“Guilty by Association”
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There is a news story from Denmark about a Lutheran congregation that's seeking a new pastor. But the church has one non-negotiable but apparently controversial requirement: the prospective pastor must believe in God.
In parts of post-Christian Europe, pastors don't always have to believe in God to minister in a church. For instance, one pastor complained, "Personally, I prefer a good agnostic theologian rather than a fundamentalist who believes the Bible [can] fit all human aspects of life." A minister's council issued a protest against this congregation, saying "who can decide if a person has the correct beliefs?" The reporter comments, "In Denmark, what few churchgoing Lutheran Christians there are left are reduced to having to ask that the Church send them a pastor who actually believes in God—and this is controversial!"
One of the big reasons why we as the church find our way into these kinds of predicaments… These kinds of unthinkable predicaments… we don’t do anything about it, we have become very passive about taking hard stands on things. Not worth the fight so just keep my mouth shut. That’s not good, but you know what it’s not my problem so whatever. Its not my job. You know its ok, these kinds of things just work itself out. Well they don’t really, we just think they do. All of the downfall, because we continue to be passive about bad, false, and heretical teaching. Well… that not the real reason why. It was just a primer.
The reason why we can be in a situation where we are arguing as to whether or not a pastor should believe in God or not and passionately fighting over this. It is not because we are passive, it is because we are supportive. We think that it is ok for people to say things like “agnostic theologians”, and we defend their right to say it and believe it? We are actively supporting this kind of thinking, belief, and behavior. Awe man Shane I don’t think that we are supporting this. We’re not. The false teachers of today have multiple private jets because God parked it in the church parking lot? Do we really think that the false teachers live in these muti-million dollar mansions on the ocean because angels from heaven floated down and built it for them?
They are getting the stuff because people are believing the lies and giving them money. We are giving them money. We are supporting this. We are not being passive. We are giving them money. We are not just kicking back and not bothering. We are giving them money. We are not just ignoring the problem we are giving them money. We are letting them into our churches, we are selling their books in our bookstores, we are listening to their music on our radio stations, watching their tv shows, listening to their podcasts, and subscribing to their youtube channels. We are not being passive, we are supporting them. We are allowing them into our homes.
We support those who lie from the pulpit. Those who twist the scriptures. Those who prophesy falsely. Those who preach deceptive doctrines. Those who preach another gospel. Those who preach what the people want to hear. Those who belittle and disrespect the office of pastor his qualifications. Those who do not teach the truth about Christ. We support all of this, and now we got people in churches who want to hire pastors who do not believe in God. We are not really that far off in our culture today. Many churches in America still wants their pastor to believe in Christ, but do not want to hear sermons about Christ. Just one step away maybe? But, here we go… the Lord is not amused nor will he be passive. He said it clear in his word, if you support these teachers he will count you as a partner in their crime. We will be held responsible for it. Let’s take a look.
If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.
I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete.
Greetings from the children of your sister, chosen by God.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.
1. Do Not Support
2. Partners in Crime
3. Partners in Christ
The first thing we will look at today is the second directive from the apostle concerning false teachers in that we are not to support them. The second thing we will explore is the partner in crime accusation indictment of looming guilt by association that will be pinned to us if we do support them. And finally, we will see why we can rejoice as Christ desires to untie with His people receiving the full benefit of partnership with the living Lord.
Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world causes us to be deceived by false teachers in this world, it is the truth of scripture and the illumination of the Holy Spirit that will bring us to love the truth about Christ and to persevere in it to the glory of God forever.
I. The False Teacher
- Those who do not teach the truth about Christ.
A. Last week we got the first directive or instruction from the apostle John, when it comes to the false teachers, the deceivers, the antichrists we are commanded to watch out. So we are not allowed to be passive. We cannot sit back and be apathetic to this problem. We are commanded by the apostle, therefore God, to be alert, be aware, watch out for these characters.
B. So here we come to the second directive given to us by the apostle, therefore God. May Lambanete oikian Kairein DO NOT invite that person into your home nor give them any encouragement. Now lets take a closer look at this.
C. We have got to understand this in the light of the whole of scriptures. We are constantly instructed to be hospitable. Hospitality is to be a virtue existent in all believers. We even see in the book of Ezekiel that the real sin in Sodom and Gomorra was them not being hospitable. Such an important thing to be hospitable as a Christian. Why this command? Why the “rudeness”? This is the force of how important this command is… this uncompromising order to Christians as said by Dr. John Stott. So serious and so grave is the error of these teachers that the Modus Operendi, the MO changes. So startling is this command that many commentators take offense to it and either say that John was wrong or these directives are only for emergencies and John’s fierce intolerence here was not necessary.
D. Family. Hear me. We do not read the word like this… let me make something clear with something here. If God says something in His word that you think is wrong and you believe it is wrong. Then one thing is clear. YOU are wrong. God is not, is never, nor will ever be wrong. So if we as Christians are normally given to hospitality are given a command not to be hospitable why the change. It is not because of shortcomings with John, but the severity and seriousness of the false teacher. That is how bad these people are. That is how contemptible, offensive and dangerous they are. John is not messing around and he did not mess around with it in life.
E. The story is recorded in the 2nd century book Against Heresies by St. Irenaeus. Irenaeus had been a disciple of St. Polycarp, who had been a disciple of John. It’s from this direct line to John that Irenaeus got his information. At the end of the 1st century, there was a gnostic heretic named Cerinthus. Among other things, he denied the Virgin Birth, denied that Jesus was the Christ his, and taught that Christians were required to follow the Mosaic Law to be saved.
One day, John went inside a public bathhouse, but quickly spotted Cerinthus inside. John immediately ran out of the building, exclaiming to those with him, “Let us fly, lest even the bath-house fall down, because Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is within!” (Against Heresies, 3.3.4)
F. This is how serious John took the truth of the Gospel. And we should be careful thinking that this was fanatical behavior and we are more mature and sophisticated to do something like that. False teachers are no joke. They are very dangerous and should be cast out. But John was not the only one. The Apostle Paul advises as such.
And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.
G. Even Solomon advises as such.
Don’t envy evil people
or desire their company.
For their hearts plot violence,
and their words always stir up trouble.
H. We cannot be welcoming to these teachers, those who do not teach the truth about Christ, nor are we to wish them well with blessing. In other words, this is how people back in the day would support and encourage teachers. Meals place to stay, money, affirmation, attending their teaching sessions, wishing them well and saying that you are there for them. It is called supporting them.
We do not support these people. We do not support these people. Stop the giving of money, get off their mailing list, stop being ministry parters with them, don’t go to their speaking engagements, and do not let them into you home though their books and mp3’s and watching their videos on youtube. Stop.
Dr. John Stott writes, “His teaching is derogatory to Christ and dangerous to the church. How then can we make him welcome in our home or church or wish him well on his journey? If we were to do so in the name of love, we would not be acting in the best interests either of the false teachers or of those they would pervert.”
I. Let me try to say it my way. People who do not teach the truth about Christ is slandering and speaking ill of my Lord and Savior my Lord and my King. If you are saying that my God is not the Son of God you are demeaning and humiliating my Lord and there is no way I am ever gonna be cool with you and you doing that. If you are saying that Christ is not a man you are calling him a liar and a cheat and there is no way I’m gonna be ok with you or you doing that. If you are denying his personhood in the Godhead you are reducing him to nothing or the creation and if you are calling Christ a creation, that is worse than calling him a dog. Dude Shane these teachers did not call him a dog. But they may as well have. You know what … you did not tell everyone that he was mentally retarded, but you did tell them that he rode the short bus in high school.
J. We cannot be ok with false teachers who do not teach the truth about Christ to be supported at all, in anyway. This is a command from the Lord. We are to watch out for them and we are not to support them. Period. Not only is their doctrines dangerous and will send people to hell. These doctrines demean, disrespect and shamefully slander my King. False teaching not only endangers the spiritual and physical life of the hearer and supporter, it also assigns false and untrue attributes and characteristics to our living Lord Jesus and that put Christ in a light of disdain and ridicule especially when their teaching makes him look stupid, insecure, unable and unable to make up his mind or does not know what He is talking about. These people should be ashamed of themselves for teaching this stuff. But they keep doing it, because they have lots and lots of supporters. Lots of people who want them to keep going. Do you see?
K. We cannot be ok with this stuff. We cannot tolerate it. We cannot be apathetic about it and we cannot cannot cannot ever ever ever support it. It destroys people, it disrespects our Lord, and it causes the false teachers to keep going. But maybe that is not enough. We are commanded not to support these teachers. But you say, hey Shane I appreciate it, but I’m still gonna support them. I like them and I’m gonna do it anyway. Ok then here is another reason not to support them
II. Partners in Crime
- Koinonia
A. Ever hear of the Greek word Koinonia? It is a popular Greek word used by many teachers calling for a community and connections in an intimate and close and personal. A supernatural unity in the community. So close that when one part suffers, they all suffer. So close that when one part rejoices, they all rejoice. Let’s look.
Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.
B. To have, to give to receive a share of. So connected to them that they share in doing. They participate with each other. And what are you sharing with?
C. What they are doing. Their deeds, their actions, their occupation, their mission, their purpose, their undertakings. So Greek syntax depends on context and the context is… their mission to spread false teachings about Christ. In other words, if you support these people, God will see you as a partner in crime and and accomplice in their evil work and you will be held accountable. Not just a partner but be seen in the same partner sense that God desires for His people.
D. You will be seen as just as guilty as they are. And remember, verse 9, if you wander from the correct teaching about Christ, you have no relationship with God. This is serious. Don’t be deceived. Oh I support the false teacher, but I’m ok. Do not be deceived. You probably support them because you believe that what they teach is true. If you do… you have wandered from the truth and you have no relationship with God. And you will be guilty of the same pulpit crimes as those teachers because God sees you as an accomplice. Do you see how serious this is? Just listen to who ever, talking about what ever, could bring a long lasting landslide of transgressions. So much guilt from foolish crimes that slander our Lord. Are you sure that you are not supporting false teachers and heretics. Hopefully today you will make sure.
E. God will hold you responsible for this. Ignorance will not be an excuse. We are commanded to watch out. You are supposed to be aware. Remember, even though the Ephesian church was condemned for their loss of their first love, they were commended for defending themselves against false teaching and false teachers. Yes you hear it right. In the book of revelation Christ will commend churches who are alert against false teaching and defend against it. Ignorance will not be an excuse… we are commanded to watch out.
F. I made it easy for us last week. I gave you guys a lot of names of popular teachers who made their way in and preach heretical things about Christ. There are a whole lot more. Are we supporting false teachers today? Are you sure?
III. Partners in Christ
- Abide in me and I in you.
A. Personally I would not want to even take a chance with this. I really don’t like the idea that I could be held accountable for what these teachers are doing. That is the one thing very disagreeable about this. I don’t need the Lord to add someone else’s sins on my account when I got enough of my own short comings of my own. I already got a huge list of my own sins I don’t want the Lord adding anything else to my endless list.
B. Thats the trick of it. Many times we find ourselves listening and supporting the false teachers because they are saying things that we like. As a reformed theologian it is common for me to hear what they are teaching and knowing that it is a lie, but my flesh, my sin nature, kinda wishes it were true. Sure in my flesh I wish the prosperity gospel was true. I want health wealth and prosperity in my life… but then one day you realize that everything the prosperity Gospel offers you is the same things the Devil offered Christ. In the flesh I desire power, popularity, pleasure, and profit and I am tempted to break some of the 10 commandments to get it.
C. That’s why our list grows. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Don’t listen to the lie out there that we are not sinners which is a teaching coming from a modern heretic. The Bible says,
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
As the Scriptures say,
“No one is righteous—
not even one.
All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.
D. Oh man Shane you are so full of lovely news today aren’t you. Sure there is a lot of bad news and warnings, but I got good news for us today. The truth about Christ is truly true, but it is also the most beautiful thing anyone could ever hear. Yes we are all sinners, but there is salvation for us today.
E. Because the truth of Christ teaches that Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures and he was buried and he was raised on the 3rd day … The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners.
For,
There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.
He personally carried our sins
in his body on the cross
so that we can be dead to sin
and live for what is right.
By his wounds
you are healed.
Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.
F. The promises continue. All who call upon the name of the Lord… If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart ...
G. This is the wonderful truth about the person and work of our Lord Jesus. Our wonderful Lord who is worthy of all praise. Who is the one and only Son of God who the Holy Spirit empowers the glory be Given to Christ and Christ alone. And because of the work Christ has done, in the end we will not be found partners in crime, but we will be found partners in Christ and in Christ alone.