A NEW CYCLE OF APOSTASY:
Symptoms & Disease
1 TIM. 4:1-5
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter
times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to
seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience
seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from
meats, which God hath created to be received with
thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be
refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
(By Ron Halbrook)
A NEW CYCLE OF APOSTASY:
Symptoms & Disease
Intro.
1. 1 Tim. 4:1-5 Depart, Apostatize: Change
Attitudes, Convictions, Preaching, Practice
2. History of God’s People:
Judg. 2:7-10 New Generation Not Grounded
Judg. 8:27 Older Generation Compromise
3. Acts 20:29-32 Ceaseless Warnings Needed
4. 2 Thess. 2:3, 7 Warn of Dangers
5. See Symptoms Before Diagnose Disease
I. Changing Attitudes (1 Jn. 4:5)
A. “Positive” Approach
 Contrary to Bible Model 2 Tim. 4:1-2; 2:16-18
B. Avoid Debate & Controversy
 Contrary to Bible Model Acts 8:5, 12; 17:17
C. Moral Compromise
 Contrary to Holiness Rom. 12:2; Gal. 5:19-21
D. Leaven: Christianity Magazine
E. Leaven: Florida College
F. Shift from Bible Issues to Personal Issues
 Diversion Tactic Jn. 18:29-30; Acts 25:7-8
II. Divorce-Remarriage Error as Leaven
(Gal. 5:3, 7-9)
A. God Gives Right to Marry
 If Never Married Gen. 2:24; Heb. 13:4
 If Mate Dead Rom. 7:2-3
 If Divorce Mate for Fornication Matt. 19:9
B. Homer Hailey Error
 Christ’s MDR Law Apply Only After Baptism
 Belen, NM March 1988
 The Divorced & Remarried Who Would
Come to God (1991; 1998)
II. Divorce-Remarriage Error as Leaven
C. Many False Theories Spread
 Put-Away Fornicator Marry New Mate-J.Freeman
 Jerry & Don Bassett, Rethinking MDR:
 1 Cor. 7:15 As Second Exception
 Baptism Sanctify Adulterous Marriage
 Put-Away Fornicator Marry New Mate
 Redefine Adultery: Non-Sexual Covenant Breaking
 Jim Puterbaugh Theories
 Redefine Adultery: Non-Sexual Covenant Breaking
 No Matter Why Divorced, Marry New Mate
 Polygamy Not Condemned by Gospel
 One Eternal Moral Covenant
II. Divorce-Remarriage Error as Leaven
D. Cases Multiply
E. Ed Harrell: Fellowship False Teachers
 Hailey Doctrine False, But Not False Teacher—
We May Continue Fellowship (“Homer Hailey:
False Teacher?” C.M., Nov. 1988)
 16 Articles on Unity (C.M., Feb. 1989-May 1990)
 Misuse Rom. 14: We May Tolerate “Contradictory
Teachings & Practices on Important Moral &
Doctrinal Questions” (C.M., May 1990)
F. Leaven: Florida College
III. Fellowship Error Worsens (2 Tim. 3:13)
A. Harrell on Unity: Leaven Other C.M. Editors
 Dee Bowman, Paul Earnhart, Sewell Hall,
Brent Lewis Demonstrate General Agreement
 Continued Work Together (Had “agreed to quit if
serious differences arise,” C.M., Apr. 1984)
 No Editor Published Articles Refuting Harrell’s
Series as False Doctrine
 Harrell Series Republished as Booklet Jan. 1998
 False Teachers on MDR Used by Editors
 Work Together & with False Teachers in Meetings
& Lectureships
III. Fellowship Error Worsens (2 Tim. 3:13)
B. Rom. 14 Unity-In-Diversity Errors Expand
 Don Patton: Rom. 14 in MDR Context: “I Don’t
Have to Divide Over That” (Apr. 12, 1990)
 Bob Owen: Fellowship in Context of MDR,
Rom. 14 Not Limited to “Matters of Indifference”
(Sept. 2, 1993);
Hailey MDR Doctrine False, But Not False
Teacher—Continue Fellowship (Feb. 19, 1995)
 Sam Dawson: Fellowship (1988) Apply to MDR;
Fellowship on MDR (1992)
 Wallace Little: “Matters of FAITH” in Rom. 14
(Dec. 12, 1996);
Fellowship MDR False Teachers (May 12, 1992)
III. Fellowship Error Worsens (2 Tim. 3:13)
C. Unity-In-Diversity in Foreign Fields
D. Unity-In-Diversity: Compromise with
False Teachers Gal. 2:11-21
Peter Not Preach False Doctrine, But Fellowship
False Teachers
Other Good Men Influenced
Compromise Undermines Truth: Vv. 11, 18
III. Fellowship Error Worsens (2 Tim. 3:13)
E. Unity-In-Diversity: Redefine False Teacher
Bible Defines: Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 15:12-15;
Gal. 1:6-9; 2:3-4; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Pet. 1:12; 2:1;
1 Jn. 4:6; 2 Jn. 9-11
Wrong to Fellowship False Teachers, So Redefine
Redefine: Bad Character Not False Teaching
Make False Teacher
Ed Harrell: Hailey Not False Teacher (Nov. 1988)
Bob Owen & Tommy Poarch:
Hailey Not False Teacher (Feb. 19, 1995)
Wallace Little: Bassett, Hailey, Puterbaugh, Hicks,
Etc. Not False Teachers
III. Fellowship Error Worsens (2 Tim. 3:13)
F. Personal Attacks if Stand for Truth
If Identify Error & Source, Charged with
“Personal Attacks”—Diversion!
False Charge of Personal Attack=Personal Attack
Personal Charges & Attacks:
“Make a Name for Self,” BUT 2 Tim. 2:16-18
“Violate Congregational Autonomy,” BUT Rev. 2-3
“Violate Matt. 18:15,” BUT Gal. 2:11-14; Rev. 2-3
“Rule Brotherhood,” BUT Preaching Is Not Ruling
Refuse Study, Charge Dishonesty—Acts 24:13
IV. Unity-In-Diversity Spreads
to Other Issues
A. Creation Days as Ages
 Gen. 1:5; Ex. 20:8-11; Matt. 19:4 Six Days
 Shane Scott: “The Days Cannot Be Literal”
(Sentry, Apr. 1995)
 Hill Roberts: Big Bang, Billions of Years
(“Genesis & the Time Thing” CD)
 Not Agree with Doctrine, But Fellowship
IV. Unity-In-Diversity Spreads
to Other Issues
B. No Literal Serpent
Gen. 3:1-5, 14-15; Rev. 12:9 Satan in Form of
Serpent Tempted Eve, Cursed by God
Marty Pickup: Serpent from “Ancient Creation
Myths,” “Literary Device” (The Gospel in the
Old Testament: FC Lectures 2003, pp. 60-62)
Not Agree with Doctrine, But Fellowship
C. No Universal Flood
Gen. 7:17-24 Only Those in Ark Escaped
Hill Roberts: Flood Local (“Genesis…” CD)
Not Agree with Doctrine, But Fellowship
IV. Unity-In-Diversity Spreads
to Other Issues
D. Hell Not Eternal Torment
Matt. 25:46; Mk. 9:43-48 Heaven & Hell Eternal
Homer Hailey: Torment Temporary, Then Extinction
(God’s Judgments & Punishments, 2003)
Not Agree with Doctrine, But Fellowship
E. Justify Eating Blood
Gen. 9:3-4; Acts 15:20, 28-29; 16:4-5 Blood Not to
be Eaten as Food
J. Puterbaugh: May Eat Blood, Acts 15 Temporary
Not Agree with Doctrine, But Fellowship
IV. Unity-In-Diversity Spreads
to Other Issues
F. One Eternal Covenant Theory
Gal. 4:24 “The Two Covenants”
Gal. 3:24-25 Law of Moses Temporary
Col. 2:14-17; Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8 Gospel of
Christ Final & Perfect Covenant
J. Puterbaugh: One Eternal Covenant Theory
Moral Cov.: Law of Moses on MDR Same Now
Cov. Of Salvation: Sermon on Mt. Continues One
Cov., Col. 2:14 Not Law of Moses Nailed to Cross,
Jer. 31:31 Not Promise New Cov.
Not Agree with Doctrine, But Fellowship
IV. Unity-In-Diversity Spreads
to Other Issues
G. Tolerate, Accept Denominationalism
Unity-In-Diversity Paves the Way
Not Identify Denominations in Preaching
Doubt, Deny People in Denominations Lost
Books Promote Denominational Error
H. Fla. College on Slippery Slope?
I. Unity-In-Diversity Resists Truth
Acts 7:51-54 Truth & Error in Mortal Combat
Tolerate Error & False Teachers, But Not Truth
If Speak Out: Despised, Persecuted
Gal. 6:9 Bear It Patiently, Teach Truth in Love
A NEW CYCLE OF APOSTASY
Invitation:
1.
2.
3.
Let us resolve to heed the warning (1 Tim. 4:1)
& to sound a warning (Acts 20:31)!
If fallen back into sin & error: repent,
return to God (Acts 8:22).
If never obeyed the gospel: believe, repent,
confess Christ, be baptized (Mk. 16:16).