Have We Compromised the Faith?

In this regular feature, Dave and Tom respond to questions from listeners and readers of The Berean Call.  And here’s this week’s question:  “Dear T.A. and Dave:   I’ve had a sincere brother in the Lord tell that while he appreciates some things about your ministry, he is concerned that you sometimes compromise the faith by speaking in places where heresies are promoted.  The same applies to some of the other speakers at conferences where you speak.  How do you respond to such criticism?”

Tom:

Dave, this is a common thing.  People always find something to complain about.  People even say that about us, “well, you always find something to complain about.”  Now, we have people complaining about us complaining about other people, or at being certain places.  But, it’s a good point.  You know, the Bible does teach separation with regard to some issues; some teachings.

Dave:

Yes, well Tom, first of all, he didn’t define heresy.  I guess it’s a short letter, he doesn’t have—

Tom:

Well, it’s in the mind of the beholder, because we’re accused of being heretics.

Dave:

So, we would have to define “heresy.”  And, we might not agree upon that.  We certainly should not be in fellowship with heretics.  Now—

Tom:

Well, you’ve got to define that, then.

Dave:

Well, yes, but “fellowship” we even have to define.  But, you see, the problem is that some people, well, they have certain perspectives.  I mean, someone who is very strong on water baptism, which I believe, being immersed, and this is what the Bible teaches, they went down into the water, they came up out of the water. Baptism is symbolic of having died and been buried with Christ, you don’t sprinkle a little bit of dirt on a dead body, and so forth.  So, I believe in that.  On the other hand, I do speak at places where they don’t stand firm for that.  I don’t believe that whether you are baptized by immersion, or whether you are sprinkled, or you have a wet hand placed on you, or whatever, determines your salvation.  So, I would draw the line.

Tom:

Well, let’s crank it up.Oh, you were going to say draw the line with regard to—suppose it’s a church that teaches baptismal regeneration, just to step it up. 

Dave:

Yeah.

Tom:

See, now we have the form of baptism, but now we have the purpose and the biblical meaning of baptism.

Dave:

They’re not likely to invite me Tom, and again it would probably be a denomination that believes in that.  And, if this particular church invited me, I don’t think they would believe in that, because they know what I have said, they know what I believe.  I can say this that anywhere I go to speak, I’ve never been told by the pastor or anyone, “you can’t speak about this, and you can’t talk about that.”  Now, I have been given such suggestions at Dallas Theological Seminary, for example, wanted me avoid certain topics that might be controversial.  But, certainly, there was no heresy involved.  They just felt that they didn’t want me to talk about certain things.  But, they wanted me to deal with something else.  That’s okay.  If you have a conference, for example, about prophesy, then, I think I should stick with prophesy.  Or, if you have a conference about “living the Christian life,” I ought to stick to “living the Christian life.”  Of course, there are many other things that can be brought into that.  So, I’m not sure exactly what this person means.  I’ve been accused, for example, of being on the John Ankerberg Show.  I don’t know everything John Ankerberg believes.  He’s a very dear, close friend of mine.  I have great respect for John Ankerberg.  If we sat down and we went through a long list of everything we believed, we might come to some disagreements.  On the other hand, I don’t know what they would be.  I’ve never had any discussions with John that would indicate that I have some disagreement with him.  Certainly not on an important topic.  I know he is very clear on the gospel.  You know, I’ve been criticized for being on the Ankerberg program, because some other time he had somebody on there who had been at some conference where someone was—it becomes ridiculous.

Tom:

Association.

Dave:

Guilt by association.  And, the associations become very tenuous, very far out.  Now Tom, what they have to say is, do I believe and teach heresy?  Alright?  Do I promote heresy?  Now, I think furthermore, you’d understand that everybody that is on the platform with me I can’t ask—For example, I’m invited to go to a conference, let’s say,—I was just at a conference in South America,  I was speaking at a conference in Germany just before that.  There are other speakers.  I don’t invite the other speakers.  I can’t sit in judgment, and I’m going to ask, “Wait a minute, before I come to this conference I want to know all the names of all these speakers, and I want to know what they believe and so forth.

Tom:

Their statement of faith.

Dave:

Yes, we may have—no that would be unreasonable.  And, it would also be unreasonable to paint me with the brush of their beliefs, and say, well, Dave spoke on the same platform with them, then he must believe what they believe, and he must endorse everything.  Tom, if we go by those rules, I wouldn’t speak anywhere.  I don’t know if I’d even speak with you.  Have we discussed everything that—

Tom:

Well it’s a matter of you getting invited back, Dave.You speak with me—
 

Dave:

We may have some disagreements.  So, I think it gets to be a little bit ridiculous.  I think it is counterproductive.  On the other hand, if Robert Schuller wants to invite me to the Crystal Cathedral, I’ll be happy to speak there.  But, I’m not going to endorse Robert Schuller, and I’m going to say some things that he would not like. Because I would feel that it would be incumbent upon me.  If they want to invite me to the Vatican, I will give them the gospel.  I would love to speak in the Vatican, but I would give them the gospel.  I would not pretend or give the impression that I agree with the Pope and that I agree with Catholicism.  So, I think we have to be reasonable about some of these things.

Tom:

Dave, I think that’s the key point, being reasonable.  If you’re promoting heresy, that’s one thing.  If you’re compromising the faith, that’s again, that’s a problem.  But where you’re going, speaking the truth, and because somebody else is there, you’re not endorsing them, as you said before; you’re not promoting a particular church.  You’re there to speak the truth in love.  

Dave:

Unfortunately, if we abided by some of these rules, it’s just you and me in fellowship, and I’m not too sure about you, and we would just be separatists, and I understand that we’re to be separate from evil, separate from this world, and we are to reprove evil in the church, and so forth.  But, I think, again, let’s not carry it to the extreme.