"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." {1 John 4:1}

During the past decade, I've read, listened to Bible discussions and sermons, and watched with concern the direction in which some of my fellow preachers are moving. I believe that there have always been issues that caused division among brethren. Yet, among some very knowledgeable men, inconsistent reasoning has surfaced in the area of false teaching and dealing with false teachers.

A few years ago, following a discussion among gospel preachers, one of them concluded: "Yes, I know what he is teaching is error. Still, because of his many faithful years of service in the kingdom, we cannot cut off our fellowship with him." This understanding did not come from a novice but from a seasoned, well-known gospel preacher. Where lies the problem? Men have started contending for other men instead of for the faith! "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." {Jude 3}

I've only been preaching for 18 years, and to be honest, I'm at a loss to understand my brother's reasoning. Some desire to separate the "false teaching" from the "false teacher." However, before false doctrine can be taught, someone must teach it! If, on a particular subject, a man teaches contrary to the truth, what kind of teacher does that make him--on that subject? How can we maintain fellowship with such men and not come into conflict with plain Bible passages? (Matthew 7:15-20; Ephesians 5:11; 2 John 9-11)

For the record, I've never met a teacher who claimed to be a false teacher! While I am alarmed at the casual way in which many use the term "false teacher," let us not throw out the baby with the bath water! We must be able to prove such accusations with the scriptures. Before accusing a man, do we have in order the facts concerning him and the doctrine he's taught? Personally, before concluding that a man is a false teacher, I always try to contact him to clarify his position and teaching. Could he have been misunderstood? Could he say things in a different way that would eliminate any misunderstanding about what he's teaching?

Brethren, THE ISSUE IS NOT how much good a man has done for the Lord, how many years he's served in the kingdom, or how large a number he may have brought into the kingdom! The message is, and always has been, more important than the messenger. What a preacher teaches, and what he causes others to believe are serious matters. How much ERROR does a man have to preach before he becomes a false teacher? Let me answer with another question. How much error does one have to believe to be lost? Think about it.