What should be our response when a Christian leader renounces the faith and falls away?

For an answer to the first question I read, "Of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them." (Acts 20:30.) These words were spoken by St. Paul to the elders of Ephesus, in view of their seeing his face again no more. Does this testimony as to what would exist in the assembly after his death indicate departure? If it does, and if it is not an encouraging one, what was his resource for the faithful? "I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified?" He speaks not of the teaching of the church as a reliable guide, nor does he hint at "neutrality" as to the perverse things spoken; the word is to test the whole, and to be the unfailing guide of the sheep, when those who ought to lead the flock go themselves astray.

The door of repentance was not indeed closed, as verse 22 bears witness, but the angel had become a vessel unfit for the master's use. (2 Tim. 2:20-21.) What then was to be done? Were godly souls to acquiesce in the evil because it was general and widespread? Was constituted authority, as men speak, to be obeyed, and leaders followed, if they walked in a path which the Lord abhorred? Clearly not. What, then, were the faithful to do? The Lord tells them Himself. "That which ye have already, hold fast till I come." Ceasing to address the angel He speaks direct to those still faithful, "the rest." "Unto you I say, the rest who are in Thyatira," for so it should be read. The sheep deserted by those who ought to have cared for them, the great Shepherd manifests afresh His care for the flock, and acts as the Bishop of their souls. In this way the proper action of individuals is indicated even when the leaders are perverted; and if it be but a remnant, "the rest," they must be stedfast and hold fast what they have till the Lord come, for till then, as is elsewhere taught (1 Tim. 6:14), the servants are not relieved from their responsibility.

But when those who have been looked up to, as leaders, have become so unmindful of their responsibility to the Lord and of their obligation to the church of God, accruing from the position they had held there, as to have attempted, especially in cases of church discipline, to lead the consciences of the saints practically away from Christ under their own superintendence and authority, they are no longer to be regarded nor treated as leaders "but as misleaders" or "seducers."

We must not however suppose that they had all abandoned the profession of Christianity; but their faith had become weak, and they did not like to identify themselves with a man who was in disgrace with the authorities, who was despised and persecuted, a prisoner — a man whose energy brought reproach and personal difficulties upon himself. They withdrew from him, and left him to answer alone for himself. Sad result of spiritual decline! But what sentiments should animate the man of God at such a moment? He must be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Christ was not changed, whatever the case might be with men; and he who suffered from their desertion could, without being discouraged, exhort his beloved Timothy to persevere steadily in the word. Nor do we find anywhere the man of God called to more full and unhesitating courage than in this epistle, which is the testimony of the failure and ruin of the assembly.

As to the brother who has left you rather than give up the editorship of his paper, you must not be astonished about it. Alas! these things occur but too often. They have happened to the Lord Himself before they happen to us. But this serves to keep the church and the heart in lowliness, a thing very important for us. We have need to remember that the world and the church - at least, if the latter be faithful - do not accord, and we shall cleave to the one and despise the other, or we shall hate the one and love the other. It is sad if it is Jesus that is forsaken, or even His words. One may forsake the faithful without absolutely forsaking Jesus. I do not believe that all those of whom Paul complains had forsaken Jesus. But they lacked the courage necessary for walking with Paul.

All through the Bible, when a leader dies there seems to be failure following. This was true in the apostolic day Paul warned the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:29-30 saying, "after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." The power, strength and direction of the apostles' leadership was sufficient to keep at bay those evil things while they yet lived, but when they died it seemed a great barrier was removed and evil men began to work. This has always been true. In Christianity no matter how great the leader is, he pales into insignificance in relation to our great leader, our Lord Jesus Christ; the saints of God are never without a leader. We can always turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, "the Captain of [our] salvation" (Heb.2:10). He is always, and always will be, the head of the body, no-one can take this glory from Him. He is the great High-Priest (Heb.8:1), the Son over God's house, He is the One who is always available for His people, and it has been well said that God buries His servants and carries on His work - the servants may be great, but they are not indispensable. So we can take courage. We are sad that there are not more men of God amongst us compared with days that have gone by, more men able to expound the Scriptures, able to show us the way to live and to understand the truth and we would value their help today, but they are not here, so we must go on, and the Lord Jesus has vouchsafed His presence to us to encourage us and help us in spite of all the difficulty. From this passage there is the greatest possible encouragement. Dependence upon the Lord in prayer, whether individually or collectively, and practical fellowship with each other, are means that we can use at all times to combat the evil tendencies of the day.

Unfaithful servants like Hymenaeus and Philetus have made shipwreck of the faith and have abandoned fundamental Christian truth. The Holy Spirit says: 'Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.' We are also invited to 'go forth therefore unto Christ without the camp, bearing his reproach' (2 Tim. 2:17-19; Heb. 13:13).

The faith of some had been overthrown by the teachings of Hymenaeus and Philetus, and those who named the Name of the Lord are called upon to depart from iniquity. It is no longer only from the corruptions of heathendom that Christians are to be apart, as the Apostle had instructed the Corinthian saints, we are to be separate from the corruptions of that which professes Christ's Name as well. Nor is it simply moral corruption that we are to be separate from, but as here, doctrinal corruption, that which is a perversion of the truth of God.

We must now point out in regard to the question raised at the beginning of this paper—in regard to that form of sin which is designated by the Holy Spirit as iniquity—every true believer is expressly told to depart from it. There is no escape from this if we are to be found true and loyal to the One we own as Lord—to the One who loved us and gave Himself for us, and surely we should not desire to escape from it! Paul, when addressing the elders of the assembly at Ephesus, told them, “from among your own selves shall rise up men speaking perverted things” (Acts 20:30, N.Tr.); and later, when widespread perversion in regard to God’s order as well as God’s truth was plainly foretold, and indeed had already begun, then in words which come with unquestionable authority, yea, as the Word of God—distinctly he enjoins, “LET EVERY ONE WHO NAMES THE NAME OF THE LORD WITHDRAW FROM INIQUITY” (2 Tim. 2:19, N.Tr.).

Again, 2 Tim. 2:16: Timothy was to shun "vain babblings." Two had been led away through them to err (to miss the mark or go astray), saying that the resurrection was past, and overthrowing the faith of some. Then (v. 19) "depart from iniquity" is the word to everyone that names the name of Christ (or "the Lord" as the MSS.). This is addressed to us (each) also, as to Timothy.