If I could sit with you over coffee and we opened our Bibles to the text our pastors preached yesterday, could you walk me through the text and show me where it says and means what your pastor taught? Could I go to the text and do the same?
Many gather every week and hear the same recycled felt-need and therapeutic, man-centered messages. It feels personal. It seems he gets you. It feels like God is speaking right to you. How can it be wrong?
If the pastor begins with you, your need, your dreams, your desires, then he is not preaching Christ, His Word or what you truly need to hear. He is preaching you.
Does he begin with himself and stories about him woven all throughout his sermon or does he begin with Scripture and walk you verse by verse through it? Does he begin with you and what is personal to you or does he begin with Scripture?
One preaches you and feels good, the other preaches Christ and is faithful to the text and what you truly need. Shallow theology feels good to false converts but will never satisfy those with the Spirit who desire the Word of God faithfully taught.
The Danger of “Messages from God”
A pastor who claims he gets his messages directly from God is not being humble. If God really spoke to him and gave him that message, then it is authoritative and equal with Scripture. Pastors who claim God speaks to them weekly are not exercising discipline in studying the text—they are being lazy.
As R. C. Sproul writes:
“The Bible alone is our standard; no private revelation or vision can substitute for careful, faithful exposition of Scripture.”
When you begin to study your Bible correctly, you see the lack of discipline in those who seek a message from God outside the text, spark something in their hearts, and then search for verses to support it. They build a message, complete with personal stories, around their feelings. They lack discipline, humility, and faithfulness to the text, and they disobey God’s command to Preach the Word.
Christ loves His bride and He commands pastors to preach the Word!
The Deception of Felt Needs
Many are drawn to pastors who claim to receive messages straight from God. It feels personal. Their pastor seems to have a close relationship with God. The messages feel good and speak to their felt needs and desires. That is part of the deception.
As J. C. Ryle warned:
“Many are deceived by smooth words and flattering messages, yet the heart of the Word is neglected.”
The Pulpit as Example
Many will sit in a church for decades and never hear one sermon where God’s Word is faithfully exposited. They may never hear one book of the Bible taught systematically. They will never learn how to study their Bible correctly from the example of their pastor. The pulpit is an example of obedience or disobedience—it is an example of how we treat God’s Word.
The most purifying effect on the church is the Word of God faithfully exposited. It produces godliness, holiness, purity, love, and unity. The Holy Spirit works through God’s Word, rightly opened and proclaimed. Sound doctrine leads to sound living. Sound doctrine leads to high doxology. Sound doctrine is what the children of God crave, for it is God who has given them such a craving.
John Owen wrote:
“A right understanding of God’s Word is the chief instrument the Spirit uses to sanctify the soul.”
Love and Unity Rooted in Truth
If we seek love apart from truth, we can do nothing but corrupt it. If we seek unity apart from truth, we forsake truth for counterfeit unity.
From her inception, the early Church faced attacks from without and false teachers and false doctrines from within. We should not pretend that unity, love, and holiness come from ignoring doctrine or theology. Rather, we embrace the truth so that our unity is in the truth and our love is genuine, not counterfeit.
As R. C. Sproul reminds us:
“Love without truth is sentimentality; unity without truth is compromise.”
Warnings Are for Our Good
The “negatives” in Scripture are purifying for the church. Some of the most helpful passages about the early Church are what many today would call “negative.” Those passages bring clarity to the more “positive” passages. Those warnings are for our good. They help us recognize that the way to love and unity is not through abandoning doctrine, but by desiring truth that produces genuine love.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says:
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Embracing Contrasts in Scripture
I have come to love the contrasts—not only in the early Church but also in the Old Testament. There is beauty in those verses that we miss when we treat doctrine as the enemy of love and unity rather than the purifier of the church that produces authentic love and unity.
As John MacArthur notes:
“Doctrine is not a barrier to love—it is the foundation upon which true love stands.”
Psalm 119:105 reminds us:
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
If all our holiness is merely external—putting off and putting on, doing and not doing—then we are no better than the Pharisees.
If our righteousness is not that of perfection, then we are most to be pitied.
But if we stand in the righteousness of another—the righteousness of Christ—then though we are daily growing in sanctification, we stand justified before God.
If all our holiness—our growth in sanctification—is merely external, then we change not and profit nothing. Our holiness becomes performance. We can put off and put on and yet be none the better for it. But if that holiness made evident outwardly is the very work God is doing inwardly, then it is to the glory and praise of God. It is that which conforms us to the image of Christ.
The Means of Grace
God uses external means to work inwardly in the hearts and minds of His people—making them more like Christ. His Word. Suffering. The gathering of the saints. These are not mere outward performances to maintain or suffering to endure for a promise imagined in our hearts and attributed to God; they are the means of His grace, by which He changes and conforms His own to the image of His Son.
Many are exhausted by performance that they do not recognize as mere performance. They are never content with Christ—His finished work, His perfect sacrifice, His righteousness. Salvation, for some, is a launch pad into one’s desired dreams and what they imagine God wants for them.
Many who do not sit under the faithful exposition of Scripture begin to confuse justification and sanctification. In their striving to be holy, they fail to see that in Christ they are declared holy, perfectly justified before God. They confuse sanctification—growing in holiness—with becoming more justified, or with keeping their justification.
Oh dear saint, if you are in Christ, you cannot be more justified or less justified. You either are—or you are not. Our assurance is not looking to ourselves but remembering that who Christ is and what He has done is sufficient.
We are declared righteous in Christ. We are declared holy before God because Christ has made propitiation for our sins. He took upon Himself the holy, righteous wrath of God on our behalf, and He lived the righteous life we could not. Our sins were imputed to Him on the cross, and His perfect righteousness is imputed to us as if we had lived it ourselves. We are holy. We are righteous. We are justified. We can add nothing to this, and we can take nothing away.
Sanctification, then, is the work of God in us, conforming us more and more to the image of Christ. Though we are judicially declared righteous before God because of Christ, we still dwell in these sinful bodies. Yet now, we no longer love the sin we once loved. Our desires are being renewed. If we are in Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells in us, working in us to conform us more to His image. He employs the means of God’s grace—Scripture, suffering, fellowship with the saints, and other means—to accomplish this work.
While our justification is complete and judicial, our sanctification is ongoing. It does not add to our justification. When we sin, we repent and look to Christ, whose finished work on our behalf remains sufficient. In sanctification, we grow in holiness, hating the sins we once loved and loving the righteousness of God we once despised.
Doctrine and Division
Some have been taught that “doctrine is divisive.” Those words often come from the mouths of false teachers who despise what exposes them for what they truly are according to Scripture.
The truth is—we need sound doctrine. When we learn who God is, who we are, and the truth about justification and sanctification, there is peace, assurance, and joy—things false teachers rob from many. They must keep their followers biblically illiterate to maintain their power.
We cannot grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth if we downplay doctrine or call it divisive. Friend, desire truth. Be careful of any man who equates doctrine with division. While there are evil doctrines of false teachers, there is also sound doctrine. Not all doctrine is evil. We need good and sound doctrine whereby we grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth.
A Final Plea
I fear for you who stumble in doctrinal deception. You are taught that doctrine is divisive by those whose own doctrines are counterfeit and truly divisive. They claim to seek unity while setting themselves as superior to those who “care too much about doctrine”.
Christ calls us to His Word and has equipped us to test every teaching. We are responsible for whom we listen to. Our experiences are not the test—His Word is. Let us not wait until we give an account and be found unfaithful. Let us test all things according to His Word.
Friend, you have a doctrinal system. You have beliefs. Can they stand the test of Scripture? A great hindrance to our growth in sanctification is our loyalty to false teachers who have beguiled us. We will either continue to follow them and perhaps prove ourselves not truly saved, or we will follow the leading of the Holy Spirit who works through the sufficient Word of God rightly exposited.
Dear saint, while we are not yet what we shall be, we may be assured that He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion. He has declared us righteous in Christ, and He is working in us, making us more like Him—adding nothing to our justification—in our sanctification. While we are not yet glorified, we are perfectly justified and growing in sanctification, becoming more like Him. One day we shall put off this body of death and be forever with our Lord, glorified. Sin shall be no more.
Friend, we need sound doctrine. False teachers promise personal encounters, experiences, dreams, and the fulfillment of what your sinful heart desires—setting you against what God has truly promised. Suffering then becomes the enemy, keeping you from what you imagine God owes you. His Word becomes a tool to read into what you want to hear, or to affirm what you claim He spoke outside of Scripture.
Sound teachers are often accused of being “dead.” That is a grievous accusation, for to say they are dead is to claim they are without the Spirit—that they are not saved at all. The reality is that every beautiful means God has given to aid you in sanctification, false teachers corrupt. They turn your heart after a god who bears the name of the God of Scripture but is a counterfeit. They use His means of grace to draw you away from Him.
Learn to test everything against Scripture. Throw out that which fails the test. Hold fast to that which is good. And may you grow in the grace and knowledge of the truth.
“Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” — John 17:17 (LSB)
As one weeps tears of joy at the grace of God demonstrated in the life of one dead in sin and now alive in Christ, ought not our hearts also be deeply grieved when we see large numbers gathering around a message that promises life and peace but is powerless to save?
There is a real desire to see people saved, but there is also a real demonstration of misunderstanding who God is and what the Gospel truly teaches.
John Owen wrote:
“Conversion is the work of God alone; all human effort to manufacture it by manipulation is vain and wicked.”
The Danger of a Man-Centered Jesus
We can stir people into an emotional state, making them think they feel God’s presence, and present a god almost no one would reject. He is reduced to a Jesus who wants to make my life better, give me a better future, and help me overcome struggles. This is the Jesus of many pulpits, conferences, and revivals—but he is not the Jesus of the Bible.
Jonathan Edwards reminds us:
“The natural man delights in a God who suits his desires, but true religion teaches us the glory and majesty of God above all things.”
Truth Over Emotional Highs
We are often too quick to rejoice, when instead we should be careful with the soul that is dead in sin. That person does not need an emotional experience or cheerleaders—they need to know who God is and who they are, they need the truth, they need the Gospel, and they need faithful ministers who trust God to save.
Numbers and “highs” do not equal salvation.
The Temptation to Manipulate
If we seek a high from “getting people saved,” we may emotionally manipulate, appeal to sinful desires, or promise a Jesus who only meets felt needs. People may feel like they are going to heaven, and we may feel like we have done great things for God—but in reality, we misrepresent God: His holiness, justice, grace, wrath, and mercy.
Charles Spurgeon said:
“It is better to save one soul by truth than to deceive a hundred with feeling.”
It is far better to be patient with one man than to lead a hundred to believe they are saved when they are not, some of whom will go out and make false converts themselves.
Biblical Illiteracy and the Powerless Pulpit
The demonstration of Biblical illiteracy is often most evident in how professing Christians love, speak, and share the Gospel. A powerless pulpit produces weak, Biblically illiterate Christians and false converts who themselves make false converts. Numbers do not always demonstrate spiritual health.
2 Timothy 4:2 reminds us:
“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”
Can God use what is otherwise contrary—against—Him, a counterfeit that takes a form or appearance as good and draws men away from God in His name? Yes, God can sovereignly use even what is evil, false, or counterfeit to accomplish His purposes. But that never validates, endorses, or gives credibility to the teaching, teachers, or movements that oppose Him.
The Danger of Mixture
Can that which unites what is pure with that which is impure—holy with the unholy, true with the counterfeit—work together to bring about final results that are pure, holy, and true? No. Mixture always corrupts. If there is a mission or movement where the true and counterfeit work together, where they find overlapping common ground, it will not produce pure results. It cannot remain uncorrupted.
When the holy name of Christ is placed alongside that which is counterfeit in an effort to work on “common good” in His name, this is nothing less than a form of ecumenism.
John Owen warned:
“The mixture of anything human with divine institutions, though it seems to add beauty to the eye of man, is abominable to God.”
The Temptation to Lower God’s Standard
Scripture gives clear commands. Yet we often set those commands aside because they get in the way of our own desires—desires we convince ourselves are good. We create separate categories so that we may apply God’s commands when convenient, and ignore them when inconvenient.
Like the Pharisees, we adopt our own standards to appear—or convince ourselves what we are doing is—pleasing to God while lowering His commands to something we can achieve. But God has not called us to obey man-made standards; He has called us to submit to His Word.
Mark and Avoid False Teachers
What does Romans 16:17 say? What does it mean?
It does not say, “Mark and share platforms with false teachers as long as you are allowed to say whatever you want to say.”
It says:
“Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause dissensions and stumblings contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” (Romans 16:17, LSB)
Rabbit trail: I listened to a sermon recently by John MacArthur on Matthew 5:20. That verse used to trouble me. I didn’t understand how my righteousness could ever exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. It seemed to call me to work harder and try harder. But I couldn’t reconcile that with the truth that I am saved by the finished work of Christ and not by my works. My theology was shallow, and my understanding of God was shaped more by experiences than by Scripture. Yet Scripture always had a way of confronting me.
MacArthur explained that the Pharisees added commands not revealed in Scripture, lowering God’s standard to something achievable.
It is easy for us to point at the Pharisees without realizing that we may be guilty of the same error. It is also easy to call out others who are doing something similar in the present moment while failing to examine our own hearts. (We’ll revisit this rabbit trail later).
The Example of a Lowered Standard
Currently, a Christian apologist—Alisa Childers—has stated that she will be open to invites where she may be platformed alongside false teachers, as long as she can say whatever she wants.
Her justification is that she will only accept these invites if she can say whatever she wants. But that is not a standard set by Scripture. It is a man-made standard that she can fulfill, but one that stands contrary to God’s commands.
We must ask: are we setting standards that we can live up to, or are we submitting to God’s clear Word? By what standard are we obeying? (To be clear, I am not calling Alisa a Pharisee. I am simply pointing out the danger for all of us when we substitute our own standards in place of God’s.)
The Importance of Biblical Convictions
Matthew Henry wrote concerning Romans 16:17:
“How earnest, how endearing are these exhortations! Whatever differs from the sound doctrine of the Scriptures, opens a door to divisions and offences. If truth be forsaken, unity and peace will not last long. Many call Christ, Master and Lord, who are far from serving him. But they serve their carnal, sensual, worldly interests. They corrupt the head by deceiving the heart; perverting the judgments by winding themselves into the affections. We have great need to keep our hearts with all diligence. It has been the common policy of seducers to set upon those who are softened by convictions. A pliable temper is good when under good guidance, otherwise it may be easily led astray. Be so wise as not to be deceived, yet so simple as not to be deceivers.”
Passion for Unity and the Call for Division
John Piper comments on the same passage:
“The second command in verse 17 is to avoid these people. The last phrase in the verse: ‘Avoid them.’ Stay away from them. Now the reason I said these two commands sound contradictory is that the first one is driven by a passion for unity: Watch out for those who cause divisions. And the second one is, in fact, a call for division. When you spot such a division-causing person, divide from him. Avoid him.”
A Continual Command
The word “avoid” is an imperative—a command—in the present tense. That means it calls for continual obedience. This is not an overreaction; it is God’s will to maintain the purity of the Gospel and to protect Christ’s bride.
When we compare Scripture with Scripture, looking at passages that command us to ‘be separate’ and to not even greet false teachers—lest we take part in their wicked works—it becomes increasingly clear how vital it is to maintain the purity of the Gospel, unity in the truth, and the glory of God.
Christ loves His bride.
J.C. Ryle once wrote:
“Compromise is the most unsatisfactory policy in dealing with false doctrine. Truth, mixed with error, is no better than outright error itself.”
The Marks of False Teachers
In this passage, Paul identifies false teachers with strong language:
They cause division. They create obstacles. They act and teach contrary to the doctrine taught.
Such people are enemies of the Gospel. They love to sit alongside those who proclaim the truth in order to appear trustworthy. Purity is not maintained through compromise.
Presuming to Know Better Than God
By disobeying this verse—even partly—by marking them but failing to avoid them—we effectively sit alongside wolves and take part in their wicked works (2 John 10–11). In doing so, we presume that we know better than God.
But God has clearly commanded: mark them and avoid them. Why would we think that marking them without avoiding them will please Him, no matter how noble our intentions may seem?
We do not know better than God.
Christ Our Perfect Righteousness
Returning to our rabbit trail:
If we are to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, as Jesus said we must (Matt. 5:20), we will either land in pride or despair. Either we foolishly point to our works and lower God’s standard, or we despair, realizing we cannot meet it.
This is why theology matters, even for those truly regenerate. If we do not understand the imputed righteousness of Christ or have a clear understanding of the difference in justification, sanctification and glorification, we may begin to rely once again upon our works. Whereas, Matthew 5:20 points us to Christ. It demands the perfect righteousness we cannot achieve and to the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed to all who are justified in Him.
Dear saint, this verse is a terrifying reminder of how sinful we are, but also a beautiful reminder of God’s grace. Our sins were imputed to Christ when He bore God’s wrath in our place, and His perfect righteousness is imputed to us, whereby we are justified in Christ. We are sanctified and we are being sanctified.
Roman Catholicism corrupts this. Mormonism corrupts this.
Why Purity of the Gospel Matters
This is why we must not join with those who proclaim a different Jesus and another gospel, no matter how noble we believe our intentions to be. They pervert the beauty of the gospel revealed in Christ Jesus.
We must maintain the purity of the Gospel and remain separate.
Unity and Division That Glorify God
Romans 16:17 does not exist to make us suspicious of everyone we meet. Rather, it is a verse meant to protect true unity in the truth and to guard the purity of the Gospel.
It is not “negative for the sake of being negative.” It protects. It purifies. It glorifies God.
In this single verse (Romans 16:17), we see:
The importance of true unity. The necessity of sound doctrine. The call to identify enemies of the truth. The place of healthy division for the sake of the Gospel’s purity.
True unity is unity in the truth. False unity—unity at the expense of truth—is no unity at all.
Change is not always easy for us. Even changes that may be good can feel difficult, and we often struggle with them. But what if it is not the external changes that ought to capture our attention? What if the greater changes are what God is doing in us, and the external changes are the means He uses to produce greater holiness and Christ-likeness? What if those external changes are what He is using to sanctify, purify, and unify His bride—all for His glory?
Change can be painful, but what may be most beautiful is what God works in us through it.
What we see as disruptions to our lives and our plans, we must remember, God is providentially working all things out according to His sovereign will.
Elisabeth Elliot rightly said:
“God will withhold nothing from you that will make you more like Christ.”
R. C. Sproul adds a similar reminder:
“God’s providence is meticulous; nothing happens to us outside of His sovereign plan, and everything He ordains works for our ultimate sanctification.”
Romans 8:28-30 (LSB) reminds us:
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers; and those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified.”
“‘Emboldened obedience’ refers to acting with courage and confidence in response to a known command or authority, particularly within a religious context. It is a proactive, courageous form of compliance, as opposed to passive or reluctant submission.”
A Grievous Shift
It has been grievous for me to witness a well-known and influential apologist—Alisa Childers—change her convictions. What were once tethered to Scripture, rightly interpreted and applied, are now untethered from its commands. She has justified her new conviction to share platforms with false teachers if she can say whatever she wants (in a recent video) as “a matter of conscience.”
Sadly, one can’t help but notice that in her recent posts and videos—pertaining to her change in conviction—there is the obvious absence of Scripture to support her new convictions.
Multiple articles and videos have been released warning the body of Christ with sincere love and concern, noting how this shift has the potential to confuse and mislead the sheep.
A Personal Reflection
I want to acknowledge this: I have benefited greatly from Alisa’s ministry. From 2020 onward, I learned much from her teaching and discernment. I haven’t followed her content as closely in recent years, so I cannot say whether there were signs of this shift before now. But this recent change is stark and surprising—especially since her platform has been built on discernment.
From her own podcast:
“Identify the core beliefs of historic Christianity, discern its counterfeits, and proclaim the gospel with clarity, kindness, and truth.”
I even have a hoodie from her store that bears the words: Identify. Discern. Proclaim.
Her new conviction, however, undermines all three and is contrary to the sufficiency and clear commands in Scripture.
Conscience Bound To Scripture
This new conviction is not tethered to Scripture, but to her own desires, which she feels justified in following. She has effectively removed herself from the commands of Scripture she once upheld, effectively declared them non-binding, and instead left the matter to her conscience.
But Scripture is clear: our conscience must be bound by the Word of God. Where Scripture gives explicit commands, it is not a “matter of conscience.” To disregard those commands is not freedom—it is disobedience.
Reaching Out
I reached out to Alisa on X. I sought to be gracious, using the very methods I learned from her and other apologists. I brought Scripture to bear on her conscience through thoughtful questions rather than accusations.
That exchange (under Amy Spreeman’s comment), however, did not go as I had hoped.
When I asked her how her new convictions could be reconciled with the commands of Scripture—providing multiple passages—she offered no biblical defense. Nor did she provide any Scriptures to show her new conviction in alignment with God’s Word.
Instead, in her recent posts on Facebook and X, she appeals largely to emotional reasoning and personal experience as evidence that her convictions must be of God. A couple of times I have even seen her invoke the name of John MacArthur in defense of her position.
But even if MacArthur—who has been a faithful minister and defender of the Gospel—had ever leaned toward a decision that could seem to support her view, that would not settle the matter. Man is not our standard—Scripture is!
Once we untether ourselves from the clear commands of Scripture and begin to justify our decisions by experience or by appealing to the example of another leader, we risk sounding far more like the very false teachers we staunchly oppose—even if we continue to call them out.
Emboldened Disobedience
“Emboldened obedience” sounds noble. But if we are emboldened to disobey clear commands of God, then what are we truly obeying? It is not Scripture.
This moment highlights a sobering reality: it is not only wolves who lead the sheep astray. Even faithful leaders and influencers—those who for a time guarded the sheep from wolves—can themselves err in such a way that others are drawn into error by loyalty and emotional appeal.
Scripture’s Clear Warning
Alisa has indeed warned against false teachers, and in many ways still does. But her new conviction—stating she will share platforms with false teachers if invited—is not “emboldened obedience.” It is a direct violation of God’s Word.
We cannot untether ourselves from clear biblical commands and then claim it is “all by God’s grace.”
Jesus said in John 10:11–12:
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.”
Paul also warns in Romans 16:17:
“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.”
And in 2 John 9–11:
“Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”
Paul also makes it unmistakably clear in 2 Corinthians 6:14–15:
“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?”
And the very next verses press the point further with God’s call to holiness:
“Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Cor. 6:17–18)
A Word of Encouragement
Dear saint, do not be discouraged. Take heart. Learn to study the Scriptures for yourself so that you may discern truth from error. When someone we love and respect errs, we do not support or encourage them in that error. We expose it—for their sake and for the sake of others.
And let us beware: “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).
Please pray that Alisa would consider the warnings of those who care for her and those who are following her that they would test all things according to Scripture, that she’d repent, and obey the clear commands in Scripture.
Have you ever heard, “Jesus does not want religion; He wants relationship?” How did we come to that conclusion? Did we assume it was true? Why? Is it true that Jesus does not like religion?
“True religion is not a matter of form but of power; it is the heart aligned with God, not merely the practice of outward rites.” ~ John Owen
Scripture Does Not Support This Dichotomy
Scripture does not lead us to this conclusion. It is not a matter of relationship or religion. Framing it this way creates a false dichotomy. It is both.
“The life of a Christian is a religious life, but it is also a life of intimate fellowship with God. To separate the two is to misunderstand both.” ~ R.C. Sproul
True vs. False Religion
The real contrast is not religion versus relationship but true versus false religion (James 1:27). Scripture distinguishes between true and false religion, not between relationship and religion as though they are opposed.
“Religion without the spirit of God is empty; relationship without truth is delusion.” ~ John MacArthur
Everyone Has a Relationship With God
We also need to consider that the original claim assumes some are neutral while others have a relationship with God. The truth is that everyone has a relationship with God. The question is: What kind of relationship do we have with God?
Either we are enemies of God, or we are born-again children of God. No one is neutral.
“All men are in relation to God, but only the elect are in covenant with Him through Christ.” ~ Jonathan Edwards
The Danger of Christian Clichés
When we hear Christian clichés such as, “Jesus wants relationship, not religion,” they may make us feel good, but we must ask: Is it Biblical? While such claims may sound appealing, they can lead to unbiblical beliefs and practices.
“A lie wrapped in a pleasing phrase can be more dangerous than blunt falsehood; it seduces the mind before the conscience can warn.” ~ Charles Spurgeon
The Subtle Work of False Teachers
When false teachers create this dichotomy, it is often a subtle effort to turn your heart against the truth and toward trusting them and your feelings. It also positions you to distrust those who use Scripture to warn of error. The false teacher appears close to God, while those warning against them are labeled as having a “religious spirit.”
“False teachers often appeal to emotion and experience over Scripture; discernment requires a return to God’s Word as the ultimate authority.” ~ J.I. Packer
Have we stopped to ask why the false teacher is willing to be platformed alongside those otherwise doctrinally sound? What motivation could they have? What is in it for them?
False teachers do not share platforms with sound teachers to reason from Scripture together. They share platforms with sound teachers to make themselves appear trustworthy and to further lead precious souls away from the truth and exploit them. They may agree with everything the sound teacher says and give an appearance of fidelity to the truth. But their intentions are not pure.
You may believe you are sharing the platform with them to rebuke and correct them, while they share the platform with you to use you to gather more followers to prey upon. They don’t readily reveal their false doctrines or their true motives. They agree with you. They affirm what you say. They gaslight. They are master deceivers. They show unity. When they walk away, they’ve gained more vulnerable souls to “care for”—exploit—and lead away with their false teachings.
Sharing platforms with false teachers is not wise or for the benefit of the lost. It is leading them to those who intend to devour them.
“Unity without the truth is hazardous. It is not simply an amicable arrangement but a betrayal of Christ.” ~ J. C. Ryle
An Honest Comparison: Parents and Children
Would we share a platform with someone who we knew had dangerous intentions toward children? Even if they looked kind on the outside? Even if they shared some of our same morals and political views? If a person flattered our children, played kindly with them, and outwardly agreed with the parents—while secretly intending to exploit or harm them—would a wise parent share a platform with them giving the appearance that this person is trustworthy with children? What does that communicate to that vulnerable child?
Of course not. It doesn’t matter how polite or agreeable that person seems in front of the family. Allowing such a person access to our children would not be love; it would be negligence.
“The devil does not tempt unbelievers and gross sinners to run into false doctrine, for they are already his own; but he employs this stratagem against those who have escaped his snares.” — John Owen
The Parallel
Why then would we share a platform with those whose teaching is antithetical to the Gospel and who prey on the vulnerable—those who lead precious souls after false gods and a different Jesus? If a person’s stated methods or intentions toward the lost are to point people away from the true Gospel, granting them the credibility of a shared platform is the spiritual equivalent of inviting a hidden predator into the nursery.
“To pursue union at the expense of truth is treason to the Lord Jesus.” — Charles Spurgeon
Discernment and Evangelistic Integrity
If our mission is to evangelize the lost, we should not share a platform with those whose mission only appears similar. If someone’s goal is to gather crowds but they are not pointing to the same God or the same Gospel message, then platform-sharing becomes complicity in their deception—not a ministry to the lost.
“If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting,for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.” 2 John 10-11
“Sound doctrine is the life-blood of the church. A careless attitude toward it is not humility but betrayal.” ~ R. C. Sproul
A Final Word
Platform-sharing can give false teachers credibility, access, and opportunities to exploit. Protect the flock. Care for the vulnerable as a parent cares for a child. Evangelize with courage—but with discernment and integrity.
“Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you exhorting that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” Jude 3-4
In times of uncertainty, many are afraid. What we believe is tested and has in recent years shown the bankruptcy and shallowness of much theology coming from many pulpits. Others, when cultural moments seem to offer “highs,” are eager to ride the wave. Yet what we do not need are those who withdraw from biblical conviction, nor those who compromise conviction.
God is providentially working all things out according to His sovereign will (Ephesians 1:11). He does not call us to act according to the moment, but to remain faithful and obedient, acting according to His Word and will. What we need are men and women who remain consistent and steadfast, faithful in the truth.
“Our faith rests not on shifting sands of human opinion, but on the immovable rock of God’s promises.” — John Owen
Lessons from 2020
In 2020, many Christians were shaken. Our language was often hijacked and used against us. Yet there were men and women who remained steadfast and faithful in the truth. They were not shaken but courageous. They called us back to the truth, rebuked those who taught falsehood and compromised, corrected error, and God worked through their faithfulness as they proclaimed the truth, corrected error, and obeyed His Word.
It was not them we boast of, but God’s grace toward us: He has given us His unchanging Word and has raised up those He called and gifted to proclaim it amid times of what seemed uncertain. What felt uncertain to us was never uncertain to God.
If we look to the world, things will appear unstable. But we do not look to the world—we look to God. He is our sure and steady anchor (Hebrews 6:19). He is sovereign. He is God!
“The providence of God is the pillow upon which the child of God rests his head.” — Charles H. Spurgeon
The Temptation to Compromise Convictions
Now we live in a cultural moment that seeks to lead us into compromising once strongly held biblical convictions. The moment seems to demand it. But does God?
This cultural “high” will come down, and when it does, the damage will be revealed. Where will we be found standing?
As we saw after 2020 many pastors compromised. They followed the way of the world. They brought it into the church. They rebuked those who stood firmly in the truth. They stood—and many remain standing—in opposition to God. Christ loves His bride and He does not take lightly those who prostitute her for their own purposes. We do not win the world through compromise but through faithfulness to God and trust that He is who He says He is and He will do what He says He will do.
How can we prevent such damage as a result of compromise? By examining our response. Are we remaining faithful and steadfast in the truth? Are we trusting God? Are we consistent? If not, why not?
Do we trust that God is sovereign over this moment? Do we believe that God is sovereign in salvation? Do we act as though souls will perish unless we compromise biblical convictions? Can God not save unless we bend to cultural pressure?
“The gospel is not helped by human invention; it is injured by it. Our business is to preach the gospel, not to improve upon it.” — C.H. Spurgeon
The Folly of Compromise
How is compromise in this moment any different from the megachurch that casts aside the Bible, engages in vulgar entertainment, or preaches man-centered messages under the guise of reaching the lost?
Compromise never produces the fruit we convince ourselves it will. God is still sovereign. In this life we will face many moments that tempt us to compromise biblical convictions. Yet it is not those who compromise that glorify God or reveal trust in Him. It is those who remain faithful and steadfast—even if accused of not doing enough.
Since when is proclaiming the Gospel, rebuking and correcting error (2 Timothy 4:2), discipling the saints, and faithfully evangelizing not enough?
“The Church of Christ is not to be judged by the world’s standards of success, but by her faithfulness to the Word of God.” — Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Trusting God with the Increase
We do not have to “seize the moment” by compromising biblical conviction in order to care for the lost. What we must do is remain faithful, steadfast, and trusting God to bring the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6–7).
God is sovereign. The same God who reigns in times of stability reigns in times of uncertainty and He reigns in times of highs that seek to shipwreck our faith as well as lows that reveal its beauty. He calls His people to faithfulness, not compromise. And in the end, He will be glorified through steadfast obedience to His Word.
An Exhortation
The gospel must be kept pure. We must be careful of anything in the world that pressures us toward compromise. Christ loves His bride. He knows what we need, and He will not lose a single one of His own (John 6:39). We need not fear that if we refuse to compromise, souls will perish. Instead, we should fear that by compromising biblical conviction, we will do lasting damage—through disobedience and a lack of trust in the sovereignty of God and in His unfolding providence.
Leaving Beyond - Grounded In Scripture 