Page 423 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

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corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (2 Ti. John 10-11). It is not possible to maintain a good
3:8), “false apostles, deceitful workers” (2 Co. 11:13). dialogue when you do such things.
He named the names of false teachers and called their In this, the apostles were only following their Lord,
teaching “vain babblings” (2 Ti. 2:16, 17). He warned who was not big on soft-spoken, “let me listen carefully
about “philosophy and vain deceit” (Col. 2:8). He spoke and make sure I understand you,” give-and-take
of their “cunning craftiness.” When Elymas tried to turn dialogue; but He was a great preacher. He scalded the
men away from the gospel, Paul wasted no time with Pharisees because they perverted the way of truth and
dialogue but said, “O full of all subtilty and all mischief, corrupted the gospel of grace, calling them hypocrites,
thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, blind guides, fools and blind, serpents, generation of
wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the vipers. And that was just one sermon! Even when he
Lord?” (Acts 13:10). He warned about false teachers visited in the homes of the Pharisees He didn’t try to be
who would come into the churches, calling them socially acceptable or avoid offending their self-esteem.
“grievous wolves” (Acts 20:29) and their teaching He wasn’t concerned about being invited to speak at the
“perverse things” (Acts 20:30). Those who denied the next big Pharisee convention. He spoke the truth in love
bodily resurrection are called “fools” (1 Co. 15:35-36). at all times and therefore offended them coming and
He warned about false christs, false spirits, false gospels going! They were so angry that they plotted His murder.
(2 Co. 11:1-4). He labeled false teaching “doctrines of Fifth, dialogue calls for “mutual respect,” but this is not
devils” (1 Ti. 4:1). In the Pastoral Epistles Paul warned what we see in Scripture. Jesus did not show a lot of
of false teachers and compromisers by name 10 times, respect toward the Pharisees who were leading people
and this is the example that the Spirit of God has left for to hell through their works gospel. Paul did not show a
the churches. lot of respect toward the heretics who were bothering
Peter wasn’t much of a dialoguer, either. He was the early churches. How much respect did he show
much too plain spoken about heresy. Of the false toward the following two fellows? “And their word will
prophets in his day and those he knew would come in eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and
the future, he labeled their heresies “damnable” and Philetus” (2 Ti. 2:17). Didn’t Paul understand that such
warned of their “swift destruction” (2 Pe. 2:1). That language would hurt these men’s feelings and might
would end a good dialogue right there, but he wasn’t even injure their self-esteem? Today, the ecumenical
finished. He called their ways “pernicious” and their crowd would say, “Paul, how do you think we are ever
words “feigned” and boldly declared that “their going to have a good dialogue if you persist in talking
damnation slumbereth not” (2 Pe. 2:3). He warned like that? Don’t you understand the need for Christian
them of eternal hell (2 Pe. 2:4-9) and called them unity? Why are you so harsh and judgmental?”
“presumptuous” and “selfwilled” (2 Pe. 2:10). He Sixth, dialogue requires “listening, which at its best
likened them to “natural brute beasts, made to be taken includes restating what the other is saying to his complete
and destroyed” (2 Pe. 2:12) and exposed their deception satisfaction.” This ignores the fact that heretics lie and
(2 Pe. 2:13). Peter is in high gear now. Consider how he try to hide and shade their error. The Bible repeatedly
ended his little “dialogue” in 2 Peter 2:14-21. I don’t warns about the subtilty and deceit of false teachers.
suppose that Peter would get invited to too many Jesus referred to them as wolves in sheep’s clothing (Mt.
ministerial association meetings or ecumenical 7:15). Though they are wolves, they hide their
dialogues today. He might be invited once, seeing that appearance. Paul warned of “deceitful workers” (2 Co.
he is an apostle and the first pope and all, but I can 11:13), of “false brethren” who work “privily” (Ga. 2:4),
assure you that he would not be invited back! of their “cunning craftiness” (Ep. 4:14), of their habit of
But what about John, the Apostle of Love? How was “speaking lies in hypocrisy” (1 Ti. 4:2), of those who
his dialoguing technique? Again, not too effective, “who creep into houses” (2 Ti. 3:6), of “seducers ...
because he was too often warning about antichrists (1 deceiving and being deceived” (2 Ti. 3:13). Peter
John 2:18-19), calling them liars (1 John 2:22) and warned of “feigned words” (2 Pe. 2:2). Jude warned of
seducers (1 John 2:26) and deceivers (2 John 7); saying “certain men crept in unawares” (Jude 4).
that they denied the Son (1 John 2:23) and that they Consider some modern fulfillments of these
don’t have God (2 John 9). He put too much of an warnings:
emphasis upon trying the spirits (1 John 4:1-3). He
even made all sorts of exclusive claims, such as, “And we The example of Jehovah’s Witnesses
know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in Even the name of the organization has changed
wickedness” (1 John 5:19). Just who did he think he several times in its attempt to escape its past and hide
was! John even forbade the believers to allow the false its identity. Its many false prophecies have been swept
teachers into their houses or to bid them God speed (2 under the rug. Its early history has been whitewashed to

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