Mixing truth and
error is exceedingly dangerous, yet most people today seem very content with
such a mixture, especially in the field of religious beliefs. The devil has
made great headway in convincing the majority of people (including many
Christians) that mixing truth and error is not only unavoidable, but can
actually be beneficial. As a consequence, when God's faithful servants expose
error and demand absolute separation between truth and error, they are often
looked upon as unloving troublemakers.
The fact of the
matter is that the Bible warns about the danger of allowing even a small amount
of error to be mixed with truth. God says, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole
lump” (Galatians 5:9). By contrast, the devil would have us believe that we are
intolerant and bigoted if we insist on separating truth and error and putting
accurate labels on each. The question is, “Will we believe God or Satan?” The
choice should not be difficult! Satan is a liar, but God cannot lie!
It is difficult to
understand how so many people see the value—yes, the necessity—of separating
truth from error, good from bad, in almost every other realm of life, but
refuse to recognize the need to apply this same principle in spiritual matters.
In our country, stringent laws and careful inspections seek to protect
consumers from eating food that has been contaminated in any way. No one
objects to that. Many people learn from experience that you can't keep a rotten
apple near a good one without losing both. Physicians and hospitals wage a
continual battle to prevent infection which can spread like wildfire if not
quickly identified and isolated. There are also strict laws requiring that all
poisonous substances be clearly labeled as such and be kept entirely separate
from medications to be taken internally. No one is heard claiming that such a
principle is “extreme” or “unkind”.
However, when it
comes to spiritual issues and doctrinal matters, it is an entirely different
story. Rather than treating doctrinal error as a dangerous poison, it is
usually treated as a minor irritant. When a faithful preacher exposes the
doctrinal heresies being promulgated by so many religious leaders and movements
today, the common response is very apt to be along the following lines: “Well,
I don't agree with a lot of things they do or say, but don't you think that
they are also doing a lot of good?” When evidence is presented conclusively
documenting the apostasy or false teaching of some denomination or other, a
common response goes like this: “Well, I know that some of our leaders are
saying some terrible things and that our denomination is not what it used to
be, but the pastor of our local church is a fine man and he still preaches the
truth”.
In both of the
above instances, the implication is very clear. Error is regrettable but not
serious enough to do something definite about it. The inevitable result is that
error thrives in such situations, protected in part by a very thin veneer of
truth and supported by those who claim to love and believe the truth.
Contrast this kind
of attitude with the tragedy involving Extra Strength Tylenol capsules.
Seven people died after taking one of the capsules which had been “laced” with
cyanide, a deadly poison. There wasn't very much poison in each capsule. Most
of the ingredients were good. Yet, seven people died because they didn't know
someone had mixed poison with Tylenol. How did the nation react to this
situation? Immediately, warnings were issued across the country. Health
authorities began making tests of Tylenol capsules, not only in the area where
the seven deaths occurred but in every place where this product was being sold.
Tylenol capsules were removed from all store shelves as a precautionary
measure. Even though most of the capsules were subsequently found to be free
from poison, no one was willing to take any chances that could cost another
innocent person his life.
We consider it
important to point out that during this entire episode, we did not hear anyone
saying, “Don't be negative—don't worry about a little poison, just emphasize
the good qualities of Tylenol”. No one said, “Just be positive and remember how
many millions of people have obtained relief from pain through using Tylenol
over a period of many years”. No, in this instance, everyone, including the
manufacturer, took every step possible to make sure that no one else would be
able to take a Tylenol capsule which had even a trace of poison in it!
Furthermore,
consider the fact that no one considered the officials who sent out warnings
across the nation to be “alarmists” or “extremists”. No one accused the
manufacturer or the health authorities of being “unloving” and “too judgmental”
in their efforts to spare further loss of human life. Neither did anyone think
that it was bigotry to express indignation that anyone would dare to mix poison
with Tylenol or for that matter, with any medication available to the general
public. The situation demanded extreme measures and extreme measures were
taken. Every effort then and now will be to make sure that no one else will
innocently die by taking a capsule which contains a mixture of good ingredients
and poison!
Is it not then
exceedingly sad to realize that so many people recognize the dangers of mixing
good and bad ingredients together in those areas which affect human health and
life while at the same time ignoring the same principle when it comes to the
even more important issue of separating truth and error regarding spiritual
matters? After all, Jesus said, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are
not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both
soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). Spiritual poison (doctrinal
error) is far more serious than cyanide or any other deadly poison... If we are
willing to go to such lengths to enforce separation between poison and good
medications, is there not an even greater responsibility to insist that there
shall be no mixing of truth with error in doctrinal matters?
It is time to face
facts! It is time to obey God's Word! Error is never more dangerous—more
deceptive—than when it is mixed with truth. God's truth is never neutral, never
passive, never silent. God's truth can never peacefully coexist with error.
Instead, truth turns the spotlight on error and calls out with a loud voice of
warning to separate from it. That is why we are especially concerned when we
see evangelicals, charismatics, and even some fundamentalists treating major
doctrinal errors as though they were simply “acceptable differences of opinion
among believers”. Truth demands and produces separation from error. That is the
plain teaching of God's Word (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Those who are willing to
permit truth and error to be mixed together are simply not “walking in truth”
themselves!