ADDRESSING THE HERESY ALLEGATION As Oneness Apostolics continue to proclaim the biblical truth of The Mighty God in Jesus Christ, and the need to be born again according to John 3: 5 and Acts 2: 38, inevitably someone will cry out, “Heresy!” to try and drown out our scriptural reasons for our proclamations. I have decided to address this “heresy” allegation, and see if it has any validity. What exactly is Heresy? After searching several dictionaries, it is evident that Heresy basically means to express a belief or opinion that is not in accordance or in alignment with the orthodox and accepted beliefs of a particular religion. Most dictionaries even include as one of the definitions, “anyone who has departed from Roman Catholicism”. I have concluded that the “heresy” word is used rather loosely these days. It becomes way too easy to simply label someone a heretic if they fail to believe the way you do, or if they have left your church. With this is mind, what WAS the established belief of the day? And just why was Paul considered a heretic? What did the Jewish religion believe about God? For approximately 4000 years, the established and official belief of the Jewish religion concerning God was Monotheism, the belief in only One God. It rang loud and clear in verses such as this: Deuteronomy 6: 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: They believed that God and God alone was to be worshipped and loved with all their heart, soul and might. They were told to teach this to their children in the morning, noon and evening. They were to write this on the pillars and gates of their homes. They were never to forget that God is a jealous God, and His glory He would not share with another. Belief in any other God than the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the God of their fathers - was completely foreign to them. They were never taught that God was One Eternal being in three separate and distinct persons, but that God was One LORD. They understood that God could not have an equal: There was no deity other than Him, and there could be no deity next to Him. He was the only God that could provide Salvation: Is. 45: 5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me. Is. 43: 11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. Is. 46: 5 To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? The conversion of a great Apostle The apostle Paul had grown up as Saul, of Tarsus, and was a devout Jew. He fought the new “Jesus movement” vehemently, believing with all his heart that he was protecting the God of his fathers by persecuting the church. (Acts 22: 3, 4) Through all the chaos, Jesus saw a zeal in Saul that he would honor by revealing Himself in a way that He had not previously done – He spoke directly from Heaven: Acts 9: 3 - 6 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. Long story short, Paul becomes a powerful proponent of Jesus Christ and begins to preach that Jesus is indeed the long awaited Messiah – the Just and Holy One that was prophesied. This was still before they were called “Christians” (See Acts 11: 26). Those preaching the Acts 2: 38 message and who were experiencing signs and wonders in the name of Jesus Christ were simply referred to as “The Way” or “The Sect of the Nazarenes”, (Acts 24: 5) stemming from the fact that Jesus was from Nazareth. So why could Paul have been considered a Heretic? Previous to Pauls’ conversion, he was in line with Orthodox views that God alone was to be worshipped, and that His glory could never be given to another. Orthodox Judaism believes this to this day. (Ironically, Jehovah’s Witnesses also believe that to worship any other than Jehovah is blasphemy.) Because Paul became a believer in Jesus Christ, Immanuel, God with us, that made him a “defector” of the Orthodox Religion. He was now accused of being the “ringleader’ of this new “cult” or “sect”. In their eyes, he had forsaken the cry of “the LORD our God is One LORD”. Paul himself was a Pharisee, and Pharisees had accused Jesus of being a blasphemer, because being a man, He “made himself God.” (See John 10: 33) But in his defense in Acts 24, Paul states that he has never stopped worshipping the God of his fathers: Acts 24: 14 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: He did not confess it to be heresy – he said it is what “they call heresy” – or this “so called heresy allegation”. We know from his writings that Paul believed Jesus to be God manifested in flesh (1 Tim. 3: 16) and that in Jesus was the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Col. 2: 9). So what Paul was saying was, “I have not stopped worshipping the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I haven’t stopped believing in the scriptures – I’ve just had a revelation of who Jesus really is!” When you hear from God, and He says, “I am Jesus”, your life will never be the same again. I would like to briefly address those of you who believe that Oneness Apostolics are in heresy. I ask you to re-evaluate who has actually departed from the Apostle’s doctrine. Like Saul, you are fighting against the name of Jesus – even denying it in water baptism. You are denying Jesus the title of Mighty God and Everlasting Father. And why exactly are you considering us to be heretics? Is it because we have departed from Catholicism? That cannot be true, since The New Testament Church preceded the RCC. Is it because we have departed from the doctrine of One God existing in three persons? That cannot be true, because that was never taught by God in Heaven, Jesus on earth, nor the prophets or Apostles. Is it because we baptize in Jesus’ name? I want you to dwell on that one a bit: You are considering us “heretics” for baptizing in the name that is above all names, the only name that saves, and the only mode of baptism ever recorded in The New Testament Church. The same baptism that worked for Peter and Paul to save countless souls. Can I remind you that Peter learned directly from Jesus and was given the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven? (Matt. 16:19) Can I remind you that Paul said that his revelation came straight from God? (Gal. 1: 11 – 17) And finally, do you consider us to be heretics because we are taking the glory from the Father when we worship Jesus as the One True God? The truth is, we have never stopped worshipping the God of our fathers; we’ve just had a “Saul to Paul” conversion on Damascus Road. 1 Tim. 3: 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. – Paul (formerly Saul) @Back On Track Bible Studies – Rick Flores
Posted on: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 16:32:53 +0000
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