Nine Marks of a False Prophet, according to Zwingli

You may know of 9 Mark Ministries, the ministry emphasises on those 9 marks that the church needs to show in order to be a healthy church.

However, in this entry, I offer to you 9 marks of false teachers, penned by Zwingli.

I hope they may resonate with you, and help you to discern those who are false and those who are true shepherds.

1. All who do not teach are nothing but wolves, though they might be called shepherd, bishop, or king. See in this connection how many teaching bishops there are.2. Those who teach their own dreams rather than the word of God are wolves.3. Those who teach the word of God, yet not to the honor of God, but for themselves and their head, the Pope, for protection of their fabricated high station, are harmful wolves, coming in sheep’s clothing.4. Those who teach already and teach even with the word of God, but do not, however, disturb the greatest aggravators, the leaders, but allow their tyranny to grow, are flattering wolves or traitors of the people.5. Those who do not practice with works what they teach with the word are nothing among the Christian people, destroying much more with their works than they build with their words.6. Those who do not pay attention to the poor but let them be oppressed and burdened, are false shepherds.7. Those who wear the name of shepherd, yet rule in the worldly sense are the most evil werewolves.8. Those who gather riches, filling sack, purse, storehouse and cellar are true werewolves. And finally, those who do other things with doctrine than undertaking to plant the knowledge, love and childlike fear of God among the people are false shepherds. They must soon be removed from the sheep or they will devour them entirely.9. Therefore it is easy to understand that all those are false shepherds who lead from the Creator to the creature. 

How Wrong was Zwingli on the Anabaptist

They are mostly a class of rabble, homeless from the want of means, who make it their business to win old women by pompous discourses upon divine things to extract from them the wherewithal to support themselves, or to gather in considerable alms. — Huldrych Zwingli.

It was so easy for Zwingli to  talk bad about his past associates. Magisterial Reformers always putting down those who did not get any support from the authorities.

Has anything changed???

Good to see I am not alone. The trials and toils of christian ministry

Some time ago, I went to preach to a church. Afterwards, one of the leaders invited me to his house, and told me how annoyed one of the members was because he felt that my preaching was not good enough, and that I should give up being a pastor for that.  I felt bad.

I still remember the sermon, was on the great commission. I preached the same sermon at my home church some weeks before, and the senior pastor, who holds a Masters in Preaching, said it was a very well put, well developed sermon, which emphasised on the biblical theology of the great commission. I thought it was a good thing that this particular church learned some biblical theology too. What I got, was that a life long baptist said that what I preached was not a sermon at all!!!!!! Well, sorry, Peter in Acts 2 used biblical theology to support his points, but apparently, this man had never heard of such a thing!!! I saw him in one of our denominational gatherings, and somehow, he was hiding from me. He knew that I was in charged of a church, and well, had to eat his own words.

But I find what happened to Zwingli a source of consolation. Read a section of what he wrote about what was going on with him:

.. The hurry of business and the care of the churches occupy me to such a degree, that Dr. Engelhardt lately told me, he wondered that I had not before this time become distracted. For instance, I have been ten times called off since I began this letter. From Suabia they write to me for what I am not competent to perform for them; though I do what I can. From every part of Switzerland I am applied to by those who are in difficulties for Christ’s sake. If however any thing occurs in which I can be of use to you, do not spare me—for I hope for more leisure.…  (Trans. J. Scott).

I placed in bold what really struck me. As with me, he was told that he wasn't good enough for some people in Suabia. In my case, it was church in Melbourne's western suburbs.

It really bothers me when churches think so high of themselves, and want to make those who want to serve Christ and his church fell like a lesser kind of christian. Take a closer look, I didn't say "minister", but christian.

I admit, some don't have the gift of preaching, or visiting, or to do pastoral work to some people's high standards, but if you think you can do a better job, do it yourself, and then, brace yourself for the criticism.

I serve Christ, and his church under Christ's guidance. I wish all congregations would understand that some time, and treat their ministers as servants of God's, not servants of man:

Galatians 1:10
New International Version (NIV)
 ¹⁰ Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

So there you go, I will listen to suggestions, but I must serve Christ, and please him with my ministry, not you!

P.D. This is a reflection of my past ministry, not a commentary on my present one.