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First Century Heresies

First Century Heresies. And New Testament Orthodoxy. Contemporary Diversity. Post-modernism is claiming that the diversity that exists today in religion is like the diversity that existed in the First Century

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First Century Heresies

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  1. First Century Heresies And New Testament Orthodoxy

  2. Contemporary Diversity • Post-modernism is claiming that the diversity that exists today in religion is like the diversity that existed in the First Century • Allegedly, many legitimate and equal “Christianities” first existed together and were widespread • Only later, c. 4th century, did one “Christianity” win over the others to become the heresy of orthodoxy

  3. Contemporary Diversity • The theory that one “Christianity” as orthodox over the others was first set forth by Walter Bauer, Orthodoxy and Heresy in the Earliest Christianity (1934) • Today, it continues to be popularized in the writings of several liberal scholars including Bart D. Ehrman, Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew (2003)

  4. New Testament Diversity • Diversity existed in what historical facts would be presented by the four gospels writers, and by Luke (Acts) and Paul (epistles) • Diversity existed in matters of personal judgment (Acts 15:36-41) and personal scruple (1 Cor. 8;10; Rom. 14) • Diversity existed in the miraculous gifts within the local church (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:4,11)

  5. New Testament Diversity • However, diversity did not exist in matters of revealed doctrine – “the faith” or the gospel (Acts 6:7; 13:8; Eph. 4:13; Phil. 1:27; 1 Tim. 4:6; etc.) • There was no existence of “equally legitimate Christianities” that were considered as valid truth

  6. Heresy vs. Orthodoxy • “Heresy” in the NT is prohibited Gr. hairesis, a choosing, a choice; hence a (1) self-willed opinion (2) that is substituted for and stands in contradiction to the truth and (3) leads to division or faction (translated “sect,” or “heresies”) Found in Acts 5:17; 15:5; 24:5,14; 26:5; 28:22; 1 Cor. 11:19; Gal. 5:20; 2 Pet. 2:1; Tit. 3:10 [hairetikos, “heretic”])

  7. Heresy vs. Orthodoxy • “Orthodoxy” in the NT is promoted “Orthodoxy” = ortho (right) and dokeo (to think) Gr. orthotomeo, to cut strait or right; found only in 2 Tim. 2:15 Gr. orthos, to say or judge rightly; found in Luke 7:43; 10:28; 20:21 Gr. dogma, to decree; found in Acts 16:4 (compare with Col. 2:20 [dogmatizomai])

  8. Heresy vs. Orthodoxy • “Orthodoxy” in the NT is promoted There is one source (Jn. 16:14) There is one group with the keys (Mt. 16:19; 18:18) There is one message for all churches (1 Cor. 4:17; 7:17; 14:33; 16:1) There is one body and one body of truth (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4-6; Jude 3)

  9. Heresy in Galatians • These heretics preached a “different gospel” (1:6) and promoted circumcision (6:12) and observance of the Old Law (2:15-16; 3:19-24; 5:1-4) • These heretics may have been Jewish Christians (Judaizers) or Gentiles who misunderstood Paul • They may have come from Jerusalem to Galatia (see Acts 15)

  10. Heresy in Colossians • This heresy was an amalgamation of religious thought • These heretics incorporated elements of Judaism (2:11,13,16,20-21), early Gnosticism (2:8,9-10), and paganism (2:18-23) • We do not know how well-defined this heresy was or how far it spread (compare “meat” in Col. 2:16 and 1 Tim. 4:3)

  11. Heresy in Timothy & Titus • The heresy (or heresies) is found in Crete (Tit. 1:5,10-12) and Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3) • It most likely came from within the church (1 Tim. 1:3; 6:2; 2 Tim. 2:14; 4:2; Tit. 1:13; 3:10; see Acts 20:28-31) • The heresy in Crete had a Jewish element (Tit. 1:10,14; 3:9) leading to sin (Tit. 1:15-16) • The heresy in Ephesus had both a Jewish (1 Tim. 1:7-11) and Gnostic (1 Tim. 4:1-5; 6:20; 2 Tim. 2:17-18) element

  12. Heresy in Timothy & Titus • The practice of forbidden marriage (1 Tim. 4:3) is found in Judaism (the Essenes) and later Gnosticism • The heresy in Crete / Ephesus may have been a Gnosticizing (Hellenistic) form of Jewish Christianity • We do not know how well-defined this philosophy was or how far it spread

  13. Heresy in Jude and 2 Peter • The heretics may have been itinerate teachers (Jude 4; 2 Pet. 2:1-3) • They pursued unfettered freedom and ethical autonomy (Jude 5-10; 2 Pet. 2:4-12) • They were self-seeking, unreliable, and deceitful (Jude 11-14; 2 Pet. 2:13-17) • They were ungodly (Jude 14-18; 2 Pet. 2:18-22) • They were un-Spiritual and divisive (Jude 19)

  14. Heresy in Jude and 2 Peter • The heresy involved a denial of the second-coming and judgment saying that the world will always be as it is (2 Pet. 3:3-7) • This heresy which denied a judgment led to fleshly freedom in this present life (2 Pet. 2:10,13-14,19) • We do not know if this heresy had its roots in Gnosticism, Epicureanism, or some other philosophy

  15. Heresy in 1 John • The heresy was most likely connected with early Gnosticism (Doceticism or Cerinthus) • The heretics were not true believers (2:19) • The heretics denied Jesus as the Messiah (2:22-23; 4:15; 5:1,5) and Jesus come in the flesh (1:1-3; 4:1-3; 5:6; 2 Jn. 7)

  16. Heresy in Revelation • There were heresies among the seven churches of Asia… Balaam and Jezebel – idolatry (2:6,15,20-21) Deep things of Satan (2:24)

  17. Heretical Influences from the East and West

  18. Attitude Toward Heresy • Warn against it (Gal. 1:6-9) • Reprove it sharply (Tit. 1:13) • Admonish, then refuse it (Tit. 3:10) • Contend against it (Jude 3) • Pray and plea against it (Jn. 17:20-23; 1 Cor. 1:10-13) • Stand on the right side of it (1 Cor. 11:19)

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