Fact: we will stand before Him accountable for our actions (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Revelation 20:12). Therefore, being a frequent, participating listener to the Apostles doctrine in the worship assembly and Bible classes, a Christian must be diligent. I do not mean to imply that we should be hyper-critical or nit-picky, however, in view of the fact that what is taught in our assemblies carries eternal consequence, we should be ever vigilant in filtering teachings through the Holy Writ. This failure is a recurring problem with God’s people (Jeremiah 5:31).
Jesus’ teaching was occasionally offensive – both an aggressive, frontal assault and equally distasteful to some in His audiences; and, remember: Jesus was the perfect Teacher (Psalm 145:17; 1 Peter 2:22). In Matthew 15:1-20, Jesus was accused of transgressing the elders’ traditions. Jesus’ retort was a condemnation of traditions that broke God’s laws, culminating with a direct censure of the scribes’ and Pharisees’ false worship (vs. 8-9). After this scathing rebuke, as often happens among disciples unfamiliar with divine methods of teaching the truth, His disciples said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” (v. 12).
It seems odd that they were more concerned with getting along with false teachers than accepting the very words of Jesus, but this flaw is not lost in our generation either. People today still tolerate false teachers within the confines of the brotherhood, glossing over damnable heresy (e.g., false positions on marriage-divorce-remarriage; instrumental music or handclapping in our worship to God; fellowshipping non-members as if they were Christians; etc.).
Allowing for what will surely amount to heresy is falsely cushioned by the delusion that the follower is insulated from the leader. In other words, since I am only allowing for the falseness, and not teaching it directly myself, I will be immune to the consequences of these damnable doctrines. Jesus pointed out that such could not be further from the truth: “…if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch” (v. 14). Because you or I are not actively or verbally promoting false doctrines does not release us from the consequences of allowing its propagation in the church without a fight. The Apostle John is clear in this regard in his letter to the elect lady, stating: “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” (2 John 10-11).
To believe that we can stoically sit by and do nothing as false teachings are spread throughout the church is equal to spreading the very heresy itself. This defines a major crisis in the church today: Many know better, but refuse to stand against error and amounts to a self-inflicted, mortal wound, consigning us to an eternal damnation.
We cannot afford to fall blindly under the spell of a ditch-witch, tolerating error; being blind (willfully or apathetically) is sin.
-Jeff Sweetten
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