The Heretics

February 28, 2011 by 1 Comment

There has been some humorous teasing going on around Facebook about the word ‘heretic’ and in many churches the word ‘heretic’ is used in a way that does not fit the context in which they are using it. Some endearingly accept the label of heretic as a confirmation that they’re headed in the right direction. Some claim to be a Christian heretic while others shake their heads wondering how a Christian can be a  heretic and still claim to be a Christian. What I have found in the Greek about this topic is quite eye opening.

Original Word: αἱρετικός, ή, όν

Part of Speech: Adjective

Transliteration: hairetikos

Phonetic Spelling: (hahee-ret-ee-kos’)

Short Definition: factious

Definition: disposed to form sects, sectarian, heretical, factious.

Cognate: 141 hairetikós (an adjective, derived from 138 /hairéomai, “to choose, have a distinctive opinion”) – a factious person, specializing in half-truths and misimpressions “to win others over” to their personal opinion (misguided zeal) – while creating harmful divisions (used only in Tit 3:10).  (hairesis).

Disposed to form sects. That sounds like the various denominations to me. They have formed sects. Half truths and misimpressions. This is taking verses out of context and forming new doctrines where there is none. To reveal where their half truths are, will bring out the name calling label. If you have been labeled a ‘heretic’ by a denominational person, then you are the one who are free and discovering their half truths are just that, half. And the one calling you a heretic, is indeed the real heretic.

In my religious studies of various denominational view points, I have carefully compared the viewpoints of each denomination on the matters they all divide over. What I have found is they each have partial truths mixed with their own opinions. If they could just sit down together in love and with patience and really study TOGETHER, they would find what I believe to be the whole truth on those matters. Instead they divide the people from one another’s view points. They are heretics.

I have been labeled a heretic many times, but I don’t ask people to divide over disagreements, I have been trying to show them where they all have something in common and try to encourage them to really look at each other’s views. They each have a piece to the ‘puzzle’ and they withhold their pieces from one another and push each other away when the topic comes up in conversations.

Using the word ‘heretic’ as a name calling method to scare people away from other believers who are studying..who are being like the Bereans, is divisive. THOSE are the heretics. They want to cut off others who believe differently, they create sects.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with carefully studying the Bible, double checking the Hebrew and Greek and presenting your findings to your fellowship. This is what we all should be doing. Asking tough questions about why some people get a mansion and others get the lake of fire or what the hell is hell anyway are acceptable questions. It is time to grow up, get out of the high chair, no more spoon feeding. Those who insist that we remain in the high chair, refuse to give the meat, and who rebuke you for wanting to grow up, are the real heretics.

Will the real heretics please stand up?

1 Corinthians 11: 17But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions(factions, heretics) among you. And I believe it in part,d 19for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.

When these, who seek to divide and create sects, stand up and begin name calling..we will know who they are. They are the heretics.

But they are needed. Paul said it is so that those who are genuine can be revealed. Those who are willing to be like the Bereans, who study and walk by faith. Those who offer the same freedom to others. Those who limit our freedom to be like the Bereans are divisive. When you are studying and walking by faith, being like the Bereans and you are labeled a ‘heretic’ by a sectarian, then you have received a truth telling that you are genuine. The believers will then look for fruit. Are you just stirring the pot just to stir it? Or are you walking your friends through freedom in Christ? If you bear no fruit, then you are no different than those real heretics..you’re just causing more sectarianism.

Discovering truth is not just to cause problems like some class clown does in grade school. Discovering truth is to bring people to freedom.

The recent revealing of Rob Bell’s upcoming book, ‘Love Wins’ has caused quite a stir in the faith community. He presents some of the questions that people have been secretly asking for many years. His introduction video presents topics that Anne Hutchinson brought up many years ago that landed her in prison. We live in a time when we are protected from such treatment for disagreeing with someone’s theology. No matter what Rob Bell’s book reveals about his beliefs, he has shown courage to stand up and present his views in the face of the Christianity community.

When we see disagreements about the interpretation of the Bible, look for the fruit. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: because against such there is no law. {Galatians 5:22-23} When you see people openly disagreeing with Rob Bell, or any other writer, speaker, or blogger, is their fruit among their disagreeing? Any sort of insult, belittling, or accusations are not of the fruit of the spirit. That would be a work of the flesh, a work called strife. {Galatians 5:20}

John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Sisterlisa


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Filed Under: Inquisition, Persecution Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Suffering Persecution

November 17, 2009 by Leave a Comment
When I began sharing about how God was speaking to me in the midst of persecution, I feared I’d lose readers, yet what I found was that people have been searching online for such articles for help. We know that we have brethren in China and other countries that suffer persecution, persecution that we do not suffer in the United States. However, since we live in a country that has rights for the people, some forms of persecution have not occurred often. Something I noticed when my children were in a private school is that there is a stark difference in the form of persecution. It was very different from what we see in public schools and in the movies.
When you are in a place that has rules and limitations on how you can treat people, the persecution becomes sly. Persecution is lead by the enemy and he has to hide the evidence of persecution in order to keep it going. Most Believers wouldn’t readily admit to have persecuted others, but we all have in one way or another. We’re all guilty of it. When we purposefully refuse to invite someone to a large gathering because we don’t accept them, when we choose not to sit by the homeless man in church, when we treat parolees as less than because they served time in prison, etc.
The persecution taking place in China is very different from here, but I believe it’s coming soon. Even in the middle of all the American Rights, persecution is still coming. Jesus told us that before he comes back the world will see so much evil, as never seen before. (Matthew 24)
Something I noticed when writing about this, is that when I point out what the different forms of persecution are, there are some that become wildly angry with me. If you’re on my Facebook friends list, you may have seen some of the flare ups on my wall from some people. I have also received some unkind comments on this blog, but they are held in moderation. I recently changed the comment settings to not allow anonymous comments anymore.
While we welcome dialogue about our articles, even if in disagreement, we reserve the right to not publish comments that are disrespectful to the authors or other readers.
I added a poll to the right hand side bar, which will remain until December 31st, 2009. I am interested to know what kind of persecution you have suffered. Maybe you suffered at a family gathering when an aunt or cousin scoffed at you for praying before your meal. Maybe you suffered your home being vandalized because your husband is a preacher and his message may have caused a ruckus in someone’s heart. Perhaps you suffered from friends disconnecting from you for leaving a church. Whatever the case may be I want to know. I pray that the messages God teaches me, while I’m in persecution, will be of encouragement to you.
I don’t have all the answers, but He shows me more along the way. Some people think I’m full of malarkey and that I’m not really ‘suffering’ persecution. Sometimes people may not know the depths of it because you don’t share the details and sometimes they simply don’t believe its happening to you. But when they see it for themselves they will know. It’s okay if they don’t listen. Keep seeking help until you find someone who will listen. You’re not alone and you don’t have to go through it without support.
SisterLisa
Filed Under: Persecution

Matthew 18 The Heart of Reconciliation

November 13, 2009 by 1 Comment
Matthew 18 is a controversial passage of scripture that gets twisted by abusive leaders who seek to control and keep members under their rule. But the heart of Matthew 18 is reconciliation through the love of Christ. In this 10 page Ebook you’ll see the heart aches suffered by many believers in churches, ministries, and various relationships all over the world, including the blogosphere. I believe this message of hope is one that is much needed in the Body today. Not only is this teaching from our Lord so applicable to ‘church discipline’, but also in our relationships with our families and most beneficial in our parenting.
Are you frustrated with how to handle friendships that are divided by a wall of unforgiveness?
Have you wondered why church discipline doesn’t seem to work very well?
Should you really cut off people because they don’t believe the same as you?
I believe you’ll find your answers in the experiences I have shared in this Ebook, ‘Matthew 18, The Heart of Reconciliation’.    Simply email me at:    sisterlisa {at} agministries.org   Subject=”Matthew18″

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Filed Under: Healing, Persecution, Spiritual Abuse

Jesus Christ and The Homosexual

October 18, 2009 by 29 Comments
God has been working on my heart about something for quite a while and today he finalized it with me. When I share with you what He told me many Christians might call me a heretic and want to hurl rotten tomatoes at me with all their might. This is a highly controversial topic all over the nation and in religious circles in every country.
When I drove through my favorite Starbuck’s drive through, God spoke to me about the person taking my order. It was a man with a friendly, but feminine voice. Was he a homosexual? I don’t know he didn’t say, but God spoke to my heart. He was clear on what he wanted me to tell this man when I drove up to the window.
He took my card to pay for the coffee, then as I was waiting for my coffee to come up he asked how I was doing. I replied, “I’m doing great and God spoke to me back there when you took my order. He wants me to tell you something.” He smiled and said, “Ok what is it?” I said, “Jesus Christ loves you and just wants you to love Him back.” He was astonished and said, “That’s exactly what my mom keeps telling me!”
I felt in my spirit that he is a homosexual and regardless of whether or not I have discerned wrongly, the message is the same to all homosexuals. Jesus Christ does love you and He seeks for you to love Him back. When you’re ready, he is waiting. He stands at the door and knocks. He doesn’t ask you to clean your life up before you come to Him. He simply says “Come”. Revelation 22:17
The notion that we must repent BEFORE coming to Christ indicates that we can somehow get all cleaned up on our own.

Ephesians 2:9, “Not of works lest any man should boast”  Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

You see it’s Jesus Christ who washes us, He regenerates us, according to His mercy. The renewing is of His Holy Ghost. We can’t clean up our lives in order to have Christ, we have Him simply because He offered himself up for us. I have been grieving about the condemning spirit that seems to drive ‘Christians’ into pointing fingers at homosexuals, when the beam of legalism in sticking out of their eyes. Many ‘Christians’ who claim that they love Christ and condemn a homosexual to a black hole of judgment and demand that they repent of their lifestyle before they can get saved is heresy. We are not ‘sinners’ because of things we do or don’t do in this life, it is because we were born in ‘sin’. “As in Adam ALL die”. Wherefore by ONE man’s disobedience sin came into the world. {Romans 5:16}
The other thing that grieves me is that these very same ‘Christians’ are convinced that these men and women are condemned to a black hole of judgment because of that ONE thing. Let me be very clear with you about what I believe. We walk in judgment until we come to understand the truth in Christ. Plain and simple. The greatest thing that I believe keeps us in judgment is that we think we can somehow manage to “Do” something to clean our selves up to be able to have the ‘ability’ to trust Christ. We do NOT possess anything in or of ourselves to trust Christ.  We must repent of self will and allow Him to humble us. We are the Alabaster box that the woman brought to the meal where Jesus sat. The box of self will that must be broken in order for His Holy Spirit to flow from within. She used her hair, which is quite humbling for a woman to do, to anoint His feet with the precious oil. Our self will, trying to clean ourselves up with self righteousness, is not going to save us.
Dear homosexual, your relationship with Christ our Lord is not dependent upon whether or not you ‘do’ anything or ‘don’t’ do something. Whether you think you are right or wrong about your sexual preference, that has no bearing. We need to realize that we do not have anything of ourselves, no ability to get clean before we can receive the truth about Christ. If that were so none of us would enter into His rest, because NO ONE can get cleaned up enough for God.(Romans 3)
I wish to humbly apologize to all those who are hurting because of the self-righteous spirit that controls those who claim to be God’s children. They are mislead and misinformed of who Christ really is. Even I have been guilty of speaking about lifestyles that I believe are unlawful. I have done so with condemnation, but God has shown me my errors. I do value the freedom that Christ offers us, but we can only have that if we have truly trusted Christ in His Righteousness to be our righteousness.
When I trusted Christ, I was judged as a loathsome sinner by many Christians. I didn’t have to ‘do’ anything to have Him as my Lord. Over time, as my relationship with Him grew in his grace, He changed me. I could not change myself. There will no doubt be other things in my life that don’t get changed before my physical body leaves this world. I will not be perfect until I see Him face to face. Until then I am clay in the potter’s hand.
I firmly believe in walking in the Spirit of God and allowing Him to change us. I do not condone behavior that is not healthy spiritually nor physically. Yet if I am going to speak judgment and repentance to a homosexual just because of that lifestyle, then I must also speak the message to myself about me being overweight. I have many beams in my own eye to deal with. I have no place to preach condemnation to anyone else, no matter what other religious people say about ‘lifestyles’.
Rejoice for the kingdom of God has come, and that Kingdom is Christ our Lord. He loves you and asks you to simply love Him back. Walk in the Spirit, and grow in grace.

Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

*Should you hurl those rotten tomatoes at me for publishing this article, than I gladly stand in the way so the homosexual can come to Christ without your condemnation hitting their souls and smacking them down into a black hole of judgment. We should not be stumbling blocks that hinder people from coming to Christ.

Filed Under: Grace, Persecution Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Wolves Are Here

September 5, 2009 by 9 Comments
My husband is an evangelist and as we travel from place to place we have opportunities to see and hear about what is going on in various ministries. While were at one place of worship I listened to a lesson from Revelation chapter three, according to what this teacher felt he was to share with us. One thing he said cut me right to the heart, because I knew it was not true. His words were that the underlying basis of all cults today is that they deny the deity of Christ. I bit my tongue.

At the end of the lesson he asked if there were questions, the room was silent. I took a deep breath. I waited. He then asked if there were any comments, to which I knew I was to raise my hand. At that moment that I began to raise my hand and I could feel the spiritual battle begin to overpower me. I could have easily put my hand down and said nothing. However, I knew I was supposed to press on. When you attempt to press on and there is opposition, your body begins to shake, if you’ve ever tried to connect two magnets of opposing ends you know what I mean.

I spoke up about something our Lord had shown me in Matthew 24:4-5, “4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”

I spoke up after reading this verse aloud to this class of at least one hundred people, “They clearly will claim that He is Christ, and that’s how they will deceive many.” I continued, “Spiritual leaders who are false will claim Jesus is Christ and then after that they will attempt to teach you that you need to ‘do things to be right with God’, when in fact there isn’t. Our righteousness is but filthy rags and NOTHING makes us right but by the grace in Christ alone.”

The room fell silent. It seemed as though time stood still. Then he spoke up and said, “Wow. Thank you for sharing that.” He closed in prayer, thanking God for me speaking up and giving this warning and as he prayed our Lord spoke to me one more time, “There are many wolves in this room” It was as if I heard Him audibly and I sat in silence then quietly exited the building. I proceeded to enter the ladies room and after leaving a woman approached me to ask me more questions. We had a long talk in that lobby about wolves. I warned her that when you know you’re in the presence of a wolf you are to flee. She looked at me in bewilderment. As I explained how to know if the leader is a wolf, she already knew the answers and finished my sentences for me.

My advice to her was this, “When you know the leader has taught something wrong, you go to them in love and ask them to look at the verse you know to be true. If they are a true Believer they will thank you and make the correction to the congregation. If they refuse to listen and refuse to correct it for the sheep in the fold, then flee. He is a wolf.” By the way that he could be a she-wolf.

As our conversation ended, she left the building. She did not enter the sanctuary for the main service. Interesting.

I have been reflecting upon that day ever since and yesterday had a conversation with my daughter. Should I have repeated what God told me, about there being many wolves in the room, or was that just a message for me to hear? Why would that have been His words for me only? I’m not even a member of that congregation. Was it in fact a message I was supposed to give them?

As I was writing a previous article about why the sheep have left, I came to this verse and it hit be like a mach truck!

Matthew 10:16, “16Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”

God truly sent me there that day. But what about what he said to me? What if they had been angry with me for saying there were many wolves in the room?


Matthew 10:26-27, ” 26Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.27What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.”

I now know I was indeed supposed to say what he told me. That message was not for me, it was for them. “Forgive me Lord for not speaking up and empower me to speak the next time you want me to. I was fearful of what would happen to me if I spoke up.” The wolves are here and they’re all around us. Most often they are in ‘spiritual leadership’ positions over you. Know Christ and he shall set you free.

Related Articles:
Wolves Among Us, by Serena Wood of Grace is for Sinners.
Facing the Wolves by Sisterlisa

Sisterlisa is a homeschooling mom of four children and married to a ministry leader of a Rescue mission. She is the owner of Growing in Grace Magazine and AGMinistries.

Filed Under: Legalism, Persecution, Spiritual Abuse

Facing the Wolves

September 4, 2009 by 4 Comments
Why do the sheep leave? Are they simply lost or did they sense danger? Did they recognize that their shepherd was not actually a real shepherd? Had they watched their behavior long enough to consider their end and know what cloth they are really cut from? Have you watched what happens to a flock when a wolf enters their fold? Maybe they sensed the the danger around them. Could it be that the sheep knew the wolves had entered the fold?

Indeed I wonder if the sheep are lost. I think many times they scattered because they knew the wolf was there. So now what? What do the sheep do? How can we bring the sheep back to the fold if the fold we are in is in fact a pack of wolves.?I shudder at the thought of actually being in a pack of wolves. However, many are in a pack of wolves and don’t even know it. They have entered a pack, not a fold. Lots of little lambs were lost and were attracted to come join the wolf clan, unknowingly. When their eyes are opened, what shall they do?

Sometimes the sheep really are in a fold and there is one or two wolves there. The shepherd is responsible for dealing with them, but what if the leader is the wolf and the flock is really a pack and you’re the one in danger? It’s not easy to bring yourself to accept that the leader you have come to love and trust is actually a wolf. A relationship with this leader has formed and you don’t want to face the fact that he is actually out to destroy you. How could this person who is my friend be out to hurt me? What about all my other sheep friends? Are they wolves too? They could very well be.

Matthew 10: 24-25, ” 24The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.25It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?”

A disciple of a wolf isn’t over the leader of the pack, they are content to be equal with him. If the leader of the pack is a wolf, then chances are his pack are wolves too. A leader will recruit others into their pack and teach them their ways. When a pup decides he wants to be a lamb, a true lamb, his coat will be obvious. The wolves will notice there is something different about this lamb convert. The lamb will begin to notice opposition to the direction the lamb begins to grow in. He will begin to follow their real Shepherd and the leader of the pack will do what he can to keep the little lamb in their pack. The wolf will exhibit characteristics of control over the lamb. Who his friends are, where he goes, where he feeds.

When the lamb realizes the power his Shepherd has given him to flee this pack he will step out in faith and flee. As long as the lamb flees peacefully the wolves may insist on him staying. But when the lamb speaks up about why he is leaving the wolves will scatter that sheep to the furthest end of their territory so they don’t warn the others. The wolves may threaten the lamb, drop hints of gossip about the lamb as being a wolf. The lamb can’t do anything about that, he just needs to flee. The lamb can’t change the wolf or vote him out of the pack. His pack will defend him above following the true shepherd, because they are not sheep.

John 10:4, “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.”

If you have indeed shed the wolves clothing and put on the clothing your True Shepherd has given you then you will know His voice. Follow Him and flee from the wolves.

Sisterlisa is a homeschooling mom of four children and married to a ministry leader of a Rescue mission. She is the owner of Growing in Grace Magazine and AGMinistries.

Filed Under: Legalism, Persecution, Spiritual Abuse
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