounded it until the people were exhausted. But Jesus said, “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29) He also said, “This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.” (Matthew 15:8) And then He delivered the indictment that defines religious leaven: “In vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:9)

Modern Pharisees do the same. They preach long sermons, quote Greek and Hebrew, wield seminary degrees, and elevate themselves as the final authority. Meanwhile, the people sit silently, never questioning, never discerning, never hearing God for themselves. This is not discipleship. It is religious conditioning. And conditioned people cannot recognize false shepherds because they have never learned to recognize the True Shepherd.

Man‑Made Doctrine Disguised as Sound Doctrine

Jude’s command to contend for the faith once delivered is a call to return to the apostolic gospel, not the inherited systems we now defend. Paul warned, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men… and not after Christ.” (Colossians 2:8) Jesus confronted the Pharisees with the same truth: “Ye have made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.” (Matthew 15:6)

When English translators inserted Easter — a word not found in the Greek — they imported Egypt into the bread. And once leaven enters, it spreads. If one word can be altered, what else was shaped by culture, politics, or tradition? The people defend their inherited doctrine fiercely, believing it is pure, never realizing it is leavened. They swallowed it whole, regurgitated it, added to it, and passed it down until the loaf became swollen with mixture.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread: A Spiritual Detox

The Feast of Unleavened Bread was not merely a memorial of Israel’s haste. It was a prophetic picture of purity — a call to remove mixture, eliminate additives, and eat the Word without contamination. God commanded Israel, “Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread… there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee.” (Exodus 13:7) Paul echoed this when he wrote, “Purge out therefore the old leaven… therefore let us keep the feast… with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Corinthians 5:7–8)

The modern church needs this feast. We need a season of purging mixture, rejecting man‑made doctrine, returning to Scripture without filters, and hearing the Shepherd’s voice without interference.

“You Have Heard It Said… But I Say Unto You”

Jesus confronted religious interpretation with a phrase that shattered Pharisee authority: “Ye have heard that it was said… but I say unto you.” (Matthew 5:21–22) He was not correcting sinners. He was correcting religious teachers. He was purging tradition, commentary, interpretation, and doctrinal scaffolding. He replaced the voice of men with the voice of God. The modern church needs this phrase again. Not “you have heard it said,” but “I say unto you.” Not the pastor’s voice. Not the seminary’s voice. Not the commentary’s voice. Not King Jimmy’s voice. The Shepherd’s voice.

Why Apostles and Prophets Were Removed

Paul wrote, “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets…” (1 Corinthians 12:28) He also said the church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.” (Ephesians 2:20) Apostles correct direction. Prophets expose corruption. Both threaten man‑made systems. Without apostles, the ship drifts. Without prophets, leaven spreads. Without both, pastors become the final authority, teachers become the doctrinal gatekeepers, and the Spirit’s voice is replaced by institutional control.

This was not accidental. It was strategic. The removal of apostles and prophets created a vacuum that pastors and teachers were never meant to fill. And once they became the final authority, the church drifted into Egypt.

Why the Gifts of the Spirit Were Silenced

Paul commanded believers, “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.” (1 Corinthians 14:1) He explained, “He that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.” (1 Corinthians 14:3) And he warned, “Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19–20)

Prophecy is the anti‑leaven gift. It reveals false teaching, false authority, and false tradition. It bypasses human control and restores the Shepherd’s voice. So the system had to silence it. Tongues were dismissed. Interpretation was ignored. Discernment was discouraged. Prophecy was forbidden. Apostolic authority was replaced with pastoral hierarchy. Because if the gifts operated freely, the entire structure of leaven would collapse.

The People Wanted It This Way

Paul warned Timothy, “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” (2 Timothy 4:3) Isaiah described the same spirit: “Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things.” (Isaiah 30:10) People prefer predictability, routine, tradition, comfort, and control. They prefer a pastor who thinks for them, interprets for them, decides for them, and filters truth for them. They prefer indoctrination over revelation. They prefer the public‑school model of Christianity — sit, listen, absorb, conform.

But Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice.” (John 10:27) Not the pastor’s voice. Not the commentary’s voice. Not the catechism’s voice. Not the seminary’s voice. His voice.

Conclusion: Returning to Unleavened Christianity

The Spirit is calling His people back to the simplicity of Christ — back to the Shepherd’s voice, back to Scripture without additives, back to truth without mixture, back to the faith once delivered, back to the feast of unleavened bread. Jesus said, “If any man will hear My voice…” (Revelation 3:20) And again, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” (Revelation 2:7)

This teaching is not an attack on pastors. It is an attack on leaven. It is not a rejection of Scripture. It is a rejection of contamination. It is not rebellion against authority. It is obedience to the Shepherd. It is not a critique of the church. It is a call to purification.

The Spirit is saying, “Purge the leaven. Return to the Shepherd. Keep the feast. Hear My voice.” And those who hear Him will obey no other.


This has been “A View From the Nest” and that is the way I see it! What say you?
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Shall Not Be Infringed: How Control Destroys the Spirit of Freedom

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

The Foundation of Freedom

“The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.” — Second Amendment, U.S. Constitution “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” — (2 Corinthians 3:17)

Freedom is not a human invention but a divine imprint. The framers understood that rights do not originate in government but in God, which is why the Constitution does not grant the right to bear arms but acknowledges it. Scripture does the same with spiritual liberty. It does not suggest freedom; it declares it as the natural atmosphere of the Spirit of God. Whenever man attempts to regulate what God has given, he crosses a line. Government infringes liberty when it restricts what God intended to be free, and the church does the same when it restricts the movement of the Spirit in the life of the believer.

The Subtle Redefinition of Words

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness.” — (Isaiah 5:20)

The erosion of liberty rarely begins with force; it begins with language. “Well regulated” once meant well‑trained and functioning properly, but over time it has been reinterpreted to mean government‑controlled. The meaning was not lost accidentally; it was reshaped intentionally. The same quiet shift happens in the church when biblical words are redefined to fit human systems. Holiness becomes a dress code. Unity becomes conformity. Submission becomes silence. “Decency and order” becomes a justification for control. Worship becomes a program rather than a posture. The serpent’s first strategy in Eden was not violence but vocabulary: “Hath God said?” Redefinition remains the oldest and most effective form of spiritual warfare.

The Spirit of Regulation

“Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” — (Galatians 5:7) “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” — (Galatians 5:1)

The same spirit that regulates civil rights also regulates spiritual revelation. It fears freedom because freedom cannot be controlled, and it fears the Spirit because the Spirit cannot be predicted. It fears the believer who hears God because such a believer cannot be managed. This is precisely why the Pharisees feared Jesus. Their fear was not rooted in disagreement but in the fact that He walked in a freedom they could not contain. He lived in unbroken fellowship with His Father, spoke what He heard from heaven, healed without seeking permission, taught without submitting to their hierarchy, and forgave without their authorization. He operated under an unseen authority greater than theirs, and they recognized that authority even as they rejected it. They could not regulate Him, license Him, silence Him, or control Him. He embodied a kind of liberty that exposed the emptiness of their system.

That same fear still drives many churches to quench the Spirit while claiming to honor Him. “Decency and order” becomes a polite way of saying that only one man may speak, pray, teach, or read Scripture while everyone else sits silently as spectators. This is not the body of Christ functioning as a living organism but an audience observing a program. It is not fellowship with the Spirit but fellowship with a schedule. It is not order but suffocation. Paul’s warning — “Quench not the Spirit” — is ignored weekly, not through rebellion but through routine.

The Gifts Were Given to Build, Not to Be Buried

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” — (1 Corinthians 12:7) “Seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.” — (1 Corinthians 14:12)

The gifts of the Spirit were never intended to be rare, mysterious, or controversial. They were given to strengthen the church, encourage the believer, and empower the body to function as Christ designed. Prophecy brings encouragement. Tongues edify. Interpretation brings clarity. Healing restores. Miracles awaken faith. Wisdom guides. Knowledge reveals. Discernment protects. These gifts are not spiritual accessories; they are the essential tools God provided so the church could operate as a living body rather than a silent audience.

When churches declare that the gifts have ceased, or that they faded away, or that they were only for the apostles, or that the Bible has replaced the Spirit, they commit the same error governments commit when they regulate rights. They take something God gave freely and turn it into something man controls. They replace the living voice of the Spirit with the printed words of a leather‑bound book interpreted by men who claim the right to speak for God while denying the Spirit who actually does.

The Bible is perfect, but the Bible is not the Shepherd. Jesus is the Shepherd, and the Spirit is the One who leads the sheep. When the Spirit is replaced with systems, and the Shepherd is replaced with denominations, and the gifts are replaced with programs, the church becomes a dead place rather than a living one. “The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.” — (2 Corinthians 3:6). A church full of Bibles but empty of the Spirit becomes a graveyard with Scripture verses carved on the tombstones.

The Church and the Constitution

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” — (Matthew 22:21)

The Constitution protects civil liberty, and the Gospel protects spiritual liberty, but both are vulnerable to the same enemy: the spirit of control. Government claims it is not infringing rights but regulating them. Churches claim they are not quenching the Spirit but maintaining order. Yet true order flows from the Spirit, not from schedules. True authority flows from Christ, not from committees. True unity flows from love, not from uniformity. When the church replaces the Holy Spirit with human systems, it commits the same violation the state commits when it replaces liberty with regulation. It infringes what God intended to be free.

The Danger of Managed Freedom

“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” — (2 Timothy 3:5) “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” — (John 8:36)

Managed freedom is not freedom at all. Supervised liberty is not liberty. A right that requires permission is no longer a right, and a faith that requires approval is no longer faith. When the church manages the Spirit, it loses the Spirit. When it regulates worship, it loses wonder. When it restricts participation, it loses power. When it replaces revelation with ritual, it loses relationship. The early church was alive because every believer participated; modern churches are dying because only one man does. The Spirit is not a segment of the service or a guest to be acknowledged and then ignored. He is the atmosphere of the Kingdom, and where He is Lord, liberty is natural. Where He is regulated, liberty dies.

The Call to Stand Free

“For ye have been called unto liberty… by love serve one another.” — (Galatians 5:13) “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” — (Romans 12:2)

Freedom is not rebellion but restoration. It is the return to the atmosphere of the Spirit, where obedience flows from love rather than fear. The believer who walks in the Spirit is the freest person in the room because he answers to God alone. The same God who gave men the right to stand free before earthly powers gave believers the right to stand free before religious ones. The Spirit does not need permission to move, the believer does not need permission to speak, and the body does not need permission to function.

The Final Word

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” — (2 Corinthians 3:17) “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” — (John 8:32)

Freedom is not a doctrine or a privilege but the natural atmosphere of the Spirit of God. When that Spirit is quenched, regulated, or replaced with human authority, the infringement is far greater than anything a government could ever do, because it does not merely restrict a right; it restricts a relationship. This is the battle of our age: not left versus right, not church versus culture, but freedom versus the spirit of regulation, liberty versus the machinery of control, and the living voice of God versus the systems that fear it. The believer who walks in the Spirit will always be the freest person in the room.