A brother recently sent me the following thoughts and rather than trying to reframe or summarize them, I think it is better to simply let him speak for himself. His words are too instructive and self-searching to improve upon, and they touch on struggles which I suspect many of us understand more than we might like to admit:
“I want to ask you if you have noticed this. Some SG believers think that hatred of false gospels is evidence of salvation. In fact, in many instances, hatred of false religions and false gospels is the main evidence of salvation. I bring all of this up because I am rethinking my attitude towards others who don’t believe exactly as I do. I once would call them “tolerant and compromisers.” Yet, they exhibit more love and compassion than those who accuse them. I once was like them. I was very intolerant to the point that I alienated my own family, wife, son, daughter, and in-laws, and would not recognize any of them as true believers. I was miserable. I was worried more about possibly compromising with any of them because the group I was in would not approve, than actually showing love and compassion. It’s not my job to judge anyone’s eternal state before God. I can’t walk around worrying about compromising with those in false religion. Christ alone is my righteousness. My assurance cannot come from how much I hate false religion and false gospels. There was a time that I thought my opposition to false religion was evidence and ground of assurance of my salvation. That is not resting in Christ alone. There are quite a few small, SG churches in this country that constantly preach against what they consider to be false religion. There is little positive Gospel preaching. It is all about rejecting false religion, like that is equal to resting in Christ. Have you seen this? I am in a transition right now.”
Brother, I think your observations are both honest and necessary, and they resonate with me more than I can easily express. Much of what you described reflects struggles and tendencies I have wrestled with within my own heart for many years, and perhaps in some ways still do even now. It is easier for me to recognize these things because I have seen traces of them within myself for over 35 years. Matthew 7:3-5.
At the same time, I feel the need to say that I do not believe these brethren are merely negative men preaching only against false doctrine. Many of them sincerely love the truth concerning Christ and preach boldly concerning grace, sovereignty, justification, &c., which is exactly why these matters become so difficult and searching. The danger is often not the absence of Christ from the preaching, but that separation from error can gradually begin functioning almost as a practical measure of spirituality and assurance, as though our standing before God were affected in some way by how guarded, discerning, and uncompromising we are rather than resting wholly in the righteousness of Christ. I Corinthians 1:30. And honestly, I say that as someone who has spent years trying to untangle some of those same tendencies within my own heart.
It is possible to hold strong convictions concerning truth and yet gradually live beneath a continual atmosphere of caution, scrutiny, and inward pressure. Separation from error, doctrinal precision, and discernment all have their proper place, but none of them were ever meant to become the believer’s resting place. Over time, the heart can become more occupied with staying guarded, avoiding compromise, and measuring spiritual safety than with simply beholding Christ Himself. Little by little, we can begin looking for evidence of grace more in our separation from error, our discernment, and what we reject, than in Christ Himself and His finished work. And when that happens, something within the soul slowly loses the liberty and peace that are found in Him alone. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.” Galatians 5:1.
At the same time, recognizing these dangers does not lessen the preciousness of truth itself. If anything, it makes the whole matter even more difficult, because the doctrine being defended often concerns the very Person and work of Christ Himself. Truth is not a secondary matter to the believer, because Christ Himself is not secondary. The gospel is not a religious opinion among many others, nor is doctrine merely a system of theological language to be debated and rearranged by men. God has revealed His Son, and apart from that revelation we have no hope at all. I John 5:12. His righteousness, His blood, His finished work, His resurrection, His glory - these are not small matters to the believer. They are life itself to those who believe. We contend for truth because we love Him who is the Truth. John 1:17.
For when Christ Himself becomes the believer’s righteousness and hope before God, such matters can no longer remain secondary or indifferent things. When men believe that Christ alone is their righteousness before God, it becomes impossible to remain indifferent to teachings that appear to diminish His glory or place the sinner back upon himself. Such matters touch something deeper than doctrinal correctness alone, because they concern the honor, sufficiency, and glory of Christ. Colossians 1:18.
This is what makes the whole matter so difficult and searching. Much of this spirit does not arise under the banner of indifference to truth, but on the contrary, beneath the sincere desire to defend the gospel of Christ. Jude 3. And if there is anything in this world worth defending, it is surely the glory of Christ and the grace of God revealed in Him. Scripture itself warns repeatedly concerning false gospels, false prophets, and corruptions of the truth. Galatians 1:6-9. II Peter 2:1. There are indeed times when error must be exposed plainly.
And yet, even here, the spirit in which truth is defended matters greatly. Truth itself is holy and precious, but the flesh is capable of attaching itself even to right doctrine. It is possible for truths concerning Christ and His gospel to be defended with a spirit that is fearful, suspicious, self-protective, and oppressive to the peace and liberty of other believers. And when that spirit begins to dominate, truth itself can slowly become associated more with fear and defensiveness than with the liberty, peace, and sufficiency that are found in Christ.
It is possible to sincerely defend truths which are precious while slowly becoming so occupied with guarding against error that fear, suspicion, and continual separation begin quietly shaping the heart more than Christ Himself. Over time, we may scarcely notice how spiritual guardedness and defensiveness have become part of the atmosphere in which we live, even while the truths themselves remain true and precious. “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” I Corinthians 8:1.
There is also another side to this which I think deserves compassion and understanding. Many of these brethren have spent years - sometimes entire lifetimes - defending what they sincerely believe to be the truth concerning Christ and His gospel. Over time, separation from perceived error often becomes deeply woven into their spiritual identity and understanding of faithfulness. At that point, reexamining some of those attitudes can feel almost impossible, because it may seem like questioning the very framework through which they have understood obedience to Christ for decades. And when I consider the wandering and instability I still find within my own heart, I feel little desire to speak harshly towards anyone. Galatians 6:1.
Another consideration which I have found myself thinking about more and more is the absolute sovereignty of God in the giving of light and understanding. Luke 24:45. No man naturally sees Christ rightly, and whatever understanding we possess concerning the Son of God has been freely given to us of God. Truth is not ultimately discovered by human wisdom, intellect, or sincerity. If a sinner beholds anything of the glory of Christ, it is because God has been pleased to reveal His Son unto him. Matthew 16:17. The Lord does not cast holy things indiscriminately before men who despise them. Matthew 7:6. And yet, if these things are true, then rather than producing pride, they ought to leave us humbled and astonished that any of us understand anything at all concerning Christ and His gospel. “Who maketh thee to differ from another?” I Corinthians 4:7.
And perhaps after considering all these things, we are brought back once more to the same place Scripture continually brings the believer - away from confidence in himself and back unto Christ alone. For even our discernment, our caution, our separation, and our zeal for truth remain deeply mixed with weakness, pride, fear, inconsistency, and much remaining corruption. If our peace before God finally rests there, the soul will never find settled rest. But Christ Himself remains unchanged. Hebrews 13:8. His righteousness remains perfect. His blood still speaks peace. His finished work does not fluctuate with the instability of our hearts and minds. Perhaps this is why the believer never outgrows his continual need to be brought out of himself and back unto Christ again and again. “Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.” Jonah 2:4.
These are deep waters, and I increasingly realize how difficult they are to navigate without drifting toward compromise, pride or confusion. Perhaps that is why the believer’s assurance can never safely rest in merely being “right,” sufficiently separated, or doctrinally guarded. All of those things, however sincere, fluctuate constantly and remain deeply mixed with weakness, pride, fear, instability, and much remaining corruption. “For we know in part.” I Corinthians 13:9. MPJ
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