Understanding the enemies of the church

Historically, there have been two great enemies of the church: persecution and heretical teaching. Some might have guessed that one of those two enemies might be the devil. Certainly, the devil is an enemy of the church and desires nothing more than its destruction. The New Testament does not avoid his present reality (Eph 1:19-21, 6:11; 2Tim 2:26). However, when you read the New Testament, the epistles have much more to say concerning the threats of false doctrine and persecution.

Persecution: The enemy from without

Persecution can include anything from ridicule to being socially ostracized, which was most likely the kind of persecution that Peter wrote about in his letters to the churches. Persecution can also include physical violence, similar to what the apostles experienced in Acts 5. Persecution can even lead to martyrdom, which was the fate of Stephen (Acts 7:54-56) and James (Acts 12:2).

In any case, the intention is to end the church – or at least silence it. But as long as Jesus is alive, the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church. And the Bible encourages us to look to the heavenly rewards that awaits all those who are in Christ (1Pet 1:3-9). The endurance of the church in the midst of persecution is dependent upon the Lord who guards us, but in a way, it is also dependent upon our perseverance. The way to persevere is to have hope. Persecution is an enemy from without, but what do we do against the enemy from within?

False doctrine: The enemy from within

I’ve been watching a documentary on the Puritans. It is said of the Puritans that they feared heresy more than martyrdom. What!? The threat of physical violence is enough to make the most courageous men cower. The threat of death is even worse! How could the Puritans be more fearful of heresy than martyrdom? Because heresy not only dishonors God but also because imperils the souls of men. That’s why the Puritans would risk all, including their very lives, in order to stand for truth – for the sake of the church and the lost. Truth is costly. Truth will cost you your very life.

Indeed, it is your life that is at stake when you consider the call of the Gospel. In Matthew 10, Jesus says that anyone who does not take his cross and follow Him is not worthy of Him. No one would ever make such a decision to follow Jesus unless they truly believed in the truth of who Jesus is. Truth is costly, so you had better be sure that you believe in that Truth. The only way to protect the church from false teaching, or false truths, is to hold on to God’s Truth – teach it, preach it, and remind yourself of it regularly.

Whenever we downplay or diminish the Truth or the Gospel for the sake of attracting larger audiences, we make ourselves more susceptible to false doctrine. The church that gives greater priority to sparing people’s feelings and making sure that they are comfortable, despite their sin, is a church that is in danger of losing the Gospel for the sake of tickling ears. The church that sacrifices truth for entertainment is in danger of losing salvific truth.

We are called to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3) and that is how we maintain the Truth. We have to contend for the Truth because souls are at stake, and it is Truth that saves. We need not shy away from words like sin, repentance and hell because Truth encompasses these words. Also, such words are what make words like holiness, love, grace, heaven and JESUS that much more precious. Let us defend ourselves from the enemy from within by contending for the faith that Jesus gave His life for.

Ademi Mirabal is the pastor of Seacoast Community Church in Portsmouth, NH. You can reach him at ademi@sccnh.com.