“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” … Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? (1 Corinthians 1:18-20 NIV)
How powerful is our God? Who dares to challenge Him? Can anyone outsmart God?
God considers the wisdom of this world to be foolish. It is just as the Scriptures say, “God catches the wise when they try to outsmart him.” (1 Corinthians 3:18-19 CEV)
Revealed
What of those who refuse to believe? What about churches that have grown large, because the truth is watered down and smooth things are preached, instead of a repentance? God is angry with all of such human substitutes for the truth.
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. (Romans 1:18-19 NIV)
What to Do
How should we react when some become traitors to historic Christianity, seem to care nothing for God’s word and substitute their own words? Should we echo the words of the Psalmist?
Seeing these traitors makes me sick at heart, because they care nothing for your word. (Psalm 119:158 NLT)
First of all, let’s ask what the Lord would say about those who pretend that their own words are the words of God? We don’t have to look far, because this is not a new thing.
“Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:30-32 NIV)
What Churches Must Do
Churches with leaders who reject the word of God, must remove them from office. In ancient Israel, the punishment was swift and unwavering, they were excommunicated from the faith community.
“But those who brazenly violate the Lord’s will, whether native-born Israelites or foreigners, have blasphemed the Lord, and they must be cut off from the community. Since they have treated the Lord’s word with contempt and deliberately disobeyed his command, they must be completely cut off and suffer the punishment for their guilt.” (Numbers 15:30-31 NLT)
This is not a new problem. The church has faced such people often throughout its history:
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. (2 John 10 NIV)
We are warned about such people:
… having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. (2 Timothy 3:1-5 NIV)
We should be merciful in excommunication, restoring them, encouraging them to take time to rethink their errors, with loving letters of reassurance and discussion with church leaders.
My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. (James 5:19-20 NIV)
Defend Scripture
Let’s not be afraid to stand up and defend Scripture.
I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. (Psalm 119:16 NIV)
Jude’s Advice
During the Protestant Reformation, we contended for the Scriptures. We believed Jude who admonished earlier Christians.
I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was ONCE FOR ALL entrusted to God’s holy people. (Jude 3 NIV)
Why did Jude feel compelled to write as he did?
For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have SECRETLY SLIPPED IN among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a LICENSE FOR IMMORALITY and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. (Jude 4 NIV)
Those who think that Sodom and Gomorrah’s only sins were oppressing the poor have perhaps not noticed this next verse.
In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to SEXUAL IMMORALITY and PERVERSION. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 7 NIV)
Ad-hominem becomes a logical argument when a person’s character is part of the problem. Unfaithful shepherds are part of the problem:
These people are BLEMISHES at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. (Jude 12-13 NIV)
Here is another ad-hominem comment from Jude:
These people are GRUMBLERS and FAULTFINDERS; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. (Jude 16 NIV)
Jude gives us some wonderful advice amidst the onslaught of deceptive rhetoric.
But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. (Jude 17-23 KJV)
Conclusion
This series has been about believing the testimony of the Holy Scriptures and to not wander from them. We can quibble, argue, adopt the philosophies and cultures of our age, and ride the wave of our own egotistical imaginations, but we cannot outsmart God or His Word.
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24-25 NKJV)
