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Paul's Assessment of Hymenæn Theology

How then should we treat those who embrace Hymenænism and yet claim to wear the badge of Christianity? We must look to Paul's charge to Timothy. Paul tells us that the Hymenæns have "erred with respect to the truth" ( 2 Tim. 2:18 ). Erring with regard to the truth means that we have erred about the "truth of the Gospel." His description of the Hymenæns is not that they have erred with respect to one truth among many Gospel truths. On the contrary, their error is a capital error; the whole truth has been denied.

Their preterist resurrection theology has overthrown the faith of some. This is a powerful indictment. Not merely the faith by which we believe, but The Faith that we believe is defeated, destroyed.

The teachings of the Hymenæns are labeled a "canker," a gangrene, perhaps a cancer. The Greek word could be a medical word or a word describing oxidation. If the former, then, the church is compared to a living organism. A malignancy or a gangrene can only destroy this organism! Hymenæn theology is a cancer in the living organism of the church.

Hymenæns also make "shipwreck" of the Faith ( 1 Tim. 1:19 ). The shipwreck is a religious shipwreck. Hymenænism is not a mere pinhole in the hull of the good ship salvation.

The upshot is that we should not be referring to the disciples of Hymenæus as "beloved brethren," as "good friends," as "dear Christian brethren." They are the enemies of Christ and the enemies of the church. The "sons of the resurrection" should not be taken unawares. Hymenæns who are members in Christian churches should be disciplined for their error, even delivered over to Satan so that they would not blaspheme ( 1 Tim. 1:20 ).

If a church unwittingly carries Hymenæn books (such as the Leonards' The Promise of His Coming, or J. Stuart Russell's The Parousia), these books should be torched or removed immediately. No church should pray God's speed on the disciples of Hymenæus. If a church has Hymenæn members, let her admonish or rebuke these subverters at once. We dare not give them the Lord's Supper. We must not let them get away with calling themselves "preterists" or "consistent preterists," or believers in "fulfilled eschatology." The word "preterist" is a good word. The disciples of Hymenæus are not preterists; their "dispensable eschatology" makes them heretics. What is more, they are antichrists; for only the spirit of antichrist says that Jesus Christ did not come in the flesh ( 1 Jn. 4 ff). When we interview new members, we need to question them about Christ's resurrection and ours. Hymenæns are not our friends; they are the enemies of the cross. If we deny the future resurrection of the body then we deny the resurrection of Christ. And if we deny the resurrection of Christ's flesh, then we deny his accomplishment on the cross. The design of Christ's bodily resurrection was to implement His sacrifice on the cross, when He suffered the wrath of God in his body and in his soul. He came to redeem us in body and in soul ( Rom. 8:23; 1 Cor. 6:20 ).

Hymenænism is damnable heresy.