Doctrine, Separation and Neutralization

Duane Gallentine

The Word of God reveals a resounding characteristic of truth that is trans-dispensational. Though many know that the Word of God gives spiritual light, comfort, hope, and promise, most who study the Bible, profess faith in God, and advance His causes are ignorant of this intended working of God's revelation (doctrine). This working of God's revelation is SEPARATION.

In times past, when God called Israel to be His People above other people on earth, He did so by separating them through a particular deposit of Truth. Leviticus 20:22-26 makes it clear that God separated and severed Israel from other people so they might be His possession and keep all of God's statutes and judgments founded in the Law.

Israel was to keep and do the commands of God, thereby showing wisdom and understanding in the sight of the nations--Deuteronomy 4:5-8. It was through the means of God's truth deposited unto them that He separated and severed Israel from all other people. The Truth of God for Israel caused separation of which God approved. If Israel was to maintain her position before God as "a holy nation" separated unto God for His purposes, all they had to do was keep and do the body of Truth committed unto them. The Truth deposited did the separation. It must be understood that God's doctrine manifests light upon darkness (error). It always has and always will be this way, regardless of man's opinion.

In Galatians 2, we find Paul refuting the error and false teaching within the churches of Galatia (the Body of Christ) by saying "No, not for an hour;" (Galatians 2:5). In saying "no" based upon the revelation of Truth (doctrine) committed unto him, Paul caused a great dissension and disputation.

There was an evident separation between his teaching the Galatians (a.k.a. the Gospel of the Uncircumcision-Gal 2:7/Greek = allos gospel-Gal 1:7) and the teaching of the false brethren who crept in and taught another (Greek = heteros-Gal 1:6) gospel (a.k.a. the Gospel of the Circumcision-Gal 2:7). The Truth of God for the Body of Christ caused separation. God approved of this and Paul was willing to "fight the good fight of faith" so that the Truth might continue with the saints.

There is a Biblical method of maintaining the Truth of God for our Dispensation of Grace. In Paul's ministry and writings we find this God approved method of separating from false teaching and teachers.

The Biblical policy of separation is four-fold: Restoration, Rejection, Repentance, and Return. Let us comprehend a basic premise from which to examine this four-fold policy. For us today when we speak of doctrine for the church which is Christ's Body, we mean the Sound Doctrine as committed unto Paul the apostle of/to the Gentiles which reveals Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the Mystery.

This Sound Doctrine NEVER causes division. Sound Doctrine is the catalyst for separation, but it never causes division of the Body of Christ. Romans 16:17 is very clear,

"Now I (Paul) beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them." [emphasis mine]

To this current hour, the only reason why the Body of Christ is divided into hundreds of denominations, isms, and schisms is that believers are CONTRARY to the doctrine which Paul preached. To mend this division, all we must do is for the Body of Christ to listen to Paul.

Restoration.... Galatians 6:1
Rejection...Titus 3:9-11
Repentance...2 Timothy 2:24-26
Return...2 Corinthians 2:7-11

This is the Biblical method whereby one can maintain the present Truth under the example and guidance of our Apostle. To deviate is to follow after human logic. Many, even most, have done so and have fallen into a genuine fallacy involving a pseudo spirituality.

Today we have within the Christian church an elusive, hard-to-define movement known as New Evangelicalism. This hybrid of Christianity is hard to identify for those who are without the Sword of the Spirit rightly divided. Since the subject of this paper concerns separation, let us focus upon this one important aspect of New Evangelicalism. Dr. Harold John Ockenga, the father of New Evangelicalism, describes the attitudes of new evangelicals concerning separation. He said, "The New Evangelicalism has changed its strategy from one of separation to one of infiltration. Instead of static front battles, the new theological war is one of movement. Instead of attack upon error, the New Evangelicals proclaim the great historic doctrines of Christianity."

In handling error and false teaching in the church, the New Evangelical has replaced the old Biblical method of maintaining Truth, and now prefers a new method; a method of infiltration.

INFILTRATION

This policy is a deliberate attempt to change the errorist and recall him to the perceived truth by sticking with him and permeating him, as it were, with the truth as they see it. But in the nature of such process there is a...

TOLERATION:
Because New Evangelicals are committed to being positive rather than negative and to infiltration rather than to separation, it follows very logically that they would have to tolerate both the false teaching and the one who advocates it. [NOTE: Standing in defense of the Truth and attacking/exposing the error within the church is considered negative by the evangelicals]. This could span years even decades, until such a time that the positive truth thoroughly permeates the negative error and changes it to what it ought to be. But this plan neglects human nature and is not functional. Things can not and will not work out as anticipated and toleration breeds...
ACCOMMODATION:
With the errorist and his error being tolerated in the church and given standing side by side with the truth, people become more and more comfortable with the error and its advocate. Because clear lines have not been drawn by men contending for the truth, people are lead into...
COOPERATION:
Because error has been tolerated, given a standing in the church, and people having lived with it so long, it (doctrinal error) doesn't bother them anymore. They are comfortable with the error and those who profess the same party line.
If there are any supporters of the Truth left, they note that the errorists aren't so much different from themselves. Excuses often come that the errorist is preaching the basic gospel, people are getting saved, and there is greater activity in the church. So, what could be wrong with working with the errorist in those areas in which one agrees with him? This intimate involvement (fellowship) with the errorist spreads the...
CONTAMINATION:
Those who once started out to 'hold the fort' and infiltrate, find themselves contaminated with the error. Involvement with the errorist has given him the right to proclaim his false teaching in the church. The errorist is accepted as a brother and communed with. They work side by side for the sake of the Lord as though they approve of him.
They do not admit that they have been contaminated, but that they have just rearranged their priorities and are now emphasizing the proper spiritual things. Indignation sets in when someone suggests that they have changed, but this is the evidence of...
CAPITULATION:
This means a surrender of the truth, which is then supplanted by the error that was tolerated. The truth is obscured and denied. Now error is defended and lauded as truth. The resting-place of New Evangelicalism is...
NEUTRALIZATION:
This is the end result of the new method of the New Evangelicals. The downward trail of apostasy was greased with human logic. This human viewpoint thought 'it' had a better way to handle error and false teaching within the Body of Christ.
Satan's snare has carefully closed upon the saint. The Devil's fiery dart has hit the mark and burned the conscience. They are insensitive to God's method of maintaining His Truth: SEPARATION!!

Thus, the end result is that the church is ever learning, and never able to come to the full knowledge of the Truth. And tragedy above tragedies is that the Body of Christ moves to resist the truth of the Pauline revelation.

They follow Peter instead of Paul. They look for Israel's Kingdom on earth instead of the Heavenly Places. They follow the Law instead of living under Grace. They claim and try to perform Israel's promises instead of rejoicing in the riches of the glory of the Mystery Paul preached.

Instead of being the pillar and the ground of the Truth, the place where sinners and saints can find the Truth for this present Dispensation of God, the church is an empty structure filled with human logic and effort and carnal observances.

It should always be the hope of the those who know the Word of Truth rightly divided that they may be instruments of God used to restore brothers in the Lord who are overcome in Doctrinal error. Doctrinal error is the basis for personal error.

If we can not remove the error from the errorist by doing it God's way (2 Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:9), we must separate ourselves from him and his error. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 6:14;

"BE YE NOT UNEQUALLY YOKED TOGETHER WITH UNBELIEVERS: FOR WHAT FELLOWSHIP HATH RIGHTEOUSNESS WITH UNRIGHTEOUSNESS? AND WHAT COMMUNION HATH LIGHT WITH DARKNESS?"

We have the right Book: The King James Bible; the right message: The Gospel of the Grace of God; and let us have the right spirit (Ephesians 4:15) so that we can maintain the Truth we have, recover more of the understanding of the Pauline revelation, and apply God's wisdom as found in the Word of Truth rightly divided so we might walk worthy of our calling into the Heavenly Places.