Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
We are blessed! We have a happy family in the Lord. As I have said many times before, I believe that the children of God who hear, understand, and love the truth are the "cream of the crop" in the kingdom of God, hand-picked for His praise and service. How difficult it must be for some of you who are just beginning your lives in the Spirit to imagine such awful things as apostasy and heresy dividing the family of God! But it has happened many times before, and it will happen again. Those who have gone through such sorrowful times are expected to help those coming along behind them, both to anticipate the rise of ungodly spirits in the body of Christ and to be prepared to overcome them. Part of that preparation is to help rid from the young believers' minds the vestiges of Christian cliches and attitudes.
One such attitude is the notion that we are not to judge, or that we should never mention anyone's name when pointing out to the congregation what sin is, or what heresy is. To do those things isn't considered "nice"; they certainly are not "the Christian thing to do". But the servant of Jesus is absolutely free to use whatever means necessary to educate the children of God in the knowledge of what is right and wrong, and the Scriptures that are listed below show that faithful servants of God are much more concerned with the welfare of the saints than they are concerned with appearing to be "nice".
If Paul were here, would he refrain from pointing out the vanity of Christian ceremonies, or the heresy of Christian doctrines, or in naming specific men and women who teach false doctrines in the name of Jesus? Would he be so concerned about keeping men's favor that he would be silent concerning what is right and wrong in the congregation? I don't think so. Paul said that he used "great plainness of speech" when dealing with the saints. The Scriptures listed below are proof of Paul's sometimes blunt communication. Paul did not want the saints to have any doubts as to who was good and who was evil, or who was sent from God and who merely claimed to be. May God raise up such men again, for the sake of fellowship for His saints! The body of Christ needs godly men to guide them.
Here are the verses in the New Testament that demonstrate Paul's "great plainness of speech" when it came to the care of the family of God. Consider Paul's blunt warnings to believers everywhere when there was a spiritual danger present:
1Cor. 11:29-30
Gal.
3:1-4
Heb. 5:12-14
1Tim. 1:3-7
Second, consider Paul's strong desire that the saints know who was a good example for God's people and who was not:
Ps. 37:37 with Rom. 16:17-18
Phip. 3:17-19
2Thess.
3:6-12
Paul condemned these children of God openly, by name, for the good of the saints!
2Tim. 1:15-18:
wise and foolish people
1Tim. 1:18-20: Hymenaeus and Alexander
2Tim.
2:16-18: foolish Hymenaeus' doctrine (and Philetus')
2Tim. 4:14-15:
Alexander (possibly the Alexander of Acts 19:33)
2Tim. 4:10: Degas (a fellow
worker of Paul's - Col. 4:14)
Titus 1:10-14: The Cretans
Paul gave this description of the abysmal spiritual condition of the Jews:
1Thess. 2:14-16 (2Cor. 3:14-15)
At the same time, notice Paul's feelings for the Jews!
Rom. 10:1
Rom.
9:1-3
God's children are sometimes warned by false teachers "not to judge". The reality of it is that two of the principal causes for the present confusion and division of the body of Christ are (1) an inability to judge right from wrong and (2) a lack of courage to speak the truth impartially once it is revealed. When we pray for knowledge of the truth, we should also pray for the boldness to confess it before men.