With all the strange
movements and cults circulating around in the world and in some of the churches
today, we need to know how to discern what is truth from error. We may read up on the movements and cults
themselves to try and understand what we should be avoiding, and we may be
trying to find Scripture to see what we need to be doing about it. But we need to be very careful that we do not
take Scripture out of context and that we understand what The Lord would have
us do in each situation when we are faced with someone who may be or is in
obvious error to the Scriptures.
As I mentioned in my last
blog, after hearing both sides of the
arguments from fundamentals vs. Pentecostals/Charismatics, I came to the
conclusion that they were both in error because, in some cases, their attitudes
towards each other were not honoring to God or to one another. They did not put love and forgiveness ahead
of their need to be right, neither were they focusing on reaching the lost for
whom Christ died. Paul addresses these
issues in I Corinthians 3 and Philippians 1.
If we confess to know and love Jesus as our Lord and Savior and desire
to sincerely and honestly live a life that is pleasing to Him, and want to
share the Good News of the Gospel according to His commandment to do so, then
we are on the same team. We need to move
on, and put aside our doctrinal differences.
In the case of believers
who may be in error, first of all, we
need to make sure without a doubt that they are in error according to
Scripture. Aside from having a working
knowledge of the Bible from our own time spent reading and researching it, and
from trusted men and women of God who are able to teach us through a local Bible-believing
church, we need to rely above all on the Holy Spirit. While we may think that we need a degree in
theology to know what well-known theologians know about the Bible, sometimes
the more education like this we have,
the more it is a stumbling block to understanding the things of God. Our first and best teacher is the Holy Spirit
Himself. When we read the Word of God,
we need to ask the Holy Spirit to guide us and reveal His Word to us. Jesus promised His disciples that When He
left to be with the Father in heaven, He would send the Holy Spirit.
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is
expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not
come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the
world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Joh 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no
more; Joh 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Joh 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you,
but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is
come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but
whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to
come.
Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive
of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Joh 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine:
therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Notice verse 13 - Howbeit
when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he
shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak:
and he will shew you things to come.
The Holy Spirit will not speak of Himself, but notice
in verse 14:
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and
shall shew it unto you.
We need to ask ourselves
when we are unsure if someone is speaking for God and according to His Word, if
they are glorifying Jesus. If human
error is present (and many times it will be), are we drawn to Jesus in spite of
it? Is there humility in the person we
suspect might be in error? Are they
teachable and want to know if they are in error, or are they closed and
prideful when approached and challenged in their beliefs?
We need to be careful how
we deal with believers and unbelievers whom we suspect are in error, and the
Bible is very specific on how to deal with that person.
2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not
strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 2Ti 2:25 In
meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will
give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with
brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
The Bible also warns us
when we should have nothing to do with someone who is in error, since they
cannot and will not repent.
Eph 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear
children; Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath
given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling
savour.
Eph 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or
covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Eph 5:4
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not
convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor
unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in
the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for
because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience.
Eph 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are
ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all
goodness and righteousness and truth;) Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto
the Lord.
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Eph 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those
things which are done of them in secret.
Notice verse 5, 6 and 7:
Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor
unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in
the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for
because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience.
Eph 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
And notice verses 11 and
12:
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Eph 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those
things which are done of them in secret.
If we go to Psalm 1 we see
a similar admonition that comes with a promise:
Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the
counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the
seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the
rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall
not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Psa 1:4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the
chaff which the wind driveth away.
Psa 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in
the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Psa 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the
righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Above all, we need to
ensure that our own heart does not become corrupted because we have unwittingly
and unwisely become involved with what the Bible calls evil and
unrighteous. We must love righteousness
and hate evil, but we are never told to hate anyone or mistreat them because
they do evil. So we must be very careful
that we keep our hearts, thoughts and actions pure before God. Look at the following:
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked: who can know it?
1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things
that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not
in him.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of
the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the
Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust
thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
The importance of our own
walk with God, which will include diligently searching the Scriptures and
praying without ceasing, and obediently living according to His Word, will
prepare us more than anything else to recognize error and also how to deal with
it when we do. Above all, we need to
rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit who has promised to guide us into all
truth. May we be wise and discerning in
these days of spiritual darkness and apostasy and do all to the glory of
God. May we continue to ask, "What
would Jesus have us think, say, and do?"
No comments:
Post a Comment