{"id":3336,"date":"2017-09-25T00:03:02","date_gmt":"2017-09-25T05:03:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ubfriends.net\/?p=3336"},"modified":"2017-09-25T07:24:16","modified_gmt":"2017-09-25T12:24:16","slug":"christian-theology-series-what-is-covering-theology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ubfriends.org\/ubfriends2015\/christian-theology-series-what-is-covering-theology\/","title":{"rendered":"Christian Theology Series– What is Covering Theology?"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Here is an article on Covering Theology and why it’s false.<\/p>\n

Why it is false<\/a><\/h2>\n
\n

Covering theology is wrong on several levels. \u00a0First and foremost it distorts the gospel of Jesus Christ. It redefines sin, grace and faith through an authoritarian lens.\u00a0\u00a0It takes the precious things the bible tells us are available to us solely through faith like God\u2019s protection and provision and makes them conditional upon submission to a church leader. \u00a0 This is no different than the false teachers of Paul\u2019s day who tried to teach that\u00a0circumcision was necessary to have a complete relationship with God. \u00a0Paul\u2019s response? \u00a0Gal 3:3<\/a>\u00a0\u201cAre you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?\u201d<\/p>\n

Covering theology teaches that the kingdom of God operates like the Roman Empire with a clearly defined hierarchical order. \u00a0 The one verse that is used to support this notion is\u00a0Romans 13:1-7<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0but the original context of the passage has to be ignored to make this fit. \u00a0 \u00a0In this passage Paul wasn\u2019t talking about the church, he was talking about the Roman Christians should relate to the Roman empire. \u00a0Jesus makes it very clear in\u00a0Mat 20:25-26<\/a>\u00a0that the church should not operate like the Roman Empire.<\/p>\n

Covering theology is coercive and\u00a0inevitably leads to spiritual abuse. \u00a0It compels people to submit through the threat of spiritual disaster. \u00a0 It is manipulative because the threat is not real. \u00a0There is no scripture that indicates people put themselves at peril if they aren\u2019t completely submitted to authority.<\/p>\n

Most of the Christian church doesn\u2019t believe in covering theology. It appeared on the scene in North America about 40 years ago through something called the shepherding movement. \u00a0That movement was completely discredited and some of the leaders have publicly repented of their involvement.<\/p>\n

Covering Theology focuses on a couple of scriptures but ignores several others. \u00a0It just doesn\u2019t fit with Jesus\u2019 words about leadership.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t fit with Pauls concept of the church as a body. \u00a0It doesn\u2019t fit with how Paul conducted himself with Peter and what he thought of Christian leaders in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

Several questions have to be answered before Covering Theology can fit with the greater biblical story. \u00a0If submission to church leaders is based on their position is so important why isn\u2019t it clearly laid out in scripture and reinforced by example?\u00a0 Why would Paul go to such great lengths to the convince the Corinthians that they should listen to him because of his life and ministry and not the people who had \u201cletters of recommendation\u201d and judge things according to the flesh?\u00a0 How could prophets like Jeremiah and John the Baptist say such negative things about their leaders if we are called to be unconditionally submitted to authority?\u00a0 Why aren\u2019t we warned in the New Testament that we open ourselves up to demonic deception and spiritual disaster if we don\u2019t submit to the authority of church leaders?\u00a0 This would be a really big deal if it were true and\u00a0 yet the entire New Testament is silent on it? \u00a0This just so much in the bible that doesn\u2019t fit with Covering Theology.<\/p>\n

We must also consider the fruit of this teaching. \u00a0Jesus tells us that a good tree will bear good fruit. \u00a0Have the churches that implemented this teaching ever experienced the revival that is promised will accompany this so called alignment? Why are there continual reports of abuse and spiritual shipwreck in the lives of the people?\u00a0 Why do so many sincere Christians have such a problem reading \u201cUnder Cover\u201d because there is such a check in their spirit?<\/p>\n

I have no doubt there are sincere Christians that have accepted covering theology and a great many others that could rightly be considered wolves in sheep\u2019s clothing.\u00a0 To those who are sincere I ask you:<\/p>\n