Archive for December 24th, 2008
How to Deal with Heretics and Those Who Disagree with You
Wednesday, December 24, Christmas Eve Day, 2008–In yesterday’s Post I was writing about an article posted by Dr. Al Mohler and I was agreeing with him that those who DENY the Virgin Birth of Christ reveal a low view of Scripture and do damage to the doctrine of the Person of Christ, the doctrine of salvation and the doctrine of the Trinity. This kind of unbelief by those who call themselves Christians and are pastors or teachers in Protestant churches and seminaries properly merits the term Heretic. That is strong language and no doubt some objected to that. Only one person responded, and he quite obviously objected to my point of view.
But I have a couple of questions this morning. If we do not use the term heretic to describe those who have given up a core doctrine of the Faith, what term should be used? If you are a “Christian” of the liberal sort, and do not believe the Bible to be true in its claims to miracles like the Virgin Birth and the Resurrection, how can we distinguish between what you believe and what the Church has historically taught? If you do not believe in the Full Divinity of Jesus, that he was fully divine at birth as well as fully human, how does that affect your view of the Trinity? How are we saved if Jesus was not the eternal Son of God dying in our place to atone for our sins? If Jesus did not rise from the grave literally, where is our hope for eternal life?
I think that the words “Heretic” and “Heresy” are good words, but why do people object to them when they have clearly forsaken the most important doctrines of historic Christianity?
Things get much tougher when you start examining Evangelical thought in all its diversity with the various shades of Arminianism, Calvinism, Pentecostalism, Word of Faith, and now the Emergent and Emerging Churches. Doctrinal diversity seems to be multiplying. But where does our diversity get to the point of Heresy?
While I have long been a 5 point Calvinist and simply cannot see how anyone who understands either the biblical doctrine of man’s sinfulness or the sovereignty of God could ever believe in a general atonement or synergism, I do have some concerns about my own tendency to critique those who differ with me. I certainly disagree with Billy Graham’s theology, and to a lesser degree his methodolgy, but it seems to me that the Lord blesses some men and ministries despite being off in a few important areas of doctrine. Who am I to criticize someone like Billy Graham?
I understand that not all results are the work of God; much that we think may be the work of God ends up being a straw structure and will not be preserved on the Last Day. Yet, when I look at the overall work of men like Graham, Rick Warren, and Ravi Zacharias (all of whom have received some severe criticisms by my Reformed brethren) I cannot help but thank the Lord for their faithfulness to the Great Commission and to the Lord and his Word- even though their doctrines are off and some of their fruit may prove false. At some point it appears that the criticisms from the Reformed ranks might be saying, “If you don’t believe just like us you are not really preaching the Gospel and you probably are not really saved and you are obviously a wolf in sheep’s clothing, etc.” That may not be what we are saying, but it seems like that might be how the message sounds.
Don’t get me wrong here, if someone deliberately repudiates a core doctrine, I do not hesitate to call a heretic a heretic. But when it comes to those Arminian brothers who “feel” that we can freely choose Christ while still dead in our trespasses and sins, I am hesitant to criticize them too severely. It seems to me that while Truth (doctrine) absolutely matters, that is not all that matters. In this sin filled world, I might have a more precise understanding of the truths of God’s Word than you, but your faith and obedience to what you do believe may be much stronger than mine, and most importantly, God (for his own reasons) might just choose to use You more than me, even though you believe some things that are really quite wrong, and if taken to their logical extreme, would prove to be another gospel.
I realize that we are living in dangerous times and that Evangelicalism has been seriously compromised from within and challenged from without. We must be able to discern the truth and defend the truth. But my own tendencies towards a sharp tongue (pen? Keyboard?) and a bit of arrogance concern me.
I guess the struggle for me is to know when to criticize and how to do it with humility and grace. And I am really wrestling with why God seems to use so many Believers whose doctrines are pretty distorted. Again I know that not all fruit that seems good really is good, but I think that we in the Reformed house may sometimes use that as an excuse.
Any suggestions would be helpful.
Humbly yours,
Bryan
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