What's The Cause?What could possess a normally rational man who is born again, called to preach Jesus Christ, and otherwise scripturally sound to parade around with a phony doctorate, pretending to be educated? What power could cause him to boast of an attainment he has not attained and allow others to boast for him? The same universal vices that caused Lucifer to fall, pride and envy. The Bible bluntly says this pride of life is not of God, ...and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world (1 Jn. 2:16), and envy is clearly ungodly. But this doesn't affect them. They apparently justify their indulgence in their mind with self serving reasoning.One of their reasonings is the institution which granted them the doctorate must have felt them qualified or it would not have given it, but this argument is forced. First, the only way to qualify for an earned doctorate is to finish the requirements! Second, the doctorate is honorary by its very name. It is called a doctorate because it is given by an educational institution which confers true doctorates, their highest earned degree. If honorary doctorates make a person a true doctor, then an auctioneer who is given a certificate calling him colonel must also be a true colonel; a commissioned officer in the US military!Another argument is, even though the person doesn't have the required academic education for a doctorate they earned one through life experience, but this is still invalid and self indulgent. The person may have a wealth of life experience that equips him for certain aspects of Christ's ministry much better than most Ph.D's, but thatstill ignores the fact he hasn't completed the required education for a true doctorate. Would you want to have surgery performed on you or a loved one by a true medical doctor who graduated from a university or by someone who has life experience only and no degree?Probably the most desperate argument is A doctors degree will further my ministry and open doors implying it will help Christ's ministry. But Christ's ministry when He was on earth was not tainted by pretense, half-truths, and deception. Christ made no false claims to education or position but said humbling things like, For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted (Luke 14:11), and Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matt 18:4). Sayings that tear at the very root of the modern unearned doctorate craze. When pressured some will admit their degree is honorary (but that doesn't stop them from using it), others, however, seem to actually believe they hold the advanced degree and resent anyone who questions it.What we are addressing here is academic attainment and not necessarily spirituality, ability or consecration. Some preachers with Ph.D's are so dry and lifeless in their manner and deficient in common sense and sound doctrine that they are little help to anyone. On the other hand a preacher with an eighth grade education can have more insight into the Scriptures, a better understanding of God's will, and a superior manner of preaching and presentation than some men with two earned doctorates. Some of the best preaching I have ever heard came from men with less than a high school education. Education is no substitute for a humble heart, diligent study, or godly zeal.http://www.preservedwords.com/doctor.htm
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