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The Christian's defense in the court of Heresy
by Rev. George Pryor Definition of Hersey Heresy in its simplest definition is; A belief that rejects the orthodox beliefs or any deviation from the Orthodox beliefs of Christianity Introduction The Bible instructs All Christians to be prepared to give an answer to everyone that questions us about our faith. The reference is I Peter 3:15 with emphasis on the b part of the verse and it says; "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" , In order to do this you Must possess a good understanding of what you believe and why you believe it. We are in court everyday at our door, at work, on the TV and on the internet. If you have that knowledge you can lead unbelievers to a saving faith in Jesus and defend yourself against the errors and false teachings of Christian cultist such as Catholics, Mormons , Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventist, Oneness Pentecostals and. the non-Christian cultist such as the Atheist, Muslims, Buddhist, Hindus, Baha'i s, Scientology etc. that have another God. You can also stand against them and point them to The GOD of The Bible and His Son Jesus if you are rooted and grounded in the *Doctrines of The Christian faith. Doctrines of The Christian Faith 1. There is Only One GOD who exists in three eternal, simultaneous, and distinct persons, known as The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6&8and I JN. 5:7 which says;"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." And ( II Cor. 13:14). 2. Jesus is The Son of God and is both God and man (John. 1:1-3 &14; 3:16; 8:24) and (Col. 2:8-9) that says; "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,." and (1 John 4:1-4) 3. The Holy Spirit is the third person of The Trinity and is called God. (Acts 5:3-4) 4. Salvation is by grace through faith Alone (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 3:1-2; 5:1-4). 5. The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:1-4, Gal. 1:8-9). Finally You must also be prepared and have answers to questions such as these. 1. Is My Belief in God Credible? 2. Is The Bible True? 3. Is Jesus God? 4. Is The Resurrection of Jesus Reliable? 5. Why Does God Allow Pain and Suffering? 6. How Can I Be Sure that God Created the World? This knowledge equips the believer in Jesus to be steadfast and immovable in the faith as commanded in(1 Corinthians 15:58). Paul tells the following to Timothy in (2 Timothy 3:4), "Continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of" He also said this in(2 Tim. 2:15); " Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.." This is why Christians even in this day and time must understand and know the truth about the credibility and defensibility of their Christian belief. If you would like further information about 1-6 above send me a comment requesting it and I will provide it for you. Rev. George Pryor Th.M. Pastor Emeritus. [email protected] Retired disable pastor Masters Degree in Theology. Love writingshort articles and books Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |