Bill T: Would you mind offering an opinion. Dave makes
some very good points, below.
JD
if we share in some misconceptions about
Christ, and I think we do, what effect does this have on a
soverign being full of grace and patience and love?
DAVEH: As I see it, out perceptions, actions and thoughts
have no effect with Jesus' grace and sovereignity. They merely affect
the distance we situate ourselves from him. If he is the center of
truth, the less we have, the further we will find ourselves from him.
I can agree with this -- for the most part. The
"distance" that DaveH mentions, IMO, is only a perceived distance, and
not an actual one: Colossians 1 states that we (cf. "all things") are
in Christ. The "gap" between God and humanity is therefore but a construct of
our fallen minds.
Judy denies that Jesus is the eternal Son of God. Why
should I not consider her to be a heretic?
DAVEH: Perhaps because you may have enough of your own
heretical leanings to worry about before you should worry about others'
perceived misconceptions.
The word "heresy" is typically used to a
demarcate a variance away from the formally established beliefs or
teachings of the Church. It is possible, I believe, for one to be a
heretic in the eyes of the Church and not so in God's eyes; however, I also
believe it is Christ who has preserved the Church throughout the centuries
over against attack from the tyrants. To stand in opposition to the official
teachings of Orthodoxy, therefore, should not be done or taken lightly. In
other words, some serious study is in order on our parts to understand the
why's of these doctrines, before we ought even begin to consider jettisoning
them.
A very wise friend of mine is keen on
opining that there will be many Christians who hold grossly heretical beliefs, who upon their
passing will nevertheless find themselves securely in heaven. I agree with
him: if entrance into heaven is predicated upon right and only right thinking,
then I suppose heaven will be a mighty lonely place.
