LABELING OUR BROTHERS

     I would love to have been at Wittenberg, on October the 31, 1517. You see, on that day, everything changed. This would be the day that a monk, by the name of Martin Luther, would nail his 95 Thesis to that church door. It was a bold declaration of faith on the need for the just to live by faith.

     I would have also loved to have heard John Wesley declare to our nation, how that we must be born again. Then, to turn around and hear his contemporary George Whitefield’s booming voice about the God of Grace.

     These are some of the Heroes of the Faith. Yet, like all of us, they were flawed. They did not always get it right. As godly as these men were, just like the Heroes of the Bible, they sinned and their theology was not always right. Yet, they were champions of the faith.

     Whitefield and Wesley were miles apart in their theological thinking. They also wrote scathing letters to one another about their Calvinistic and non-Calvinistic differences. Yet, their respect, love and admiration for one another were like that of brothers and well known to all.

     Over the course of the last few years, I have heard the word heretic used quite often about certain pastors and ministers. I have seen men become vehement over just the name of a certain pastor or teacher and their views. I have grown concerned over who is being called a heretic.

     What I read of the scriptures makes it very clear that, as we get closer to His glorious appearing, false teachers will abound. These men will have a devastating effect on the church and lead many astray. The Bible makes it clear that we are to beware of these men. We are to take our stand and point them out to all.

     Any person who denies that Jesus is God in flesh is not a brother in the Lord. When a person denies the Inspiration of the Word of God, they are apostates. When a person tells us that Salvation is through anything else than the Blood of Christ, he has trampled under his foot the blood of Jesus, and declares himself to be a more worthy savior, who can earn his way to heaven. This man is foolish indeed. The Word makes it clear that our salvation will never be through faith and our works. These are bedrocks to the faith that we cannot deny.

     The Bible also makes it clear, that we are to contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints. We are not to sit and hold hands around a campfire with a group of liberal men and sing, “They will know we are Christians by our love.” Instead, we are to look at them with compassion and love and say, “You are not a part of the family of God.” We need to try to introduce them to the Jesus of the Scriptures.

     I  believe though, that we are to be careful when we use the words false teacher. We are not to take it lightly. I am more Calvinistic in my theology, but I am far from a five point Calvinist. I do believe that God’s Sovereign Will trumps all, but that as an individual, He has given me choice. I believe that when a person puts his faith in Christ, he is sealed for all of eternity because of the finished work of Christ.

     I also believe, that when a person receives Christ, he receives Him as Lord of his life. For a person to come to Christ, he must acknowledge to Him that he is a sinner and he humble himself, at this point, to the only One who can save him. As a new believer, his life will change by the work of the Holy Spirit within him. Yet, we must be careful with whom we claim as saved or not saved, based on their outward lifestyle. We see this in the Gospels, when we are told that some will produce 100 fold, 60 fold and some thirty. In the parable of the wheat and the tares, not even the angels know who the true believers are and who are not. I believe that if we do not know, then as a believer, we should warn them. God must do His work.

     Now why do I bring up Calvinism and Lordship? Hopefully, to prove what we often do with brothers. When we hear certain words, we assume certain positions about a person, right off the bat. We do not ask questions of the individual, and through our mental grid, we often label them with the extremes of that position. We must be careful at this point, or we call a brother a false teacher and lump them into the same category as those who are lost and without hope.

     I am not a Reformer in my theology. I have heard some say that if a person is a five point Calvinist, then he is a Reformed theologian. This is not fully true. A person can still hold to all five points and be dispensational in his thinking. He can still see Israel as not being the same as the Church in the Scriptures. Once again, we must be careful with how we pigeon hole brothers in this area.

     I must also state, that some of the people I love the most to read are Reformed in their theology. There are many of these brothers, that though I may disagree with them on certain issues, they continue to encourage my heart to grow closer to Christ. The impact of R.C. Sproul’s book, “The Holiness of God” still resounds in my heart today.

     Recently, I was given a small book called, “How to pray, The best of John Wesley on Prayer.”  I would not fully agree with Wesley, but this man knew how to go into the arms of his Jesus, and wrestle with Him in prayer.

     My first study Bible was a Scofield, then I switched to a Ryrie and now I use the Macarthur E.S.V. Study Bible. I still learn from all three of these great men of the faith. They have given me an understanding of the Word that I will forever be grateful for. Yes, my thinking leans more with one of these, but I admire and appreciate all of these brothers for their diligence in studying the Word of God.

     Please, do not misunderstand me as I share these words with you. We all feel more comfortable being around with those who think more like us. Men whom we believe are godly, in their words, doctrines and in their deeds. There are different groups that we will find a greater joy of fellowshipping with. With this in mind, there are certain brothers that I would not feel comfortable speaking with or allowing behind a pulpit that I am called to oversee. Yet, I know within my heart, that some of them have an even closer walk than I do, personally, with the Lord.

     My desire though, is that  when it comes to our brothers in the Lord, no matter what, we will still treat them as part of our family.  We will speak of our differences with respect and love for them, as one should with his own family member and esteem them better then we esteem ourselves.

      We must fight against the forces of darkness. We must draw a line in the sand and say, “No.” We will at times, even have to do this with brothers and sisters. Yet, let us not forget, they are our brothers and sisters.