What will it take for Christians to totally reject a false teacher from among their circles? I'm afraid most never will.
A man can deny justification by faith alone, deny Creation in six days, deny the Lordship of the Lord, deny the Gospel, deny the need for biblical truth, promote homosexuality, Islam, Romanism...and still be called a brother with just a different methodology? Seriously? So then you must accept the RCC even though it has a different gospel, a different justification, denies the Lordship of the Lord, hides homosexual preditors, promotes common ground with Islam. Yup I've seen that too.
So what would it take, exactly, for Christians to reject a church, a ministry, a man completely and thoroughly?
Think of what defenders of Piper, Warren, Wilson, and Driscoll are really saying when confronted with biblical practice and Truth....
Act 20:29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears.
Sounds like Paul was a bit "hysterial" here, eh? Come now, let's not get all emotional! Its not THAT bad!!
Perhaps Paul should've stated that there's some good and truth that the wolves can offer the sheep. Paul should have given more respect them.
2 Tim. 2: 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.
Again, Paul should've taken the middle ground and exhorted the readers to accept the false teachers, because after all, they have some truth to teach the children of God. No doubt Hymenaeus and Philetus had some truth, but they just had a different opinion! Paul, where's your grace?
2Jo 1:9 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. 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 DEEDS.
Now, hold on a minute. John is waaaaay too "shrill" and "hysterical". John should've told the believers to accept the good, ignore the bad, and enjoy the warm fellowship and company of the false teachers. How unbalance, unfair, and narrow-minded of John!
Jud 1:11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves FOR THE SAKE OF GAIN to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast WITH YOU WITHOUT FEAR, SHEPHERDS FEEDING THEMSELVES; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
Talk about "shrill"! Perhaps Jude should've been given a "paper bag to breathe into" after all his "hysterics"! I mean, really, he was going just a tad overboard, eh?
2Tim. 4: 14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.
Wow, that's some respect there Paul! Why couldn't you just tell them to consider the good things about Alexander, and while disagreeing with some of his erroneous doctrine, personal issues shouldn't be the factor in telling OTHERS to guard against him! After all he's not THAT bad!Where's your respect for Alexander??
3 John 9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. 10 So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.
Is it obvious? The apostles were just way to "shrill" and "hysterical" about "brothers in the Lord" (*cough*) who weren't THAT bad.... they just differed on some things.
Or was that just for then and this is now? Perhaps the wolf-friends are seeing Scripture as not so relevant for today. Perhaps its all nothing more than an interesting book, but has no power to dictate their actual practice. Or is it merely for others, not themeselves and their paper theologians? In other words, hypocrisy in defending men who are participating in wicked deeds, while slamming Christians for doing exactly what Scripture demands us to do: seperate, call attention to, and reject false teachers.
Funny how the big boy bloggers/teachers/elders give tolerance, love, and passionately defend those who rebel against clear Scripture, but don't show the same passion and tolerance and appreciation for those that obey it.
Jas 2:1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory... 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "You sit here in a good place," while you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or, "Sit down at my feet," 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?Jas 2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
Gal 2:6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)--those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.
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