Saturday, 11 June 2022

Earliest Christianity - 4 False Gospels and Heresies (CW95)

   World War 3 is at Hand
 
Luke 24:44-45  Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
   For forty days our resurrected Lord Jesus was with His 120 disciples
1. teaching them how He had fulfilled the Law so that all Israeli (Jewish) converts in Christ Jesus have also fulfilled the Law and they do not need to keep any part of the Law
2. opening up their understanding of Scriptures especially His words, commands, teachings and parables found in the 4 Gospels.

Acts 1:3  to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
3. speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God especially kingdom living.
1 Cor 6:9-10  Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Apostolic Age
    After the formation of the council of apostles in Jerusalem to verify the teachings of Jesus which were verbal. The Holy Spirit inspired some of His apostles and disciples to record our resurrected Lord's teachings in 27 New Testament books, which were all written in Greek.
2 Tim 3:16-17  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Heresies in Church
Acts 20:29-30  For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
     As Jesus' apostles and disciples were recording the teachings of Jesus, these false and depraved leaders (false Apostles of Satan) also produced heretic records, books and epistles claiming them to be 'Holy Spirit inspired' and started their own sects or denominations.
    By the fourth Century AD, there were about 50 false Gospels (Gospels of Thomas, Marcion, Mary Magdalene, Barnabas, etc.)  and hundreds of Epistles which claimed to be 'holy scriptures'. There were all types of lies, heresies and distorted doctrines from these many false gospels, books and epistles.
    The most dangerous heretic sect then was Arianism - an early branch of Christianity that held that Jesus Christ was not one with God the Father, but instead just created by God and a holy man.
  With the denial of the Triune Godhead and Jesus relegated to a Creature, all these heretics need only to follow the Law which justifies their covetousness and wealth. They can completely ignore the words of Jesus, which they find difficult to keep, e.g.
Mat 10:38  "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Luke 14:33  So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

God is One
Mat 28:19  "Go therefore  and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"
    After the Word was made flesh at the first advent of Jesus, God reveals Himself as 3 persons in the Triune Godhead - the Father, the Son (Word) and the Holy Spirit (Helper) so that we can learn from Him how to be a loving father, an obedient son and a helper or comforter to others.
1 John 5:7  For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. (NKJV)