“For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you” - 1Co 11:19 (this answers to why there would be evil—to know what is good—NC).
Heresy is a work of the flesh (flesh, i.e. “old man” or sin nature—NC); “Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies” (Gal 2:20). “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who secretly shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them” (2Pe 2:1).
“For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:29). Heresy is error, often resulting from a portion of truth taken out of its proper context, or its dispensational setting, and used to form a sect, etc.
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us: (1Jn 2:19). Heresies cause us to be like the noble Bereans, who “were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” - Act 17:11 (lacking too much in studying God’s Word—esp. the NT, is why so many believers are often excessively discouraged—NC).
“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Act 20:32). Heretics (by their errors—NC) cause us to learn how to correctly handle error and share truth.
“The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves” (2Ti 2:24, 25). Christian character is formed, and God is glorified. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Ti 2:15).
It is a definite mercy that in His wisdom God allowed every possible form of error to arise in the apostolic era of the Church’s history, in order that all might be exposed, and the truth declared through inspired men, that thus the faith in its simplicity might be preserved for the generations to come. As a result of this, Satan has nothing new to offer. Old heresies are redressed and brought forward as new conceptions of truth from age to age; but in this respect, ‘there is nothing new under the sun.’ Old errors are being presented in new terms.”
—Henry Allen Ironside (1876-1951)
MJS daily devotional excerpt for October 7
“There is not a more difficult lesson in the Christian life than to come to a true knowledge of what the flesh is. Its terrible power, its secret and universal rule, and the blinding it exerts in keeping us from the knowledge of what it is, are the cause of all our sin and evil. Hence it comes that so few really believe in their absolute inability to obey God or to believe in His love. And there is nothing that can deliver us from it but that entire willingness to die to the old man, which comes when by faith we understand that we have died in Christ Jesus.” –Andrew Murray (1828-1917)
(read more: http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/
Heresy is a work of the flesh (flesh, i.e. “old man” or sin nature—NC); “Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies” (Gal 2:20). “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who secretly shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them” (2Pe 2:1).
“For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:29). Heresy is error, often resulting from a portion of truth taken out of its proper context, or its dispensational setting, and used to form a sect, etc.
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us: (1Jn 2:19). Heresies cause us to be like the noble Bereans, who “were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” - Act 17:11 (lacking too much in studying God’s Word—esp. the NT, is why so many believers are often excessively discouraged—NC).
“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Act 20:32). Heretics (by their errors—NC) cause us to learn how to correctly handle error and share truth.
“The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves” (2Ti 2:24, 25). Christian character is formed, and God is glorified. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Ti 2:15).
It is a definite mercy that in His wisdom God allowed every possible form of error to arise in the apostolic era of the Church’s history, in order that all might be exposed, and the truth declared through inspired men, that thus the faith in its simplicity might be preserved for the generations to come. As a result of this, Satan has nothing new to offer. Old heresies are redressed and brought forward as new conceptions of truth from age to age; but in this respect, ‘there is nothing new under the sun.’ Old errors are being presented in new terms.”
—Henry Allen Ironside (1876-1951)
MJS daily devotional excerpt for October 7
“There is not a more difficult lesson in the Christian life than to come to a true knowledge of what the flesh is. Its terrible power, its secret and universal rule, and the blinding it exerts in keeping us from the knowledge of what it is, are the cause of all our sin and evil. Hence it comes that so few really believe in their absolute inability to obey God or to believe in His love. And there is nothing that can deliver us from it but that entire willingness to die to the old man, which comes when by faith we understand that we have died in Christ Jesus.” –Andrew Murray (1828-1917)
(read more: http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/
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