I. It Is Right To Practice Biblical
Judgment
One of the most misused verses in the
Bible is, "Judge not, that ye be not
judged" (Matt. 7: 1). Every Scripture verse
should be read in its context, if we are to
properly understand the true meaning. In
vs. 2-5 of this same chapter it is evident
that v. 1 is referring to hypocritical
judgment. A brother who has a beam in
his own eye should not be judging the
brother who may have a mote in his eye.
The lesson is plain, you cannot judge
another for his sin if you are guilty of the
same sin.
Those who cling to "Judge not, that ye be
not judged, " to condemn those who
expose error should read the entire
chapter. Jesus said, "Beware of false
prophets, which come to you in sheep's
clothing, " (v. 15). How can we know false
prophets unless we judge them by the
Word of God? If we know the false
prophets, how can we fail to exam the
sheep of these "ravening wolves?" All
through the Bible we find proof that they
should be identified and exposed.
Those who are unwilling or incapable of
discerning or judging between good and
evil are in this manner revealing either
their disobedience or their immaturity.
II. It Is Right To Expose False Teachers
False teachers are free to spread their
poisonous doctrines today because there
is a conspiracy of silence among many
Bible believers. Wolves in sheep's clothing
are thus enabled to ravage the flock,
thereby destroying many.
John the Baptist called the Pharisees and
Sadducees (the religious leaders of his
day) "a generation of Vipers" (snakes)
(Matt. 3:7). Today, he would be accused of
being unloving, unkind, and unchristian.
Jesus said to the religious Pharisees, "O
generation of vipers, how can ye, being
evil, speak good things? for out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth
speaketh" (Matt. 12:34). To many
evangelicals and some fundamentalists,
this would be unacceptable language
today, but it is biblical language and it
came from the mouth of the Son of God.
Standing face to face with these false
teachers, Jesus Christ the Son of God,
called them "hypocrites", "blind guides, "
"blind, " "whited sepulchres, " "serpents, "
and "ye generation of vipers" (Matt.
23:23-34). Yet, we are told today that we
are to fellowship with men whose
doctrines are just as unscriptural as those
of the Pharisees.
In our day these false teachers have come
into the churches with their books, music,
literature, movies, psychology, and
seminars, and have turned the Father's
house into a den of thieves. It is time that
men of God stand up and expose their
errors for all to see.
The Bible Admonishes Us To Expose
Error
We are to TRY them. "Beloved, believe not
every spirit, but try the spirits, whether
they be of God; because many false
prophets are gone out into the world" (I
John 4: 1). All doctrine and teachers are to
be tried according to the Word of God. "To
the law and to the testimony: if they speak
not according to this word, it is because
there is no light in them" (Isa. 8:20),
We are to MARK them and AVOID them.
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them
which cause divisions and offences
contrary to the doctrine which ye have
learned; and avoid them " (Rom. 16:17).
Those whose conduct and teaching
contradicts the Word of God are to be
marked and to be avoided.
We are to REBUKE them. "Wherefore
rebuke them sharply, that they may be
sound in the faith " (Titus 1: 13).
"Holding fast the faithful word as he hath
been taught, that he may be able by sound
doctrine both to exhort and to convince the
gainsayers " (Titus 1:9).
We are to have NO FELLOWSHIP with
them . "And have no fellowship with the
unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
reprove them " (Eph. 5:11). Reprove
means to censure, condemn, find fault,
rebuke, and to refute. How can we obey
this Scripture unless we try them by the
Word of God?
We are to WITHDRAW from them. "Now
we command you, brethren, in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw
yourselves from every brother that
walketh disorderly, and not after the
tradition which ye received of us " (II
Thess. 3:6). We are to withdraw from those
whose doctrine and conduct does not
conform to the Word of God.
We are to TURN AWAY from them.
Concerning the last days, he says that
some will have "a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof. from such turn
away" for such people are "never able to
come to the knowledge of the truth" (11
Tim. 3:5,7). How can we turn away from
them if we do not identify them, and this
requires that their message be compared
to the Word of God.
We are NOT to RECEIVE them into our
house . "If there come any unto you, and
bring not this doctrine, receive him not into
your house, neither bid him God speed For
he that biddeth him God speed is partaker
of his evil deeds " (11 John 10, I 1). There
is no doubt about who John is speaking
about, it is " Whosoever transgresseth, and
abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, " (v.9).
By radio, TV, music and literature, false
prophets are brought into the homes of
many Christians today. Brethren, this
ought not to be!
We are to REJECT HERETICS. "A man that
is an heretick after the first and second
admonition reject " (Titus 3: 10). We should
reject those who deny redemption by the
blood of Christ. There are many who deny
this or some other doctrine of the Word of
God. If they will not respond to being
admonished, then they are to be rejected.
We are to look out for those who preach
another gospel. Paul warned about those
who preached "another Jesus , another
spirit , or another gospel" (II Cor. 11:4).
How can we know them unless we judge
their Jesus, their spirit, and their gospel by
the Word of God? Paul called such
preachers "false apostles, deceitful
workers, transforming themselves into the
apostles of Christ" (11 Cor. II: 13). He
explains in v. 14-15 that these preachers
are the ministers of Satan. The God-called
man must be just as faithful today in
exposing the ministers of Satan.
Paul warned the Galatians about those
who "pervert the gospel of Christ." He also
said, "If any man preach any other gospel
unto you than that ye have received, let
him be accursed." (See Gal. 1:6-9).
Multitudes today are preaching a
perverted gospel.
We are to SEPARATE from them.
"Wherefore come out from among them,
and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch no the unclean thing; and I will
receive you " (II Cor. 6:17). This makes it
plain. God's people are to come out of
apostasy and religious error. How can any
Bible believer remain in the National
Council or World Council of Churches? How
can they remain among compromising
evangelicals and wishy-washy
fundamentalists?
III. It Is Right To Name Names
Many mistakenly believe that it is wrong to
expose error and to name the guilty
teachers; but they are wrong according to
the Bible.
Paul named Peter publicly. Peter was
guilty of unscriptural practice. "But when
Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood
him to the face, because he was to be
blamed , But when I saw that they walked
not uprightly according to the truth of the
gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If
thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner
of the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews,
why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as
do the Jews?" (Gal. 2:11-14). T
Paul named Demas for loving the
world . "For Demas hath forsaken me,
having loved this present world" (II Tim.
4:10). Those who forsake the cause of
Christ for worldly living and pleasures
should be named and exposed. (Christian
Rock!)
Paul named Alexander the
coppersmith . "Alexander the
coppersmith did me much evil. the Lord
reward him "cording to his works: Of
whom be thou ware also, for he hath
greatly withstood our words " (II Tim.
4:14-15). It is clear that this is not a
personality problem, but a doctrinal
problem. Alexander had withstood the
words and doctrine of Paul. He was an
enemy to the truth. Godly pastors face the
same problem every day. They stand and
proclaim the truth, then their members go
home and hear this truth disputed by radio
and TV preachers.
Yes, it is right to expose error and to
name those who are in error. It is right
to "earnestly contend for the faith which
was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude
3). It was once delivered and it has never
been recalled for revision. We had better
beware of "false teachers ... who privily
shall bring in damnable heresies " (II Pet.
2: 1). Faithful messengers will warn the
sheep of these heretics, and identify them
by name. It is not enough to broadly hint of
their identity, for the young lambs will not
understand and will be destroyed by the
wolves.
By Pastor E.L Bynum
Judgment
One of the most misused verses in the
Bible is, "Judge not, that ye be not
judged" (Matt. 7: 1). Every Scripture verse
should be read in its context, if we are to
properly understand the true meaning. In
vs. 2-5 of this same chapter it is evident
that v. 1 is referring to hypocritical
judgment. A brother who has a beam in
his own eye should not be judging the
brother who may have a mote in his eye.
The lesson is plain, you cannot judge
another for his sin if you are guilty of the
same sin.
Those who cling to "Judge not, that ye be
not judged, " to condemn those who
expose error should read the entire
chapter. Jesus said, "Beware of false
prophets, which come to you in sheep's
clothing, " (v. 15). How can we know false
prophets unless we judge them by the
Word of God? If we know the false
prophets, how can we fail to exam the
sheep of these "ravening wolves?" All
through the Bible we find proof that they
should be identified and exposed.
Those who are unwilling or incapable of
discerning or judging between good and
evil are in this manner revealing either
their disobedience or their immaturity.
II. It Is Right To Expose False Teachers
False teachers are free to spread their
poisonous doctrines today because there
is a conspiracy of silence among many
Bible believers. Wolves in sheep's clothing
are thus enabled to ravage the flock,
thereby destroying many.
John the Baptist called the Pharisees and
Sadducees (the religious leaders of his
day) "a generation of Vipers" (snakes)
(Matt. 3:7). Today, he would be accused of
being unloving, unkind, and unchristian.
Jesus said to the religious Pharisees, "O
generation of vipers, how can ye, being
evil, speak good things? for out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth
speaketh" (Matt. 12:34). To many
evangelicals and some fundamentalists,
this would be unacceptable language
today, but it is biblical language and it
came from the mouth of the Son of God.
Standing face to face with these false
teachers, Jesus Christ the Son of God,
called them "hypocrites", "blind guides, "
"blind, " "whited sepulchres, " "serpents, "
and "ye generation of vipers" (Matt.
23:23-34). Yet, we are told today that we
are to fellowship with men whose
doctrines are just as unscriptural as those
of the Pharisees.
In our day these false teachers have come
into the churches with their books, music,
literature, movies, psychology, and
seminars, and have turned the Father's
house into a den of thieves. It is time that
men of God stand up and expose their
errors for all to see.
The Bible Admonishes Us To Expose
Error
We are to TRY them. "Beloved, believe not
every spirit, but try the spirits, whether
they be of God; because many false
prophets are gone out into the world" (I
John 4: 1). All doctrine and teachers are to
be tried according to the Word of God. "To
the law and to the testimony: if they speak
not according to this word, it is because
there is no light in them" (Isa. 8:20),
We are to MARK them and AVOID them.
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them
which cause divisions and offences
contrary to the doctrine which ye have
learned; and avoid them " (Rom. 16:17).
Those whose conduct and teaching
contradicts the Word of God are to be
marked and to be avoided.
We are to REBUKE them. "Wherefore
rebuke them sharply, that they may be
sound in the faith " (Titus 1: 13).
"Holding fast the faithful word as he hath
been taught, that he may be able by sound
doctrine both to exhort and to convince the
gainsayers " (Titus 1:9).
We are to have NO FELLOWSHIP with
them . "And have no fellowship with the
unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
reprove them " (Eph. 5:11). Reprove
means to censure, condemn, find fault,
rebuke, and to refute. How can we obey
this Scripture unless we try them by the
Word of God?
We are to WITHDRAW from them. "Now
we command you, brethren, in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw
yourselves from every brother that
walketh disorderly, and not after the
tradition which ye received of us " (II
Thess. 3:6). We are to withdraw from those
whose doctrine and conduct does not
conform to the Word of God.
We are to TURN AWAY from them.
Concerning the last days, he says that
some will have "a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof. from such turn
away" for such people are "never able to
come to the knowledge of the truth" (11
Tim. 3:5,7). How can we turn away from
them if we do not identify them, and this
requires that their message be compared
to the Word of God.
We are NOT to RECEIVE them into our
house . "If there come any unto you, and
bring not this doctrine, receive him not into
your house, neither bid him God speed For
he that biddeth him God speed is partaker
of his evil deeds " (11 John 10, I 1). There
is no doubt about who John is speaking
about, it is " Whosoever transgresseth, and
abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, " (v.9).
By radio, TV, music and literature, false
prophets are brought into the homes of
many Christians today. Brethren, this
ought not to be!
We are to REJECT HERETICS. "A man that
is an heretick after the first and second
admonition reject " (Titus 3: 10). We should
reject those who deny redemption by the
blood of Christ. There are many who deny
this or some other doctrine of the Word of
God. If they will not respond to being
admonished, then they are to be rejected.
We are to look out for those who preach
another gospel. Paul warned about those
who preached "another Jesus , another
spirit , or another gospel" (II Cor. 11:4).
How can we know them unless we judge
their Jesus, their spirit, and their gospel by
the Word of God? Paul called such
preachers "false apostles, deceitful
workers, transforming themselves into the
apostles of Christ" (11 Cor. II: 13). He
explains in v. 14-15 that these preachers
are the ministers of Satan. The God-called
man must be just as faithful today in
exposing the ministers of Satan.
Paul warned the Galatians about those
who "pervert the gospel of Christ." He also
said, "If any man preach any other gospel
unto you than that ye have received, let
him be accursed." (See Gal. 1:6-9).
Multitudes today are preaching a
perverted gospel.
We are to SEPARATE from them.
"Wherefore come out from among them,
and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch no the unclean thing; and I will
receive you " (II Cor. 6:17). This makes it
plain. God's people are to come out of
apostasy and religious error. How can any
Bible believer remain in the National
Council or World Council of Churches? How
can they remain among compromising
evangelicals and wishy-washy
fundamentalists?
III. It Is Right To Name Names
Many mistakenly believe that it is wrong to
expose error and to name the guilty
teachers; but they are wrong according to
the Bible.
Paul named Peter publicly. Peter was
guilty of unscriptural practice. "But when
Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood
him to the face, because he was to be
blamed , But when I saw that they walked
not uprightly according to the truth of the
gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If
thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner
of the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews,
why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as
do the Jews?" (Gal. 2:11-14). T
Paul named Demas for loving the
world . "For Demas hath forsaken me,
having loved this present world" (II Tim.
4:10). Those who forsake the cause of
Christ for worldly living and pleasures
should be named and exposed. (Christian
Rock!)
Paul named Alexander the
coppersmith . "Alexander the
coppersmith did me much evil. the Lord
reward him "cording to his works: Of
whom be thou ware also, for he hath
greatly withstood our words " (II Tim.
4:14-15). It is clear that this is not a
personality problem, but a doctrinal
problem. Alexander had withstood the
words and doctrine of Paul. He was an
enemy to the truth. Godly pastors face the
same problem every day. They stand and
proclaim the truth, then their members go
home and hear this truth disputed by radio
and TV preachers.
Yes, it is right to expose error and to
name those who are in error. It is right
to "earnestly contend for the faith which
was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude
3). It was once delivered and it has never
been recalled for revision. We had better
beware of "false teachers ... who privily
shall bring in damnable heresies " (II Pet.
2: 1). Faithful messengers will warn the
sheep of these heretics, and identify them
by name. It is not enough to broadly hint of
their identity, for the young lambs will not
understand and will be destroyed by the
wolves.
By Pastor E.L Bynum
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