Are we wrong to highlight the problems with William Branham and his message?: Difference between revisions
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A few Christians have questioned why we take the time to highlight the problems with William Branham and his message. However, we believe the scripture requires us to highlight any false teachings and to let people know about them. | |||
Here is what the Bible says: | |||
=We are required to warn people about false teaching= | |||
In Acts chapter 20, Paul told the Ephesian elders that false teachers would arise to draw people after them. He charged them to be on their guard, to warn people, and to keep watch over the church of God: | |||
:''Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. '''I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!''' Remember that for three years '''I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.'''<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ac 20:26–31.</ref> | |||
==We are to name names== | |||
Paul specifically gave the names of people who were false teachers: | |||
:'';Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are '''Hymenaeus and Philetus''', who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 2 Ti 2:17–18.</ref> | |||
Notice that Paul also names the teaching itself. It is important that we are sure that the teaching is false (which is why we have provided detailed reasons for each issue). It is also important that we do not slander false teachers unfairly. | |||
==We are to refute false teaching== | |||
Paul instructed Titus: | |||
:''...encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. ...rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Tt 1:9–15.</ref> | |||
The Greek word "silence” used here is the same word that refers to muzzling an animal. | |||
3. How? By not giving them an opportunity to speak | |||
4. 2 John 10, 11 | |||
a. The issue here is not about not letting cultists into your house. | |||
b. There were very few public buildings where Christians met, so they met | |||
in house churches with itinerant teachers. | |||
c. Key: do not let such people have teaching authority. | |||
2 Cor. 11:14: Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, to appeal to people. He | 2 Cor. 11:14: Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, to appeal to people. He | ||
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b. Formal: person willingly holds error and rejects truth | b. Formal: person willingly holds error and rejects truth | ||
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[[Category: Unfinished articles]] | [[Category: Unfinished articles]] | ||
Revision as of 00:40, 28 August 2018
A few Christians have questioned why we take the time to highlight the problems with William Branham and his message. However, we believe the scripture requires us to highlight any false teachings and to let people know about them.
Here is what the Bible says:
We are required to warn people about false teaching
In Acts chapter 20, Paul told the Ephesian elders that false teachers would arise to draw people after them. He charged them to be on their guard, to warn people, and to keep watch over the church of God:
- Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.[1]
We are to name names
Paul specifically gave the names of people who were false teachers:
- ;Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.[2]
Notice that Paul also names the teaching itself. It is important that we are sure that the teaching is false (which is why we have provided detailed reasons for each issue). It is also important that we do not slander false teachers unfairly.
We are to refute false teaching
Paul instructed Titus:
- ...encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. ...rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth.[3]
The Greek word "silence” used here is the same word that refers to muzzling an animal. 3. How? By not giving them an opportunity to speak 4. 2 John 10, 11 a. The issue here is not about not letting cultists into your house. b. There were very few public buildings where Christians met, so they met in house churches with itinerant teachers. c. Key: do not let such people have teaching authority.
2 Cor. 11:14: Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, to appeal to people. He cloaks falsehood in more beautiful packaging. B. Matthew 7:15-23 1. Subject: false prophets (who do not speak for God) 2. They look like the people of God. 3. They produce false disciples as their fruit. 4. There are people who call Him “Lord,” yet He tells them to depart from Him. C. Acts 20:26-31 1. Paul gives key things to pass on. 2. False teachers will arise, to draw away people. 3. We are charged to warn people. D. 2 Cor. 11:3,4 1. A different Jesus, spirit, and gospel were being spread in the first century. Kevin Lewis 2 2. False apostles do this, disguised as servants of light. E. Gal. 1:6-9 1. “Accursed” – damned, anathema 2. Even if Paul preached a different gospel, it was not to be believed. F. 2 Tim. 4:1-8 1. Keep fighting the good fight. 2. Others will distort it. G. 2 Peter 2:1-3 1. Heresy: a teaching that is sufficient to divide one from the true church, or truth from falsehood 2. Historically a. Material: held out of ignorance b. Formal: person willingly holds error and rejects truth
Footnotes