by Mike Ratliff
Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. (2 John 9-11 ESV)
The Doctrine of Separation has become a very great point of contention in our time. I honestly have been very surprised by the reaction of some as Biblical principles have been declared and called for to be applied to relationships between Christian leaders and those who profess to Christian leaders, but whose testimony makes them actually false. Perhaps the issue is really that those who desire to compromise in this do not take the obedience to the Word of God seriously. The other issue comes from the the misunderstanding that this call of separation is not a call for believers to separate from unbelievers for how else could we share the Gospel (1 Corinthians 5:9-10) , but is a call for us to remove ourselves from fellowship from religious leaders who profess to be Christians, but who are obviously false in their theology as is commanded in the passage I placed at the top of this post.
I wrote An Open Letter to Frank Turk on Saturday and its like the whole thing has taken on a life of its own. There is a lot of misunderstanding to be sure, but for the most part the point of contention in this is the Doctrine of Separation. I fully understand the reluctance of some to appear mean or rude or “unchristian” in this separation, but this is not something that is optional for us. As the professing, visible church continues in disobeying God’s commands like this they will soon find themselves in the midst of a 1 Peter 4:17 judgment.
In any case, the Church is to be all about sharing the Gospel, to be obeying the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). To be able to do this then we must be in the world, not locked away in ivory towers or behind castle walls. No, we must go into the world as ordered. On the other hand, when our enemy attempts to pervert the Gospel we preach we must not associate with those who do this except in rebuking them.
I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. (2 John 4-11 ESV)
In our day, if you applied this teaching literally to you how you lived, you would be called divisive and a lot of other not so nice things. However, isn’t that what our Lord said would happen if we lived our lives obediently under His Lordship?
Soli Deo Gloria!
Charles Spurgeon on “Non-Essential” Doctrines
October 19, 2010
If you say that any one part of the truth is unimportant, you do as good as say – to that extent the Holy Spirit has come upon an unimportant or valueless mission. You perceive it is declared that he is to teach us “all things”; but if some of these “all things” are really of such minor importance, and so quite non-essential, then surely it is not worth while disturbing our minds with them. And so to that degree, at any rate, we accuse the Holy Spirit of having come to do what is not necessary to be done; and I trust that our minds recoil with holy repulsion from such a half-blasphemy as that…
There is a man in the world, whose views are not quite in consistency with Scripture. He says, “Well, it does not matter it is a little thing, a very little thing.” Yes but that little wrong thing leads to a great wrong thing. The sinner’s path is down hill, and when you take one step in violation of Scripture precept, your next step is not only easy, but seems even to be forced upon you. Doubt election, you will soon doubt perseverance, and you may soon come to deny redemption.
Where did the errors of the church of Rome come from? Were they all born in a day? No, they came by slow degrees. … If you tamper with one truth of Scripture, he that tempts you to meddle with one, will tempt you to tamper with another, and there will be no end to it, till, at last, you will want a new Bible, a new Testament, and a new God. There is no telling where you will end when you have begun.
Read More here:
http://www.biblealone.net/charles_spurgeon_on_non-essential_doctrine.htm
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Amen Dawn Marie! Thanks for sharing that and for the link!!!
No Mike. Thank you. I am just amazed by the response to this.
Let us pray for God to use this for HIs glory and to awaken His people to seek His truth and to follow Him in obedience rather than men….
Yes. I have been praying about this all day and will continue. This issue has been heavy on me for a while now and I am so thankful to see that it is the same for other’s as well. It’s so very encouraging.
There are so many who are disturbed by the “arguing,” and I can’t say that I enjoy it either, but doesn’t this show that we have hit that point of contention? This post is all about that point.
In our day, if you applied this teaching literally to you how you lived, you would be called divisive and a lot of other not so nice things. However, isn’t that what our Lord said would happen if we lived our lives obediently under His Lordship?
You would probably be told you are dishonoring Christ by your bitterness and anger, and are in bondage to it, and feel superior to everyone, seeking praise and attention and wrongly insist that everyone agree with you exactly the way you want. Or something like that.
Bingo Paula, hence the reason for the bulk of the struggle to which we have been part of the last couple of days of a very nice open letter to F.T.
Jason Smathers had a great post from Spurgeon too on Sinful Silence, during the Ergun Caner debacle:
http://www.witnessesuntome.com/2010/05/sinful-silence/
Sinful silence is by no means so common as sinful talk, but there are times when it may be quite as full of evil. A lie can be told by our saying nothing as well as in express words; for when silence gives consent to falsehood it is itself falsehood. To refrain from warning the unwary when we see that they are being deceived is to be an accomplice in the imposition. To quietly listen to false doctrine without seeking a fit occasion to enter a protest may soon amount to participation in the error.
I have to wonder these days if it is in fact less common than sinful talk.
Well said Mike. There are reasons why the Master commanded us to separate from false teachers: purity of doctrine, purity of the local church, purity in fellowship, clarity of Truth, just to name a few.
We can see all the way through Scripture how this has always been the demand of God, from Israel to the Pharisees, to Ananias and Sapphira.
Is God’s standard different today? Has He changed? No.
A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
God says reject the whole man, the whole ministry, if he comes to you not proclaiming and abiding in the doctrines of Jesus Christ and His Gospel.
1Co 5:11 But now I am writing to you NOT TO ASSOCIATE with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler–not even to eat with such a one.
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. 10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
2Jo 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.
2Co 6:14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 17 “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord. “AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.
I think that this is probably how most people end up compromised Paula…
You can’t get any clearer than that can you Denise? Well, the problem is that part about that 1 Peter 4:17 judgment stuff… I think that is a huge part of the backlash and refusal to even hear us in the visible church right now. I honestly am at a loss to know how to approach that other than to do what I have called each of you reading these posts to do. Pray like you have never prayed before for God to break through those barriers and get His people to repent and move into the light. The false will, of course, remain in the dark, but my brethren, if what we are witnessing right now in this deep division and hostility toward the obvious truth isn’t God’s judgment then I don’t know what is…
Mike. Back in October, I asked the Lord to tell me how I would know if someone was false if all of their doctrine was “right”?
In His time. He is sovereign.
On facebook it’s called the Doctrine of Unfriending. Thank you for standing for truth, Mike. You’re a rare bird.
Grace & peace to you,
Marsha
So hard to find a church home where true Biblical separation is , practised, and which has not compromised in myriad ways with the world, or does not in some form give in to what I could call
pastor-idolatry!
I guess it is hard for some to accept that the leader they so depended on has gone so far astray..
I pray much that those of us who “see” this are moved to humble intercession __
That we ourselves will stay true__
and that those who are compromised will be drawn back to Truth.
Mike, I wish we dispensationalists can tell you Reformed people with an “I told you so” attitude, namely that the Bible predicted end time great apostasy in the Christendom, but the truth is, there are just as many in our ranks who are compromising with the likes of Rick Warren or Bill Hybels.
The truth is, Jesus told us the signs of His second coming can’t be far off when we notice all sorts of signs around, and the major apostasy among a greater part of Christendom, even those who profess to be Sola Fide and Sola Scriptura, is one major sign. We shouldn’t get really upset, but should work hard instead to preach the gospel to the lost world, and proclaim boldly the truth in the Bible to those who call themselves Christians (they may be true Christians, they may not) so that those who are of Him will repent from the errors, and there will be excuse to those who hearts are so depraved that go from bad to worse. And at the end, look high, for our salvation is near!
Mike, re your comment:
On the other hand, when our enemy attempts to pervert the Gospel we preach we must not associate with those who do this except in rebuking them.
Yes, if a certain very popular evangelist had remembered this he might have rebuked the Pope, and the other fine feathered dignitaries that he embraced. Instead he ended up swimming with them up the River of Ecumenism. Once the tentacles of popularity reach out to gather one into their midst…it’s a hard way back. Some never return.
Luke 6:26
Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.
When we walk in Christ, separation comes with the territory.
From my experience, it’s better to separate than to walk in pretense with a brother/sister who doesn’t follow Christ’s teachings especially if we have to compromise and appease in order to please.
Wisdom from Proverbs 29:
25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.
And why should leaders especially separate and rebuke their peers for going beyond the teachings of Christ? Because when they endorse these false teachers, the sheep are at risk.
It is a point that was covered, but the verse I wanted to add is:
1 Timothy 4:16
Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
I once heard, or read, I forget, that the difference between the world a few years ago (perhaps before “social media” and internet) and now is like looking out of a window versus looking in a mirror.
When one looks out a window, one will see their own reflection in parts, even to the point of primping a bit, but will also see of course the whole world passing by outside, with all it’s warts and beauty.
When one looks in a mirror, all one sees is self, nothing else. We are a narcissistic face-book culture where the focus is on ourselves, lovers of self as it were.
When a problem comes it simply must come from outside, because the mirror says everything is fine. We simply can’t imagine anyone disagreeing with us or not liking our idols.
“…and its like the whole thing has taken on a life of its own. There is a lot of misunderstanding to be sure, but for the most part the point of contention…” Too which I have two points. First, this is the problem with thoughtful discourse being erased from memory. Remember when “think before you push the send button” was an email maxim? Now, not only do we have instant non thinking through of responses, we have “how dare someone disagree with my favorite blog idol” combined. Second, the “open” think became almost viral in it’s fadness instantly. Like the video clips in many blogs, and the “10 ways to do such and such” it became the thing to do, soup of the day.
In any case, other than the “open” part you have been spot on in your reasoning and analysis. And thanks for the post.
Oh, and the American Psychological society removed narcissism from the list of disorders. Kind of like they did with “another” well known disorder.
If just one person has the scales removed from their eyes over any of these false teachers/preachers it is worth all the “arguing”.
I really get annoyed with Christians who want Jesus to be the Lion of the Tribe of Judah in their own storm, but not in the seat of Judgment. The cup of His wrath is almost full, and yes, this is LOVE!
“May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward for His suffering.” ~~The Moravians~~
Amen Dawn Marie, God reveals that to me in His perfect timing, it seems, right when I need it the most.
Thank you Marsha. I find your words very comforting, but at the same time tragic because there should be so many more in the ranks of those who are slaves to their Lord Jesus.
Celine, I don’t know how it is where you live, but here in the USA the world infects everything. That is why Christians who are truly Christlike stand out like they do and are attacked so viciously for their uncompromising stand on these things.
Amen brother Joel!!!
Amen Carolyn!!!
Amen Berean Gal!
Paula, I love that Spurgeon quote!
WOW !!!
Help us Lord Jesus to ever be obedient and not settle for just “sacrifice”!
It is such an encouragement to see the Lord Jesus working in the hearts and minds of His beloved ones so that we all reach the same conclusions concerning wolves yet in different ways.
I John 2:19 & 20 “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that THEY MIGHT BE MADE MANIFEST, that none of them were of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One and you know all things.” Ask the Lord to expose the evil, and watch in amazement as He does just that.
I Cor. 11:19 “For there must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.” Matt. 13:24-30 is the parable of the wheat and the tares. It is not the parable of wheat and tainted wheat. There will always be “false brethren” among the faithful and the faithful are there as a witness against the false ones.
Matt. 7: 21-23 I wonder if these three verses were read to a false brother/preacher/teacher if they would not run from the room screaming!? Isn’t it revealing that the Lord chose self-proclaimed prophets and false miracle workers to make His point?
It has been stated by some that the vast majority of “church members” (60-90%) are lost. I can’t speak to the percentages, but as one who was of the ‘vast majority’ until ’04 it is not a good thing. These ‘church members’ are just as lost as are the drunkards, dope addicts, and homosexuals, etc. Your standing for the truth is just as much an act of obedience to the Great Commission as is that of a street preacher of a Spurgeon.
Mike, don’t you ever stop!
Thanks Darrel, I will not. Please continue to pray for God to use me in the upcoming battle for His truth.
I guess it is hard for some to accept that the leader they so depended on has gone so far astray..
Actually, I find that the ones who have the hardest time of it are the ones who don’t hold people accountable for their doctrine (the corruption of which starts with tiny little compromises and builds to form a pattern of disregarding the Word’s authority). They usually do this because they say that our primary goal should be unity, not division.
I pray much that those of us who “see” this are moved to humble intercession __
In many cases, we already know what we ought to do and are afraid to do it, for the reason stated in my previous paragraph. We are unwilling to bear reproach from our friends, to suffer outside the camp like the Lord we profess to love.
There was one place in Scripture where it sounds like God told Moses to quit praying and get the people moving.
Exodus 14:15The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.”
Amen Mike.
Mike, It’s pretty much the same here in Mumbai!