Infiltration and Indoctrination

Some ask, "How does false doctrine take root within the Church?" The answer is found in two words:

INFILTRATION and INDOCTRINATION.

Merriam-Webster defines the word INFILTRATE thusly:

TRANSITIVE VERB

1. to cause (as a liquid) to permeate something by penetrating its pores or interstices

2. to pass into or through (a substance) by filtering or permeating

3. to pass (troops) singly or in small groups through gaps in the enemy line

4. to enter or become established in gradually or unobtrusively usually for subversive purposes <the intelligence staff had been infiltrated by spies>

INTRANSITIVE VERB

to enter, permeate, or pass through a substance or area by filtering or by insinuating gradually

Merriam-Webster defines the word INDOCTRINATE thusly:

1. to instruct especially in fundamentals or rudiments : teach

2. to imbue with a usually partisan or sectarian opinion, point of view, or principle

INFILTRATION takes place as SERMONS OF MEN are valued ABOVE the Word of God...resulting in an ABSENCE of DISCERNMENT.

Acts 17:11 KJV “These [the Bereans] were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”


INDOCTRINATION takes place as there is a GRADUAL DEPARTURE from the TRUTH.

1 Timothy 4:1 KJV “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;”

Notice these essentials:

1. The Bereans were EAGER to hear the TRUTH…not seeking to be ENTERTAINED but, instead, to be ENLIGHTENED.

2. The Bereans heard the sermons preached by Paul (as well as others), yet they never BELIEVED what was spoken until they had thoroughly “searched the Scriptures daily” for the purpose of CONFIRMING what was spoken..

3. The Bereans realized that what is spoken from a pulpit is not always TRUTH.

4. The Bereans realized that the FRUIT of a ministry is based on the ROOT of the ministry. In other words, what is spoken/preached/taught must be FIRMLY ESTABLISHED in the Word of God.

5. The Bereans realized that CONTEXT is ESSENTIAL. SERMONS may QUOTE the Word of God while not being ROOTED in the Word of God: a Scripture pulled FROM the Word of God (taken out of context) is no longer rooted IN the Word of God. (If you UPROOT a ROSE from the soil…it REMAINS a rose…but it is no longer ROOTED. Therefore…the rose cannot continue to GROW…nor can it continue to SURVIVE.)

6. The Bereans PROTECTED the TRUTH. They were UNWILLING to let ANY MAN deceive them. In so doing, they refused to be INFILTRATED and INDOCTRINATED.

Look again at the definition of INFILTRATE. Notice these words and phrases regarding infiltration:

1. To Permeate - the Word of God is DIFFUSED (not concentrated nor made the central focus)

2. To Penetrate - to enter by overcoming resistance

3. Filtering - subjecting the Word of God to a FILTER: to sift through to remove portions or particles

4. To pass through gaps - done through a LACK OF KNOWLEDGE regarding the Word of God

5. To enter in gradually - repeated teaching, done in incremental fashion

6. To enter in unobtrusively - due to lack of RESISTANCE (refusal to confront the error of the doctrine)

7. To enter in subversively - secretly introduced heresies which are SILENT KILLERS

8. To insinuate gradually - to introduce by stealthy, smooth, artful, subtle, indirect, and/or covert ways

But, in the SPIRITUAL realm, how does this apply? How can we further understand the POWER of the Word of God…the POWER we possess if we APPLY the Word of God to what we hear spoken from a pulpit?

What is the KEY?

We must understand that God NEVER intended for us to accept ANY teaching simply based on WHO the teacher is who fills the pulpit! Even though Paul and Silas had been commissioned by “the brethren”, the Bereans knew that the Word of God was TRUTH…and they knew that ANYTHING spoken…even if spoken by a REPUTABLE minister…must be MEASURED and EVALUATED in light of the TRUTH of the Word of God. Paul would write, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:6-12 NKJV)

Paul uses this phrase…”but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” The word PERVERT refers to MUTATION or MORPHING. Imagine the old comic book character THE HULK…as the character DAVID BANNER morphs into a BEAST. In this same way, false teachers take the Word of God and they create a MUTATION…which is a teaching which GOES BEYOND the realm of TRUTH, as the false teaching actually GROWS BEYOND the ORIGINAL INTENT which God has PURPOSED for the passage being exegeted… creating a “new revelation” which is UPROOTED from the Word of God, with its ESSENTIAL CONNECTION to TRUTH being negated, separated, and eliminated. And…although it is seen as Scripture…the false teaching is based on Scripture REMOVED from is CONTEXT…thus, eliminating its TRUTH. Thus…the INCREDIBLE HULK (the false doctrine) begins to exist APART FROM David Banner (the truth…reality)…as the Word of God ceases to be the AUTHORITY in the matter.

There are many POPULAR TEACHINGS within the Church…the Body of Christ…which I would LOVE to ACCEPT and BELIEVE! We probably ALL need to admit that! I would LOVE for some teachings to be TRUE…being found ESTABLISHED and CONFIRMED by the Word of God! But we are not called to discover what we WANT and WISH to be true by the Word of God: we are called to discover what IS true!

NEVER be AFRAID or INTIMIDATED as you DARE to SEARCH the Word of God regarding what is spoken from the pulpit of your church as “Thus saith the Lord!” Too often, ministers and ministries present a “How dare you question what is being taught here!” attitude.

But…the reality and call of God through His Word is this:

How dare we NOT search the Word of God regarding what is being spoken from pulpits through “men of God” today! DARE to STUDY and KNOW the Word of God! DARE to NOT BELIEVE any teaching which cannot meet the scrutiny of STUDY and DISCERNMENT! DARE to QUESTION any and all teachings which are presented as “truth”…yet they appear “too good to be true” or they CONTRADICT other passages within the Word of God on the subject!

DARE to be as a BEREAN!

In Christ,

Ron