THE DOCTRINE OF SPIRITUAL COVERING: TRUTH OR INVENTION?

 "As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message" (Galatians 2:6 NIV). 

Modern Christianity is orienting the Christian away from the belief that the Bible is the highest authority for faith and doctrine toward a belief that a spiritual father is the highest authority for faith and doctrine. 

What is the basis for the belief that a father is a covering for the Christian? Is this belief based on the Bible or is it based on a doctrine that a father in the ministry advanced?

Some fathers in the ministry have died from gory road accident. Others have died in a plane crush. Still others have lost biological children, sons and daughters in the ministry, in a most painful way. The popular televangelist and healing minister, A. A. Allen, is said to have died after a heavy drinking binge. Autopsy report showed that he died of kidney failure resulting from excessive alcohol intake. What then is the validation for the belief that a father is a covering for the Christian if a father suffers the same peril as a Christian does?

A doctrine is considered to be truth if and only if it is clearly and unequivocally expounded in the Bible. Otherwise, it may be classified as human invention. So then, we will get into the Bible to discover whether the doctrine of spiritual covering is truth or invention. 

Definition of term

The term 'spiritual covering' is associated with the Shepherding movement—a controversial method of church leadership that grew out of the Charismatic movement in the 1970s. 

To have a spiritual covering means being submitted to the authority of another Christian believer, usually an elder or a forerunner. 

The concept is taken to mean that for a person's spiritual life and/or ministry to be valid in the eyes of God, the person or ministry must be under direct submission to a specific person. 

This might be an elder or a pastor of a church, an older or a more mature Christian or some other authority figure. The idea that a spiritual covering is required was initially developed in the Charismatic movement. 

What do proponents of the doctrine of spiritual covering actually teach? 

1. That Christians are not only accountable to God, but also, to their leaders and elders. 1Cor 11:2-16; 1Th 5:12-13; 1Pe 5:5

2. Your spiritual father is an intercessor for you or a substitute for God in your personal life and in the life of your ministry. In this sense, he is a "covering" for you. 

3. God will not directly guide you to take a decision. He will do so through your spiritual father.

4. You must consult your spiritual father prior to making career or family decision or any other decision for your life including travel. 

5. In some cases, given an apparent choice between obeying God or your spiritual father, you should obey your spiritual father. 

Unfortunately, this doctrine has created a lot of problems in the church today. 

1. Excessive authority in the church (Matthew 20:25-28).

Spiritual fathers are in total control of the lives of their sons and daughters. 

2. Authoritarian abuses. 

Children do not have a say in decisions concerning their lives. 

3. Some Christians, in the name of loyalty to their spiritual fathers, have ditched their goals and are bitter about the outcome. 

4. It obscures our relationship to Christ (1Tim 2:5). 

5. It is the root cause of several divisions in the church (1Cor 3:4-8). 

What is the position of the Bible?

1. Each person is ultimately accountable only to God (Rom 3:19; Mat 12:36)

2. Consult with others for guidance (Pro 11:14; 15:22; 24:6), and be humble enough to learn from the wisdom of others (Pro 5:11-14). However, your approval comes from only God (2Tim 2:15). 

3. No person has the absolute right to declare your service to God as valid or invalid (Rom 14:4). 

Instead of spiritual covering, we should see the following alternatives:

1. Universal submission to the will of God (Col 1:9; Rom 3:4). 

Every believer is supposed to be filled with the knowledge of God's will as everyone is ultimately accountable only to God. 

2. Respect for authority (Rom 13:2).

We must respect everyone whom God has appointed to have oversight of us. 

3. Mutual submission (Joh 13:34; 1 Pe 5:5). 

We must humble ourselves to one another. 

4. Priesthood of all believers (Rev 1:6; 5:10).

We must uphold God's call on every believer to be a king and a priest unto him.

5. Fellowship among brethren (Mat 23:8; 1Tim 5:1).

We must freely share our unique graces with one another as brothers and sisters of the same Father. 

Some biblical inferences

1.God called Samuel when he was a little boy. Eli, the priest, acknowledged God's call on his life, guided him to hear from God, and humbled himself to hear God's message through him (1 Sam 3:8-18). A father must be humble enough to learn from his child when the need be. 

2. The Bible teaches that God can use even little children, and so, we should not hinder them (Mar 10:14).

3. God spoke to his prophet using the prophet's own donkey (Num 22:28-33). So who are we that our own son or daughter cannot share their views with us? 

From the foregoing, we see that there is no biblically valid mandate for a "spiritual covering" under a particular person in order for our efforts to be legitimate. The doctrine of spiritual covering, therefore, is human invention. 

#Truth Haven