Question: I know that false faiths abound, but I don’t find edification in focusing on error! Show me in the Word where false doctrine is explained. It seems to me that the Bible addresses Satan’s lies without going into detail of the actual practices.
Response: We at The Berean Call take no pleasure in exposing and documenting false dogmas and practices. We only do so to expose error out of deep concern for souls. Yes, there are many kind, compassionate and self-sacrificing Muslims who oppose terrorism. Yes, the Roman Catholic Church was the major charitable institution during the Middle Ages, often promoting morality and education—and most Catholics today do not know most of Rome’s official dogmas (but they still rely upon that Church and its clergy to get them out of “purgatory” and into heaven). Yes, many Mormons and Moonies espouse “traditional morals.” We do not oppose individuals but we do oppose the false gospels they preach.
You ask for biblical support concerning exposure of evil and false doctrines. The Bible gives much insight concerning Satan’s fall (Is 14:12-15; Ezk 28:12-18), the details of his temptation of Eve (Gn 3:1-7) and his attempt to destroy Job’s trust in and relationship with God (Job:1:1-2 [1] There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
[2] And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
See All...:7). There are too many accounts of idolatry and pagan practices and warning against them to list all the verses (Lv 19:31; 20:1-6; Dt 18:9-14; Is 47:8-13, etc.). The Bible goes into great detail concerning the apostasy of Israel, telling the sins of its kings and people, from the golden calf (Ex 32:1-28) to the Queen of Heaven (Jer:44:15-23 [15] Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
[16] As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.
[17] But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
[18] But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.
[19] And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?
[20] Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying,
[21] The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into his mind?
[22] So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.
[23] Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.
See All...); and again there are too many references to list. Most of the epistles were written to combat heretical teachings that crept into the early church. False doctrine is explained thoroughly and repeatedly. Almost the entire book of Galatians is devoted to describing and combating a false gospel.
To “earnestly contend for the faith” (Jude 3) must include pointing out what is wrong with the counterfeit. Christ himself did so, explaining in detail the evil practices and false teachings of the rabbis (Mt 15:1-20; 23:2-33; etc.). Our exposure of error is moderate in comparison to Stephen’s indictment of the Jews (Acts:7:39-43 [39] To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
[40] Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
[41] And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
[42] Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
[43] Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
See All..., 51-53). And considering the fact that Paul, out of concern for coming apostasy, for “three years...ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears” (Acts:20:31Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
See All...), we could hardly be accused of extremism in our earnest attempts to point out what is wrong in order for the truth to be understood more clearly in comparison. Our motive is to rescue souls from eternal doom.