I Wish We Would Just Stop

 

It happens almost every day now.

I’ll be scrolling through my feed, and there it is again—another prominent Christian leader being publicly eviscerated. R.C. Sproul. Rick Warren. Billy Graham. Even John MacArthur and John Piper. Men who have spent their lives preaching the Gospel, pastoring flocks, and defending the faith are being dismissed with a casual click of the keyboard as heretics, false prophets, deceivers, and modern-day Pharisees.

Just because someone doesn’t agree with you on all points of theology does not make them a false prophet or heretic.

The Casual Cruelty of the Screen

Back in the 1960s through the 1980s, if someone wanted to attack another person’s character, they typically had to do it face-to-face—or hide behind a literal, physical mask to hide their face. People often hid behind their mask of anonymity to avoid being known.

Today, we’ve traded the physical mask for an electronic screen. And strangely, we’ve become more willing to reveal our true selves—our harshness, our arrogance, our certainty—in black and white for the entire world to see.

What Makes Someone a False Teacher?

Let’s be honest about what we’re doing. We’re taking men who love Jesus, who have devoted their lives to studying Scripture, who have led millions to Christ—and we’re calling them heretics because they see a particular passage differently than we do.

Chances are that they interpret Scripture just a little differently than you or I do. And most of these differences have little to no implication for compromising the Gospel.

There is a massive difference between a theological disagreement and actual heresy. One of the most helpful reminders in this conversation is simply this: "Discernment is different from a critical spirit". Discernment seeks truth; a critical spirit seeks to tear down.

We’ve become obsessed with hunting for false teachers online. But when we call someone a heretic who isn’t one, who exactly is in the wrong?

What Scripture Actually Says

Jesus showed remarkable grace to people who were honestly trying to walk by faith. Think of the woman caught in adultery—the religious leaders wanted to stone her, but Jesus extended grace (John 8:1-11). He didn't condemn those who were sincerely seeking but offer a way for them to see themselves. By the way, he allowed them to make the decision.

Paul—who had plenty of theological disagreements—wrote something profound to the Philippians. Even when people were preaching Christ with impure motives and selfish ambition, Paul said:

"But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice." (Philippians 1:18)

In essence: whether they're getting it all right or not, as long as Jesus is preached, rejoice.

Paul also wrote to the Romans:

"Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters... Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall." (Romans 14:1-4)

And what about our speech?

"Do not let unwholesome words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear." (Ephesians 4:29)

The Arrogance of Certainty

I’m sorry to say this, but most of these harsh words tend to come from people who appear arrogant at best, or worse; people who may not be correct but who are never in doubt.

It seems there’s a kind of modern Pharisaism that has crept into the church. It says: "I have the truth, and everyone who differs from me is deceived."

Scripture warns that pride comes before a fall. Jesus warned about the “log” or ‘beam’  in our own eye before we point out the speck in our brother's (Matthew 7:1-5). And when we see someone caught in a fault, we’re not called to condemn but to restore them gently (Galatians 6:1-2).  Truth without love is not truth at all—it's just noise.

A Call for Gentleness

I’m calling for something different. A softer, gentler way of dealing with our differences.

Yes, I believe we can disagree on doctrine without using our words as deadly weapons. When we attack other believers with the venomous labels of "heretic" and "false prophet," we do more than wound them—we become a bad witness to the world.

The world is watching. And what do they see? Christians devouring Christians.

Surely, we preach the Bible and call out ‘sin’, but even them, we don’t back up from the teaching of scripture, but it seems ungodly to revel in calling a brother or sister ungodly names when, most of the time, we have only read what someone ‘said they said.’ I suggest that a great tool (which I am still learning to use) is to ask, “Does what I’m about to write build up or tear down the Kingdom of God?” Or “Does what I’m about to say contain truth that can be misunderstood and misused?” Or “Does what I am about pen have to or need to be said?”

Let’s recognize that brothers and sisters in Christ can look at the same Scripture and come to different understandings. Let's extend the same grace Jesus gave to those who were honestly trying to walk and live by faith.

So I ask: before you type that comment or post that video calling someone a heretic, take a breath. Pray. Consider whether this person is truly denying the essentials of the Gospel or simply seeing things a little differently than you.

Because chances are, they love Jesus too.

And maybe—just maybe—we can learn to disagree without destroying each other or the faith family for which Jesus died.