“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisios and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ; but their own belly;  and by good words and fair speech deceive the hearts of the simple.”  (Romans 16)

“…they are the enemies of the [C]ross of Christ…”  (Philippians 3)

 

Reader,  The Christ-ian is to love one’s brethren, neighbors, and enemies.  The Christ-ian is not to gossip, backbite, cause divisions between others, cause strife, or take pleasure in the fall of others. The Christ-ian is not to be judgmental or entertain a contentious spirit.  The Christ-ian is to judge what is good/bad, true/false, right/wrong, but not in a haughty or judgmental spirit, one is to judge objectively and with the proper motive and intention.

On the other hand and at the same time the Scriptures tell us clearly to mark those who are opposed to sound doctrines and seek to satisfy their inward and wanton desires. Paul calls these the enemy of the Cross of Christ, we should infer from that, that they are also our enemies. Jude speaks of men that creep in unawares. Christ warns us, in very strong words, that the pharisaical spirit is to be identified and kept away from. Paul also names names of destructive persons in the church.  John also wrote in his third (3rd) epistle about the dictatorial leader of a church and that he should be put out and another person installed.

I have witnessed splits in churches and have heard about splits in churches. It is every Christ-ian’s responsibility to watch out for the persons described above. When someone was sent from one church to another church, in the days of the Apostles, letters were carried that would give good references to the person carrying the letter. This is why the practice of letter sending has been kept in the church. No pastor wants to throw a trouble-maker out and send him to another church. On the positive side, when good members leave a church, due to relocating or other reasons, the church that is left will send a letter to the new church that the good person chooses to attend.

Church life and the life and health of the Church is serious business. The Church is called the Body of Christ and the Bride of Christ.  These titles imply great importance and with that established, the Christ-ian is to be jealous (protective) over the church. The Scriptures are replete with warnings to guard the city, the kingdom, the wall, the encampment of the army, etc. The inference from these examples should tell us the church, the ministry must be protected like a kingdom or a city.

In the life of David, we see Absolom, David’s son who was self-centered, self-exalting, and wanted the praise of the people as well as power and authority over the people. We learn that David never disciplined his son, Absolom and there is an obvious lesson we must learn from the events that transpired between David and his (probably sociopathic) son.

Paul, in his letters to the Philippians, to the Romans, to the Corinthians, and to the Galatians, warn these home churches not to be deceived by men that had ill intentions.  Christ warns us of wolves in sheeps clothing, Jude warns us about the creeping men, John warns a church in his third (3rd) epistle to do away with the self-centered dictator type pastor of that church.

The expulsion, the dismissal, the dispatchment, the excomunication of persons who breed strife and division is not a heel-ish act, is not gossip or backbiting.  The vigilance of the saint is necessary.  The saints must be protected from these infiltrators, it is one of the pastor’s top jobs. These persons have been and can be called by many labels: Subtle, haughty, high-minded, foolish, vain-glorious, prideful, ministers of darkness that are transformed into ministers of light, enemies of the Cross of Christ, narcissistic, psycho/sociopathic, pharisaical, (s)atan-like, etc.

It is every Christ-ian’s and it is every pastor’s duty to watch and pray and to mark and take note of troublesome persons.

We have met a former (s)atanist, who is now a servant of Christ, for many years.  This man said, in his testimony, that he would pretend to be a Christ-ian in city Missions and out-reach centers. He would sell drugs and alcohol to persons coming to the mission for help. This man was like the serpent in the Garden, this man was like Judas in the midst of the disciples. By God’s mercy, he was made a new creature in Christ. Yet, he still stands as a warning to all believers and all ministers of God.

Speaking of Judas, the only reason that Judas didn’t do more harm earlier and more often is because Christ knew his heart and Christ restrained him and kept him busy with other things, like keeping an eye on the money. Pastors and ministers of God must be alert, vigilant, and on the look out for these persons who try to creep in unawares. The pastor cannot be naive or sentimental in dealings like this.  The pastor must be like Christ and use his heel to crush the skull of the usurper, the trouble-maker, the…you understand.

Many times mean or what is perceived as mean is good, right, and true. Many times, what is bad, wrong, and false can look like pleasantness.

In summary:
*Cain must be marked.
*The shepherd must be-head the giant.
*Samuel must slaughter Agag.
*The king must expel his betraying son.
*The Christ-like must crush the serpent’s head with his heel.
*Moses must deal with Korah and his sons.
*Joshua must put Achan out of the camp.
*Peter must deal with Ananias and Saphira.
*Ehud must put the knife into Eglon’s gut.
*Jehu must put Jezebel down.
*The Lord shall reward Alexander, the coppersmith for his dirty dealings against Paul.

Reader, we have plenty of warrant to mark the trouble-maker. If we mark not the trouble-maker, we become the trouble-maker and condone the former trouble-maker.

The Church, the kingdom, the assembly of saints is serious business and playing nice with those who are reprobate against the faith is kin to letting a serpent seduce your wife.

Godspeed.