Discerning the Discerners

There are certain things if life most people enjoy. Within the church, those things tend to revolve around gospel preaching, friendly fellowship, and spiritual growth. On the flip side of the coin, there are things most people tend to dislike such as needless contention, unnecessary quarreling, and prideful know-it-all antagonists. On the internet, a person possessing these attributes is commonly referred to as a keyboard warrior and I think it's safe to say most of us wish they'd just sit on their hands instead of typing.

As of recent, I've been paying more and more attention to an online polemical website called Pulpit & Pen. Perhaps you’ve heard of it. Truth be told, to a certain degree, this site has been on my radar for years. I used to view it as a valuable resource when it came to researching false teachers. Their no-holds-barred mentality was refreshing to see in the fight against doctrinal error and the stand for truth. After all, when war is constantly being waged on the truth, can we really sit by idly and watch it get pummeled with no recourse or consequence? However, I was also very different at that time. I was in the latter days of my Calvinistic "cage stage" and was beginning to see the ramifications of my over-the-top, no nonsense attitude. I began to see how I had caused many to become irritated with my rants and had begun to see me as divisive, however sincere I was in my efforts to show the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Simply put: a dangerous chapter in my life was coming to a close. No, it wasn't a danger of spreading false teaching. It was a danger of causing harmful division by being so ready to label everybody a false teacher.

Looking back on this time in my life, while being ashamed, I also have a certain sense of appreciation for it. Having experienced such a mentality in my own life has given me a strong desire to stand for truth while also possessing a more mature mindset and method of execution. As I look upon solid teachers such as John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, and James White (to name only but a few), I see what standing for biblical truth should look like. It's not about calling out error at all costs. It's about standing for truth while being gracious to brothers and sisters in the Lord. Sometimes, a harsh rebuke is needed against blatant false teachers or heretics. There’s absolutely no denying that. After all, if one comes preaching another gospel, he is to be accursed (Galatians 1:8). However, there are many times where the situation isn’t quite as dire and gentle correction or even respectful discussion is more fruitful.

Sadly, this is a lesson certain writers of Pulpit & Pen have yet to learn. While still having many important things to say, it's almost as if they're in a perpetual "cage stage". Instead of standing for truth, it appears as if they stand more for polemics and entering combat like a well-trained soldier. Whereas it used to be about

warning others of real wolves in sheep's clothing, it's slowly morphed into an opportunity to find even the slightest bit of error (even if only perceived) and drop a nuke on it no matter the cost to unity in the body (Ephesians 4:2-3). Instead of waiting things out, giving brothers in the faith the benefit of the doubt, and seeing how things play out, we see harsh attacks that even go so far as saying such a brother has forsaken the gospel. In reality, it's not much different than the tactics of mainstream media who are, oftentimes, too quick to release a story without having all (or any) of the facts and, in the end, they produce a retraction and apology for the misreporting. However, in the case of P&P, such retractions and apologies tend to be non-existent because their writers feel they have done no wrong. I recently had a personal interaction with one of the writers and I ended up having to walk away from it because it just wasn't going to produce any fruit. Instead, I felt as if I were being trolled ad antagonized while the other person clearly felt vindicated, justified, and "winning" the war on terror. It's this sense of pride that underscores the writings of P&P. Instead of being gracious truth-seekers, they're instead laced with pride, assaults, accusations, and defamation. Ultimately, it lacks Christ-like love and seeks to destroy anything in its sights. Heaven forbid I end up in their crosshairs for speaking against what feels like God's anointed ambassador of discernment and eradicator of error. I may never see the end of it!

All this to say, I highly encourage everyone to go and read their articles. Don’t just take what I’m saying at face value. I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge that they have called out many heretics over the years. This isn’t the problem. The problem resides in where they fail to draw the line between heretics and brothers who may err on a particular topic. Sadly, this has become more and more commonplace. While there are some diamonds in the rough, much of it is just the rough without the diamond. In my recent discussion, I was asked for specific examples of where I felt P&P had erred. To be honest, there's just too much to list. On top of this fact, there are multitudes who have already dedicated too much time in providing requested examples. Hence, this article isn't meant to change the mind of P&P as much as it is meant to encourage you, the reader, to discern the discerners. Everybody needs to be held in check, including those who deem themselves to be at the tip of the spear in calling out error. The spear just isn't always necessary. We don't always need to be waiting in the shadows, ready to strike at the first moment that someone says the wrong thing, uses the wrong verbiage, or takes a contrary position on a secondary issue just so you can know you reported on it before anybody else. This isn't a spirit of discernment. It's a spirit of strife laced with the poison of pride and arrogance. As for the specifics I mentioned earlier, it's like being asked for specific examples of why a landfill stinks. Sometimes, it's just the overall smell of garbage.

~Travis W. Rogers