Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.
This is important instruction from the Holy Spirit to the church and must be treated as important. It describes many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped. These talkers are church members who profess to know God but deny Him in works, acting as busybodies who speak evil and sow doubt, infidelity, irritation, evil-surmising and disaffection, and who by spirit, words and influence work against the minister and break the unity of the brethren. They subvert whole houses and households by teaching things which ought not to be taught, motivated by shameful and dishonest gain for filthy lucre's sake.
Those placed in charge of the flock must therefore meet strict qualifications, being blameless as stewards of God and holding fast the faithful word so they are able by sound doctrine to exhort and convince the gainsayers. Sin and deceptive teaching are to be plainly rebuked so the deceived may become sound in the faith, and such speech and influence are not to be left unchecked. Silencing them is the unpleasant but required work of every faithful minister through reproof and rebuke, and to shun that duty leaves the blood of souls on his garments. The duty remains even when the one corrected responds with serious charges against ministers out of spiritual blindness and humiliation at being corrected.
Their mouths are stopped when those handling the great, grand and ennobling truths of the Word show a spirit that is deep, earnest and fervent, yet calm and full of sound sense. Pastors and teachers do this by instructing the people to search the word for themselves and by pointing them to the strong fortress into which the righteous may run and be safe. Teachers meet the gainsayers who undermine sound doctrine by handling the great truths of Scripture with earnestness, calmness and sound sense so that false objections are answered, without encouraging excitement or fanaticism. To preserve order and unity and keep from defilement, the church must labor faithfully and personally with members who spread doubt, disaffection and harmful impressions, and if after the steps required by Christ they will not hear and change, they must be separated from fellowship with the reasons made known, so their influence does not disrupt unity or dishonor God.
Sympathizers who after patient instruction cannot discern right from wrong and choose the wrong side must also be suspended. Those who will not come out on the Lord's side and harmonize must bridle the tongue as with a bridle or find some other place to worship, for their influence for evil cannot have the sanction of the church or God's approval. It applies to ignorant boasters and novices who speak without knowledge and babble about the Sabbath and present truth: they should hold their peace rather than make the truth contemptible and bring reproach on believers, and instead work with their hands and attend to their own souls. It applies to talkative church members whose criticizing, questioning and injudicious words destroy the confidence of children in their teachers, who must be silenced, and it condemns parents who take sides with such talkers and who by indifference and lack of spirituality work on Satan's side against the school. It applies to mouths that spread guesses and exaggerations about matters they do not know: such harmful speech must be stopped because it is a curse to the church.
This is important instruction from the Holy Spirit to the church and must be treated as important. It describes many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped. These talkers are church members who profess to know God but deny Him in works, acting as busybodies who speak evil and sow doubt, infidelity, irritation, evil-surmising and disaffection, and who by spirit, words and influence work against the minister and break the unity of the brethren. They subvert whole houses and households by teaching things which ought not to be taught, motivated by shameful and dishonest gain for filthy lucre's sake.
Those placed in charge of the flock must therefore meet strict qualifications, being blameless as stewards of God and holding fast the faithful word so they are able by sound doctrine to exhort and convince the gainsayers. Sin and deceptive teaching are to be plainly rebuked so the deceived may become sound in the faith, and such speech and influence are not to be left unchecked. Silencing them is the unpleasant but required work of every faithful minister through reproof and rebuke, and to shun that duty leaves the blood of souls on his garments. The duty remains even when the one corrected responds with serious charges against ministers out of spiritual blindness and humiliation at being corrected.
Their mouths are stopped when those handling the great, grand and ennobling truths of the Word show a spirit that is deep, earnest and fervent, yet calm and full of sound sense. Pastors and teachers do this by instructing the people to search the word for themselves and by pointing them to the strong fortress into which the righteous may run and be safe. Teachers meet the gainsayers who undermine sound doctrine by handling the great truths of Scripture with earnestness, calmness and sound sense so that false objections are answered, without encouraging excitement or fanaticism. To preserve order and unity and keep from defilement, the church must labor faithfully and personally with members who spread doubt, disaffection and harmful impressions, and if after the steps required by Christ they will not hear and change, they must be separated from fellowship with the reasons made known, so their influence does not disrupt unity or dishonor God.
Sympathizers who after patient instruction cannot discern right from wrong and choose the wrong side must also be suspended. Those who will not come out on the Lord's side and harmonize must bridle the tongue as with a bridle or find some other place to worship, for their influence for evil cannot have the sanction of the church or God's approval. It applies to ignorant boasters and novices who speak without knowledge and babble about the Sabbath and present truth: they should hold their peace rather than make the truth contemptible and bring reproach on believers, and instead work with their hands and attend to their own souls. It applies to talkative church members whose criticizing, questioning and injudicious words destroy the confidence of children in their teachers, who must be silenced, and it condemns parents who take sides with such talkers and who by indifference and lack of spirituality work on Satan's side against the school. It applies to mouths that spread guesses and exaggerations about matters they do not know: such harmful speech must be stopped because it is a curse to the church.