Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 6
Dean argues that the Mennonite excuse “we didn’t know” about Nazi atrocities misses the deeper problem: “we’ll end up giving our support to an antichrist and not even know it”—what spiritual and practical safeguards could keep a church from sincerely supporting evil while believing it is supporting good?
Another way to ask: What habits or guardrails could keep a church from honestly thinking it supports good while it is actually supporting evil?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
The transcript doesn’t give a step-by-step safeguard list, but it strongly implies that clear two-kingdom teaching, resisting political “leaven,” and active kingdom obedience keep the church from drifting into sincere support of evil. A reasonable inference is that churches need ongoing repentance, historical memory, and a disciplined refusal to treat political movements as “revival.”
- Dean notes the excuse: “Well, we didn’t know,” and acknowledges some “did not know until the 1950s.”
- But he says the deeper issue is principle-drift: “by getting our principles off and trying to look to… politics… to fix our problem.”
- His warning is stark: “we’ll end up giving our support to an antichrist and not even know it.”
- He calls it “bad leaven… We’ve been down that road,” urging a “wake-up call.”
- He points to repentance as a safeguard: “after the war, the Mennonites repented… sometimes even publicly.”
- He keeps returning to the alternative: “Jesus has the answers,” and Christians must keep allegiance centered on “King Jesus.”