“A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.”
Titus 3:10-11
What is Heresy?
Greek Word Study – Titus 3:10-11
“Heretick” is hairetikos, from the verb haireō, “to take, to take for one’s self, to choose, prefer.” The noun means, “fitted or able to take or choose, schismatic, factious.” A heretic is one therefore who refuses to accept true doctrine as it is revealed in the Bible, and prefers to choose for himself what he is to believe. “Subverted” is ektrepō, “to turn or twist out,” used in a medical sense of limbs; “to turn aside.” Vincent says: “More than turned away from the right path: rather, turned inside out” “Condemned of himself” is autokatakritos, literally, “self-condemned,” made up of autos, “self,” Kata, “down,” and krinō, “to judge,” thus, “to judge one’s self down,” thus, “to condemn one’s self.”
– Wuest’s Word Studies
To understand the condition of much of the church in our land today does not require a great deal of discernment. We live in a time when people “choose” what they want to believe and what they want to hear. In stark contrast, the early church consisted of disciples who submitted themselves to the truth regardless of the consequences.
“Jesus answered them, and said:
My doctrine is not mine, but HIS that sent me.”
John 7:16
Even the Son of God did not have His own doctrine! His very life was to fulfill the Will of His Father. We must ask ourselves why there are so many divisions, strife, and scandals in our day. It is because we are living in the fullness of a false gospel that claims all you need to do is “confess and believe”.
A Dark Day
The darkest days in the history of Israel bear a familiar description:
“In those days, there was no king in Israel,
but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
Judges 17:6; 21:25
Today, Jesus is presented as Saviour, but not as Lord. Many live as if there is “no King” in their midst. The scriptures are presented as teachings and guidelines rather than God’s truth, with no accountability or recompense when they are violated.
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord,
and do not the things which I say?”
Luke 6:46
God purposely hides the truth from those who do not desire discipleship. There is a certain condition of the heart required for God to reveal “the doctrine”. It has nothing to do with our intellect, our abilities, or our station in life. God reveals His Way to those who set their hearts on His Lordship and Kingdom.
“If any man will do His Will,
he shall know of the doctrine…”
John 7:17
Why do so many in our day have difficulty understanding the clear Word of God? Why are the precious truths of the scriptures presented as optional, and why do so few tremble at His Word?
“Then they call me, and I do not answer. They seek me earnestly, and do not find me. Because that they have hated knowledge, and have not chosen the fear of YHWH. They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof, And they eat of the fruit of their way, And they are filled from their own counsels.”
Proverbs 1:28-31
Woe to the ministers who preach the gospel to draw people to themselves, to build up their status in the religious world. They start their own “church” and confer on themselves “authority”; they “anoint” others in their midst to places of standing so that they, too, are recognized.
May we hear the clear Word of the Lord:
“The one speaking from himself seeks his own glory. But the one seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, this One is true, and unrighteousness is not in Him.”
John 7:18 (LITV)
To speak the truth in this day will inevitably result in a solitary walk, marginalization and disdain. The narrow way has become the broad way. The cross is an emblem that adorns our buildings while having little effect on how we live.
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”
Galatians 6:14
A worldly Christian confesses the truth, yet lives in compromise with sin and conducts themselves accordingly to the ethos of this world.
The Cross of Christ is an instrument of terror to the carnal life. Its way is narrow; it causes us to forsake our natural affinities. It will not allow us to hold on to unforgiveness and bitterness. It will not compromise or allow us to choose our own way.
“And he that taketh not his cross,
and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me.”
Matthew 10:38
To the true believer, picking up our cross is not optional. Heresy is the fruit of the self-life. It chooses which truths it will accept and disregards the rest.
The Day of the Lord
The Unity of the Spirit, its wonder and joy, is given to those who “will to do His Will.” The sifting is coming of the wheat from the tares; the five foolish and the five wise virgins will be revealed. His faithful servants will be rewarded, and the ones who hid their giftings and callings in the ground of unfaithfulness, idleness, and ignorance will be judged.
“And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.”
1 Peter 1:17
Much of the gospel of today has stripped away the privilege of knowing “the fear of the Lord.” Truth has been diluted to the point where discipleship is optional. Bearing our cross has become a matter of choice. Confession, or even a powerful salvation experience in the past, has provided a false assurance that robs us of Peter’s admonition to “pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.”
It is needful to reconsider in the “fear of the Lord” what constitutes a heretic in the scriptures.
Are we guilty?
“Heretick” is hairetikos, from the verb haireō, “to take, to take for one’s self, to choose, prefer.” The noun means, “fitted or able to take or choose, schismatic, factious.” A heretic is one therefore who refuses to accept true doctrine as it is revealed in the Bible, and prefers to choose for himself what he is to believe…”
To choose our way
Is to forsake His
To love our life
Is to lose His
To desire the praises of men
Is the way of condemnation
To please ourselves
Leads to bondage
To walk in His Yoke
Is the path to freedom.
“Choose you this day
whom ye will serve”
Joshua 24:15
Related Post: The Testimony of Jesus – Part Two
“God said, “Let us make man in our image.”
Man said, “Let us make God in our image.”
Douglas Jerrold
Brian Troxel
Take Heed to the Path You’re On
I will start this posting with a familiar scripture before I reveal the dream I had last night.
Mat 7:13 — Mat 7:14
The Narrow Way
(Luke 13:24)
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Most, if not all, Believers are familiar with the above passage of scripture from Jesus’ sermon on the mount.
With that said, I will begin describing my dream I had last night.
In the dream I found myself standing on the broad road, the one Jesus said leads to death, and remember feeling a sense of terror that I was on this road and not on the straight and narrow road which leads to eternal life.
However, although I was on this road I was standing and not walking upon it. In the dream I was standing with an open Bible and I saw people coming towards me carrying closed Bibles under their arms and walked right by me as if I did not exist. Some purposely walked right into me to try to knock me down but had no intention of listening to me. I can only infer from the dream that those carrying the closed Bibles were Christians who had left the straight and narrow path and had chosen the broad easy path. Being that I was standing facing them as they came towards me says to me that the Lord placed me directly in their path to hopefully cause them to repent and turn around. The fact that I felt terror at finding myself on the broad path meant that I was placed there,however, I could easily turn and follow the crowd into eternal destruction.
In the sermon on the mount the Lord says that the narrow way is hard to find and in addition difficult to walk upon.
As the days grow darker the temptation to compromise with the world will be greater and greater because the persecutions will become more prevalent. The hyper grace movement is evidence of this.
I will close with the following scripture from 2nd Corinthians.
2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified
So timely and so true. One often feels like we’re shouting in a vacuum. The dream is clear, and God’s Word stands as a beacon to all who would hear!
I am always blessed and encouraged by His gift to you!
Blessings
BT
Wow so true! We don’t get to choose only what we want to believe. We either believe all or nothing! Thank you Jesus!
Amen