Doctrinal Evil

From: Present Testimony: Volume N1, 1867-1868

• 15 min. read • grade level: 8

.... hast not denied my name (Rev. 3:8⁸I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (Revelation 3:8)).

The following extract is from the letter of a brother in the Lord: we have but one Lord, and I trust we shall love one the other (according to the one faith and one baptism), even as He has loved us. Our Lord's love has not hindered the brother from condemning (contemptuously enough, as it seems to me) what he mistakes for error in myself and others, and he will not, I trust, love me the less for presenting in love the effects upon my mind of his remarks. For, so far as our love is as Christ loved us, it is love in the truth. These are His words:-

"I fail to find in the word any authority for dealing with doctrinal evil. Moral evil we have direct Scripture for judging."

The thoughts which rose in my mind after reading this were-

I. How strange that a good man should not, on committing such a sentence to a letter, be struck with the fact that in so saying he condemns all of that which is called the Reformation (that is, all Protestantism in its setting up), and the whole of Nonconformity too;-for Luther and Calvin, etc., left Romanisrn on account of doctrinal evil. And has not the writer himself left the so-called Church of England, and other things too, upon the same ground of judging doctrinal evil?

Then came this text to my mind: "If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do?" (Psa. 11:3³If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:3)).

Then came another thought: " It is the discovery that the, so-called, Church of England cannot put out from itself the infidel teaching of Colenso, cannot deal with the writers of the Essays, with the writer of Ecce Homo,' with the Ritualist teachers, which is now driving so many godly people in England out of the Establishment, as out of a city betrayed into the hand of the adversary. Would you say they are wrong?

Then I read the sentence again: " I fail to find in the word any authority for dealing with doctrinal evil," and I said to myself (as if speaking to the writer): " But must, not this be only blindness in yourself? Might another God than Jehovah be preached to Israel, and Israel be passive under it? Ought you not to be sure that there must be, though you cannot see it, some sanction of a shelter from doctrinal error about God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost? Doctrinal error about the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, whereby alone you can be saved? Doth not nature teach you that there must be that which you cannot find?"

But who can divide between doctrinal evil and moral evil, without bringing down the moral good and evil with which he occupies himself, to the mere level of human morality; so leaving out God's ways and thoughts, and so denying that we are to have the same mind which was in Christ Jesus.

I write this foolishly, as a man, just giving the thoughts as they arose in my own mind after reading the extract.

Then I turned to " God and the word of His grace ": and I read such words as these:

" Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed (Gal. 1:8,9⁸But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. ⁹As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8‑9)). Did Christ give these words by His Spirit, through. Paul, to the. Churches? And can I say. that " I fail to find in the word any authority for dealing with doctrinal evil." A heretic preaches another gospel; I try to deliver him from his error but do not succeed. Try every means in my reach-uselessly. Believe that the man is one of those that the verse refers to-that he is accursed-and can I say " I fail to find in the word any authority for dealing with doctrinal evil."

Again there is some one among my associates who teaches (would that it were less common) not openly, but really, that love in the disciple to the Lord is not needful. I find he does not himself love the Lord. Am I to say " I fail to find in the word any authority for dealing with doctrinal evil " while this text stares me in the face. " If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha " (a curse for eternity) (1 Cor. 16:22²²If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. (1 Corinthians 16:22)).

Again, it is written, " the house of God, which is the church of the living God,the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15¹⁵But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)). What the house and assembly of the living God is to be is the pillar and stay of the truth. Babylon in the Revelation, the city and mother of Harlots, was Satan's strong hold and had nothing save corrupted truth, truth turned to wrong purposes; but of her it is written, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues" (chap. 18:4). Surely my brother must admit that his statement is, to say the least, too loose. The character of the house and assembly of the living God is, that it is the pillar and stay of the truth. Doctrinal evil comes in,-will he say that the character of the house and assembly contain no authority for dealing in any wise with the doctrinal evil?

To an intelligent mind 1 Cor. 5:5,1⁵To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (1 Corinthians 5:5)
¹It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. (1 Corinthians 5:1). Tim. i. 20, Titus 3:10¹⁰A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; (Titus 3:10), would contain authority; but I pass on to texts more immediately limited to doctrine. In the addresses to the seven churches, we have words fully bearing upon the question of doctrinal evil.

" I know.... how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not, and hast found them liars " (chap. h.. 2). " I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan" (ver. 9, and comp. iii. 19). " I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate " (ver. 15).

To have among us those that hold false doctrine and those that preach false doctrine is in either case as strongly rebukeable as to have those that do the evil things which result from false doctrine. And the allowing any such among us is here rebuked of the Lord.

" I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication: and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds..And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts; and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you 1 say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; 1 will put upon you none other burden" (2:20-24).

[This is according to 1 Cor. 11:17-34¹⁷Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. ¹⁸For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. ¹⁹For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. ²⁰When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. ²¹For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. ²²What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. ²³For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: ²⁴And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. ²⁵After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. ²⁶For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. ²⁷Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. ²⁹For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. ³⁰For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. ³¹For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. ³²But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. ³³Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. ³⁴And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. (1 Corinthians 11:17‑34), where we are taught that we are as individuals bound to judge ourselves; if we do not, then the Lord surely will judge us, UNLESS the assembly does its duty and steps in to clear herself from the evil in us in her midst whatever it may be.]

These texts taken out of the word may suffice to prove that the word does lay responsibility upon us, and so does give authority to deal with doctrinal evil. It warns us against the consequences to ourselves, if we do not deal with the evil.

There are a few important matters which I would add. As 1st. The connection with individual salvation itself of that which is questioned. My eternal salvation requires me to separate-pre-supposes my separating-doctrinal evil from myself and myself from it. Am I saved? Yes. And how? By faith in Him who having died for my sins and risen again for my justification now sits at the right hand of the Father. He is the truth. If the truth has made me free, I know that my salvation and safety are in my holding the truth and walking according to it: to remain under, or in association with, any doctrinal evil is rebellion against my Lord and sin against my own soul. If I resist the devil he will flee from me. Being, through faith, a member of Christ's body and a child of God, I have the Spirit of God and of Christ in me and with me for power. No doctrinal evil, no doctrine of devils, may I knowingly sanction. My walk is to express the mind which was in Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:5⁵Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5)). In him certainly there was no covering of a lie anywhere soever. Nor need there be in us, as Paul goes on to describe (ver. 14, 15, 16). "Po all things without murmurings and disputings; that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world: holding forth the word of life."

2ndly. But if I have eternal life, I am a member in particular of a body of which Christ is the Head, and also, a child of God. There are others such around me and the relationships which are for eternity have a present existence to us all and we are a company. Through our profession we are also parts of. a habitation of God through the Spirit who was sent down here on the day of Pentecost, in proof of Christ's exaltation on high. This habitation of God down here will not abide forever: it may corrupt itself; it has corrupted itself; it will be judged (see Rom. 11:18-25¹⁸Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. ¹⁹Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. ²⁰Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: ²¹For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. ²²Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. ²³And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. ²⁴For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? ²⁵For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (Romans 11:18‑25)). As I do not cease from my true profession of Christ because others profess what they do not possess, I cannot separate myself from the house. From the evil of it I must. If asked for my scripture warrant to do so-these texts would suffice me. 2 Tim. 2:20²⁰But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. (2 Timothy 2:20) and 2], and 3:5, from such withdraw thyself,-if a man purge himself these,- from such turn away.

" Shun profane and vain babblings; for they will increase unto more ungodliness: And their word will eat as loth a canker: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus:; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor and some to dishonor If a man therefore purge himself from these [vessels to dishonor, that is men that concerning the truth. err (doctrinal evil?)] he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work" (2 Tim. 2:16-21¹⁶But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. ¹⁷And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus; ¹⁸Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. ¹⁹Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. ²⁰But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. ²¹If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. (2 Timothy 2:16‑21)). The Spirit dwelling in the house down here is the same one as formed in each of us an incorruptible seed through the word of the Gospel; who also unites us to Christ as members of His body, in eternal life. He is the witness down here of and to the truth and against all error. If in a day like the present I have to withdraw myself from those who profess incompetency to deal " with doctrinal evil," I excommunicate no one,—I excommunicate no assembly, no company of assemblies in withdrawing myself from doctrinal evil. Nor do I excommunicate any by refusing to be in companionship with those who avowedly cannot deal with doctrinal evil. The life I have (which is Christ), my conscience enlightened by God and the word of His grace, bid me save myself, if I cannot also save others. The individuals whom I leave, who compromise the truth, stand upon their own individual responsibility. And if they do not repent, sore will be their judgment. Nor is there want of love in thus leaving them, for my continuing in their evil would have been a sanction on my part to it, after they have refused to judge themselves as to it. If they like not the voice which calls to repentance, I can yet pray for them now I am outside of the evil, as I could not while I was inside of it.

3rdly. But the Assembly is responsible for the discipline of the House of God upon earth: The assembly as such, not an apostle or any man, but the assembly.. Take the case of extreme discipline (that is the act of the assembly which. finding a wicked person (1 Cor. 5:13) inside who will not purge himself from evil, puts him outside), this is the act of the assembly as such. Paul knew the power which he had as an apostle-yet he would not go to Corinth until they had as an assembly cleared themselves and their consciences by judging wickedness which was among them (compare 1 Cor. 5 and 2 Cor. 2). To make a sin of immorality to be a•subject Tor-the assembly to judge, and a sin of doctrine a subject for an apostle to judge is sheer ignorance. In either case it is the word of God's grace alone which can skew us what is immoral for a Christian and what is the truth which has to be kept. But in neither case is it other than the Spirit in the assembly which is power with us to act and to put away, if there is to be blessing; for if an apostle had acted without the assembly its conscience would not have been cleared, and if Paul, as he feared, had had to act at Corinth in spite of the assembly, then it would have been to destruction (2 Cor. 10:8⁸For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: (2 Corinthians 10:8)),and not for edification. The Spirit of God, to a pure conscience, is quite enough of power to enable an assembly to put away evil. His presence too is our warrant for doing it. False doctrine is leaven of the worst kind. Read 1 Cor. 5:6,7,8⁶Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? ⁷Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: ⁸Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:6‑8) and you will see the call to purge out all leaven, that we may be an unleavened lump.

Observe authority and power are two distinct things.

For those who have professed to separate themselves from the so-called churches unto God, and the word of His grace, to vindicate the toleration of leaven of any kind (in word, or practice, in doctrine, morality, or practice) is to build again the things which they have destroyed, and to male themselves transgressors (Gal. 2:18¹⁸For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. (Galatians 2:18)). They are self-condemned, too, and are to be rejected. When the question is about doctrine, no doubt can remain. See Titus 3:10,11¹⁰A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; ¹¹Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. (Titus 3:10‑11); and 1 Cor. ii. 19, Gal. 5:20²⁰Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (Galatians 5:20), 2 Peter 2:1¹But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (2 Peter 2:1).

Finally, to use the name of the Church as a cover for evil or error of any kind is, I believe, a great sin, and is to dishonor the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. For God's Church is the habitation of God through the Spirit, and contains the children of the Father and the Bride of Christ. That there is a spirit abroad who is counterworking, in every way he can, the Spirit of God in His gracious efforts in these days to gather together in one the children of God who have been scattered abroad, I know. The adversary will be judged, and so will all those who work under him for this wicked end. That some are ignorantly going out in this current " in their simplicity, and they know not whither they go" (2 Sam. 15:11¹¹And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing. (2 Samuel 15:11)), I also believe. Such I would, if possible, pull out of the fire (Jude 23²³And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. (Jude 23)).

M. R.

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