Congregational Infiltration     
 

by Hugh Davis

 

Congregational infiltration has long been used by false brethren as a tactical device to overthrow the faith of brethren and enslave them to whatever brand of error they chance to espouse. Judaizers employed it against the good church at Antioch and for this reason, Paul speaks of them as "...false brethren privily brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage." (Gal. 2:4) The English word "privily" is from the Greek "pareisaktos". It means: to bring in beside, secretly, as spies or traitors. Hence, these Judaizers, instead of coming in openly with announced intentions, had, as it were, slipped in by the side door, slyly concealing their subversive motives of destroying the liberty of the brethren at Antioch and bringing them under the bondage of Judaism. Libertines, men who confused liberty in Christ with license for gross fleshly indulgence, used similar tactics. Jude wrote concerning them "...I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith...For there are certain men crept in privily..." (Jude 3-4) Peter seems to speak of these same subversives as he warns: "... Among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies..." (2 Peter 2:1) Thus these digressives had not only "crept in privily" but had also "privily" brought in their destructive doctrines, cunningly and secretly introducing their error by the side of the truth. Sincere brethren sometimes have difficulty in believing that brethren could become so enamored with error as to be so unscrupulous in its propagation and practice. And herein lies the gravest danger of such infiltration! Remember that it did happen in the first century, and brethren have certainly not so improved that it cannot happen in the 20th century! Those of us who were in the thick of the institutional battle need no convincing. We know, only too well, the extremes of subversive activities with which we at times had to cope and how some churches were captured by just such infiltrations. Churches of reputation for militantly resisting error, regardless of its shape or form, do not have nearly so much to fear by way of direct and open attack as do those churches that seek to maintain their status quo by passive measures. Where there is no fear of active resistance, the forces of error will attack again and again in the hope of bringing more and more churches into bondage. But, generally speaking, the very last thing these forces want is an open and fair fight with those who have the truth lest they run the risk of exposure and loss of prestige. There is, however, the need for constant vigilance against undercover operations and maneuverings, especially congregational infiltration by false brethren who may privily creep in and privily introduce their error, undermining and destroying from within.       Other Articles by Morris Norman Joseph Courtesy How to Avoid a Divorce Self-Conscious I Hate Sin A Matter of Choice   For Past Auburn Beacons go to: www.aubeacon.com/Bulletins.htm   Anyone can join the mailing list for the Auburn Beacon! Send your request to: larryrouse@aubeacon.com