While revival is on the lips of leaders worldwide, the statistical evidence shows anarchy on the horizon.[2] What is needed is not revival but reformation.[3] The biblically grounded teaching of John MacArthur can give the church guidance here. MacArthur’s teaching is that discernment is needed to distinguish between truth and error. In his book Reckless Faith he wrote, “Does the Scripture tell us how to be discerning? It certainly does. Paul sums up the process in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 [NASB]: ‘Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.’ There, in three straightforward commands, he spells out the requirements of a discerning mind.”[4]

But what is the standard by which to judge truth? After he covered the relevant biblical passages, MacArthur concluded, “Therefore, Paul is affirming that the Bible is the only reliable criterion by which believers in this age can evaluate any message claiming to be the truth from God.”[5] MacArthur explained several ingredients for a recipe for discernment. The ingredients are: (1) desire wisdom; (2) pray for discernment; (3) obey the truth; (4) follow discerning leaders; (5) depend on the Holy Spirit; (6) study the Scriptures; and (7) keep growing.[6]

One cannot have true spiritual discernment apart from the Bible. The Reformation conviction sola scriptura or Scripture alone must be renewed. This doctrine means the Scriptures alone are authoritative for doctrine and practice. To resist a postmodern approach to the Scriptures, one must approach them as objective universal truth. This idea would seem to be a given, but too often today Christians approach the Bible from an existential or pragmatic perspective. As Michael Horton pointed out, “Scripture alone not only does not mean individualism or subjectivism; it must not be construed as saying that the Bible tells us everything. Scripture is chiefly concerned with the unfolding drama of redemption, from the Garden of Eden to the New Jerusalem, and everything relates to Christ as prophet, priest, and king. That means that the Bible is not principally concerned with organizing our schedule, giving us tips for winning in life and business, or with guiding us into self-fulfillment.”[7] Yet too often this is where the emphasis lies. People want what is “practical” and “relevant.” However, many do not understand that what is eternal is what is ultimately relevant.

Accepting the sole authority of the Scriptures, basing the ministry of the church on it, and pointing out errors of those who reject the authority of the Scriptures will not be comfortable or popular; but then, God did not call the church to be comfortable or popular. In many cases people will reject biblical doctrine and continue in error. What is the church to do in such situations? In the Bible, false doctrine is considered a grave sin. The  church’s apathetic attitude toward false doctrine and false teachers was not shared by Jesus and the apostles. The Bible’s strongest warnings are reserved for those engaging in false doctrine. Those who want to uphold the authority of the Scriptures must take this seriously.

In Matthew 18:15-20 Jesus provided the formula for dealing with a sinning brother. It deals with personally confronting the person in error with hopes of repentance and restoration. If  no repentance takes place, the person is to be dismissed from fellowship in the church and considered an unbeliever. This is the doctrine of separation, a doctrine no longer practiced in most churches. This may seem severe, but that is because the effect of  tolerating sin (and false doctrine is sin) in the church is devastating. Other passages dealing with separation are Romans 16: 17-20, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, Galatians 1:8, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15, and Titus 3:10-11.

Many today despise the doctrine of separation preferring to generate unity, but as Richard Mayhue noted, the Bible places higher priority on doctrinal purity than church unity. Mayhue summarized, “(1) The Bible is our only infallible rule of faith and practice. (2) Doctrinal purity is an essential mark of the church. (3) The New Testament does command separating from doctrinal impurity. These conditions are mandated by New Testament teaching. Therefore, we can confidently conclude that the Bible expressly forbids entering or sustaining ecclesiastical relationships with those who characteristically reject truth and/or habitually persist in doctrinal error.”[8]

The prince of preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, in his statement as to why he separated from the London Baptist Association in 1888 wrote, “Complicity with error will take from the best of men the power to enter any successful protest against it. If any body of believers had errorists among them, but were resolute to deal with them in the name of the Lord, all might come right; but confederacies founded upon the principle that all may enter, whatever views they hold, are based upon disloyalty to the truth of God. If truth is optional, error is justifiable.”[9]

Many today are making their doctrinal statements as short and general as possible to include the most amount of people. Some are even saying that doctrinal statements should be done away with altogether and make belief in Jesus the only requirement.[10] This position is clearly insufficient since Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in Jesus.

The Bible is clear on this issue, but it rubs against the grain of the times. The church must be courageous and stand on the truth of the Word of God no matter the cost, even if it means separating from those in error. Polemics must be done in love, but it must be done nonetheless.

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