by Jack P. Carter

(May 2023)

When you hear the term “seasoned” Christian, a number of thoughts or images may come to
mind. You may be thinking of a man who has been a preacher or elder for a good number of
years. It’s possible you are thinking of a woman who has taught children’s Bible class for as long
as you can remember.
These are some prominent examples, but there are likely others you have seen in the church
assembly who seem to have always been a part of a particular congregation. Other places the
seasoned Christian may appear is as a keynote speaker at a congregational meeting, lecturing
from their recently published book.
What is it about them that would cause you to characterize them as a “seasoned” Christian?
Often, it comes from having observed not only the longevity of their presence in the church, but
their behavior, speech, and knowledge. It’s not unusual for them to be the go-to person when you
have a biblical question, whether it is regarding a difficult passage or the application of scripture
to current cultural issues. They don’t always have the answer and sometimes you disagree, but
on balance they seem to “know their stuff.”
In so many ways a person of this stature can become elevated enough in the minds of those
who know them (or know of them) that they appear almost infallible—or at the very least, they
seem to have their act together personally. You begin to wonder what, if anything, they struggle
with morally. You’re certain that they do, but their walk seems very steady and reliable.
Having strong role models is not a bad thing. The apostle Paul himself said, “Be imitators of
me, just as I also am of Christ” (I Corinthians 11:1). It is very important to note that he qualifies
the imitating by deferring to Christ as the true example.
Having strong role models or examples of a strong faith can serve to embolden us to also be
strong. Courage can be a contagion. In Philippians 1:14, Paul points out that his courage while
being imprisoned has caused others to “have far more courage to speak the Word of God without
fear.” Hopefully, as we ourselves grow in our faith, we start to become an example to others in
the same way we benefited from the examples shown to us.
The forgoing thoughts are intended as a depiction of what should be healthy relationships
within the brotherhood. Unfortunately, what can creep in (if we aren’t careful) is a condition
where the ranks of the strong and reliable don’t increase because all too often, they have become
the “answer man” (or woman), rather than the individual doing their own heavy lifting in the
form of study. Consequently, a person’s faith can become secondhand.
Years ago, there was a preacher who was very gifted in his ability to present biblical
precepts in a way that made them easier to understand for those listening who may not have had
as much of a working knowledge of God’s Word. At the conclusion of one of the Sunday
morning assembly times, the preacher was standing in the foyer greeting those leaving the
building. One of the members approached him and, intending a compliment, declared, “I’ll
believe anything you say”—to which the preacher very carefully but firmly admonished this
person that it was very unwise to put their soul into the hands of any man.
I believe we already understand the importance of building your own knowledge and faith
so that each of us can be “steadfast and immovable.” And much of what I have said amounts to
“preaching to the choir.” But there are far too many examples of those who we would have put
into the camp of the “seasoned” Christian who later wander from the faith. They have either
given heed to false teaching or turned their back on God entirely. We shake our heads and ask

the obvious question, “How could this have happened? I learned so much from them earlier on. I
never would have thought they would fall.”
Something happened along the way. People don’t wake up one day and suddenly reverse
field.
Is it possible to come to believe that you have arrived at a point where your understanding is
solid enough that consulting God’s Word on a given topic becomes a secondary consideration?
Do we get to a point where our knowledge is honed enough that a refresh from scripture is
superfluous? Can it happen that a “seasoned” Christian begins to believe, (in a manner of
speaking) their own press, given the words of adulation they have become accustomed to? What
happens when anyone begins to “lean on their own understanding” and what are some of the
warning signs to look for in them? But more importantly, what do we look for in ourselves?
Shortly after the first Gulf War, in the early 90s, the U.S. military maintained a presence in
Kuwait having liberated the country from Iraq. Though the conflict was, for the most part
concluded, it was important for military personnel stationed there to maintain their skills
according to their training.
There was an F-15 pilot who would have been considered by others in the Air Force to be a
“seasoned” pilot.” There was an occasion when he and his co-pilot were rehearsing various
maneuvers. Whenever an average person is driving a car and they need to turn around and go
back in the direction they came from, they think in terms of turning right or left—those are the
only options. For an F-15 pilot, they have other options. One of these is to do what is called a
“Split S.” What this amounts to is the pilot inverting the craft in what we would call a half barrel
roll, then nosing the craft toward the ground until the jet has curved and is heading back where it
came from. This can be used as a means of evading an attacker.
This particular pilot was attempting to execute this maneuver but crashed into the desert
sand killing himself and his co-pilot. Since it was discovered that there was nothing wrong with
the craft, the obvious question was, “How can a seasoned pilot crash into the ground like that?”
When you are flying above the desert sand, being 100 feet above the ground looks the same as
when you are at 1,000 feet.
When you do this maneuver, you need an adequate amount of vertical space to safely
accomplish this. If you trust what you see more than what your instruments are telling you, you
stand a good chance of making a fatal mistake. He thought he had plenty of room—he was
wrong.
How many “seasoned” Christians have made the classic mistake of “leaning on their own
understanding” and have paid a dear price for themselves and those who were with them? I hope
and pray that we all never tire of going to God’s Word even when it seems that the question is
basic, and our understanding is “good enough.” God’s Word is our instrument panel, and it will
always be reliable for truth and warnings about what is ahead.

jack@rockymountainchristian.com