[Biblemat] The Greatest Danger Facing The Church Today

[Don Mcclain]

The Greatest Danger Facing The Church Today

By Don McClain

Division is a terrible thing - and whatever causes division should be abhorred by those who love God. God hates those who sow discord, (Prov. 6:16-19), therefore - discord is something we should also hate.

There is absolutely no doubt that pride and inflated egos are clear indicators of an evil spirit and the cause of much division in the church. Bad attitudes are just as sinful as any sin you can think of. - In fact - it can be rightly argued that almost every sin has its root in a bad attitude. 

There is no excuse for sinful attitudes, (Eph. 4:1-3). There is no justifiable reason for rudeness or mean spiritedness. A bad attitude certainly does unity no favors - however - there are several ways that men can be guilty of sowing discord besides exhibiting bad attitudes!

What about those who promote error and false doctrine among God's people??? The false prophets in the Old Testament destroyed God's people through their false teaching, (Jer. 23:9-36). The Scribes and Pharisees turned people away from the truth by teaching the doctrines and commandments of men, (Mat 15:1-20). The Judaizing teachers in the New Testament endangered the early church by binding certain requirements in the Law of Moses upon Christians, (Gal. 5:1-15). 

The false prophets, Scribes, Pharisee's and Judaizing Christians all caused discord because of the error that they preached.

How should false teachers among us be treated? 

Some false teachers put on an air of humility while in confrontation and attempt to label any and all who confronts them as being un-Christ-like. This has been an effective tactic - for many have been led to believe that anyone who attempts to expose a false teacher in the church is merely legalistic, a gnat strainer, and doesn't possess the love of Christ.

There are some among us who apparently would have rebuked Jesus for being "too harsh" with the Scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23. I once heard someone say that if Stephen had not been so harsh with those to whom he spoke, (Acts 7:51-60), he would have not been stoned to death and might have converted some of them. Paul stated in Gal 5:12 that he wished that the Judaizers would mutilate themselves, (NOW THAT'S HARSH!!). Was Paul wrong for what he said? Was Paul wrong for not putting up with their error, not even for an hour (Gal. 2:5)? Friend - too many want to pet and caress the 'poor abused' false teacher!

The idea that gentleness and kindness somehow cancels out rebuke and the need to expose false teachers is not Biblical is it? Gentleness - YES!! Love - YES!! Kindness - YES!!! - But what about being militant (2 Tim 2:3)? - What about being zealous (John 2:17; 2 Cor. 7:11)? What about being clear instead of beating around the bush, (2 Cor 7:4; Titus 2:8)? What about being bold (Acts 9:29; 13:46; Eph 6:20)? Can we be a loving people and hate error at the same time? Yes, and true love demands it!!  

God requires that we preach and defend the truth, (Jude 1:3), as well as expose, rebuke and denounce error (1 Tim 5:20; Titus 1:13; 2 Tim 4:2-4). Exposing a false teacher is not a loveless act!! It is in fact demonstrating ones love for truth and for God who revealed it. It also demonstrates a love for the souls of men who could be "led away with the error of the wicked." (2 Peter 3:17,18). After a false teacher rejects the truth - the Bible teaches that we are to mark that person (Rom. 16:17,18).  

The false teacher is a REAL trouble maker among God's people! When we close our eyes to a wolf in sheep's clothing - we surrender ourselves to become his next meal!!

In my view - brethren's desire to compromise and refuse to identify and expose error and those who promote it is the greatest danger facing the church today!



                       "The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained." --George Washington 
                  
                        Don McClain  65th Street church of Christ
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