Why I am no longer in the Church of Scotland (5)

Why I am no longer in the Church of Scotland (5)

In 1995 I produced a small booklet on biblical separation. This is the fourth extract from that booklet:

Acts 20:28-31

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.

Paul’s warning to the elders at Ephesus is repeated later in his letter to the Ephesians, (see later entry), and is also reinforced by the commendation of the church in Ephesus in Revelation for its intolerance towards false teaching. Paul warns the Ephesian elders of the danger from within, the rise of certain teachers who will distort the truth. The elders were to guard against these wolves. Is it conceivable that Paul would have the Ephesian church recognise these savage wolves as “brothers in Christ”, accept their right to hold office within the Church, and publicly unite with them in visible fellowship? Is not the whole purpose of being on their guard that they might protect and defend the flock by identifying and excluding such wolves? When evangelicals report that some presbytery meetings are like a wolf pack convention then something is far from right.  

Romans 16:17, 18

17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

Paul warns against those who cause divisions by their teaching or are acting in ways contrary to apostolic truth. These men are skillful in their presentation of error, so much so that some naïve individuals might be swayed by their teaching and heresy. Is it conceivable that Paul would give these men the opportunity to spread their errors by word or writing? No – Paul tells the church to keep away from them and “avoid them”. That is, he asks them to maintain a separation from those who do not maintain apostolic teaching. Can you keep away from and avoid those to whom you offer denominational recognition, and under whose collective authority you place yourself? Is not denominational acceptance of such individuals a direct act of disobedience to the apostolic instruction and the command that we avoid them?

Note 2015: When I look back to how I managed to avoid the clear implications of these verses prior to 1995, I am amazed that I was so willfully blind. The professed evangelicals who now say that though they disagree with false teaching, they will not separate from false teachers, are denying the very Scripture on which they claim to base their case.  They need to show exegetically why these verses do not apply to the situation in the Church of Scotland today.