Testing Teachings

"[T]rue men of God love the truth and have no problem at all with seeing their teachings weighed against Scripture, and themselves being taken to task where necessary - indeed, they will be grateful for it. ... doctrinal purity is a mark of a representative of God. If they are especially godly then they will also be especially mature and humble ... [and] will actually encourage their audience to test what they say by God's Word, and to question apparent discrepancies - as Paul did" [source].

"We are to test all teachings, prophecies, and practices against Scripture and judge whether they are true or false. ... There are times when a failure to 'criticise' or 'judge' a teaching or doctrine is to be disobedient to the Word of God, and far from gullibly swallowing everything we are taught - however well-known or respected or popular the teacher - believers are to test all that passes for doctrine, to rebuke and correct those in error (for their sake as well as for the sake of their hearers), and to dissociate from any teachers who continue to teach false doctrine" [source].

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

"We need to understand that if we don't 'rightly divide the word of truth' (2 Timothy 2:15), God's Word will divide us. God always draws a dividing line between truth and error. We also need to understand that Jesus Christ did not come to bring the shallow, superficial kind of peace which downplays the profound differences between truth and error just for the sake of some kind of specious unity. Any kind of 'unity' which calls for unanimity for unity's sake itself ... is a false unity if it has compromised and attempted to unite truth with erroneous, faulty teachings" [source].

Matthew 18: Private or Public Rebuke?

"[W]e are sometimes asked the question, 'Did you go to that person first before exposing that person's false doctrine?' We believe that the scriptural approach to dealing with false teachings and false doctrines differs than the ... dialectic approach that is so popular today. Our focus is to send out a warning to those who are being misled. Dialogue with those who are spreading false doctrines would only be beneficial to those persons and ministries; it would not benefit the ones being hurt. If you are in a lifeboat and people around you are drowning, will you focus on the shark who is devouring the people in the water or will you pull as many into the lifeboat as possible? For us, we have chosen the latter and will leave dialogue up to someone else" [source].

"Why did Paul confront Peter publicly 'before them all?' Because he 'saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel' and their words and actions were causing others to be led astray. Therefore, we see a clear-cut Biblical precedent for public rebuke where it concerns aberrant teachings which depart from the truth of the Gospel" [source].

"[W]ith the potential for countless thousands on the other end of radios and televisions to be led astray, correction of aberrant, often heretical, teachings needs to be equally as public. When erroneous teachings are proclaimed to broad audiences as Gospel truth, thereby impacting and influencing them, shouldn't those errant teachings be repudiated to equally as public and broad an audience?" [source].

"There is absolutely no biblical record of Jesus or any of His disciples ever taking a heretic off to the side for coffee and donuts after they led someone astray distorting the Word of God. They didn't shake hands, exchange hugs, kisses and phone numbers or set up appointments on their PDAs to dialog their doctrinal differences over lunch in the quiet corner of a favorite restaurant at a more convenient time. No, Jesus dealt with heretics harshly, publicly and immediately, as did Paul and the other disciples. And, keep in mind; we're talking New Testament here friends. In the Old Testament, false prophets were simply taken out and stoned to death for their lies. That's how serious God is about His Word rightly divided and properly proclaimed" [source].

"Jesus didn't request a closed-door session with the Scribes and Pharisees in order to find common ground, build relationships and promote unity in Jerusalem. He condemned their blasphemy before one and all and repeatedly warned His disciples about their leaven. And when His number-one disciple challenged Him about His own up and coming crucifixion, Jesus didn't put His and gently on Peter's shoulder and effeminately whisper: 'My friend, you just don't understand.' No, He lashed back at him with power and authority in front of ALL the disciples" [source].

Thus saith the LORD,
Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way,
and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls
(Jeremiah 6:16)

© Bayith Ministries     http://www.bayith.org     bayith@blueyonder.co.uk