2 Timothy 2 - 5 NKJV
A lot has been said and learned in our group lately on the subject of false teachers and wrong teachings. All of this stems from a brother who has stuck to his guns of old covenant teachings despite the evidence that we no longer live under such circumstances. This got me to thinking, is the brother who refuses to recognize the truth of the gospel of Christ Jesus indeed a false teacher? Is he the one the apostle Paul warned us of in 2 Peter 2? I agree that there will indeed be those of us with itching ears who will take to doctrines which fall in line with our own beliefs, I've seen this for myself. But false teachers? If we indeed must slap a label on one who refuses to see the truth of Christ I would much rather prefer one of reluctance than of outright ignorance. I remember when I was still young in my understanding of Christ in me {Galations 2:20}. Yes, I continued to hold fast to the dominant teachings of the institutional church like a good christian soldier. I prayed endlessly hoping that suplications would be enough to appease a God who obviously needed to keep His distance between Himself and this sinful man. I was but a sinner saved by His grace. I was holding fast to my "old man" Paul has proclaimed dead in Romans 6. Indeed, I was living in something which was dead and gone in Gods eyes. This does not mean that I was a false teacher, only that I had yet to recognize the truth of Christ which was right under my nose the whole time. If I had indeed been aware of the truth of Jesus and still refused to accept it, then I might consider a different label for myself. I get it. In the past few weeks I have done some serious thinking on this issue in regards to our own wayward brother. I have realized that the Jesus he talks of is not my Jesus.
1I, therefore, the prisoner aof the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,2with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Ephesians 4: 1 - 5 NKJV
Where I once approached my brother with a attitude of needing to be right, I now endeavor to approach him with the love of a true brother in Christ. For if Jesus indeed lives through me, then it is He who will speak on His own behalf through me. Believe me, God needs NO defending from any one of us. All we need do is allow Him to live and speak His truth us. This has never been a issue of hammering the truth into my brother, but of helping him to realize who he truly is. Jesus did not resort to tactics of ganging up on unbelievers. On the contrary, He all too often simply shared the very thoughts of the Father. This is how He approached the woman caught in adultry. This is how Jesus could proclaim, "nor do I condemn you." I realize not that this is not a issue of being right or wrong, but one of patience with my brother. As the Spirit of Christ was revealed in me, so it will be in him in the working of Gods timing. I am not foolish enough to believe that I can do a better job of converting one steeped in the teachings of the old covenant than God can. If this is indeed a battle for my brothers understanding, it's certainly not one for me myself to win. However, God is more than capable of living and speaking His truth through me. This is what He does so well.
19So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
James 1: 19 - 20 NKJV
~Scott~
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