The teaching of “touch not God’s anointed” is a falsehood taught in modern day churches. Unfortunately, this teaching enables church abuse and cultist behavior to flourish unchecked by Christians taught to fear speaking against leadership. When I got saved into a Pentecostal cult at age 18, our church leaders frequently referred to King David ‘not touching’ King Saul, especially in 1 Samuel 24:1-6 where David cuts off a corner of Saul’s robe and deliberately spares the King’s life.
We were taught this is how we should ‘bear up’ under our leadership and always support them, even if they would rebel against God. It took my husband and I two decades to leave this cult and over another decade to realize how unbiblical such teachings are. We still have many friends who dare not speak against any Pastor for fear of being ‘cursed by God’ if they ‘touched God’s anointed’.
Now you may ask, what about 1 CHRONICLES 16:22 and PSALM 105:15 which say, “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm”?
Context is Key!
Typically false teachers take verses out of context, which is the case here. The context in both Old Testament passages is God dealing with the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These passages remind Israel of God’s faithfulness, provision and protection against their heathen enemies.
In contrast to this, we have plenty of clear New Testament passages teaching how to treat our Pastors and church leaders, and what to do when problems arise. For example:
- We should generally obey our church leaders. HEBREWS 13:17 says, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”
- We should highly respect our church leaders. 1 TIMOTHY 5:17 reminds us, “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.”
- We should protect our church leaders and not casually entertain accusations against them without proof. 1 TIMOTHY 5:19 warns us, “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.”
However, 1 TIMOTHY 5:19 would be nonsensical if we were forbidden to bring up problems with leadership! Further, we should not act like King David did towards Saul. Modern day pastors aren’t Old Testament kings. The New Testament has clear instructions on what to do:
1 PETER 5:1-3
“The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock…”
The Apostle Peter leaves no doubt that Pastors do not compare to “lords”, (verse 3) which eliminates any idea of applying the example of King David and Saul!
Peter goes on to say:
“and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. 5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.’”
We are ALL under the Chief Shepherd, we are all accountable. There are no exemptions for Pastors and teachers but on the contrary:
JAMES 3:1
My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
All Christians have a call to expose evil, not silently suffer it in their church.
EPHESIANS 5:11
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
There’s no exemption for anyone: evil should never be covered up in Church, no matter who the Pastor is!
The Apostle Paul was upset at the church in Corinth for leaving a man in their midst who was involved in grave sexual sin. He pointed out that “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” and charged them to “purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened.” (1 CORINTHIANS 5:6-7)
How much worse is it when the leadership is in sin? Condoning sinful leadership destroys the body of Christ to an even greater degree. We see the wreckage of church wounds all around us. Church leaders ought to be examples, not exemptions!
True Christians Check Leadership with Scripture
If the Apostle Paul would have led his ministry with those guidelines, he would have never commended the Bereans, but rather rebuked them! But instead, we read about the Bereans:
ACTS 17:11
“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
These diligent disciples checked Paul by Scripture’s standard and he commended them for it! No apostle in the New Testament ever told anyone “Do not touch God’s anointed” as a means of avoiding personal accountability! So, don’t fall for this false teaching.
Be a good Berean!
