Confronting Darkness

The Disappearing Doctrine of the Evangelical Church

"When sound doctrine is replaced with shallow teaching made up of humorous stories and opinions, you will find spiritual ignorance and biblical illiteracy in the pew."

This article, by Mike Gendron of Proclaiming The Gospel Ministries outlines one of the most destructive trends of the Church in our day - the disappearance of sound doctrine. The pulpits are filled with false "shepherds" who cater to the desires of men so that they don't offend anyone and keep their numbers inflated. They don't preach the truth regarding the Cross, holiness, separation from sin and the world, or anything else that would make people uncomfortable because they are either people-pleasers who love the praise of men rather than the praise of God, or they are wolves in sheep's clothing who are preaching deception to fulfill their own lust for power and wealth. Every true follower of Jesus Christ who attends a so-called church where this is happening should take a stand and confront this dishonoring of the name of God or come out from among them and be separate.

The importance of sound doctrine to the strength of the Church cannot be over-emphasized: "Sound doctrine divides and confronts, it judges and separates, it reproves and rebukes and it exposes and refutes error. It leads us from the broad way to the narrow way (Matt. 7:13-14). It commands us to submit to God and resist the devil (James 4:7). It exhorts us to discern between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error (I John 4:6). It demands that we turn away from evil and do good (I Peter 3:11). It tells us that our ways are not God's ways, nor are our thoughts His thoughts (Isa. 55:8). It warns us against exchanging the truth of God for a lie (Rom. 1:25). It guarantees that the righteous shall be blessed and the wicked shall perish."

Is it any wonder that so-called churches are in the sorry state they're in considering how they neglect the very thing that will make them strong and useful to the Lord.

"True Christians cannot continue to tolerate or ignore Satan's wicked schemes to weaken the Church. We must stand firmly on sound doctrine, heed the biblical warnings and live passionately for the truth so that Jesus Christ will be glorified and His church will grow in holiness and strength."