The Death of Discernment
by Steve Lagoon

Revised November 1, 2002

 

 

Many who are involved in discernment/apologetics ministries are being scolded with phrases such as, "You keep focusing on what divides us, why can't we focus on what unites us?" or "We need to break down the walls that divide us."Today one often hears comments like "I try to take the good from all religions" or "I think all religions are true."

 

Such statements raise an important question: Should Christians be involved in publicly confronting false teachings both within and outside the Christian church?

 

We begin answering this question by noting what Jesus had to say. He warned that false prophets would arise, seeming to represent God, but who were really wolves in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15). Therefore, we should not be surprised when faced with imposters claiming to speak for God.

 

Paul, writing to Timothy said, "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons" (1 Timothy 4:1). Paul also said,

 

"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers…I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!" (Acts 20:28-31).

 

While we can acknowledge that those who are deceived by false teachers are often sincere and zealous people, the apostle Paul made it clear that sincerity alone is not enough to bring about true salvation. In reference to his own people Paul lamented,

 

"For I can testify about them that they [the Israelites] are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God [by faith in Christ] and sought to establish their own" (Romans 10:2-3).

 

Paul also warned,

 

"For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

 

Someone might say, "But members of these groups really study and use the Bible!" Again, many cults use, or should we say, misuse the Bible. As Shakespeare has well said, "The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose." (The Merchant of Venice, act 1, sc., 3, 1.99), even as he did when tempting Jesus (Matt 4:4-11).

 

Others point out that these groups testify of their love for Jesus and the need for salvation. But upon examination, false teachers redefine evangelical and biblical terms, having a veneer of truth that covers over deadly false teaching. As the apostle Peter said, these false teachers, "twist the Scriptures to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16).

 

When taking a closer look at cultic groups and their teachings, they are found to have a fraudulent view of God and a fraudulent gospel. Paul has instructed Christians to "have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them" (Ephesians 5:11).

 

This may sound harsh. Our society's philosophy is that we need to be tolerant of what others believe; we must not be judgmental and condemning; dogmatism is the worst, if not the only "sin."

 

It is tragic that this sort of thinking is beginning to infiltrate the Christian church. Exposing errors in the cults is considered negative and intolerant. Rather than exposing false teachings and trying to reach cultists with the true gospel, such people would rather downplay the doctrinal issues that divide us. Instead of taking a stand for the purity of the church, they say we need to break down the walls that divide. Unity, they say, is the important thing.

 

Unity is indeed important, but never at the expense of truth. Jesus himself was very dogmatic when he said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). We will not win the world for Christ by watering down the message of the Bible. Instead we must stand upon the rock of truth, God's Word, and be willing to expose false teachings in the hope of helping those so deceived to know the true, living and triune God.