Apostle Paul understood the danger that false doctrines posed, he implored believers to identify and avoid those with doctrinal differences and be equally yoked only within the truth of God’s Word.
“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”
(1 Corinthians 1:10)
What does Paul mean when he instructs believers not to be unequally yoked?
“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.'”
(2 Corinthians 6:14-19)
His admonition could be summarized into two basic instructions: 1) avoid association with those while practicing sinful behavior, and 2) avoid association with those while worshiping under false doctrines.[1] He warned against being yoked with those that teach false doctrines:
“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.”
(Romans 16:17-18)
See also: John 4:23, Jude 1:3-4, 1 Corinthians 11:19, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, 1 Timothy 6:3-11, 2 Timothy 3:12-14, 1 John 1:6-7.
Apostle John also warned of the appearance of accepting false doctrines:
“If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”
(2 John 1:10-11)
During the Reformation, Martin Luther echoed these admonitions and warned against unionistic worship. All the doctrines of the Church[2] work together, to err on one point of doctrine is to pervert them all:
“We are surely prepared to observe peace and love with all men, provided that they leave the doctrine of faith perfect and sound for us. If we cannot obtain this, it is useless for them to demand love from us. A curse on a love that is observed at the expense of the doctrine of faith, to which everything must yield — love, an apostle, an angel from heaven, etc.!. ‘One dot’ of doctrine is worth more than ‘heaven and earth’ (Matt. 5:18); therefore we do not permit the slightest offense against it… Therefore doctrine must be one eternal and round golden circle, in which there is no crack; if even the tiniest crack appears then the circle is no longer perfect… If they believed that it is the Word of God, they would not play around with it in this way… one doctrine is all doctrines and all are one, so that when one is lost all are eventually lost, because they belong together and are held together by a common bond… Therefore, if you deny God in one article of faith, you have denied Him in all; for God is not divided into many articles of faith but He is everything in each article, and He is one in all the articles of faith.”
(Dr. Martin Luther — Luther’s Works, Vol. 27: Lectures on Galatians, ASIN: B0039QGJ98)
Jesus himself warned of family entanglements that subvert the sword of His Word:
“And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
(Matthew 10:36-37. See also: Matthew 10:39.)
“And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.”
(Mark 3:25. See also: Matthew 19:29.)
Is it safe then to yoke ourselves with others that hold to false doctrines? Can we worship with them and attend their church[3] services? How do you answer? Please leave a reply.
[1] This concept is sometimes described as “Unionism” (or a heretical form of “Ecumenism“). See also “Syncretism.”
[2] See also On the Councils and the Church, Martin Luther, 1539. Luther derived seven characteristics of the Church from the first table of the Law.
[3] See also The Augsburg Confession, Art. VII, 1530: “[The Church is] the assembly of all believers among whom the Gospel is preached in its purity and the holy sacraments are administered according to the Gospel.” This can also be found in the white softcover book “A Catechism According to God’s Word.”