Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 268, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1915 — Destructive Heresies [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Destructive Heresies

By REV. J. H. RALSTON

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TEXT—But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among yon, who privily shall bring In damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.—ll Peter 2:1.

The title of this sermon is taken from the Revised Version of the Holy

Scriptures, and at first glance this would suem to be less portentous than the expression in the Authorized Version, "damnable heresies.” As ordinarily understood, “damnation” or “c o n d emnatlon" suggests the eternal punishment of the finally impenitent, and in such a text as this the meaning would be that

those who present such heresies will be subjects of this condemnation. What Is Heresy? Scripturally, one meaning is that it refers to sects or persons, and another that it refers to discords or dissensions. In Peter’s time there were persons in the communities to which he wrote, who were giving out teachings that were not in accord with what he had taught. Notwithstanding that all that Is not in accord with the accepted teaching of the church is not "damnable" nor “destructive,” It Is a simple matter of fact that there have been men, and it is sad to say women, too, who have been bringing in “heresies of destruction.” We re* ceive the suggestion in the text, "false teachers bringing in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them.” The ordinary result of such work has been the securing to these teachers many followers, and bringing upon themselves the destruction which their heresies perforce entails. Many Heresies of Today. Probably never in the history of Christian thought and teaching were there so many “destructive heresies” as today. These are not in accord among themselves, and the man who does not like the truth of God’s Word and has rejected the people of God is greatly perplexed to know what one of the many heresies he should adopt. The followers of these heresies, as a natural result, contend with each other just as bitterly as any one of them contends with the Gospel as accepted by the church through all of Its history, everywhere, and by all (semper, üblque, et ab omnibus). And never in the history of the church were Christians needing to be under guard as today, for these false teachers are not always outside of the church. Peter says they are "among you.” In some cases they have repudiated the church formally, but In many cases they cling to the church, wear its livery and pose as its teachers and leaders. A heresy of today may be one of two things. It may be by an adding to the Word of God, or by omission, Or ignoring some of ft There is hardly a modern religious fad that does not connect Itself in some way with the Bible. The Bible may not be the chief literary authority, but in this country the religionist must come to the people with a profession of love for the Bible. The country Is run over by religionists who sell, or if need be, give, away religious literature, and oftentimes this literature is professedly based oh the Bible. Paul avoided heresy and told the elders of the church at Ephesus that he had not failed to declare unto them the whole counsel of God. The most prominent of the modern teachers of the "destructive heresies” teach much that is in the Bible, but they leave out much which, if given out, would utterly change their teaching, and it is because of this that we speak of their teachings as heretical. Peter sums up the heresy in mind in these words, “denying the Lord that bought them.” Here we have a Safeguard when we come to define heresies of destruction. They are in one way or another denials of Jesus Christ, either of his person or of some phase of his work. Person and Work of Jesus Christ. The great question of questions is, "What think ye of Christ— whose Son is he?" We are confined to the work of Christ as the Son of God. Now* briefly, what is the truth about the person of Jesus Christ? As taught by the church from the beginning, it is that Jesus Christ is the very Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, we* historically a person in the days of Pontius Pilate, was absolutely sinless in his thought, teaching and life, died as the only sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the world, rose again from the dead, ascended into heaven, where he now sits on the right hand of God, from whence he will come as judge and to be the medltorial king on earth, and after manifesting his kingship fa that form, will yield that kingdom up to God, that God may be u m all.