Separation from False Teachers
Biblical Principle
Key New Testament texts
Galatians 1:8-9.
Satan seeks to corrupt Christ's Church through false ministers
who preach a false message. Paul is adamant that no change
can be introduced into the apostolic gospel. If any human
being, or even an angel from heaven, preaches another gospel
(another of a different kind), Paul prays that he should
be accursed. This emphatic language demonstrates the fervor
of Paul's attitude toward those who would modify any part
of the gospel he preached.
II John 9-11.
Anyone who goes beyond and will not continue abiding in
the biblical doctrine of Christ has abandoned God. Believers,
on the other hand, must continue abiding in the doctrine
of Christ to have fellowship with the Father and the Son.
Believers are to have nothing to do with anyone who claims
authority as a teacher but who is not sound concerning the
doctrine of Christ. Such a person is not to be given religious
recognition of any kind, because to do so would mean that
the believers would then share in his evil deeds. To pray
for God's blessing on such a false teacher is expressly
forbidden, and to do so is to ask God to bless apostasy
and heresy.
Additional verses.
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions
and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned;
and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord
Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and
fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple" (Romans
16:17-18). "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy
trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions
of science falsely so called: Which some professing have
erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen" (I
Timothy 6:20-21). "I know thy works, and thy labour, and
thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are
evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles,
and are not, and hast found them liars . . . .But this thou hast,
that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I
also hate" (Revelation 2:2, 6). "But I have a few things
against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the
doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling
block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed
unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also
them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing
I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and
will fight against them with the sword of my mouth" (Revelation
2:14-16).
Old Testament parallel
The presence of
false prophets among the people of God in the Old Testament
was a common problem (II Peter 2:1). God taught His people
that they were to reject a false prophet totally (Deuteronomy
18:20-22), even though he might conceivably predict the
future and verify it with a miracle (Deuteronomy 13:1-5).
The evidence that he was a false prophet would be that he
would seek to lead the people astray from the true God.
Purity of life must
be accompanied by purity of doctrine. Jeremiah and Ezekiel
faced the problem of false prophets during their times (Jeremiah
23 and Ezekiel 13). These false teachers discouraged backslidden
people from repentance by telling them that peace was on
the way. As a result of their lies many perished. Of course,
Jeremiah and Ezekiel preached against these deceivers. Other
Old Testament prophets also used strong language to condemn
false prophets (I Kings 22:25; Hosea 4:5; Isaiah 28:7; Micah
2:5-8, 11; Zephaniah 3:4). All of God's prophets were strong
in their denunciation of false worship and condemned any
effort on the part of Israel to combine their religious
practices with those of the nations around them.
Definitions
False teacher:
one who professes to be a Christian but who attempts to
deceive the Church by false doctrine. He is described in
Scripture as a wolf in sheep's clothing who is to be judged
on the basis of his works (doctrinal teaching and its effects)
and not merely on his profession (Matthew 7:15-20; Titus
1:16). Although such deceivers give the appearance of being
angels of light and ministers of righteousness, the Bible
calls them false apostles, deceitful workers (II Corinthians
11:13-15), servants of corruption (II Peter 2:18), ungodly
men (Jude 4), filthy dreamers (Jude 8), and mockers (Jude
18).
Fundamental doctrine:
a clear scriptural teaching which the Bible itself indicates
is an important truth of Christianity. The fundamentals
of the Faith do not include those points of doctrine which
are matters of particular interpretation. Good men have
differed with each other on many points of doctrine, but
they agree on the fundamentals. Of course, to distinguish
between what is an essential of the Faith and what is a
matter of interpretation requires spiritual discernment.
For example, there can be no room for difference of opinion
concerning the full inspiration, inerrancy, and authority
of the Bible; the virgin birth of Christ; His essential
deity and proper humanity; His absolute sinlessness; His
power to save the sinner through His substitutionary death
on the cross; His bodily resurrection; His personal return;
and the reality of heaven and hell. On the other hand, true
teachers of the Word have sometimes disagreed concerning
the interpretation of specific Scripture relating to church
ordinances or the details associated with Christ's return.
Explanation and Application
Just as Paul warned
the Ephesian elders that they would have problems with false
teachers (Acts 20:29-31), believers today can also expect
to face problems with such men. First, therefore, Christians
must judge all doctrinal teaching in the light of Scripture.
If a man as a preacher or a teacher of God's people denies
any of the fundamental doctrines of Scripture, true believers
should recognize him as a false teacher. Second, it is necessary
to rebuke the false teachers in order to deliver those who
have been influenced by their teaching. This rebuke should
be as strong as that used by Christ (Matthew 23:13-36) and
His apostles (Galatians 1:9, 5:12). Third, since it is clear
from Scripture that apostates by a deliberate choice have
rejected revealed truth, there is no hope that such men
will ever be converted. The false teachers must be expelled
from the church and from any positions of influence involving
a religious institution, publication, or missionary society.
Finally, when expelling such men is impossible because the
majority of the people in the church, society, or institution
are supporting them, it then becomes necessary for believers
to withdraw from that group. All conduct toward false teachers
should be based upon the truth that an apostate gets only
progressively worse in his doctrine (II Timothy 3:13) and
that there is no scriptural evidence that an apostate ever
returns to Christ (Hebrews 6:4-6).
Separation from
false teachers, however, does not involve separation from
ordinary hypocrites—those who simply do not believe what
they profess to believe. God has not called us to judge
the motives of men. If a man believes false doctrine but
gives no outward sign of his attitude and does not teach
anything false to other members of the church, he might
remain in the church until he does manifest himself as a
tare (Matthew 13:24-43). Judas, one of the twelve chosen
by Christ, remained with the group until Christ's death;
however, he never manifested himself to the disciples as
a false teacher or even as an unconverted man. Christians
cannot know a man's heart and cannot act until that person
gives open evidence that he is a false teacher. However,
this kind of separation does not involve the rejection of
a novice who may express some views contrary to fundamental
doctrine. If the novice submits himself to correction and
chooses to obey the teaching of Scripture, he should not
be regarded as a false teacher.
Purposes
The Christian separates
from false teachers and their teaching for the following
reasons:
- To maintain the
doctrinal integrity of the church (I Timothy 2:6).
- To protect the
sheep from error which inhibits spiritual growth (Acts
20:28, II Peter 2:1-2).
Biblical
Separation ©1980. BJU Press. Reproduction prohibited.
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