"There is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9 ESV)
Week One - Introduction
When I chose to become a follower of Jesus, I had a voracious appetite for knowledge about Him, as well as a deep desire to grow in intimacy with Him. I would read everything about Jesus I could get my hands on, no matter who, or what, the source was, and I would listen to anyone who spoke His name. Unknowingly, that led me into digesting a toxic stew of Occult and cultic beliefs, mixed with traditional and orthodox church teaching, along with some serious heresy thrown in for a little seasoning.
As I grew older in the faith, I surrounded myself with those who longed for the same intimate relationship that I desired with Jesus. The pastor of the church I was attending was a great preacher, but he was not a teacher, and his sermons were often mixed with personal conjecture and various scattered verses combined to help him prove his point of view about what he thought the Bible passages meant in order to fulfill his personal agenda.
After graduating from high school, I entered into intense formal Bible study and training. I began to learn that much of what I had read and been taught about God in the past, was biblically way off base. That really, really upset me, to say the least. I felt I had been betrayed, abused, deceived, and intentionally misled by my spiritual elders.
The one significant thing I took from of all my years of theological training was how to study the Bible and spot spiritual deception. As a result of my experiences, I desired to become a "watchman on the wall" and made a spiritual commitment to God that I would delve into historical church teaching and diligently study the subjects of the Bible backward and forward, making every attempt to never teach it based upon a self-centered confirmation-biased agenda, or by twisting the Scriptures into a pretzel as a means to an end.
Heresy is a doctrine or teaching that changes the nature of the faith so fundamentally that it no longer can be trusted to be saving faith. Every heretical teaching in Christianity throughout history was a result of people listening to the voices in their heads and not rightly dividing God's Word. Words can only mean what the original author intended them to mean in their grammatical and historical context. 'Up' can't mean 'down,' 'cat' can't mean 'dog,' 'yes' can't mean 'no,' 'right' can't mean 'wrong,' 1 + 1 can only equal 2, etc., no matter how much 'fresh' revelation a person thinks they received. A text without a context is a pretext for a proof text.
I remember reading that one of the primary sources of error in Theology is the desire to say something new. The Bible says that the pure and undistorted Gospel "was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3 ESV), and warns about "a different Gospel, which is really no Gospel at all" (Galatians 1:6-7 NIV).
There are five primary teachings labeled heretical throughout church history that still exist in the church today in one form or another. They are Legalism, Antinomianism, Pelagianism, Gnosticism - which includes an offshoot known as Kenoticism - and Modalism.
In this series, we will take a detailed look at these beliefs (and their variations) that are alive and well in the church today and address why they are considered heresy.
LEGALISM and ANTINOMIANISM
Legalism is often referred to as Judaizing in the Bible, which can also be called salvation by works or works righteousness. The Bible tells us that people have a natural tendency to add works to the Gospel of justification by faith in the finished, once-for-all work of Christ. Legalism is all about what a person must do to obtain salvation and then working endlessly to keep it, which is impossible to do. That can result in the rejection of morality altogether and ultimately to unbelief. The Bible says that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and not of any self-effort (Ephesians 2:8). Those who seek to be justified by keeping the Law alone and working their way to Heaven will ultimately fall from grace (Galatians 5:4). Continuous good works that result from genuine conversion proves that the Holy Spirit lives within them, and their faith is truly alive and not dead (James 2:26; 2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5).
"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?" (Romans 6:1-2 ESV)
"And why not do evil that good may come? - as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just." (Romans 3:8 ESV)
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love." (Galatians 5:6 ESV)
"For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation." (Galatians 6:15-16 ESV)
The Bible makes it clear that a person is not saved by works.
"yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified." (Galatians 2:16 ESV)
The Born-Again Christian doesn't need to work FOR or work UP their salvation; however, they must continually work OUT their salvation by doing the things that accompany salvation. God has given them eternal salvation as a free gift in Jesus Christ, and it is His will that they obey Him, not in order to save themselves, or in order to help God save them, but because they are already saved. It is God who provides the complete salvation (Philippians 2:12-13).
Overcomers
Those who are Born-Again will stand firm to the end, even in the face of persecution, because they are overcomers that placed their trusting-faith in Jesus, who is in them, and greater than he who is in the world (Matthew 10:22; 24:12-13; Mark 13:13; Luke 10:19; 1 John 4:4, 5:3-5). They overcame the enemy "by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death" (Revelation 12:11 ESV). Sitting on the throne is a reward for the overcomer (Matthew 19:28, 25:31; Hebrews 8:1, 12:2; Revelation 3:21).
Salvation is a gift from God, and is not based upon works or abiding by obedience to the Law, but upon what Jesus did on the Cross (Acts 2:38-39). Jesus said that genuine overcomers are those who are Born-Again and have been born of God through the new Birth of the New Covenant, and they will never be blotted out of the Book of Life because "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God" (1 John 3:9, 5:4-5; Revelation 3:5).
Born-Again Christians are "sons of God" who hold onto the teaching of Jesus because they are saved (John 8:31). God has given the Holy Spirit to "those who obey Him," and they are led by the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32 ESV). Those who chose to live under the Law and not under grace will be condemned by it (Romans 8:12-13).
The Born-Again Christian has been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of Jesus (Colossians 1:13). They no longer remain in the flesh, and the Holy Spirit dwells in them, and they are sealed by Jesus as a guarantee, and death and life, angels and rulers, things present and things to come, powers, height and depth, and anything else in all creation, are not able to separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus because all things work together for good, and they are called according to God's purpose and justified, glorified and have received an inheritance as they were foreknown and predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus who works all things according to the counsel of his will, who then is for them but rather against them (Romans 8:9, 11:6, 28-31, 8:38-39; 2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5; Ephesians 1:11, 2:8, 4:30).
The Born-Again Christian was also called, chosen, and sealed for the day of redemption as a child of God and an heir with Christ for glorification in Heaven (Ephesians 1:11-13, 4:30; Romans 8:28-31; 1 Cor 1:8; 2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5; Jude 1:24-25; John 6:37, 8:12; Hebrews 13:5).
The Greatest Miracle of God
The Christian life is a miracle of God that is formed from within. The power of the Christian life is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but the Born-Again Christian is not to be passive. They are to be controlled and led by the Holy Spirit and walk after Him so they can mind those things He desires; otherwise, they are just spiritual infants who refuse to wean themselves off of spiritual pabulum because they can't handle the solid food of God's grace that saved them (Ephesians 5:1; Romans 8:4-5, 14; Galatians 6:25).
It is the hideous sin of pride, which God hates, that causes a person to imagine that they have some part in their salvation and then must maintain it as if they are actually the author and giver of the free gift of salvation from the one who willingly chose to leave the glory of Heaven and die a horrifying death on the Cross (Proverbs 16:5). Salvation comes by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ and not on the "basis of works; otherwise, grace would no longer be grace (Romans 11:6 ESV).
The Born Again Christian knows that they have already crossed over from death and have been appointed to eternal life because Jesus lives inside of them through the rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (John 5:24; Acts 13:48; 1 John 5:11-12; Titus 3:5-7). Jesus said He would "lose none" of those the Father gave Him (John 6:39). He will keep them strong and blameless on the day Jesus returns (1 Corinthians 1:8).
The pure message of the Gospel begins by focusing on the bad news that no one is pure, righteous, or holy and free from the effects of sin. Then, it moves the focus on the great news of Jesus Christ and that a person at the moment of conversion is no longer defined by their sin but by Jesus Himself, who transforms them into His image and likeness as instruments of His grace.
ANTINOMIANISM
In response to Legalism, there arose the opposite heresy known as Antinomianism (c A.D. 55), which is the teaching that a Born-Again Christian is freed from all obligations of the moral Law through grace. It can best be described as believing that "once saved, anything goes." It is often called derogatorily "greasy grace" or "hyper-grace." This teaching is dangerous for those who believe they are a Christian but have no desire to change their sinful thoughts and habits because they are 'predestined' to make it to Heaven. I must note that I have never met, or heard of, anyone in my 50+ years as a Born-Again Christian who habitually and intentionally abused the Grace of God in this way.
The Bible does speak of those who have grown up in Christian home or become part of a local church, fellowship, or home Bible study group, and as a result of being around fully devoted lovers of God, they have "tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come," and their life changed for the good (Hebrews 6:4-5 ESV). But, when times get rough (and they always do), or they are called out for their persistence in sin, they leave the protection of the positive and nurturing environment and begin living like they always did (or worse) before joining the group and rejecting the calling of the Holy Spirit to become Born-Again (John 6:44).
The Bible says that it is "impossible to restore them again to repentance since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt" (Hebrews 6:4-6 ESV). However, the Bible is also very clear that those who have been truly converted and justified would never do such a thing, "Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do" (Hebrews 6:9-12 ESV). The Bible says that when a Born-Again Christian sins, they have an "advocate with the Father" who will plead their case because He has already forgiven all their sins (1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 John 2:1; Colossians 2:13).
A belief that produces nothing is no evidence that a person has become a "new creation" in Christ. Genuine conversion of the heart always produces evidence of a transformed life. Modern variations of Antinomianism are found in churches that believe a simple verbal profession of faith, while prompted to raise a hand as heads are bowed, eyes closed, and then repeating a 'prayer,' will save them. Conversion is a work in the heart and not of the hand (Romans 10:9). Many individuals take refuge in this kind of Antinomianism, which is so convenient for those who wish to go on sinning without worrying about the consequences.
"No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God." (1 John 3:6-9 ESV)
"But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." (1 John 2:5-6 ESV)
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of Heaven but only he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (Matthew 7:21-23 ESV)
The Works of Jesus
The answer to a person who can't keep all of God's laws isn't to say that God must not actually have any laws. The truth that must be received is that God perfectly kept all His laws for them, which should cause such great joy, as it did for me, that they actually begin to want to do what is right, which the Law defined in the first place. It is not Law or Gospel, Legalism or license; it is both, which is liberty.
Christianity is not about the works a person does but the work Jesus already did for every human being that redeems them by the atoning sacrifice of His shed blood at the moment of conversion when they become justified and Born-Again.
The Scriptures teach that in the death of Jesus the Born-Again Christian is delivered not only from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13), that is, the penalty imposed upon them by the Law, but from the Law itself (Romans 7:4; Ephesians 2: 14; Colossians 2: 14). It was at Calvary that Jesus became the end of the Law for righteousness (Romans 10:4). This includes the moral Law as well because the ceremonial Law is evident from 2 Corinthians 3:7-11. It is what was "engraved on stones," that is, the Ten Commandments, that passed away. As a result, we are told that the Born-Again Christian is not "under law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14; 7:6; Galatians 4:30; 5:18). They are exhorted to "Keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1). From all of this, it is very clear that the Bible does not distinguish between the ceremonial and the moral portion of the Old Testament Law.
The Born-Again Christian has been made free from the Law, but liberty does not mean license. To offset this danger of Antinomianism, the Bible teaches that the Born-Again Christian has not only been delivered from the Law but also "joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit for God" (Romans 7: 4 ESV). They are not "without the law of God but under the law of Christ" (1 Corinthians 9: 21 ESV; Galatians 6: 2). Freedom from Law should not result in 'license' but love (Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 2:16). They are to keep their eyes on Jesus as their example and teacher, and the Holy Spirit who will help them fulfill His Law (Romans 8:4; Galatians 5:18).
This does not mean that the 10 Commandments, which are grounded in the character of God, have no authority today. Every commandment, except the fourth, is reaffirmed in the New Testament. They are repeated for instruction as to what the will of God is, but they are not precepts that the Born-Again Christian is to work at keeping in order to become, or remain, righteous.
Week 2- PELANGIANISM and GNOSTICISM
Another heresy that has its roots in Antinomianism is known as Pelagianism (c A.D. 500). Pelagius was a 5th century Monk and can be considered the first self-help author. He believed that humans can reach perfection by the power of their own will.
Pelagianism emphasizes the essential goodness of human nature and the freedom of the human free will and holds that sin is a voluntary act against God's Law and that human beings are free to choose between good and evil. It argues that the sin of Adam and Eve was their own, which means people aren't accountable for a sin they did not commit.
Pelagianism denies the historical doctrine of Original Sin and teaches that original sin did not stain human nature, and that humans, apart from divine aid, are fully capable of choosing good over evil (Genesis 3).
Deliverance Ministry
Pelagianism is at the heart of the modern 'deliverance ministry' which teaches that a Born-Again Christian can have a demon cohabitate with Jesus in their spirit, mind, or body that they must be ‘delivered’ from. There is the assumption that some kind of latent "good" in people will cause them to seek the Lord if they are free from demonic oppression.
"there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God." (Romans 3:11 ESV)
The Bible says that the Born-Again Christian is the “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The Greek word for “temple” is “naos” which is used metaphorically to describe the physical body of Jesus: "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days" (John 2:19-22 ESV). The body also houses the ‘spirit’ and ‘mind.’ The ‘naos’ of the Born-Again Christian is now part of Jesus Himself (1 Corinthians 6:16).
To believe that a Born-Again Christian can have a demon cohabiting the Holy of Holies with Jesus is saying that satan is as powerful as, and coequal to Him. It is no different than attributing the works of God to satan which is what blasphemy is defined as (Matthew 12:21,31-32). The Bible does NOT say that 'the god of this world is greater than Jesus who is in you' (see 1 John 4:4), nor does it say that a 'house divided against itself can stand' (see Mark 3:25), or that 'darkness and light can dwell together' in the same space (see 2 Corinthians 6:14).
"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9 ESV)
"When tempted (defined: as enticed to sin) to do evil, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers." (James 1:13-16 ESV)
"For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death." (Romans 7:11 ESV)
Nowhere in the Bible does it say a Born-Again Christian ever went through or needed 'deliverance' from a demon inside them. Just because someone 'experienced' something doesn't make it true. There is ZERO biblical support for any experiential belief that is not supported in the Bible which makes it clear that human beings deceive themselves. That is because, though the devil can tempt, they are the ones who have free will and can choose to accept or reject temptations. If people could be freed from demonic influence by these methods, which they cannot, they would still have the problem of their sin nature. Spiritual Warfare is really quite simple; “humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7 NLT; see also 1 Peter 5:6-9).
The ‘Anxious Bench’
Pelagianism teaching is what motivated the ministry of Charles Finney, who is known as the father of large alter call (aka; "the anxious bench") style evangelism used today in churches and stadium-sized events. Finney distorted the biblical teaching of the Atonement and rejected that salvation is by grace alone through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). He said, "Neither is the atonement nor anything in the mediatorial work of Christ, the foundation of our justification, in the sense of the source, moving or procuring cause." He also taught that there are five conditions that must be met to be justified and rejected faith alone (Lecture 25 on Justification, Systematic Theology, By CG Finney, pg 360-377, 1994 Bethany House publication).
Pelagianism teaches that because human beings are not sinners by nature, they can choose to make more good choices than evil ones to redeem themselves by being a good person, which is why there is no need for faith or a Savior. At first glance, this appears as a fair and reasonable argument that people are born innocent into a corrupt environment that makes them corrupt, so they only become sinful after they have sinned.
Yet, quite contrary to Antinomianism, a dichotomy reveals itself in the teaching that good works and keeping either the internal Law of conscience or the old Mosaic Law (aka Legalism) is sufficient when a person stands before God. As a result, people can seek God apart from any involvement of the Holy Spirit, which will lead to salvation and the sustaining of it by their efforts.
The teachings of Pelagianism are contrary to sound biblical theology and historical church doctrine as they actually support the idea that it does not matter whether God exists or not because only the good a person does for others by being philanthropic and moral is what matters the most, rather than through grace alone, by faith alone, in Jesus Christ as God, the Son, which is the great distinction between Christianity compared to any other religion of the world.
The Bible says that "Only in Him (Jesus) is found salvation; for of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved" (Acts 4:12 NKJV). Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me'" (John 14:6 NKJV).
GNOSTICISM
Gnosticism predates Christianity and was adapted to the Gospel message with its adherents adding their own elitist views, even composing pseudo-gospels, to include their particular ideas and doctrines. The first century Gnostics rejected and vilified the human body and believed that the material body should be destroyed by the true God to free humanity from the evil god who has imprisoned souls inside human bodies. Most Gnostics taught that the material world is unreal and the body is unreal or evil. Gnostics believed that salvation comes through some kind of special knowledge.
The term Gnosticism derives from the Greek word ‘gnosis,’ meaning "knowledge." A person defined as "gnostic" is one who exalts knowledge above any spiritual, moral, or intellectual value. Knowledge becomes the tool for controlling life. As a first-century heresy, Gnosticism taught that there is "secret knowledge" or ‘gnosis’ and that these esoteric secrets are obtainable only to an elite group of Gnostic priests.
Gnostics believe that ordinary people may make do with simple faith, but they alone know the secrets and belong to a five-fold cast system made up of spiritual elites. Gnostic teaching gives honor to Jesus Christ in a way, but will deny that the historic Jesus, who came to earth was both 100% human and 100% God, is the one "name under Heaven… by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12 ESV). Gnostics believe that Jesus was just one manifestation of "the Christ," and that there were others, and more will come. The Bible speaks against this:
"Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God." (Colossians 2:18-19 ESV; see also 1 John 1:1-2; 2:22-23; 5:1).
The Colossian church was being infiltrated with Gnostic teachings. The Gnostics valued what they experienced and what they learned from “angels" over Holy Scripture. The Gnostics claimed they believed in Scripture but did not depend on it as their source.
First Century Gnosticism has metastasized into a large and very diverse dualistic heretical movement that includes many variations of heretical systems. Modern Gnostics believe in "progressive revelation" which advocates that personal revelation is more authoritative than the Bible, rather than complementing and harmonizing with it, making them ripe for satanic influence under the guise of God revealing something new to them. They may sincerely believe that God speaks to them, yet they simultaneously mistrust what He has already said in inspired Scripture because they do not need it since God speaks directly to them, and if there is anything important, God will let them know. They tend to shy away from Bible study. Rather than doing their "best to present" themselves "to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth" they prefer dreams and prophetic "irreverent babble" which will ultimately "lead people into more and more ungodliness," as their teaching spreads "like gangrene" (2 Timothy 2:15-17 ESV).
Progressive Revelation Theology contains a widely diverse sub-orthodox hybrid movements that have the same core beliefs grounded in Gnosticism. They are known as Latter Rain, Manifest Sons of God, Dominion Theology, Kingdom Now/Word of Faith (WOF), Revival/Harvest, and Joel's Army, to name a few, which teach such things as Replacement Theology, Post-Millennial Eschatology, Signs and Wonders, Deliverance Ministry, Territorial Warfare, Ecumenism, Restoration of Apostles and Prophets (aka: Five-Fold ministry), and Jubilee/Feast of Tabernacles.
Each one of the above-named movements teach doctrines that range from aberrant to heretical and are mixed with traditional biblical beliefs and generous portions of a toxic stew of high-sounding spiritual nonsense and occult beliefs that is seasoned with mysticism, dualism, and Gnosticism that all have their roots in ancient metaphysical cults. The most significant error of these movements is that they exalt the created to God status and decrease the Creator to human status. That has resulted in a majority of its proponents to claim that since God made human beings in His image and after His likeness, they are actually "little gods." They teach that sin separates people from God, but once a person has made peace with God by accepting the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ, they become not only a child of God but also incarnate - just as Jesus was and is, both God and human.
At the root of these aberrant movements is the belief that faith is a "force" or 'thing' that, if a person can work hard enough to possess more of it, they can do anything God can. They teach that physical healing is guaranteed in the Atonement, and if a person does not get healed, it is because of their lack of faith, or sin in their life. In other words, it is a works-based Gospel.
Creative Visualization
These movements also teach "creative visualization" to enhance a person's 'prayer' life where they are encouraged to create a picture or image (also called mental imagery) in their mind as if it has already happened while they seek in earnest desire the help of supernatural power to make their created vision manifest/happen. They teach that God spoke everything into existence and that before the fall, humans had the same ability to speak things into existence. They combine that belief with "positive confession" in order to activate the supernatural spiritual realm. The truth is that when this is done, these two components of visual and verbal effort have the spiritual potential to connect users to the wrong spiritual realm, a realm where demons are found.
Creative Visualization is actually an Occult practice (secret, hidden things) that is commonly used in the magick-occult operation. It is not a biblical prayer. The Born-Again Christian is to pray (ask) in Jesus' name and in accordance with God's (His) will, and not in accordance with one's personal desires (John 14:13; 1 John 5:14-15).
Week Three - MODALISM, TRITHEISM, AND KENOTICISM
Modalism follows at the heels of Gnosticism (c A.D. 190). It is a teaching which claimed that, although God is a single person, He has revealed Himself in three modes throughout biblical history. In the Old Testament, God is said to exist in "the mode" of the Father, at the incarnation, in "the mode" of the Son, and after Jesus' ascension, in "the mode" of the Holy Spirit. The modes were said to have never been simultaneous, so The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit are said to have never existed at the same time. There are millions of people in the church who believe something along those lines. Other offshoots of Modalism are the heresies of Sabellianism, Priscillianism, and Subordinationism, which is a general name most of the fourth-century heresies such as Arianism, Semi-Arianism, Patripassianism, Macedonianism, and later in the form of Unitarianism.
Another teaching I have heard is that the Trinity is three separate beings. Each separate being is co-equal, co-powerful, and co-eternal. The early church labeled this view "Tritheism," which denies God's oneness. If the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate beings, then it's not really clear how someone can say that God is one or that only one God exists.
Trinity Analogies
The Sun analogy suggests that, just as the sun has "three powers" (warmth, light, and circular form), so God has three aspects: the warming power answers to the Holy Spirit; the illuminating power, to the Son; and the form or figure, to the Father.
I remember someone trying to explain that the Trinity was analogous to H2O (the molecular symbol for water) because H2O can exist in three forms: liquid, gas, and solid. Water at room temperature is liquid. When it's heated, it turns into a gas (steam) and, when it's frozen, it turns into a solid (ice). In the same way, they reasoned, at one moment, God is the Father, but at different times God morphs or transforms into the Son or Holy Spirit.
Others have suggested that using an egg is a great way to explain how God can be both one and three. The egg has a shell, the white Albumin, and a yoke. There is only one egg with three different parts. This analogy resembles the heresy of Modalism because it suggests that only one being exists but this being exists in three different parts that are not co-equal.
For those who love mathematics, there is the Triangle analogy. An equilateral triangle has three sides that are co-equal with each other. Each side is necessary because if one of the sides were removed, then there would be no equilateral triangle. Even though each side is uniquely labeled, all three are the same. The Triangle analogy breaks down because God is seen as an impersonal and non-relational being.
The infinite Majestic God revealed in the Bible is not some impersonal universal mind or consciousness that fills space and matter. The Bible declares there is only one eternal God who always existed in eternity past and into eternity future in three persons – God, the Father, God - the Son, Jesus Christ, and God, the Holy Spirit, who each have their own personal spirit-body, mind, and spirit. Jesus is not the Father's offspring, nor is the Holy Spirit the "ghost" or effluence of God. They are unique and separate individuals with their own personalities and are not the essential parts of one Being. They have always existed together with no point of origin. This is beyond all human comprehension and understanding so stop trying to explain it.
KENOTICISM (aka Kenosis Theory) - Part One
The final heresy that is alive and well today is known as Kenoticism. In the late 19th century a theory was presented that postulated Jesus was not fully divine, and when He walked on earth it was in a state of diminished deity because He had given up His divine attributes and knowledge of matters of fact, yet still retaining full divine infallibility on moral issues. This theory enables people to view the teachings of Jesus as human but not divine. The teaching is derived primarily from the following Scripture verse:
"Jesus emptied Himself of His glory, taking the nature of a bondservant, and came in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:7 ESV).
Some proponents will say that Jesus was God in the flesh, but that He ministered only as 100% fully human to redeem fallen humanity because that is the only way He could be the perfect sacrifice for them. They believe that Jesus cast aside His divine power, giving up the advantage of deity and taking on the form of a human being with all its limitations. Jesus, it is said, had no innate supernatural powers, and He ministered as a man anointed by the Holy Spirit and not as God incarnate.
Others believe that Jesus had no power to do miracles until He received the Holy Spirit when He was baptized at the River Jordan, and from that point on, operated by faith alone. At His death, Jesus took back His divinity in Hell after becoming born-again (see John 2:11, 3:34, 8:28; see also Isaiah 11:1-2, 42:1-7, 61:1-2; Luke 3:21-22; Acts 10:38).
The four predominant justifications for the Kenosis Theory heresy are as follows:
1. When Jesus was unable to heal a blind man initially, it is proof that He did not have His divine attributes but need to rely exclusively on the Holy Spirit (see Mark 8:22-26).
The supernatural healing was in two-stages. It was commonly believed in the ancient world that saliva had curative properties, so Jesus began with a symbolic act that provided the man with a point of contact with the promised Messiah. He "asked," "Do you see anything?" The verb "asked" is in the imperfect tense, suggesting a process and indicating Jesus did in fact, know that the recovery of sight at this stage would initially be only partial. The man responded that he was able to see dimly; he could barely distinguish men from trees, except that the former were walking around. Then, Jesus laid His hands upon the person and touched his eyes. At that moment, his sight was fully restored. Jesus has complete and total control of the circumstances (Mark 8:22-26).
2. Another example given to support Jesus was only human while on earth is when, while visiting His hometown, "He could not do any miracles there."
Jesus did perform miracles there, and laid "his hands on a few sick people" and healed "them" in spite of their profound "lack of faith" (Mark 6:4-6).
3. It is also said that Jesus did not know who "touched" Him, which shows that He did not have use of the divine attribute of omniscience (see Mark 5:30).
It is clear from the context, and previous healing miracles, that Jesus didn't ask the question to obtain information but because He wanted the woman who had been healed to provide a witness of both her faith and her healing to the crowds around her, which she clearly did.
4. The Baptism of Jesus at the river. It is surmised that Jesus did not have the filling and anointing of the Holy Spirit to use the nine supernatural gifts of the Spirit until the 'Dove' descended on Him and the Father said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:16-17 ESV; see also 1 Corinthians 12-14).
Jesus chose to be baptized even though He had no sins to wash away. Jesus was 100% God and completely holy, who was incarnated as 100% human being. Jesus tells John that it is nevertheless God's will for Him to be baptized "to fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15).
John the Baptist, a first cousin of Jesus, somewhat resisted baptizing Jesus because he knew who He was. Jesus insisted that John should baptize Him as others would be baptized because it was the public revealing that He was the promised Messiah, and to show those who would follow Him, that baptism follows receiving the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation when the Christian life begins.
At that moment of Baptism, Jesus ceremonially received the Holy Spirit of God as the sign He was the promised Messiah, but Jesus, as the triune God, already had full access to the Holy Spirit from eternity past and well before His baptism. Jesus fulfilled the baptism law that God had established in the Torah and symbolically portraying His role as the promised Messiah and Savior of the world as a sign to people of His identity before beginning His public ministry on earth. Jesus assumed His office and function as the Messiah, the king of Israel, as well as the offices of Prophet and Priest (see Hebrews 5:5-6). The role of the Holy Spirit (aka the spirit of Jesus) is to glorify and confirm Jesus as Messiah to His people (John 16:12-14).
Jesus is spoken of as being led and empowered by the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1-18). From His baptism forward, He lived His human life openly in the power of the Holy Spirit, yet was always 100% fully God. Even after His resurrection, He continued to minister by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:2).
It was not the divinity of Jesus that was anointed by the Holy Spirit because He was already anointed with full divinity, but because He willingly chose to become human and make the choice to veil His divine Glory and, at times, His attributes.
The Bible prophesied some 800 years prior that at the birth of the Messiah "the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him" (Isaiah 11:2 ESV). The word "rest" in Hebrew means to rest permanently and not merely come upon Him, but remain in Him (see also Numbers 11:25, 26).
Jesus chose to primarily rely on the power of the Holy Spirit as 100% fully human and to equip Him with supernatural power for His ministry on earth (Matthew 12:28, 24:36; Luke 4:18; Acts 1:2, 4:27, 10:38). Jesus also chose to be directed by the agenda of the Father, and not His own. (John 5:19-20,30; 8:26-29,42; 14:10,24).
It seems somewhat illogical, confusing and intellectually incongruent that the Bible would say that John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit before he was born, yet the Creator of John the Baptist had to wait 30 years before He was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15).
Week 4 - KENOTICISM - Part 2
Jesus is 100% God and 100% fully Human
Jesus was, is, and always will be God. He created everything in the universe. Because He is love, with great, joyous delight by His grace, He willingly chose to come to earth and 'operated' as 100% fully God and 100% fully human with a rational human soul and spirit so that He could suffer pain, thirst, hunger, fatigue, pleasure, rest and dying an excruciating death to forgive all sin, defeat death, and the enemy, once and for all - for every human being and then rise as the ultimate victor in the resurrection! (Matthew 26:38; John 13:21)
As 100% human, Jesus was subject to real temptation (Hebrews 4:15). As 100% fully God, His divine will was not subject to temptation (James 1:1). Jesus remained sinless and had no sin nature (1 John 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21). There is no passage in Scripture that declares that He could not sin, only that He did not sin.
While on earth, Jesus never requested of the Father for the return of His glory, or divine power, or attributes because He still retained them and demonstrated His abilities often as a vindication of His messiahship and proof of His authority (Mark 2:1-12). When Jesus said ". . . My Father has been working until now, and I have been working," we are given a clue that He did many of His works "in His own right," though they were always following the will of the Father (John 5:17; see also John 17). However, He did willingly restrict the use of them because of choosing to live as a human being and under human limitations. His poverty did not consist as much in what He gave up (for He still retained title to it) as in what He took on - our nature and the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21, 8:9).
Jesus did not surrender His attributes of deity but voluntarily restrained their independent use in keeping with His purpose of living among human beings and under their limitations. Even though He chose to set aside and not exercise His divine attributes as His primary method of ministry, they were clearly displayed in His miracles that demonstrated He possessed the power of life and death.
Jesus exercised dominion over natural phenomena, disease, and demonic forces. At one time, He lifted the veil of His human body and let His three closest disciples see Him as He truly was (Matthew 17:2). His humiliation was not about giving up things or being without something but that He took on human nature and, ultimately the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21, 8:9). Peter acknowledged that Jesus knew ALL things and Jesus did NOT correct Him, nor did He say “Well, hold on there, Peter “because I don’t know all things” (John 21:17). Numerous times Jesus revealed His divine attributes which no supernatural gift given to the Born-Again Christian allows for:
1. Omniscience (John 2:24-25, 6:64, 70-71, 11:11-14, 21:17)
2. Omnipotence (Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 7:14; John 10:17-18, 5:21-23, 10:17-18, 11:43-44, 18:4-6)
3. Omnipresence (Matthew 18:20, John 1:48, 3:13)
4. Providence (Hebrews 1:1-3; Colossians 1:17)
5. Sovereignty (Matthew 11:27; Mark 2:28; John 3:35,17:2)
The Father has always been in Jesus, and Jesus has always been in the Father (John 10:30, 14:20). The Holy Spirit, also known as the “spirit of Christ/Jesus,” has always been in the Triune Godhead because they are one and the same, yet three distinct persons who have been, and will always be, together throughout eternity (Acts 16:7; Romans 8:9; 1 Peter 1:11; Philippians 1:19). Those facts have never changed and never will.
The Hypostatic Union
The historical and orthodox doctrine of the 'kenosis,' known as the Hypostatic Union, is to be differentiated from the Kenosis Theory. The doctrine of the kenosis deals with the whole question of the meaning of the Greek word that is translated "emptied" (Philippians 2:7 NASB).
The words "He emptied Himself" in Philippian's 2:7 comes from the Greek word 'ekenose,' and its root word 'kenoo,' which can mean "to empty" (Philippians 4:7.) The Greek word 'ekenose' has also been translated as "He made himself of no reputation," 'made void," "none effect," "to be in vain" (see Romans 4:14; 1 Corinthians 1:17, 9:15; 2 Corinthians 9:3). All of these references refer to abstract principles, such as faith, preaching, or boasting, and none of them refer to a person, or even to an object. The use of the word 'ekenose' is unique.
The Hypostatic Union is the merging of the divine nature of the infinite God with human nature through the incarnation where the two natures found in Jesus were inseparably united in such a way that there was no mixture or loss of their separate identity and without loss or transfer of any property or attribute from one nature to the other. His human nature always remains human, and His divine nature always remains divine.
The Hypostatic Union is the greatest paradoxical mystery of the cosmos that the Creator of all things humbled Himself by taking the nature or form of a servant and slave. It must be accepted by faith (1 Timothy 3:16). Jesus fully experienced human life and maintained His humanity while remaining the eternal Creator God without losing, or being without, any of His divine personality or attributes. He embodied His deity and divine qualities while choosing to set aside His divine attributes as His primary method of ministry, and was never without them.
Jesus is the Same Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
The Kenosis Theory has been labeled as heresy throughout church history because it denies the deity of Jesus during the incarnation and refuses to accept that the Hypostatic Union took place, which then makes Jesus less than 100% fully God resulting in His sacrifice being wholly insufficient by not fully paying for the sins of the world which would render His sacrificial death of no greater value than that of a mere human being, nor could He be the mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2).
God cannot change His nature by an act of His will any more than any other being can. This is inherent in the divine attribute of immutability, which the Bible expressly affirms that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). If Jesus were to lose any of His divine attributes, that would mean He was not God at all.
The Bible says that Jesus is the Word who was God from the very beginning of time and created all things, and in Him is life and became human flesh (John 1:1-14). Jesus gave up the external glories of His riches, but He did not His own essential holiness or stopped being Lord of the Sabbath.
It pleased the Father that in Jesus, by becoming human, "all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" should dwell, and by through Him He would reconcile all things to Himself...through the blood of His cross" (Colossians 19-20). Within Jesus, "... are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" because they were dwelling within Him as a human (Colossians 2:3,8-9).
It is impossible to conceive of any being in the universe that is worthy of the title of "I AM" who does not possess the essential attributes of the absolute divine Creator of all things. The Bible never mentions God as anything but absolute (See John 1:12-14; 2 Corinthians 5:21,8:9).
Either Jesus came to earth 100% divine as a co-equal member of the Godhead, possessing all divine attributes, along with being in the Father and the Holy Spirit, and they in Him, or He did not. In Jesus,
"... are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3 ESV).
". . . Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" during His earthly ministry (Colossians 2:8-9 ESV).
"…It pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself...through the blood of His cross" (Colossians 1:19-20 ESV).
CONCLUSION - The Authority of the Bible
The Gospel message found in the Bible defines that a true Disciple of Jesus has accepted what it says about who Jesus is; that they are a sinner in need of forgiveness, and that Jesus died for their sins and rose from the dead, justifying them at the moment of their salvation that is by grace not by works. There is no way to know who Jesus is, what He believed and taught if there was no Bible. A person comes to an understanding of the Gospel message through revelation given by the Holy Spirit, but there would be no way to verify that revelation if the Bible could not be taken literally at face value (John 14:6).
If there wasn't a definite way to interpret Scripture, then a Disciple of Jesus is without hope regarding biblical understanding, and the fundamentals of the faith could not be truly known as they would become open for anyone's interpretation.
God made certain that the words produced by the human writers He inspired were free from the errors and mistakes characteristic of uninspired writers. The Bible encourages God's people hundreds of times to trust the Scriptures thoroughly, but no text encourages any doubt of, or even slight mistrust in, Scripture. To rely on the inerrancy of every historical detail affirmed in Scripture is to follow the teaching and practice of the biblical authors themselves.
If a Born-Again Christian abandons the doctrine of biblical inerrancy, then it would be impossible to have a standard of truth by which all humans are to live their lives. Scripture cannot be demonstrated to be divinely authoritative if the Bible contained factual errors.
If a person believes the Bible is fallible, then they are forced to accept the inevitable conclusion that, on some occasions, God "breathed" truth, while on others, He "breathed" error (2 Timothy 3:16).
God can inspire a human being to write theological and doctrinal truths, so it is logical also to say that He can simultaneously inspire the same person to write with historical and scientific precision. Any attack upon the trustworthiness of any passage in the Bible is an attack upon Almighty God.
If ALL Scripture is not God-breathed, then it is not "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness," and the Born-Again Christian will never be "complete, and equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 2:16-17).
If God is omnipotent, then He is incapable of not preserving human writers from making false statements in their recording of His words. He is not a liar, nor would He allow an inspired person to speak falsely. Because the Bible is God's Word, it is correct in whatever matters it addresses. If God cannot correctly and truthfully handle any progressive cultural or physical issue that could arise int he future, then His Word, the Bible, cannot be relied upon to be truthful and accurate regarding any matter because it is not reliable or trustworthy.
It is illogical, and insulting to the omniscient Creator of all things, to believe that He could not have known that cultural norms would regularly change like shifting sand, and then not say that something in the Bible specifically applied only to the culture of the early church, or make it perfectly clear when something He said was just temporary. Either God's written Word, the Bible, is absolutely infallible, without error, and the final authority in all things (i.e., Doctrine) that pertain to the life of a Born-Again Christian, or none of it is.
There is no foundation to build a dialogue with a person who says they are Born-Again but does not believe everything written in the Bible came directly from God. If they don't believe the Bible is inerrant about earthly things, how will they "believe if" Jesus tells them about "heavenly things" (John 3:12)? A word or verse can only mean what was intended by the original author in its grammatical and historical context, no matter how much a person doesn't agree with it or it goes against the cultural morays of modern society.
The Plain Interpretation of Scripture
The Bible was divinely breathed out by God for timeless application and written over a period of 2,000 years by 40 or more authors using three languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek). The authors wrote in different genres and had different vocabularies, personalities, cultural backgrounds, and social standings. The Holy Spirit moved each of these men to produce His inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word, but He allowed their various writing styles and personalities to be expressed in its pages (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20–21). It was written in a culture very different from our modern world and has been translated from its original languages. These are just some of the factors that must be taken into account when interpreting what was said.
Hermeneutics (from the Greek word 'hermeneuo,' which means to explain or interpret) is the branch of theology that focuses on identifying and applying the science and art of understanding, translating, and explaining the meaning of a Scripture text. While the Bible is generally plain in its meaning, proper interpretation requires careful study and is not always an easy task. The spiritual sense must always be derived from the grammatical sense.
A critical difference between methods of interpretation is the difference between exegesis and eisegesis. Exegesis is a method of interpretation that strives to understand the original meaning OUT of the biblical text. Eisegesis is an interpretation of Scripture that reads the interpreter's own allegorical ideas, or bias, INTO the text. Exegesis says, "This is what the text means." Eisegesis says, "This is what I want the text to mean."
Every translator of the Bible since day one, no matter what language, uses the rules of biblical hermeneutics to exegete a verse to get the correct and original intended meaning so that they can rightly divide it. The Bible needs to say the same thing in each language it is translated into, or it cannot be the authoritative means of communicating truth.
Any method of interpretation that allows eisegesis to be imposed on the text is clearly unverifiable. Those who propose a personal eisegetic meaning of the Bible are actually claiming that their mind is the source of the authority of the interpretation and not the Bible (i.e., Gnosticism). Those who accept someone's interpretation is actually trusting the interpreter rather than the text itself.
The Bible does not say anywhere that a person should not take it as plainly written. Anyone who says that the Bible does not need to be taken as plainly written has not been Born-Again. The Bible was divinely given by God so that human beings could understand it. There is nothing in it that is contrary to human intelligence and logic.
When a Born-Again Christian relies on a source, such as scientific evidence, that seemingly contradicts the Bible, they have abandoned the plain reading of the Scripture and compromised everything the Bible says about such things as a virgin giving birth, walking on water, raising people from the dead, etc., etc., etc., therefore Jesus hasn't risen from the dead and Christianity is false.
There has never been a charge of discrepancy sustained against the Bible, which is truth without any mixture of error. Truth, by definition, must be consistent with itself and contain no contradictions or errors. Infallibility without inerrancy cannot be sustained without logical contradiction. The timeless truths found in the Bible are not the result of some collective cultural discovery but are breathed-out directly by God.
God has never changed His mind, and He never will. His Law has never changed and was fulfilled in Jesus, but it was not done away with. If God said, I do not permit or allow something 2000 years ago, He means it for today. He has provided sufficient evidence to allow an honest person to arrive at the truth and to know His will if they apply themselves in a diligent study of His written Word, the Bible (John 6:45; 7:17; 8:32). Those who are willing to compromise, and who back away from a devotion to verbal inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, demonstrate a lack of faith in both God and His Word.
The Days of Great Deception
The Bible warns of a “time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Timothy 4:3 ESV). Just as Jesus warned in the first Century, it is very clear that the emerging future church of the 21st century is in the days of great deception.
“And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:10-12 ESV)
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15-16 ESV)
It is important to remember that a text cannot mean what it never meant. Discovering the writer's initially intended meaning will also be the intended meaning of the Holy Spirit, who inspired him to write it in the first place. As one reads their words, they are dealing with direct revelation from God.
The biblical reality is that if a private "revelation" or “prophecy” given to (or by) someone does not agree or align with Scripture, it is false, and if it does, then it is not needed.
“As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:9 ESV)
If a person does not believe that the written Word of God is the only direct revelation and "inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17), they will not be able to correctly preach or teach the message of a text and "present" themselves "to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15 ESV).
