Who Are Jesus Christ's Greatest Enemies?

The greatest enemies of Jesus Christ are unregenerate religionists. Whether it was in our Lord’s time or in the time in which we live, they are the worst enemies of the Lord Jesus.

No person knows any more of Jesus Christ than he values and esteems in Christ. Therefore, anyone who believes in the peccability (capable of sinning) of Jesus Christ, in the desire to produce a gospel relevant to modern man, makes the tragic mistake of losing relevance to God, His Son, and the salvation of depraved men who have been given to Christ in the eternal covenant of grace. The type of religion which rejoices in pious statements, regardless of their meaning, and withdraws from controversial subjects, even though they are Biblical truths, is to be disapproved. In the sphere of professing Christendom, as in other spheres, the things about which men commonly agree are the things not worth embracing. The fact is that the important things are the things about which men debate. This is why the truths of the Bible have had to be defended in every age, and our age is no different. Paul said, “Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel” (Phil. 1:15, 16 NASB). He also said, “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil” (I Thess. 5:21, 22 NASB).

As Jesus Christ warned about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees in the opening words of Matthew 16, the student of Scripture finds God’s warnings throughout Biblical history. Jesus Christ was constantly tested by His enemies throughout His public ministry. What He said is constantly being tested today by religionists. Church members as a whole are not stirred by this. It is a humiliating fact that men deal with the great facts of Scripture after a fashion which in any other department of human inquiry would be recognized as illogical or absurd. Christianity is a science as truly as chemistry. Its fundamental facts are determined by thousands of experiments. However, many accept the testimony of scientists and reject the inspired prophets and apostles who speak from God-breathed Scripture.

The “leaven” of the Pharisees has been summarized in the following three points: (1) The Pharisees were rigid in what modern language calls philosophical necessity. They were rational and calm under trying circumstances and were referred to as rigid predestinarians. (2) They rejected the written word of God as the only and sufficient standard of religious truth. The traditions of the elders were as important as the written law to the Pharisees. (3) Their righteousness, though strict in its kind, was merely external. They were devoid internally of spirituality. “And they come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people, and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain. And behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not practice them. So when it comes to pass—as surely it will—then they will know that a prophet has been in their midst” (Ezek. 33:31-33 NASB).

The “leaven” of the Sadducees consisted of three things: “For the Sadducees say that there is [1] no resurrection, [2] nor an angel, [3] nor a spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge them all” (Acts 23:8 NASB). There was a split between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. There were the modernists and the strict or rigid people who did not have the truth. Matthew 3:7 states what John the Baptist called both the Pharisees and Sadducees: “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (NASB).

Life itself is disputatious, and the Christian life is no different. As life is a constant striving against opposing forces, so is the Christian life. In many respects, modern technology has given us a new world in which to live. We can no more remove ourselves from this new world than we can escape the atmosphere we breathe. However, we must be on guard, lest the changes brought about by technology change our attitude about eternal realities.

In the last fifty years, more than in earlier years, Christendom has suffered the loss of the consciousness of the transcendence of God, the consciousness of sin, and the importance of Biblical doctrine. Paul, in his message on Mars Hill, started from the philosopher’s belief in immanence, and led the people to see that the immanent God was also the transcendent, Supreme Being. He is above both nature and men alike. He said, “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things; and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:24-27 NASB).

The apostle reverted to immanence when he said, “For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, For we also are His offspring. Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man” (Acts 17:28, 29 NASB).

The apostle closed his message, showing the overwhelming transcendence, by saying, “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30, 31 NASB).

Athens was the acknowledged city of intellect, culture, and religion. It was the seat of the prevailing schools, but it was filled with idolatry. While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy to meet him at Athens, we are told that “…his spirit was being provoked within him as he was beholding the city full of idols” (Acts 17:16 NASB). As he stood in the midst of Areopagus, he said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you” (Acts 17: 22, 23 NASB). Christianity can never make peace with a false philosophy. Paul warned the Colossians about this very thing. He said, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception…” (Col. 2:8 NASB).

Not only have we witnessed the apostle Paul going beyond or surpassing the limits of human philosophy, but he also made it known that men must be made more sin conscious. The cause of the lack of sin consciousness lies deeper than wars, materialism, and affluence. The root cause is the exchange of truth for paganism. Paul said, “For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Rom. 1:25 NASB). The gradual infiltration of “little sins” has made people unconscious of the awfulness of sin. The world’s philosophy believes the world’s evil can be overcome with the world’s good.

Therefore, the loss of the consciousness of the transcendent God and awareness of sin can be blamed for the loss of doctrinal teaching. Paul said, “Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself” (II Tim. 2:7-13 NASB). How does faith prove itself? It proves itself by our faithfulness to the truth to which we have been exposed.

Once a regenerated and converted sheep is really exposed to Bible doctrine, he will say that it does make a difference what a person believes for the completion of his earthly sojourn in the wilderness of false teaching. One of the clever statements of the religious world is “Christianity is a life, not a doctrine.” This has the appearance of godliness to many; however, upon careful examination, it is heresy. The assertion that Christianity is a life is subject to historical investigation. When investigated, it turns out to be heresy.

At the foundation of the life of every corporation is the corporation document, in which the objects of the incorporation are set forth. The same principle is true with Christianity. The beginning of Christianity constitutes a definite purpose, and this purpose is set forth in God’s eternal covenant of grace. Scripture states, “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (Heb. 13:20, 21 NASB).

The writer of Hebrews closes the Epistle on the highest note of the doctrinal scale. The word for “covenant” is not suntheke but diatheke. If the Greek noun was suntheke, it would be a covenant between two parties coming together on equal terms. No such bilateral covenant could exist between God and man when it comes to the covenant of grace. On the other hand, since the noun is diatheke, the covenant is a unilateral covenant between the three Persons of the Godhead. In this Trinity, there is an exclusive unity. No fourth person could have a place in that fellowship of equals. Therefore, salvation is all of God, and that alone is salvation by grace—unmerited favor.

The historical information has been preserved for God’s people for all ages. No one can add to it or take from it. Doctrine, therefore, is the very basis of the Christian faith (the system of doctrine believed by God’s people). Thus Jude said, “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith [pistis, body of belief or doctrine] which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3 NASB). If all creeds are equally true, then since they are contradictory to one another, they are all equally false.

Paul was convinced of the objective truth of the gospel message, and devotion to that truth was the passion of his life. (Study II Timothy, chapters two and four.) Paul, unlike modern-day liberals, was not interested merely in the ethical principles of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, he was not interested merely in general principles of religion or ethics. On the contrary, he was interested in the redeeming work of Christ and the effect upon the elect of God.

The subject of Paul’s tolerance to some and his intolerance to others has been questioned. In Philippians 1:18, the message was true, but the method by which it was proclaimed was wrong. Here is what he said: “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice” (NASB). In Galatians 1:6-9, the content of the message was false. It never occurred to Paul, as it does to modern-day liberals, that the gospel might be true for one man and not be for another person. Paul’s interest was in the redeeming work of Christ and its effects upon the elect of God. (Study Galatians 1:6-9.)