Titus 1:9 – “holding firmly the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine AND to refute those who contradict it.”
Is heresy really that big of a danger? Is it really worth the time, and effort, and discomfort to differentiate between contrary opinions? Can’t we just focus on our own walk with the Lord? Should we really speak against heresy at all? Can’t we just live and let live? Note this well: our Lord thought heresy was a terrible danger. His Apostles also thought it was a menacing evil. They all ceaselessly warned against those who would lead us astray. Dare we to have a different viewpoint than they? I fear in our day people simply don’t have patience for theological dispute. Most people are quick to stand for their politics, and to speak boldly of the merits of their hobbies, or to brag about their possessions, and they are silent on matters of the soul and controversy in doctrine. There is an underlying fear of stirring the hornet’s nest. Furthermore, men justify their fear by saying things like: we ought to be nice, and accepting, and not judgmental. J.C. Ryle said it well – “He who dares to say of one doctrine that ‘it is true,’ and of another that ‘it is false,’ must expect to be called narrow-minded and uncharitable, and to lose the praise of men.”
But if heresy is as dangerous as our Lord and His Apostles warned, how can we be silent? How can we abide when the heretic redefines the nature of God, His Son, or His Holy Spirit? How can we be silent when the Gospel is twisted and distorted? How can we be silent while the Word of God is trampled, and misused? Do we not care for the glory of our God? Do we not care for the salvation of men’s souls? Have we forgotten that there is only one means to salvation, and it is through belief in the true and unadulterated Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Must we keep our peace while heretics speak boldly and proudly? Must we be silent while the enemy roars? Isn’t our silence the very thing the Devil would desire of us? What enemy wouldn’t love to see a guardsman asleep at his post? What wolf wouldn’t devour the sheep if there were none to fend it off? What thief doesn’t know how to take advantage during the silence and shadow of night?
Hasn’t our Lord called us to be alert? Hasn’t He called us to boldness? Have we not been “entrusted” with the Truth? Surely then we must speak that truth, and speak against those who would contradict it. Surely we ought to conduct ourselves kindly – but we must not confuse kindness with cowardice! It is the coward who knows a lie, but doesn’t say so. Is it kindness to let others be led astray? Is it kindness to allow others to run headlong into hell? Wouldn’t you want someone to tell you if you were believing a lie? Or would you prefer them to just leave you to your own fate? If your house was on fire, would you denounce your neighbor who called out to you to flee the flames? If your children were being deceived would you say nothing for the truth?
Were not we ourselves saved because someone laid the truth plainly before us? Which of us are not indebted to those who were bold enough to speak truth to us? Didn’t we used to have false opinions? Didn’t our thoughts need correction? Didn’t we need the pure milk of the Word? Haven’t we ourselves benefitted from the warnings against the falsehoods of heresy? Then let us throw aside our timidity – let us take our stand like men! Stand apart from the chorus who say we shouldn’t speak against what others believe. Stand for the truth, and with those with the courage to defend it. Heresy is too big of a danger to allow it to advance unopposed. To hold any other opinion is to disagree with the stance and teaching of our Lord and His Apostles.
Titus 1:10-11 – “For there are many rebellious people, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of dishonest gain.”
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