Spiritually Naked Leaders
A cautionary tale from The Emperor’s New Clothes
The Emperor’s New Clothes
This is a familiar and amusing childhood fairy tale. It is one that teaches a lesson or moral, but one I’ve always dismissed as not applying to me. Really, how could the emperor and all those people have been so blind, so easily fooled, but most of all, so proud not to be able to admit the truth?
You may know the story.
It’s the one where the Emperor commissions a royal outfit to be made by a pair of con artists. Rather than clothing him in fine linens or regal satin, they convince him that his expensive new suit is invisible to the ignorant and foolish, but the wise and discerning will be able to see the beauty of his outfit.
Not wanting to seem ignorant, the emperor and all those in his court disregard their senses and what is evident to all and foolishly proclaim how lovely the new clothes are. This ridiculous charade continues as the emperor parades through town to show off his royal suit, when in reality he is clothed in nothing but his underwear. Finally, as the emperor passes by him, one small boy, not yet tainted by foolish pride and the fear of others’ opinions, loudly proclaims,
“I don’t see anything — the emperor is in his underwear!”
How many times as Christians have we been the foolish crowd bowing before a puffed up leader, trying to convince ourselves we see the spiritual truths he is espousing when in reality he is spiritually naked?
I’ve done it. Have you?
It’s not something we should be ignorant of or shocked to see happening
Peter warned that in the last days there would be false teachers (2 Peter 2: 1–3), men who call themselves apostles of Jesus Christ, “teachers” of the word, who arrogantly exalt themselves and their ministries, but fail to serve their sheep or feed them. They preach pet-peeve sermons and spout their opinion above biblical truths and sound doctrine (2 Tim.4: 3–4). They condemn their followers into submission and call themselves God’s “anointed”, but reject accountability and remain unteachable.
They believe they have revelatory messages from God and that their calling ranks them above those who are under their leadership. They forget the biblical mandate to serve and do not follow the example Jesus set forth as He said in Matthew 20: 25–28 (NKJV):
“…You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you let him be your slave, just as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
I was once part of the crowd
Having experienced the confusion and heartache that following such a leader brings, I can empathize with those who are fooled or misled. The experience has also taught me to be discerning and to hold fast to sound doctrine as Paul exhorts Timothy to do so in 1 Timothy 4:6–7.
For a few years, I followed and supported a man who recklessly hurt people, turned weak Christians back to the world, and taught falsehoods that he cleverly twisted scripture to support. Often baby Christians, like the boy in the story of the emperor, would point a finger at him and say things like,
He lacks love for others; he is a hypocrite. He should practice what he preaches.
They would confide in me that he had hurt them, confused them, or tried to manipulate them, but I was one of his royal aides. I would look down my nose at those ignorant babes and I would reason to myself, They aren’t spiritually mature enough to see what a great leader he is. They can’t see with their spiritual eyes the vision he has for our church.
Mercifully, God brought me out of this trap
Through a series of painful events, He opened my eyes to see what I had been afraid to acknowledge. This leader I had exalted and blindly followed was indeed spiritually naked. He strutted and bragged with much pretense but was clothed in little more than foolish pride. He had no fine linens wrought by the work of the Holy Spirit; the things that we as believers in Christ are to be covered in — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. Most apparent was the absence of humility, which is what Peter admonishes us to be clothed with.
1 Peter 5:5 (NKJV) tells us this, along with the warning that
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Earlier in the same chapter (verses 2 and 3), he says,
“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
I gradually began to see, through careful study of God’s Word, how much of this man’s teachings were not scripturally sound. The Holy Spirit began to reveal to me the lie this man had created and how I had helped to perpetuate it by pretending to see his fine spiritual anointing. The Lord further showed me the inconsistencies of this man’s words and actions.
I saw from scripture that love is the greatest mark of a true leader in the church. With the help of godly counsel and much prayer, I saw the spiritual nakedness of this man and broke away from his church.
Afterward, a more painful process began
God turned my eyes inward where I saw the prideful condition of my heart. I saw why I had been so vulnerable to the deceptive and manipulative ways of this man and how I had hurt others by supporting him. My need for approval and belonging, my fear of others’ opinions of me, and my pride in wanting to be spiritually mature, all had contributed to my vulnerability.
Just like the emperor’s royal attendants who wanted position and respect in the kingdom, I had refused to see the truth in order to have a “position” in the church and favor in this man’s eyes. Not unlike the crowd who feared the disapproval of the emperor, I foolishly feared this man’s reproach.
This was a trap as scripture teaches
“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.” (Proverbs 29:25, NKJV)
Jesus said unless we have the faith of a child, we can’t enter the kingdom of God (Mark 10:15). When we find ourselves spiritualizing ordinary things and people in an attempt to appear “spiritual”, making excuses for a leader’s sins, or exalting a man or woman above the voice of the Holy Spirit, we’ve been deceived just like the emperor. The Bible says that it is the pride of our hearts that deceives us. (Obadiah 1:3).
The antidotes for believing false teachers
Humility and complete dependence on God are the antidotes for believing false teachers and their doctrines. Knowing the scriptures and diligently studying them will help us see falsehood when it sneaks up on us. Keeping a proper perspective of oneself as Paul says in Romans 12:3 will guard against prideful exaltation, while thankfulness and gratitude for what God has done for us will keep us humble and wise. Shortsighted and blind is the man or woman who lacks self-control, brotherly kindness, and love, according to 2 Peter 1:5–9. Peter says that type of person has forgotten that God
“…purged from his old sins.” (2 Peter 1:9, KJV)
Beware of leaders who boast of spiritual discernment yet lack sincere love for people.
Guard against the lust for man’s approval and for power
Instead, seek to serve and speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) so you may remain free, and like the boy in the story of the emperor, you will open the door for others to experience freedom in truth. As Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32, NKJV)).
Warning signs of a deceptive leader
- Hypocrisy He does not do what he preaches to others or often has a double standard. There are exceptions to the rules for him and his family, but others are not shown the same grace.
- Places burdens on his followers. Holds them to high standards of religious rules and expectations but does not help them reach those standards. He stands back in judgment while his followers are struggling and then condemns them when they fail.
- Desires public recognition. Has great aspiration to be “somebody” in the religious circles he walks in. Uses opportunities to exalt or promote himself to other leaders.
- Lack of humility and servanthood. Expects and preaches to his congregation that they are to serve him. Sees those in his care as under him.
- Makes it difficult for people to find God and forgiveness. Continues to bring up their past sins or failures rather than emphasizing forgiveness and grace. Makes people perform or prove their faith by acts of works or service before they are permitted baptism, church membership, or acceptance.
- Makes spiritual mountains out of molehills. Focuses on small weaknesses or character flaws and uses them to prevent people from ministering to others.
- Rejects accountability. Refuses sound advice from elders or rejects the idea of any type of board of deacons or directors. Calls the church “his church.” Breaks away from conventional denominations and spiritual authority.
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