SELAH! Thought for today - Heresy

From THEOparodox:

http://theoparadox.blogspot.com/p/faq.html

Heresy with a sense of charity is always more attractive than a frosty-frozen orthodoxy which portrays itself as eminently righteous - and righteously indifferent. If we're not living the Christian life, we're partly responsible for the success of liberalism.

liberal:

Theology: regarding many traditional beliefs as dispensable,
.............invalidated by modern thought, or liable to change
Law: (Especially of an interpretation of law) broadly construed or understood;
.............not strictly literal or exact.

.............Liberalism: suitable for a ‘free man’
.............free from restraint

How many of us 'as Christians' are living out our own heresy hoping God will forgive us for pursuing life on our own terms?

.............heresy: belief or opinion contrary to orthodox (Christian) doctrine
.......................Opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted.
.......................heresy from the Greek hairesis 'choice' or haireisthai 'choose'.

How many of us 'as Christians' have desires for our life profoundly at odds with what 'Jesus says'? How many of us 'as mature Christians' choose to live by our desires in direct conflict with the Word of God, especially in the area of marriage and divorce?

Jesus has made us free, NOT to run amok in sin, but to live by the higher law,
the 'Spirit of life in Christ' [Romans 8:2]:

JESUS HIMSELF SPEAKING:

Luke 6:46
But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things WHICH I SAY?

Matthew 5:22
But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause
shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother,
'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says,
'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.

Christ is 'our brother'.

Matthew 5:28
But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Matthew 5:32
But I say to you to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason
except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery;
and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

Matthew 5:44
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to
those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you

Matthew 12:31
"Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men,
but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

Matthew 12:36
But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak,
they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

Matthew 21:21

So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith
and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also
if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done.

Luke 5:24
But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"--
He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed,
and go to your house."

Luke 6:27
But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

John 5:24
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who
sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment,
but has passed from death into life.

John 5:34
Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.

John 10:1
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door,
but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

I wouldn't think that 'modern thought - our own thoughts - liberalism' - should take precedence over Jesus who says, 'BUT I SAY'. But how often does 'BUT I WANT' interfere with JESUS who says, 'BUT I SAY'?

Do we use repentance as a 'do over' or do we repent that we can now walk in fear of the Lord, to follow 'what he says'. We were released from the law of sin and death to embrace the law of the Spirit of life in Christ'.

Joshua 24:15

And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

God is a loving Father, a loving husband, a loving brother who desires to keep us under the protection of His wings. His Word is living and active and can be trusted. He is a refuge in time of trouble . His mercy endures forever.

Shalom!