Are You A Heretic? Read the Bible And You’ll Know
Posted: Sunday, May 15, 2011
by Joel Kontinen
http://joelkontinen.blogspot.com/
The Bible has a lot to say about false doctrines. In his First Letter, the apostle John warns his readers: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
As human beings, we have a tendency to defend the beliefs we hold most dear to our hearts. It is, for instance, easier to see heresies in the lives and teachings of others than in ourselves. However, a vital question that we should ask is: “Are our beliefs compatible with what the Bible teaches?”
The apostle John did not leave us to stumble in the dark, being unable to see what is wrong and what is not. He gave us a very clear description of what is false doctrine: “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world” (1 John 3: 2-3, NKJV).
The essential issue that decides whether we are heretics or not is our attitude to Jesus Christ. Do we believe in His incarnation, i.e. “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The only way God’s Son could die was by taking on the form of a mortal human being. The apostle Paul discusses this puzzle that theologians call Christ’s kenosis as follows: “Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2: 5-8).
Practically all cults deny the incarnation and full divinity of Christ, as well as His bodily resurrection. This is a serious issue, as Paul says that without the resurrection our faith would be futile (1 Corinthians 15:17).
We should always keep in mind that heresies do not have to do with worship styles, our views on dispensationalism, end-time events or spiritual gifts. They have to do with the denial of the most fundamental Christian doctrines related to God, humankind, sin and the atonement. If we take heed to what the apostles John and Paul teach about false doctrines, we will be better able to stay away from them.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Hi Joel. Very well said. The last paragraph says it all. Blessings to you! TeresaThanks Teresa. God bless you.
Excellent article. Thanks for the repetition of those issues that we know are important and essential. Good job.Thanks for reading.
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