| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 706.1 | the Holy Spirit binds believers | OUTSRC::HEISER | Hoshia Nah,Baruch Haba B'shem Adonai | Wed Mar 29 1995 13:52 | 5 |
| John wrote those words to Christians and to reject Gnosticism (which
also rejects the triune God), which was gaining popularity in that day.
By their fruit you will know them.
Mike
|
| 706.2 | | POWDML::FLANAGAN | I feel therefore I am | Wed Mar 29 1995 14:13 | 19 |
| The heresy of the day, which included Gnosticism is the denial of the
human nature of Jesus and not the denial of the Divine Nature of Jesus.
Gnosticism argues that the created order is evil and therefore Jesus
could not really have been "of the flesh"
Many Christians still seem to have a real problem with the full
humanity of Jesus.
According to those words written by "John" to love one's brothers and
sisters is to love God and is therefore to be Christian. Christ is the
incarnation of God's love. Jesus is the first fruit. We can love
because we were first loved by God. to respond in love is to accept
Christ even if we name Christ something else.
God is Love. That which is of love is from God. 1John is very clear
on the meaning of love. In fact most of the New Testament is very
clear on love.
Patricia
|
| 706.3 | | TOKNOW::METCALFE | Eschew Obfuscatory Monikers | Wed Mar 29 1995 14:25 | 13 |
| "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience;
we are spiritual beings having a human experience."
Jesus was fully human as well as fully God. The Scripture is
clear on this. In his full humanity he was still without sin.
He was tempted in every manner as we are and yet remained sinless.
Spiritual quickening (being born again) comes only from the Holy Spirit
in response to the belief of the person. Belief about what?
"...Whosoever believeth IN HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life."
Mark
|
| 706.4 | | OUTSRC::HEISER | Hoshia Nah,Baruch Haba B'shem Adonai | Wed Mar 29 1995 15:11 | 7 |
| > The heresy of the day, which included Gnosticism is the denial of the
> human nature of Jesus and not the denial of the Divine Nature of Jesus.
> Gnosticism argues that the created order is evil and therefore Jesus
> could not really have been "of the flesh"
depends on if you're a Docetic or Cerinthian Gnostic.
|
| 706.5 | | POWDML::FLANAGAN | I feel therefore I am | Wed Mar 29 1995 15:18 | 1 |
| I'm not familiar with the term "Cerinthian". Can you help?
|
| 706.6 | sacrifice is a model of the OT and had to happen | OUTSRC::HEISER | Hoshia Nah,Baruch Haba B'shem Adonai | Wed Mar 29 1995 15:30 | 11 |
| Cerinthian Gnostics were followers of Cerinthus. They basically
separated the man Jesus from "aeon," the power of Christ. They
believed that when the dove came upon Jesus at His baptism, the power
of Christ came and rested on the man Jesus. This power then departed
before His death on the cross. So it was simply the "man" Jesus who
died, not Jesus Christ, God in the flesh.
This is how they reconcile God incarnate, but in doing so there is no
atonement for sin.
Mike
|
| 706.7 | | POWDML::FLANAGAN | I feel therefore I am | Wed Mar 29 1995 15:46 | 4 |
| Thanks Mike. then that branch denies that God actually took on human
flesh while the Docetist deny that God became fully human.
Patricia
|
| 706.8 | | COVERT::COVERT | John R. Covert | Wed Mar 29 1995 23:45 | 9 |
| Cerenthians would appear to be Adoptionists. Essentially all heresy about
the nature of Christ boils down to either Docetism or Adoptionism.
Patricia, I suggested a recent book for you by C. FitzSimons Allison:
"The Cruelty of Heresy". Morehouse Publishing. ISBN 0-8192-1513-9.
Have you read it yet?
/john
|
| 706.9 | | POWDML::FLANAGAN | I feel therefore I am | Thu Mar 30 1995 08:27 | 12 |
| John.
No I haven't. I'm sorry. I do confess to my filters there. For some
reasons I have made assumptions about the book. I suspect it might not
speak to highly of my Unitarian foremothers and forefathers.
THey were considered Heretics you know!
Patricia
|
| 706.10 | | OUTSRC::HEISER | Hoshia Nah,Baruch Haba B'shem Adonai | Thu Mar 30 1995 17:05 | 12 |
| Interesting that this Gnosticism talk paralleled my morning devotions.
In 2 John 9 it says:
"Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ,
does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the
Father and the Son."
According to my margin notes, the phrase "goes too far" was a Gnostic
term meaning "advanced." The Holy Spirit through John is quite clear
on where that leaves Gnostics.
Mike
|