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Happy Hunting!

Heresy and what it is

We live in a day and age where, because of the popular trivializing of truth, heresy has fertile soil in which to sprout up all over the place. It's important that we as Christians, do not give in to the lies of our culture when we are told that asserting doctrinal absolutes is 'wrong', 'divisive' and 'unloving'. Can you imagine someone saying that to Jesus? "Look, Jesus, I really love that you're a good teacher, but seriously, will you stop with the whole 'he who does not believe in me is condemned' thing? It's unloving." The scene is ludicrous isn't it? It is preposterous to imagine that anyone would stand before God incarnate and tell him to lighten up on truth. "Lighten up, Jesus! Lighten up!" Preposterous. Absolutely inconceivable.

God does not agree with our culture. And God is not pleased when we side with them over siding with Him on this issue.

A heresy, coming from the greek word 'to choose' is (according to me) "a deviation from essential doctrinal truth". Let me break that statement down.

"A DEVIATION FROM..."

It is a changing, altering, denying, estranging of or watering down of some component of essential doctrinal truth. It can be overt, like the asserting of a contrary doctrine (e.g. a false religion) or can be covert, like the tweaking of the definition of words (Like when Mormons use the word 'trinity').

"...ESSENTIAL..."

I add this in because there are things that I believe are true, and are not essential; that is, they do not contain the 'essence' of Christianity in them, however important they may be. On such issues, true Christians can differ and still be true Christians. Some of these issues might be the miraculous charismatic gifts and their availability today, dispensational vs. covenantal views of scripture, eschatology, views about election and so on. That doesn't mean we shouldn't form good, thought-out viewpoints on these things, but that we shouldn't make them essentials when they are not.

"DOCTRINAL TRUTH."

We are dealing here with teachings. We are dealing with statements, propositions, assertions and claims. There are in the Christian faith a set of truths and doctrines that are so essential that we ought to live and even die for them, because to alter them is to lose the Gospel completely.

I was tempted at this point to write out a list of the essentials. However, I'm not going to. The point of this article isn't to construct a doctrinal treatise. It is to equip against heresy. You should know the truth. Our website's statement of faith might be a good place to start if you're unsure.

So -- let's meet Harry the Heretic.

Harry the Heretic dresses in a well-tailored suit with a nice tie. He smiles politely, calls you 'sir' and shakes your hand. He is respectful and not overbearing, conversational and likeable. And he will lead your soul to the depths of Hell. The thing you don't realise about Harry the Heretic is that he works for Satan, the great enemy of God and His people. Harry doesn't know he does, but that's part of the reason why he does. You see often, he himself is just deceived. Sometimes he just isn't aware that Jesus said, "No man can come to the Father, except through me." He claims to, but he probably hasn't actually read all, or even most, and in some cases any of the Bible at all. He isn't out to eat your children or steal your Ford Escort, but more insipidly than that, he is in cahoots with Satan to corrupt and steal the souls of men, and enslave them to false religious systems. It doesn't always have to be a cult; it could just be a popular idea, like, "Jesus was a myth", or "We can't really know God is there for sure" or even, "Truth comes from within us and is different for every person". And we as Christians need to watch out for this enemy with a non-specific hairstyle.

There are three truths you need to remember about a heretic.

1. Satan disguises himself as an Angel of Light

The Bible says this in 2 Cor. 11:14. We need to remember this at all times. Whenever heresy arises it is often dressed in really nice sentiments and pink, warm and fuzzy analogies, using tag-lines like, "love", "harmony" and "unity" as it steals away the very truth of the Gospel that will bring about those things in their purest form among the New Humanity. We must be discerning and aware that actually, yes, it is important how you define the words "Trinity" and "Regenerate". Don't be content with someone's ostensible kindness if it they are handing people a basket full of bread and tickets to hell. Sorry Christian Aid, it's not enough to only believe in life before death if you refuse to proclaim life after it.

2. Heresy is characteristic of the Age

It's never far away. Since Pentecost, we have been living in the 'last days', in which many false teachers and doctrines will arise, deceiving many (2 Tim. 4:3-4, 2 Pet. 2:1-2). As such, the call is to a greater watchfulness. Subtle and deadly things creep in all the time, and we need to be awake and alert to the devices of Satan in our midst. This is why I so appreciate the work and witness of Todd Friel from Wretched Radio. Hey, listen, I don't always agree with everything Todd says, and I don't always agree with his manner either, but I appreciate him and thank God for his discerning heart and commitment to doctrinal absolutes in the right places. May God's blessing reside upon him in all that he does in the service of the saints.

3. Heresy comes from amongst us

Heretics, more often than not, start as professing Christians -- see Acts 20:28-30. It has to be this way, else their heresy is too obviously. Often it's a subtle change in the meaning of words, or a quiet shifting away from a zeal for the essentials that leads someone to eventually changing or denying a key tenet of the Christian faith. A case study in this would be Montanus, from the second century. He starts off as an itinerant evangelist, but soon begins to proclaim what he labels 'prophecies' that are supposed to supersede and replace the teaching of the Apostles, even going as far as removing and editing parts of the Gospels to make them more cogent with his teaching - sound familiar?

Be on guard, my fellow believer. Know two things. Know the truth intimately, and know the Lord consistently. Get a heart for truth, and get a heart for Christians, and you shall find yourself well guarded from heresy. With a concern for truth, you will spot the error; with a concern for people, protecting them from spiritual harm will motivate you to keep close watch of what is good and true remaining among them.

Make Acts 20:28-30 your Bible study for today.

Happy Hunting!

"That's what the heresy whistle is all about... knowing the rule book and applying it." - Stephen the Levite, "RnA", from the album "To die is gain".

All my love in Christ Jesus,

Arron