The Path of Truth Forum

(This is an archived correspondence at The Path of Truth. We have sent notification to the correspondent.)

Heresy hunting hardens hearts.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The chicken. Hardened hearts hunt heretics, Matthew, and are hardened all the more. Your saying has it backwards.

There is this caveat, of course - hardened hearts hunt heretics according to the Diabolical Doctrines of men, such as John Calvin pursuing Michael Servetus, ending up with Servetus burned at the stake. Do you know about this?

The Fruit of Cain Multiplied: The Murderer John Calvin

Servetus wasn't a heretic. He spoke truly proclaiming the One True God, the Lord Jesus Christ. And Calvin had him burned for that! Can you imagine?!

Are you finding fault with us for exposing the pernicious ways of such who blaspheme the Holy Name of God - those who really do teach heresy? What's wrong with you, Matthew? Aren't you aware that the Lord warned His disciples to “beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”? Aren't you aware that Satan and his ministers come as angels of light (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)? Do you follow Satan and encourage other professing Christians to do so?

Are you open to listening to reason and God's principles of righteous judgment? Rejecting reality rebuffs redemption.

Paul

I was unaware that a simple statement written in love could be responded in such a way as you have responded. According to your own estimation, the men written on your list should be burned at the stake? Are you professing to be Servetus? Because your actions and defensive words (even to my simple statement) speak of Calvin.

I am very aware of the verses you mention. What's wrong with me? I guess what's wrong with me is that I shouldn't have written anything to you (who seems to have a passion for truth) in love. Or, are you not aware (I am speaking as you have to me) about how we are to come to the world, teaching the gospel of Christ, walking in it, and showing a dying world what love is? With humility? With fear and trembling? Are you aware of the sin of cursing the Holy Spirit? If any of the gentlemen mentioned in your list had (have) the Holy Spirit and you are openly claiming that they have an unclean spirit of heresy, what then are you doing except cursing the Spirit of God? Do you have the ultimate authority to proclaim such things? Has all power been given unto you? We ought to be very careful indeed how we proceed in these matters. True believers will know when such heretic things are being taught, or do you know know that the sheep only know the Shepherd's voice? Wilkerson was a heretic because he died in a car accident? Do you not know that it rains on the righteous and the unrighteous? How about men like David Brainerd? Henry Drummond? Art Katz? Tozer? Austin-Sparks?

I accidentally stumbled upon your website when researching some works by Austin-Sparks. Thankfully, I am a believer. For if I was an unbeliever, I would still be so, because the Good News of Yeshua as Messiah is not to be found in your website, especially not in love. Only the hardened hearts of the Pharisees will be found.

May God truly bless you and keep you.

Time to ask yourself these questions, Matthew...and honestly answer them:

“Do you have the ultimate authority to proclaim such things? Has all power been given unto you? We ought to be very careful indeed how we proceed in these matters. True believers will know when such heretic things are being taught, or do you know know that the sheep only know the Shepherd's voice?”

As for us, we will answer:

Yes, we do “have the ultimate authority to proclaim such things”:

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority is given to Me in Heaven and in earth. Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them...teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you. And, behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20 MKJV).

“Then Jesus said to them again, Peace to you. As My Father has sent Me, even so I send you” (John 20:21 MKJV).

“And I have given them the glory which You have given Me, that they may be one, even as We are one, I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me” (John 17:22-23 MKJV).

“For let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus...” (Philippians 2:5 MKJV).

“Has all power been given unto you?” Already answered above, but furthermore:

“I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 MKJV).

“And Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief. For truly I say to you, If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Move from here to there. And it shall move. And nothing shall be impossible to you” (Matthew 17:20 MKJV).

“Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23 MKJV).

So yes, all power HAS been given to us. But you don't believe.

“We ought to be very careful indeed how we proceed in these matters.”
Indeed, we agree, we ought to be, and so should you. Are you? Do you know who you're talking to? Really?

“True believers will know when such heretic things are being taught, or do you know know that the sheep only know the Shepherd's voice?”

Very true, and that's why you know so little and don't hear His Voice directly or by our words:

“He who is of God hears God's Words. Therefore you do not hear them because you are not of God” (John 8:47 MKJV).

“We are of God. He who knows God hears us. The one who is not of God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6 MKJV).

John 8:43-45 MKJV
(43) Why do you not know My speech? Because you cannot hear My Word.
(44) You are of the Devil as father, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.
(45) And because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me.

“May God truly bless you and keep you.”

Would or did Jesus say that to the Pharisees, the kind of people you say we are? Would Peter say that to Simon (Acts 8), or Paul to Elymas? Matthew, you are confounded and what's worse, unrepentant. You have nothing whatsoever to do with the Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach) or He with you.

Nevertheless, He has blessed and kept, is blessing and keeping and will bless and keep us, not because we have earned or deserved anything, but by His grace He has shown us mercy and commissioned us to speak the reality of things hidden from you. He's faithful to His servants and brothers.

Victor