There will always be men in the history of the church that will be examples of strength and wisdom, and recently I was at a viewing for a dear older brother who has passed on to his reward who was just that. He was such a man who gave his life in a charismatic and devoted service to various jobs in the church for decades and finished strong in the faith and left behind a testimony of service and encouragement for many to remember. Unlike the dear brother I mention, the man we will look at today did not finish quite the same. He started strong, but didn’t finish the race. We will look at Obbe Philips and learn some lessons from him.

Born in 1500, an illegitimate son of Catholic priest, Obbe Philips nevertheless received a good education and became a barbor and surgeon.  Raised around Leeuwarden and also started his business there, when he became interested in the Reformation and joined the Anabaptist Reformation around 1533. Let’s take a look into what made Obbe curious about the Reformation

Obbe Philips was drawn to the Anabaptist Reformation by the preaching of Melchior Hoffman when he came to the local area around 1532. Like we discussed in last week’s blog, Melchior Hoffman and a drawing, and charismatic way of preaching that appealed to a straight-laced surgeon like Obbe. He remained close to Melchior’s teaching even after Hoffman was forced out of the Friesland area and left his “disciples” in the area. Philips kept regular contact with these men, one being a direct student of Hoffman: Jan Matthys, and the other two being Matthys’ assistants: Bartholomew Boekbinder, and William Cuyper. He was baptized by these men omin December of 1533 and was placed as a bishop in their church. Because of Melchiors stance on baptism forced him into exile, Obbe was baptized by “disciples” of Hoffman, thus making him a follower if Matthys, not Hoffman. Rather confusing, but the authorities of the land made these distinctions so as to better associate prisoners they’d arrest and by association be able to lay various charges at these men’s feet.

  Once Obbe’s ministry was underway in the Leeuwarden area when he had to flee to Holland because of persecution and arrests. Within 2 years Obbe had been baptizing and traveling in a very extensive area to where a lot of those arrested in the Amsterdam and surrounding areas named him as their baptizer. Because of his leader ship he was personally involved in the baptism of his brother Dirk, as well as a young Menno Simons in 1536. So busy was Philips that he started to have his own followers and style of preaching that they became known as “Obbenites”.

   During this time was also when there was a very pronounced influence from Melchior Hoffman in his attempt to establish an earthly kingdom for God in the city of Munster, Germany. Emissaries like Jan Van Leyden, Matthys and others led to a large following flocking to the city around 1534 where Van Leyden and Matthys took control of the city and led what was the down-hill destruction of a debauched and wicked period in the city. But I digress, at this time Obbe was contemplating taking his followers to Munster as well, but because of the militant attitudes of Hoffmans “disciples” and his own concerns we see him instead being arrested in the city of Groningen, where was was in prison for around a year until friends were able to secure his release.

  Possibly because of some time to think, and the Holy Spirits conviction, when he was released we see him focusing on the spiritual side of the Christians battle. As well as building the church instead of relying on fanciful visions and speeches from Hoffman and others. If there was any good that came from the Munster rebellion it was that it was a wake up call to serious minded and sincere followers of Christ to lay aside the notions of these false teachers and instead commit themselves to prayer and studying. While he still remained “loyal” to some aspects of Hoffmans teaching, you can start to see aittle doubt or unraveling in his convictions about 1539.

   The only record we have of Obbe’s own words was a “confession” later in his life. So most of what we know comes from sources, and contemporaries of his day. It was in 1539 that we see he went to his brother Dirk, as well as Menno Simons and unburdened his doubts and concerns about his leadership and salvation to them. Obbe was ultimately excommunicated from the very church he so rigorously supported and expanded. Doubts about line of authority from Hoffman, his own ordination, and that of those he baptized and ordained, ultimately led him to change his name and go back to being a surgeon in the 1550s until his death in 1568. Records show he never went back to the state church, or ever reconciled with the Anabaptist Reformation. He eventually became a self described “spiritualist” with no zeal for Chriat or His church. Which is what led Menno Simons to say “Obbe has become a Demas.” Stern words, yet sad considering the fire and conviction Obbe once had in the church.

  While it is easy to sympathize with Obbe’s concerns about his salvation, we can look to scripture for an answer. Paul in talking to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 3 lays out that it doesn’t matter how you heard the word, you heard it. And that can loosely be applied to a situation like Obbe’s. It doesn’t matter how you heard about Christ and His salvation on the cross, or who you heard it from. What does matter is what you do with that knowledge. That doesn’t mean Christians live wicked lives, it simply means we as hearers are accountable in our own right. Secondly, in Jude, verse 24 and 25 we see a beautiful picture. One, of our salvation being able to be kept by Christ, not a Preacher or mentor. Also it says he is “able to keep you from stumbling and present you blameless”. We have to remain faithful, flee the world and follow him and theres a beautiful promise there for the believer. But when we come to him and receive him into our hearts we are following and trusting in Him, not the man, or method in which we heard of Jesus.

Another lesson from Obbe is that we need to be very careful in what voices we allow in our lives. While some might seem to be bringing a new fire from God’s Word, we must always be like the Bereans (Acts 17:11) and search out what we are hearing, or reading to make sure it does in fact line with scripture. Obbe could have saved himself a lot of trouble if when he became a Christian, listened more to God’s Word, and less to men.

Lastly, another point is this: we as believers had better make sure what we say or teach, or what a preacher preaches is sound and true! Or we will end up the way of a Melchior Hoffman and lead people astray with good intentions but false teaching. There are plenty of warnings in the New Testament and Old about speaking truthfully and not twisting God’s Word. So let’s take the lesson of Obbe Phillips, and also Melchior Hoffman and make sure what we say is Scriptural and true, so that others may see we are serious in serving God.

We can hum this little hymn and truly believe the words we sing:

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name

On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand. Let’s never put our trust in men, but only in Christ and live for Him!