Against Heresy

 

    Heresy is a belief or opinion contrary to the orthodox religion.  Many religions consider Christianity heresy.  However, Jesus considers religion heresy.  Christianity has expectations, but it is about the relationship with Jesus not a specific way you have to live to find salvation.

    This is why Christians need to make it a part of their lifestyle to encourage other Christian's hearts.  We are meant to live in united love with one focus: loving, honoring, and serving God.  We are to search daily on how to understand and know Jesus better.  

    Jesus is the key to all wisdom and knowledge that matters.  Some of the mysteries of God can be revealed if you want to understand.  He is happy to reveal the truth and the Holy Spirit eagerly awaits to interpret the truth for you.

    Do not be deceived by Satan or his minions.  They want to mess with your thinking and give you faulty information or half truths that can be manipulated.  If you listen, then he will steal your overflowing joy and gratitude for life.  He will devalue the very essence of life.  His philosophy is empty because he is empty.  He wants to enslave your mind because that is where he gets his power.  His power comes from what we give him.

    The Holy Spirit will guide you and help you firm up your faith.  Faith is like being physically fit.  You have to work at it a little everyday or you will get flabby.  It is easier for some and harder for others, but we all just need to evaluate where we are in our faith and focus on making our own strong.  Jesus will help you build it up and make it stronger as long as you invest time into him too.  He is the source and the Holy Spirit is the coach.

    Do not follow human tradition.  It is likely to lead you away from where the Holy Spirit is directing you.  The world principles go against the Bible.  The church even can have traditions that will take your focus away from what the Holy Spirit may be saying to you.  Generally there is nothing wrong from tradition as long as you are open to make changes as the the Holy Spirit leads your conscience.  The main problem is that tradition can lead to complacency by choosing routine over walking in faith or comfort in the familiar over comfort in the Holy Spirit.

    What the Holy Spirit needs from you is for you to circumcise your deep (normally unconscienced) roots to the world, so that he can replace it with something better.  Once you rid yourself of the sinful nature, then you will find the pure hearted and faithful person that you can be.  It starts with salvation, then the act of Baptism as a declaration of faith and excepting what will come without hesitancy.  

    In baptism, you are raided in your faith as a powerful tool of God.  You are no less a Christian if you are not Baptized, but if you can't be obedient to God in this simple act, then how can He trust you to be obedient in something bigger.  It is an important right of passage as a Christian, not a tradition of the church.

    Do not let other people judge your faith.  It is your personal relationship with Jesus and no one can see what He is doing inside your heart or soul.  At the same time, if you are not producing any fruit, then it is telling the world that maybe you need an examination.  Fruit and growth in your relationship with Jesus go hand in hand.  

    Don't let the world judge you because they do not understand.  They do not understand that you willingly embraced more hardship to serve Jesus.  They do not understand what or why you sacrifice for Jesus.  They do not understand your heart or soul and there is no way to make them understand until they get to the point that they want to know Jesus for themselves.  

    The only person you submit your heart and soul to is God (Trinity).  When you are in relationships like family and marriage, you give and sacrifice, but they don't have your full heart and soul.  That belongs to God.  If they do, then you turned them into an idol and that is something you have to work out with Jesus.  Don't rely on human wisdom.  Instead follow God's regulations and everything will work itself out and you don't even have to think about it.

Colossians 2