Satan has two main ploys in his attempts to destroy the church of Christ: persecution and false teaching. Towards the end of the apostolic age, Peter and Jude warned their readers about false prophets and apostles who would bring in destructive heresies.
Addressing the seven churches in Asia Minor, the Lord Jesus Christ identified some in Pergamos who held to the doctrine of Balaam (Revelation 2:14). In Thyatira they were allowing Jezebel to promote idolatry and sexual immorality (Revelation 2:20). Such toleration provoked the holy jealousy of Christ.
With a Christ-like zeal, Jude exhorts his readers ‘to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude 3). The church of Christ is called to contend for the faith in every generation. Errors and heresies have arisen in every age.
As we cast our eyes over the last two millennia, there appear to have been three principal crises that have faced the church. False teachings confronted the Church Fathers, the 16th and 17th century Reformers and Puritans, and now face the church in the 21st century.
