"LET ME FIX YOUR PROBLEMS"

Scam artists abound in our land. Many are their victims. We read of termite extermination companies whose inspectors release vials of termites under houses and then for a handsome price, offer their services to rid them. We hear of auto repair shops whose repairmen damage customers’ cars and then offer to repair them for a hefty charge.  Today we have false teachers among us who are like those scam artists. They introduce erroneous teaching and disruptive practices into congregations and then volunteer their advice and service to reconcile the contending parties and restore peace. Frequently the "conflict resolvers" are based in those universities from when the change agents have emerged. The price they extort is compromise; tolerance of the unscriptural views and practices. A frequent scam is the proposal that the church should have two services, one for the old traditionalists and one for those who want change. That makes a good temporary arrangement until they are in position to take control of the leadership and property of the victim church.  They write books like the Crux of the Matter and The Second Reincarnation to rationalize and justify the problems they have created.

The Better Remedy
God did not leave us helpfulness in the face of our enemies.

	First we are to beware of false teachers who operate as wolves in sheep's clothing (Matt. 7:15).
	We are not receive into our houses or the pulpits of our churches those who abide not in the doctrine of Christ (II John 9-10).
	We are to reject the factious people who trouble the body of Christ (Tit. 3:10).
	We are to mark (identify) those who cause divisions and occasions of stumbling contrary to the teachings which we have received and turn away from them (Rom. 16:17-18).

We need to be reminded that there have always been folks,  nominally within the church, whose faith and convictions are antagonistic to the principles given us by Christ. Paul pictures them as folks who made shipwreck concerning the faith (I Tim. 1:19). Peter's imagery is that of a dog returning to his vomit or a pig that had been washed, wallowing in the mire (II Pet. 2:20-22).  Jude's illustration is that of a "wandering star" trekking endlessly through the blackness of space...hopelessly lost. He also paints them as jagged, dangerous rocks lurking just beneath the surface of an otherwise safe harbor (Jude 12-13).  Jesus describes them to thieves that seek to secretly enter another's sheepfold and steal his sheep (John 10:8-13).

Should I learn that a local business man deceives and defrauds his customers, I wisely take heed to that information and refuse to patronize him.   I tell others of the risk he poses. If we learn that certain preachers and teachers are troubling our churches, teaching new and different doctrines that are contrary to God's word and harmful to the church, wisdom suggests that we should reject them, refuse them a place in our midst and warn others about them. We don't need their "proposed changes" for the faith and practice of the church and we certainly don't need the remedies they offer when our churches have been troubled by their ideas.