(There are two articles on this page)
The Danger Of Silence
by Bob Dodson
Paul called the Ephesian elders down to Miletus and gave them some sobering instructions. What were these instructions? "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also, from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves" (Acts 20:29-30). Where would the danger originate? It originated from within the flock!
In Peter’s second epistle, he gave a similar warning. "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber" (II Peter 2:1-3).
If we understand these two passages, it should cause us to see the danger of false teaching. Sadly, many congregations of the Lord's church wait too long before taking action. Error takes hold. How could it be prevented? "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). Also read John 4:1.
Church members need to be concerned and to listen to what they are being taught! If more brethren were more serious about this, the church would be much sounder. Why aren't we learning from the lessons of the past? Remember Pergamos! What did the Lord have against her? "But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus, you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate" (Revelation 2:14-15).
This church tolerated false teachers and the error they taught! Instead of opposing the false teaching, they allowed it to take root and spread throughout the church. Simply put, they compromised truth. Why did they remain silent? We do not know. What reason could any church have for allowing error to take root? Following are a few I have heard:
- "We don’t want to hurt feelings." Should we have more concern for the souls of the listeners, and of the false teacher, or for their feelings?
- "We need to be longsuffering." Certainly, no one denies the need to be longsuffering. How longsuffering should we be when souls are at stake? Galatians 2:5 says concerning the teachers who were binding circumcision upon the Gentiles, "to whom we gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you."
- "We cannot all agree on any point of truth." During the past few years, this has been the cry of some of our brethren. Can we no longer understand truth?
Toning It Down
by Robert Turner
A "Country Meeting" had gone exceedingly well, and elders from another community asked the preacher to work with them in a meeting the following year. He came at the appointed time, and found his reputation had spread, and the building was packed. The elders met him at the car, told him they had never had such a gathering of Methodists, Baptists, and no-church folk, so he must be very careful lest he offend someone with his forthright teaching.
Being young and brash, and having no more tact than to tell the truth, he reminded them of the undiluted lessons that had been given at the neighboring church the previous year. He said that since he had not been in that section of the state before, the previous year's work must have drawn this year's crowd; and certainly was the reason he had been asked to come. He concluded, "if you expect to hold and convert these people with something other than the kind of preaching that brought them together, in the first place, I'm afraid you have the wrong man. I'll get back into my car and go home."
With much confusion – "Oh no, you must have misunderstood us" etc., the preacher was persuaded to stay, and the meeting began. The preaching was strong, and seemed to get a little stronger; but the people continued to come, and several were converted.
I do not now believe, nor did I then, that "skinning the sects" is good preaching. Some folk will turn away from straight, plain truth, no matter how fairly we seek to present it. But we are dead wrong in thinking we can convert people to Christ with anything other than the Bible message. It will convict the world respecting sin, righteousness, and judgment; and many won't like that. But we are looking for the "few" who will like it, and will genuinely turn to God.
"Toning it down" will produce only "toned down" members of a "toned down" church. You may keep the money, the politicians, and silk-stocking crowd; but you will lose the backbone and fiber that is necessary for a church to prevail and please the Lord. And if "members" are not interested in pleasing the Lord and saving souls, why bother with any preaching at all?