“… Lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?” (Jeremiah 8:9)
There are tolerable and intolerable theological differences. One’s views on the timing of the rapture, or the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or even on “eternal security,” should not keep us from being able to recognize each other as brethren and receive from each other where we can. But there are other differences that must cause outright rejection. To call one’s self a believer and a disciple of Christ and to abandon the clear-cut teaching of scripture on sodomy and the murder of innocent babies is an incompatibility that disqualifies one not only as a true believer but also as any kind of minister.
It is not the world that we are to judge. The world is already judged. We are to exercise judgment in the house of God.
Saul discovered that when he rejected fidelity to the word of God, God rejected him. “Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” (1 Sam. 15:23) The wrath of God is coming upon the children of disobedience. But judgment must first begin at the house of God. A time of separation is at hand. Those who are true to God and His Word must be willing to be deemed hateful and horrible people because we stand in judgment of others. But it is not the world that we are to judge. The world is already judged. We are to exercise judgment in the house of God. And this means that we tell those who believe and walk contrary to the clear teaching of scripture that we have no fellowship with them. We deem them reprobate and are uninterested in anything they have to say.
In this day of gross darkness it is time for God’s true saints to arise and shine.
This communication is not done in hatred; it is done in love. It is done because their souls are in jeopardy. It is done because they have deceived themselves that they are right with God. When the Lord returns He will separate out from His kingdom all who work iniquity and all who cause others to stumble. The Lord’s day of reckoning is at hand. In this day, the Lord’s true servants are to be watchman who warn the wicked to repent of their evil. Those who walk in the light are to have no fellowship with those who walk in the darkness because God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. We are to be His true witnesses, whether men like what we say or not.
In this day of gross darkness it is time for God’s true saints to arise and shine. The light we shine is meant to reprove the darkness. This darkness has infiltrated the church. It is time that the true church arises and declares that such will no longer be tolerated. Intolerance can be a very holy thing.