I continue to be amazed at the accusation of heresy levelled against me by leaders and others in the mainstream church.
I think God is love and therefore loves all of his creation, yet I'm the heretic.
I think God is more powerful than those he has created, yet I'm the heretic.
I think God's free will is more likely to be achieved than man's "free" will, yet I'm the heretic.
I believe Paul when he told Timothy that God is the saviour of the world, not just believers, yet I'm the heretic.
I think Jesus died for the sins of all mankind, not just those who accept him in their lifetime on this planet, yet I'm the heretic.
I believe Jesus when he said he would draw all people to himself, yet I'm the heretic.
I believe the Bible when it says that at the completion of the ages God will bring everyone in the heavens and on earth together under the headship of Christ, yet I'm the heretic.
So you can see why I was delighted to find this definition of heresy.
"Heresy" is often nothing more than the rejection of widely held error.
Isn't that something?
I'm a heretic, and proud of it.
Blessings, Barry
Although I finished writing Chapter 2 a long time ago, I am far from finished learning about the sovereignty of God.
One of my "side" studies recently has been about the kingdom of God, and I have been asking the Lord to show me if the kingdom (the millennium) has already commenced or is still in the future.
In the process of this investigation I have been considering the position that the kingdom of God is not a physical thing to be set up somewhere, sometime, but is God's rule in the hearts of people who are committed to him and who trust him. And it is this kingdom that will spread and cover the earth "as the waters cover the sea" as all people are eventually reconciled to God.
An application of this definition of the kingdom is our willingness to be content with whatever God sends us - good or bad - because of our willingness to trust God's love and sovereignty.
Indeed it could be a good test of whether we are "in the kingdom" or not. To be worried about anything suggests we are not trusting God in that thing. And I am so guilty of that - not trusting that God is sovereign in ALL my circumstances.
God loves me and will never send me wrong things. They may be things I do not like, be extremely unpleasant or cause great hardship, but they are never wrong if they come from a loving God who only wants the best for me and is planning to make me Christ-like.
Whatever God sends me will be beneficial - if I allow it to do the thing God designed it to do.
Remember my translation of 1 Cor 10 : 13 that I shared a couple of months ago?
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide the planned outcome (or sequel) so that you can endure it. [BSV]
It is becoming a key verse in my life.
The greatest evil ever was the murder of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son.
But look at the benefit to the whole world that evil brought!
Hope you're learning to trust God in ALL things quicker than I am.
Blessings, Barry
