Exposing Error

Dan Flournoy wrote this piece which appeared in the May 1973 edition of the "Christian Courier", published by the East Main Street Church of Christ in Stockton, California and edited by Wayne Jackson.

Exposing error has never been a pleasant task. Yet, it has always been a necessity. God's messengers, even of old were called upon to expose the false doctrines of men (Isaiah 58:1; Titus 1:9-11). Some, rather than to "reprove, rebuke and exhort with all long suffering and doctrine (II Timothy 4:2), would preach the smooth things (Isaiah 30:9). While Jude would have preferred to write about the common salvation, he found it necessary to exhort the brethren to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3).

God has placed his "watchmen" upon the walls of spiritual Zion to warn the wicked that they might be saved (Ezekiel 3:17; II Timothy 4:1-4). Gospel preachers and godly elders have a responsibility to sound out the warning before digression and apostasy overrun the people of God (Titus 1:9-14; I Timothy 1:3). This sometimes involves exposing error (Ephesians 5:11), marking those who cause division and occasions of stumbling (Romans 16:17) and sometimes it necessitates rebuking folks publicly (I Timothy 5:20; Titus 1:3; Galatians 2:11). Many however, who should be watchmen, have grown blind, ignorant and have fallen asleep.

"His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber" (Isaiah 56:10).

Far too many preachers and elders are like these dumb watchdogs that cannot bark. If a watchdog cannot or will not bark, of what good is he? And to further complicate matters, often these "dumb dogs" attack the very ones who are courageous enough to speak out against sin and error within the church. Oh how they can then bark about the "judgmental and unloving" attitude of those "keepers of orthodoxy" and "church regulators."

Preachers and elders need to wake up and watch! They need to sound out a warning against sin and error. Today, perhaps more than ever before, we need watchmen on the walls of spiritual Zion who will lift up their voices like a trumpet and cry out against wickedness (Isaiah 58:1).