A lot has been made in the last 30 years about how each believer should have a “covering”. It was originally the product of the discipleship movement where people were supposed to mentor others and everyone was supposed to be in submission to someone.
The idea has its merits and if done with the agreement of both parties and for mutual benefit it can produce worthwhile outcomes. Having said that like most of the “fad’s” that take over Christendom, it doesn’t take long for someone to abuse the idea or system.
I know of situation where a 50 year old married full time missionary with two children who had been a Christian for about 40 years, was told to submit to a 25 year old single guy who had been a Christian for about 5 years.
We are so good at doing the ridiculous.
This developed into the idea that you have to have a covering which was usually the leadership of the church. Again what might have been profitable became unprofitable as too many of the leadership genre decided that it was a good way to control other people’s lives.
In many cases, the sheep were not allowed to do anything without the permission of the shepherd. This of course ignores the fact that when God gave control of the earth to mankind at creation, he did not give the right to control each other.
So what is the story of the idea of “covering?” there is no doubt that it is taught in scripture both Old and New Testament. Bearing in mind the New Testament Church was a product of Judaism so the Old Testament would have been the backdrop of their understanding of God, what does it say about the idea of “covering?”
Let’s look at a few verses about the subject.
Exodus 24:15. When Moses went up into the mountain, the cloud covered it…
Exodus 40:34. Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting…
Isaiah 4:5. Then the Lord will create over all mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night…
2 Chronicles 5:8. The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and covered the ark and its carrying poles.
Exodus 33:22. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
Isaiah 51:16. I have put my words in thy mouth and covered thee in the shadow if my hand…
Psalm 91:4. He will cover you with feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.
Psalm 61:4. I Iong to dwell in your tent for ever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Psalm 140:7. O sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, who shields my head in the day of battle.
Isaiah 61:10. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and covered me in a robe of righteousness.
With all this evidence, it is obvious that the New Testament Church would have a clear understanding that God himself was their covering. There is no mention of another person doing the covering or submitting to the leadership of an organisation.
In fact, when you think about it, if God has promised to be our covering, why do we need a man or organisation to do what God has said he would do? I have to admit, I would feel much safer with an infallible God covering me than a fallible man. More about this in my next post.
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2 comments:
In reading your blog over the past few days, I realise that it is idolatry to claim that YOUR interpretation of God's Word is as important as God's Word itself. it is especially dangerous to set up standards for OTHERS to follow. Instead, I suggest you look to Christ for guidance about your OWN behaviour, and let him lead others in the details of their lives. You are only responsible for your behaviour and although some of what you say may be right, you go about it in a 'garish" manner. We are told to love one another warmly. You will not win friends and influence people by your critical "I'm right, your wrong" approach and you will only end up as a very lonely old man that nobody will wish to befriend.
Another "anonymous" writer. Idolatry means "worship of idols". I fail to see how teaching the truth is a worship of idols.
The writer obviously hasn't noticed that most of my posts sorts out truth from tradition. In other words I elevate the word of God to the level it deserves.
The writer has not realised that most of the NT letters are setting standards for others to observe. All I am doing is emphasising what they say.
If the writer cared to check the word of God, it does say that we are reponsible for each others behaviour i.e. bear one another's burden; am I my brothers keeper etc. Paul was intimately involved in the behaviour of those in the churches he founded. Most of his letters are about behaviour.
I have never sought the approval of man. The only thing that matters to me is God's approval. he told me that he was crazy about me. Enuf said.
My writing is quite mild in comparison to some people who write in Christian forums. There they say what they think without any support or backing of scripture, it is just a personal opinion and then they tell everyone off if they disagree with them.
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