This. Address the idea, not the person. The person is a work in progress. Many would have harshly condemned David for having Bathsheba's husband killed - and they would not be wrong. But God said he was a man after his own heart. You don't know the end so don't judge that. However, we are to stand against wrong teaching by those inside the church.
By their words they will be justified and by their words they will be condemned. Focus on the words.
It’s because those who are calling out false teachers by name are false teachers themselves.
The Apostle paul called out a fellow Apostle peter for not applying his correct theology in the right way, and Paul also labeled those teaching another Gospel and another Jesus as deserving eternal hell!
That has a tendency to lead to an escalation around here, so it's avoided. My approach is to focus on the doctrine, if it's a false doctrine it's probably nothing all that new. If I think someone is promoting say, a Pelagian error I'll just take them to task in the Scriptures, no need in trying to brand someone. It's important to contrast error with sound doctrine, the person promoting the error might have stumbled into it innocently enough. You just need to know the Scriptures well enough to guide around personal allegations, it's kind of a distraction anyway when you think about it.
If you see a blind man who has just fallen in a ditch......would you go and call him out.....point and tell others to look at how this blind man fell in when I can clearly see the ditch and walk around it?
I suffered depression, anxiety and stress disorder. Where was my ladder when i needed one? WOF/Charismatics followers accused me of denying the Lord and tried to cast out my demons. Do you understand how damaging those accusations are to a person having mental problems? All i really needed was a little understanding, not judgment. Their faith couldnt heal anything or cast out anything. All they did was damage me more.
When you reach your journeys end (Im not talking about death), you will be greater than you ever imagined you could be......Then you will understand why you went through everything you went through and understand the role of everyone in your life who helped you get there......even the ones who meant you harm... What was meant for evil, God has turned it around for your good.
Just to add, we can't be calling out people we think are false teachers by name because it's not our job to do so. Paul did it but we are not him. You may not know that person'S relationship with the lord in actuality and if they are sheep, it would be a stumbling sin to calm them out. 1 John 2 reminds us that Christ has room for children, young men and older men in His church. These are all stages of spiritual growth. It may be a case of poor interpretation or otherwise of scripture without evil intent. I say, let the true church focus on teaching the word/sound doctrine and the sheep will know what's good for them.
You are just as rich as the preachers you speak of......you just dont know it yet....... somewhat like the brother of the prodigal son after he viewed the homecoming party.
The apostles were not rich. They surely would not have gotten rich selling the Gospel. They are our examples to follow. How any teacher can take money he earned and buy a mansion while people are actually starving in this world, that shows a lack of discernment and i would never follow such a person. Maybe i'll get labeled as a judge again for saying this?
They were rich......Maybe not your idea of rich. We dont all have the same tastes and desires. Some desire minivans, while others sports cars. I would not tell the one, who wants the minivan, that he has to have the sports car instead.... For they wont like it because it is not what they desire...
