IS A HERETIC NEEDED?
By Ron McRay
There is the idea expressed by many, which is also expressed in the Bible, that to be a heretic is wrong, there appears to be a positive aspect of that word also. Obviously, to be a heretic in the wrong things is bad, but what about being a heretic in a good sense? Do you know that the first Christians were called heretics?
"But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets" [Acts 24:14].
Were they heretics? Was it wrong for them to be such? The first definition of the Bible word is hereby given.
"HERESY": (Gr. hairesis, a "choice"). Means, in the NT: "a chosen course of thought and action; hence one's chosen opinion, tenet, and so a sect or party, as the Sadducees (Acts 5:17); the Pharisees (15:5; 26:5); and the Christians (24:5,14; 28:22)" [The New Unger's Bible Dictionary].
Can we, as Bible believers, have a "choice?" Can we have a "chosen course of thought and action?" Certainly! Nevertheless, in the modern world, the Bible and the churches often interact in a perverse way.
We live in a society where churches cause many problems for Bible believers. Does not the public expect those organizations that try to teach the Bible to do so in such a manner that will provide answers to all of their problems? Thus, are not supposed biblical experts paid and encouraged to provide answers? How much use does the public have for a Bible teacher who says, "Sorry, but I don't know?" Does not the public prefer to listen to some so-called Preacher, Minister, Pastor or Reverend who gives confident answers to questions and makes confident predictions about what will happen as a result of current activities and those things that are held to occur in our day and time? So it happens that the Bible experts (?) who talk publicly about contentious questions, tend to speak more clearly than they are able to comprehend. Do they not make confident predictions about the future and end up believing their own fallacious predictions? Do the predictions become dogmas that they themselves would not dare to question? Is not the public led to believe that the fashionable church dogmas that they espouse are true, and yet usually they are wrong? That is why heretics who question the dogmas are needed.
Modern day preaching is organized unpredictability. The most reverend Doctors of Theology like to toy and arrange their theology in such a manner to see if they can come up with something new and novel or different for their readers (hearers). When these doctors of the law make predictions, they are not speaking as Bible teachers. The predictions of biblical -fiction writers are notoriously inaccurate. Their purpose is to imagine what might happen rather than to describe what has happened. A few of the prevailing dogmas may be right, but they still need to be challenged. Since I am a heretic, I am accustomed to being in the minority. If I could persuade everyone to agree with me, I would not be a heretic. Is that not hilarious?
We are fortunate that we can be heretics today without any danger of being burned at the stake. The world needs young heretics. I am hoping that one or two of the people who read this piece may fill that role.
Over the years, I have met some prominent heretics who promoted unpopular biblical ideas that usually turned out to be right. Thank God that they thought for themselves, rather than parrot their seminary professors.
Probably the main subject of these so called theologians is the problem of the so-called "second coming" of Jesus. This is a contentious subject, involving politics and economics as well as biblical truth.
The real world of Bible understanding is muddy and messy and full of things that we do not yet understand. It is much easier for a Doctor of Theology to sit in an air-conditioned building and run his computer while looking through 21st century, western eye glasses, than to put on first century AD eastern eye glasses and measure what the Bible says about things that happened in the 1st century AD, rather than what they think might happen in our day and time. Is that not why the so-called Bible experts end up believing their own delusions. Would you consider it to be a delusion to speak of the "second coming" of Jesus when such term is not even found in the Bible? No, it is not found even one time!
Obviously we should be trying to understand better what the Bible teaches about the "second coming" of the Christ. I am saying that the modern day teachings are grossly exaggerated. They take away money and attention from other problems that are more urgent and more important, such as poverty and infectious disease and public education and public health, and the preservation of living creatures on land and in the oceans, not to mention easy problems such as the timely construction of adequate dikes around the city of New Orleans and feeding and clothing the poor.
When I listen to or read biblical debates, I am impressed by the enormous gaps in our knowledge, the sparseness of our observations and the superficiality of our theories. Many of the basic Bible scriptures are poorly understood. Just as diseases must be diagnosed before they can be cured, the scriptures must be better understood before we can reach an accurate diagnosis of our present conditions. We need to observe and measure what the Bible actually teaches, rather than listen to some theory of the worshipful religious elders in modern day religions.
Most of us are old, so it is up to the young heretics to find new heresies to guide the way to a more hopeful future.
It is my prayer that the Almighty God will bless each of us in our studying and thinking for ourselves.
Copyrighted © by Ron McRay, August 21, 2007. Permission is granted to reproduce this as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and proper credit given. ronmcray@prodigy.net
Job Chapter 14 and the Ultimate Future
By George F. Howe
In Job 14:1-2 Job himself was the speaker when he emphasized the ephemeral aspects of human life. Mankind has a fleeting and troublesome existence, which Job compared to a flower that withers and to a shadow that quickly passes. These words foreshadow similar remarks by Christ on earth.
Regarding God?s concern for people, Job asked"?doest Thou open thine eyes on such an one??" (KJV). This means "Do You take notice of the likes of people, who are ?here today and gone tomorrow??" Jesus answered that question many years later when He said that God is the Originator of each colorful flower in the fields and that God has an ongoing tally of all hairs on every human head!
Job asked further "Will you [God] bring him [this evanescent person] before you in judgment?" (NIV, vs:3, brackets mine) God answered with a resounding "Yes" in many other Bible passages and lie assured us that such judgment would yield correction and righteousness in its recipients?e.g. Isaiah 26:9b.
People are not like trees that grow back again from their roots after being cut down (Job 14:12). According to the text, they do not arise or awaken from their sleep of death .... .til the heavens are no more.. ." (KJV). John made it clear (Revelation 20: l)that the old heavens and earth will pass away at the end of the millennial eon, at which time the unregenerate dead will be raised. John further quoted Christ (John 5:25) as stating that the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and that those who hear will live.
Job then makes a request that will sound strange to orthodox Christian ears (Job 14:13): "Oh that You would hide me in Sheol?" (NASB). In less than a literal vein, both the KJV and the NIV use the English word "grave" here. As Biblical Universalists have made clear, however, this was an unfortunate choice because there are other Hebrew words that refer to the grave. This word Sheol is quite similar to the Greek word Hades and both are routinely mistranslated "hell" in the KJV at other locations. If Sheol really referred to our modem concept of "a Devil?s hell", why would Job plead to go there? And if it means "hell" in one passage it needs to be translated that way in other instances too?we may not" pick and choose" based on our own eschatological presuppositions.
Concordant translators (CV) have made it clear from the Hebrew that Sheol actually designates the imperceptible domain of the dead?it has no connotation of fiery punishment. Thus, Sheol could simply be transliterated into English and need not be rendered either "grave" or "hell."
Job also exclaims (Job 14:13): "If only you would set me a time and then remember me?(NIV). God revealed to us that He will resurrect people, "?every man in his own order?" (I Corinthians 15:23). It will all be accomplished?"in the dispensation of the fullness of time"?(Ephesians 1:10). Christ?s vivification of different people will be?"testified in due time" (I Timothy 2:6). Job?s plea will be more than granted!
In Job 14:13, Job makes one more passionate request---that he might be hidden or concealed until God?s wrath is over. In making such a request, perhaps Job understood more clearly than some believers do today that God?s wrath will come to a complete end for all people: Isaiah 10: 24-25. Isaiah 25: 8-10, Isaiah 12:1, Isaiah 57:16, and Micah 7:18b. Christ indicated that at some point Be would be drawing all human beings unto himself?John 12:32. He also indicated that at some point in the future He would".. .ever be casting out judging for victory" (Matthew 12:20, CV).
Speaking of God, Job said, "You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature your hands have made" (Job 14:15, NIV). While this longing of God for the His creature refers here strictly to Job, it is clear from other passages that God is a Creator who is faithful to His entire creation and He is not willing that any should perish (II Peter 3:9).
As a human father, I long for a son who died at age 42. Surely God has far deeper desires to bring back every one of His created sons and daughters from the dead. God has the power to restore them all too, and to give them strength?"In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all"( I Chronicles 29:12, NIV).
lob knew that God would not keep track of his sin (14:16) so that his sins would be covered and would be sealed up in a bag. These were sweeping statements!
Although God revealed much about the ultimate reconciliation of all to Job, Job?s friend Eliphaz belittled Job?s insight?perhaps out of jealousy when he asked: "What do you know that we do not know?" (Job 15:9). The implied answer implied, "Quite a bit, Eliphaz, quite a bit!"
The Ultimate Reconciliation of All (TURA)
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Reconciliation
Reconciliation by Dr. D. M. Callaghan Ph. D., Th.D., D.D.
It seems that that words must be very important for several reasons men can not
live together in harmony unless they can depend on others to provide the things
we need to survive. And for men to live together they must be able to
communicate with each other. Before the advent of telephones, computers, email
mail and others means of talking to one another, the only means available was
writing. And it seemed good that the Lord God would provide a means to
communicate with His Creation! Thus writing became most important and following
on the heels of writing was the understanding of the written word.
Now all of this seems obvious were it not for the fact that more wars, disputes,
arguments have started over one man misunderstanding another. Even in the 21st
century we still find that men don?t truly understand one another . And even
more so when it comes to Religion.
But unfortunately Even among the most well meaning people there seems to be a
problem in understanding what God has said much less what He means when He
writes to us for our understanding. God?s word can be compared to an onion once
you peel off the first layer there is another and then another and another until
you get down to the center. Now each layer is complete in itself but it does not
become the center until one strips away each layer to reach the very center.
What does it mean to be reconciled?
To ask what rconciliation means strikes fear into any theologian or Bible
scholar who would dare to bring up the subject of reconciliation and even more
so since the doctrine of so many denomations, groups and creeds are based on
teaching of some head who while not holding the Scriptures as unable to speak
for themselves and only if we were to listen to the man rather than to be Berean
and to "search the scriptures" to see if these things are so.
Our desire is to study the scripture and to let God?s word speak! Like Ezra of
old we wish "to open the Book" and learn from it. Let us begin to see what
God has said.
RO 5: 10For if, when we were enemies, we were RECONCILEd to God by the death of
his Son, much more, being RECONCILEd, we shall be saved by his life.
1co 7:11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be RECONCILEd to
her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
2co 5:18
And all things are of God, who hath RECONCILED us to himself by Jesus Christ,
and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 2co 5:20 Now then we are
ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in
Christ's stead, be ye RECONCILED to God. Eph 2:16 And that he might RECONCILE
both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: Col
1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to RECONCILE
all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or
things in heaven. Col 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in
your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he RECONCILED
For if, when we were enemies, we were RECONCILEd to God by the death of his Son,
much more, being RECONCILEd, we shall be saved by his life.
Reconcilation
a change from enmity to friendship. It is mutual, i.e., it is a change wrought
in both parties who have been at enmity.
In Colossians 1:21,22, the word there used refers to a change wrought in the
personal character of the sinner who ceases to be an enemy to God by wicked
works, and yields up to him his full confidence and love. In 2 Corinthians 5:20
the apostle beseeches the Corinthians to be "reconciled to God", i.e., to lay
aside their enmity.
Romans 5:10 refers not to any change in our disposition toward God, but to God
himself, as the party reconciled. Romans 5:11 teaches the same truth. From God
we have received "the reconciliation" (RSV), i.e., he has conferred on us the
token of his friendship. So also 2Cor. 5:18,19 speaks of a reconciliation
originating with God, and consisting in the removal of his merited wrath. In
Ephesians 2:16 it is clear that the apostle does not refer to the winning back
of the sinner in love and loyalty to God, but to the restoration of God's
forfeited favor. This is effected by his justice being satisfied, so that he
can, in consistency with his own nature, be favorable toward sinners. Justice
demands the punishment of sinners. The death of Christ satisfies justice, and so
reconciles God to us. This reconciliation makes God our friend, and enables him
to pardon and save us.
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