The Creeping Critics
The King's Business, May 1924
reprinted in FOUNDATION Magazine, Nov-Dec 2000
Fundamental Evangelistic Association
P.O. Box 6278
Los Osos, California 93412 U.S.A.
I
N TEACHING THE BOOK OF JUDE recently to a men's Bible
class, and seeking to stress the admonition found therein to be
earnestly contending for the faith once for all delivered unto the
saints, we were considering the reason given: "For there have
CREPT in certain men" (i.e., "slipping in by
stealth" — "sideways").
This suggested to us that the description exactly suited some of the
present age who are doing such untold damage to the saints. These men
did not knock at the door, make themselves known and reveal their
purpose, but secretly slipped in sideways; and once
safely inside, they have secretly, shrewdly and Satanically laid their
plans to foist upon the saints their doctrine of denial of God's holy
Word and of the Virgin Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have watched some of these "creepers" for forty
years — some of them serenely angelic, the essence of honey oozing
from their lips, tongues so smooth, talk so sweet, so devoted to the
darling, deluded saints!
Had we seeing eyes, we could penetrate the sophistry with which they
seduce the people, and behind them discern the Satanic face and form of
him who hates the Christ of the cross.
We are standing firmly on Scriptural ground when we say this, and are
not going out of our way to paint a black picture. We are standing with
our Lord, with Paul, with Jude, with all honest believers in God's Word,
when we warn the flock against these conscienceless creepers who parade
their boasted piety, and flaunt their flimsy, flippant arguments against
the verity of the Word of God.
Beware of these creeping croakers! They may themselves be deluded but
they are dangerous, and you owe it to your homes, to your church, to
your country, to clean them out lest they contaminate the church and
prevent the Gospel from reaching unsaved people who are helpless without
the testimony of the followers of Christ.
They are multiplying in numbers. They are manipulating the
ecclesiastical machinery in such a manner as to perpetuate their
position. Be on your guard! Act now! Act definitely! Don't sleep!
Remember the warning of our Lord that "while he slept his
enemy came in and sowed tares among the wheat."
Paul tells us that we are to be "henceforth 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."
Peter says: "But there were false prophets also among the
people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who
privily shall bring in damnable heresies; even denying the
Lord that bought them."
The Book is full of warnings. Let us keep our eyes open, be much in
prayer for safety from Satan's snares; love all men, but fight for the
faith against all enemies, no matter who or where.
May the Lord grant unto us both grace and grit.
The King's Business, May 1924
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