NOTES for Deu 13:1-18
Even today people appear within the Christian community who try to turn us away from the faith. Advertisements on television and in newspapers offer us the services of “Orthodox” fortune-tellers, healers, and other “believing” miracle workers. The Old Testament commandment offers a simple solution: death for the apostate.
But how can this be reconciled with the commandments to love our enemies, forgive, and not condemn? When we condemn others, we ourselves may be condemned for unfaithfulness—and who is without sin? Only one way remains, the simplest and at the same time the most difficult: learn to separate a person from his sin; love the person and do not condemn him, but hate and condemn unfaithfulness, apostasy, and temptation. And, of course, stand firm in the faith ourselves (1 Cor. 16:13).