"MARK AND AVOID" RELIGION
One of the hallmarks of the denominational religious system is the perceived need to “protect the doctrine.” Depending on the brand of denominationalism or belief system, the doctrine will differ, but the desire to protect that belief system will be the same. In fact, the very existence of denominations (or other exclusive type belief systems) ensure that certain people will be excluded, and those that are included will stay true to their respective doctrinal statements. In this paper I would like to look at some verses that are used to support this exclusive mindset among Christians, and to show why I believe this way of thinking is destructive and only divides an already fractured church. In fact, the people who claim they are protecting the church from error are often the very ones promoting error causing disunity among the Body of Christ.
Let’s look at Rom.16:17, from which the title of this paper is based on.
Ro 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
This passage is used to support dividing into denominational factions. However, this passage is not referring to believers that simply have a different understanding of doctrine. Having a different view about various scriptural truths does not mean someone is casing divisions or offences. In fact, a believer who has a better understanding of doctrine than most believers could actually be the one guilty of causing divisions. Many of those who are constantly “marking and avoiding” other believers are going contrary to Pauline doctrine. Paul never encouraged believers to avoid one another simply because they had differences of maturity and understanding. Paul encouraged unity despite the differences. Consider the following passage:
Ro 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Ro 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Ro 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him
The word disputations means to debate or question. It seems that many Christians believe that to debate and question others is what the Christian life is all about. Receiving another Christian is all too often contingent upon what someone believes. But in this Rom.14 passage, Paul teaches otherwise. In the church at Rome, there were those who were weak in the faith and they did not think they were allowed to eat meat. However, Paul did not tell those who were strong in the faith to tell the weaker brethren that they were heretics and unless they changed their beliefs they would not be allowed to become a member of the church. Rather, Paul says not to judge them and to receive them like God has with no strings attached. How I wish Christians could learn to love and accept one another despite the doctrinal differences.
Let’s look at another verse that encourage unity.
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
In Vines dictionary, the word endeavour is said to mean zealous or diligent. This unity Paul speaks of is something we should passionately seek after. This is something that takes work. In the previous verse Paul said we are to forbear one another in love. Vines defines forbear as to bear with or endure. We are to endure our differences, and yes that includes doctrinal differences as we saw in the Rom. 14 passage.
In verse 18 of Rom.16, Paul goes on to describe the people who cause divisions and offences.
Ro 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple
The people referred to here are those who actively seek to deceive believers. The verse is not talking about those who simply believe different than you do. If a person believes some doctrine that is in error, this does not mean we are to avoid them. Rather, we should love them, and be humble enough to realize that it actually may be us who are in error in our doctrine. I believe the people Paul talks about in Rom.16:18 are the same ones referred to in Titus 1:10,11.
Tit 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
Tit 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake
Notice the ones referred to here are not your average believer that may not understand all the doctrine correctly. Rather, these people are “unruly”, “vain talkers”, and “deceivers”. Notice also that they are teaching. These people are preachers, not the average believer sitting in a pew. Also, these preachers are not simply teaching incorrect doctrine, they are doing it for money, “filthy lucre’s sake”. They are people who desire power. They want to control people, and they get rich by using this power for their own end. These are the types of people we are to avoid, not Christians that simply believe differently.
Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
In this Titus passage, Paul goes on to describe these people as being abominable, disobedient, and reprobates. Someone who has a different doctrinal understanding does not make them these things. Notice that the emphasis in Tit.1:16 is on works, not your doctrinal IQ. Notice this emphasis on works in continued into Ch. 2 of Titus.
Tit 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
Tit 2:2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
The sound doctrine mentioned here is not about which chapter in Acts you begin the Body of Christ. It’s about living truth out in your daily experience. Notice that the verse says to speaks things that “become sound doctrine.” The emphasis is on a living doctrine, not just words on a page. It’s doctrine that “becomes” a reality in your life.
“Divisions” - I Cor.3:1-5 - They were dividing over doctrine
Strong’s - sedition: actions or words intended to provoke or incite rebellion
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
1Co 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
In this passage, you see the denominational spirit beginning to take root. Believers at Corinth began to take sides according to their doctrinal emphasis. Some preferred the apostle Paul, while others boasted in Apollos. It’s easy to understand why people preferred the apostle Paul. He was the one to whom Christ appeared and first gave the truths concerning the Body of Christ. It’s also easy to see why some believers preferred Apollos. Acts 18:24 says Apollos was “…an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures…” Both Paul and Apollos were very knowledgeable and apparently both could speak very well. Those as Corinth, like today, began to focus on the men and their ability rather than their message.
Paul not only warns of divisions, but also offences. An offence is defined in Vines dictionary as something that “becomes a hindrance to others, or causes them to fall by the way.” In I Cor. 8, Paul deals with the issue of being a stumbling block to a fellow believer. The issue in this chapter deals with those who did not want to eat meat offered to idols. Obviously they were in error doctrinally. Paul does not instruct the mature believers to separate from them, but rather to not offend them by eating meat in their presence. So in this context, the ones who Paul identifies as the offenders are not the immature believers but the mature ones who would use their liberty and knowledge to offend the weaker ones.
TO BE CONTINUED
aragraph.
Let’s look at Rom.16:17, from which the title of this paper is based on.
Ro 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
This passage is used to support dividing into denominational factions. However, this passage is not referring to believers that simply have a different understanding of doctrine. Having a different view about various scriptural truths does not mean someone is casing divisions or offences. In fact, a believer who has a better understanding of doctrine than most believers could actually be the one guilty of causing divisions. Many of those who are constantly “marking and avoiding” other believers are going contrary to Pauline doctrine. Paul never encouraged believers to avoid one another simply because they had differences of maturity and understanding. Paul encouraged unity despite the differences. Consider the following passage:
Ro 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Ro 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Ro 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him
The word disputations means to debate or question. It seems that many Christians believe that to debate and question others is what the Christian life is all about. Receiving another Christian is all too often contingent upon what someone believes. But in this Rom.14 passage, Paul teaches otherwise. In the church at Rome, there were those who were weak in the faith and they did not think they were allowed to eat meat. However, Paul did not tell those who were strong in the faith to tell the weaker brethren that they were heretics and unless they changed their beliefs they would not be allowed to become a member of the church. Rather, Paul says not to judge them and to receive them like God has with no strings attached. How I wish Christians could learn to love and accept one another despite the doctrinal differences.
Let’s look at another verse that encourage unity.
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
In Vines dictionary, the word endeavour is said to mean zealous or diligent. This unity Paul speaks of is something we should passionately seek after. This is something that takes work. In the previous verse Paul said we are to forbear one another in love. Vines defines forbear as to bear with or endure. We are to endure our differences, and yes that includes doctrinal differences as we saw in the Rom. 14 passage.
In verse 18 of Rom.16, Paul goes on to describe the people who cause divisions and offences.
Ro 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple
The people referred to here are those who actively seek to deceive believers. The verse is not talking about those who simply believe different than you do. If a person believes some doctrine that is in error, this does not mean we are to avoid them. Rather, we should love them, and be humble enough to realize that it actually may be us who are in error in our doctrine. I believe the people Paul talks about in Rom.16:18 are the same ones referred to in Titus 1:10,11.
Tit 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
Tit 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake
Notice the ones referred to here are not your average believer that may not understand all the doctrine correctly. Rather, these people are “unruly”, “vain talkers”, and “deceivers”. Notice also that they are teaching. These people are preachers, not the average believer sitting in a pew. Also, these preachers are not simply teaching incorrect doctrine, they are doing it for money, “filthy lucre’s sake”. They are people who desire power. They want to control people, and they get rich by using this power for their own end. These are the types of people we are to avoid, not Christians that simply believe differently.
Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
In this Titus passage, Paul goes on to describe these people as being abominable, disobedient, and reprobates. Someone who has a different doctrinal understanding does not make them these things. Notice that the emphasis in Tit.1:16 is on works, not your doctrinal IQ. Notice this emphasis on works in continued into Ch. 2 of Titus.
Tit 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
Tit 2:2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
The sound doctrine mentioned here is not about which chapter in Acts you begin the Body of Christ. It’s about living truth out in your daily experience. Notice that the verse says to speaks things that “become sound doctrine.” The emphasis is on a living doctrine, not just words on a page. It’s doctrine that “becomes” a reality in your life.
“Divisions” - I Cor.3:1-5 - They were dividing over doctrine
Strong’s - sedition: actions or words intended to provoke or incite rebellion
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
1Co 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
In this passage, you see the denominational spirit beginning to take root. Believers at Corinth began to take sides according to their doctrinal emphasis. Some preferred the apostle Paul, while others boasted in Apollos. It’s easy to understand why people preferred the apostle Paul. He was the one to whom Christ appeared and first gave the truths concerning the Body of Christ. It’s also easy to see why some believers preferred Apollos. Acts 18:24 says Apollos was “…an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures…” Both Paul and Apollos were very knowledgeable and apparently both could speak very well. Those as Corinth, like today, began to focus on the men and their ability rather than their message.
Paul not only warns of divisions, but also offences. An offence is defined in Vines dictionary as something that “becomes a hindrance to others, or causes them to fall by the way.” In I Cor. 8, Paul deals with the issue of being a stumbling block to a fellow believer. The issue in this chapter deals with those who did not want to eat meat offered to idols. Obviously they were in error doctrinally. Paul does not instruct the mature believers to separate from them, but rather to not offend them by eating meat in their presence. So in this context, the ones who Paul identifies as the offenders are not the immature believers but the mature ones who would use their liberty and knowledge to offend the weaker ones.
TO BE CONTINUED
aragraph.