Firstly, let's define a heretic.
A heretic is a person who believes, teaches, or advocates something opposed to accepted beliefs.
One of the world's most famous heretics was Galileo.
He was condemned as a heretic by the Roman Catholic Inquisition for his heliocentric view that the earth revolves around the sun, and spent the rest of his life under house arrest. The Catholic Church took over 300 years to correct their mistaken view and action, but finally offered a formal apology.
Of course, the views of heretics aren't always correct as were Galileo's. All views need to be researched and debated, and corrected if proved to be incorrect.
I am considered a heretic by many Christians, and have even been de-platformed because of what I teach about the success of Jesus in dying for the sins of the world.
And a heretic I am: I believe, teach and advocate something that is opposed to accepted church beliefs.
Most churches and Christian missions teach, and consequently most Christians believe, that people who are not in a personal relationship with Christ during their lifetime on this planet will spend eternity being tormented in a place they call hell. And that under the supervision and with the approval of a God of love!
I too believe in a God of love; indeed, unconditional love.
I also believe that a person needs to be in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ to be living and reigning with Him in the coming Kingdom Age.
But I also believe that all will be reconciled to God and eventually living with Him in the eternal realm beyond that Kingdom Age.
To not believe that is to completely ignore God's purpose in creation.
And what is that purpose?
In all his wisdom and insight God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ.
This plan, which God will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head.
[Ephesians 1 : 9 - 10 GNB]
The Bible also describes Christ's role in fulfilling this purpose, from beginning to end:
Christ is the visible likeness of the invisible God. He is the first-born Son, superior to all created things.
For through him God created everything in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities.
God created the whole universe through him and for him.
... Through the Son, then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself.
God made peace through his Son's blood on the cross and so brought back to himself all things, both on earth and in heaven.
[Colossians 1 : 15 - 20 GNB]
These Scriptures, describing God's purpose and His plan to achieve it, I believe to be true - which makes me a heretic.
The Church in Rome was also taught about God's great purpose.
So then, as the one sin condemned all people, in the same way the one righteous act sets all people free and gives them life.
And just as all people were made sinners as the result of the disobedience of one man, in the same way they will all be put right with God as the result of the obedience of the one man.
[Romans 5 : 18 - 19 GNB]
The Bible points out there are two persons, two acts, and two results affecting the entire human race.
Adam's disobedience and its race-wide, life-destroying result presents a dark and depressing situation.
Jesus Christ's obedience and its race-wide, life-giving result is bright and glorious.
Generally, the accepted church believes the dark and depressing part of these verses without hesitation, but the bright and glorious part is disbelieved, or somehow explained away - unless you're a heretic!
Blessings, Barry
