Introduction:

A. The Bible teaches us to preach the word, and in so doing to rebuke (II Timothy 4:2).

1. Rebuke defined: “to tax with fault, rate, chide, censure severely, to admonish or charge sharply.” – Thayer 
2. Rebuking is an action of love (Revelation 3:19).

B. The Bible warns not to be tossed about by every wind of doctrine: (Ephesians 4:14) “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.”

1. Wind defined: “variability and emptiness of teaching” – Thayer
2. Many today are like those in the days of Isaiah the prophet, they do not want the straight truth, they want the “smooth things” (Isaiah 30:9-10). 

C. The word “change” defined: “to make different in some particular : ALTER b : to make radically different : TRANSFORM  c : to give a different position, course, or direction to.” – Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary.

1. Conservative: “the tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change.”
2. Liberal not literal or strict: “BROAD-MINDED; especially : not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or traditional forms.”

D. I recently heard a good brother in Christ say this: “We are conservative; what you see is what you get.  We are not going to change.” 

1. How beautiful it would be if all brethren stood wherein our brother George Papp stands!
2. How beautiful it would be if all congregations could say “what you see is what you get”, for so many do not want anyone seeing what they really are.

A. Psalms 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

1. Jesus prayed for unity (John 17:20-23). 
2. God condemns division (I Corinthians 1:10). 
3. We need to walk by the same rule (Philippians 3:16).

a. See: Ephesians 4:3-6

B. Unity cannot come at the price of compromise. 

1. We must not sell out on the truth (Proverbs 23:23). 
2. We please God by walking in the truth (III John verse 3-4). 

a. We must be willing to defend the one faith (Jude v.3). 
b. We need to be set for the defense of the Gospel (Philippians 1:17). 

C. The ultimate question: "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" – Amos 3:3

1. The answer: NO!

a. Mark 3:24 "And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand."
b. II John 9-11

A. In the days of Jeremiah, many refused to walk in the old paths (Jeremiah 6:16). 

1. God warns that many today will do the same thing (I Timothy 4:1-2).
2. Many are not willing to endure sound doctrine: (II Timothy 4:3-4). 

B. “Change Agents” come in and make slow, small changes to get the flock use to change then before you know it everything has changed. 

1. “Change Agents” take out the strong brethren so they can prey on the weaker ones.  They need to prey on the weak (Romans 16:18). 
2. Do not let appearances fool us (II Corinthians 11:14-15). 
3. Notice what happened to the churches of Galatia (Galatians 1:6-12; 3:1; 5:7).
4. Paul did not tell brethren to be prepared to change, but to keep to that which they had learned (II Thessalonians 2:15). 

C. They come asking questions to provoke problems:

1. We are to avoid foolish and unlearned questions…

a. II Timothy 2:23 
b. Titus 3:9 

2. The Pharisees, who had an agenda, tempted Christ with questions in which they THOUGHT they could use scripture against Him (Matthew 19:3-9).  Does this tactic sound familar?  HINT - Matthew 4:6.
3. Jesus shows us how to deal with those who ask questions in attempts to hurt the truth (Matthew 21:23-27).

A. We should watch for those who would bring these doctrines as the Bible warns they will come in among us (Acts 20:28-32, II Peter 2:1-3, and Jude v. 4). 

1. We should study to know the truth so we can identify error (II Timothy 2:15 and I Peter 3:15).

B. We need to try [test] those who come in (I John 4:1). 

1. We can know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-20).

C. We should mark erring brethren and avoid them (Romans 16:17). 

1. Maintaining NO fellowship with them at all (Ephesians 5:11).
2. Not even for one hour (Galatians 2:4-5). 
3. We should arm ourselves with the truth and fight these false doctrines (Ephesians 6:17).

A. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth (I Timothy 3:15).

1. We cannot let that change!
2. The N.T. of Jesus Christ is near 2,000 years old, therefore the word “new” in the way of ideas brethren may have is not a good word!

B. The Bible is a book not meant to be changed (Deut. 4:2 & Rev. 22:18-19).

2002 by Brian Yeager may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.