ORTHODOX or HETERODOX
that is the QUESTION?
Orthodoxy refers to a holding tightly to the Christian faith as taught in the Holy Bible. Heterodoxy is to diverge or move away from the Christian faith taught in the Holy Bible.
Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Titus 1:13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
1 Tim 1:3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
1 Tim 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
Paul required that the Christian teaching be in conformity with the words of Jesus Christ and His Apostles with equal authority being claimed for both.
Mat 10:20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
Mat 10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Luke 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
The testimony of the Apostles was under the direct inspiration of the Holy Ghost.
When the interpretations of the Bible is the same as the belief of a church, that church is Orthodox. When the interpretations of the Bible are different from the belief of a church, that church is Heterodox and becomes antichrist.
Who is to say an interpretation of the Bible is Orthodox? Here are 10 rules of Bible interpretation which will give an Orthodox interpretation.
1) Forget the idea that God seeks to hide from us the very thing that He is trying to give us. God does NOT want His revelation to us to be mysterious.
2) Give the same meaning to the words of the bible that you give to history. It is wrong to think that the words of the Bible have any different meaning than simple plain literal sense. The Bible does not have different mystical meaning than the simple, literal, ordinary or common usage of the words.
3) Do not change the literal meaning of any scripture to a symbolic meaning.
4) Do not seek to find hidden meaning in the words of scripture, such as making the USA in JerUSalem represent the United States.
5) Believe that bible prophesy can be understood as it is, without any changes or additions. It is simple history in advance.
6) Forget the idea that Bible prophesy must be fulfilled before it can be understood.
7) Do not interpret or change God's own interpretation of any symbol. The bible itself is the best commentator on the bible.
8) Give only one meaning to a passage, the plain literal meaning, unless it is made clear that a double meaning should be understood. Understand that God's word is quick, or alive. His Holy Spirit will speak many things to you from the same passage. The depth of His word is unsearchable, yet a child can understand it. Remain childlike in seeking new understanding every time you read His Word. Believe that God will speak to you through His Word, the Holy Bible.
9) Recognize Bible prophets primarily as a preacher of righteousness, for this is the key to the interpretation of many prophesies. He is not primarily a fore-teller but rather a forth-teller or a speaker for God to rebuke, instruct, and correct. He would speak to edify, exhort and comfort even when there was no predictive element in his sermon.
10) Keep in mind the Holy Bible is the Word of God. We ALL know in part. No one understands it all. The Bible is SPIRITUALLY discerned by the Holy Spirit of Truth and Holiness. Claim the promise of James 1:5 when you pray before reading the Holy Bible. Always pray and ask the Lord by His Holy Spirit to give you understanding, and believe God's promise in James 1:5.
The churches of Christendom today, with all the study and skill in commentary and sermons falls short of the living faith of the Apostles. With the nearness of the Return of Jesus Christ, if any Church will not quickly return to Orthodoxy, the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ would do well to heed the warning and commands of Rev 18:4, I Tim 6:5 and II Tim 3:5.
These times call for people not to say or think they are orthodox but to LIVE and DO as Orthodox Christians.
All should be instructed to be able to give a reason for the faith that is in them. Jesus told us of the Teacher that we can and should trust.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, HE SHALL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 16:7-15 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.
Those who give religious instruction must be known to be in strict conformity with the teaching of the Bible. Orthodoxy in word, in fact, in deed, and in truth is most important in these last days. Teachers of the Christian faith take upon themselves the obligation to be Orthodox not just in name, but in fact, in deed, and in truth. The plain words of the Holy Bible are the criteria to prove if a church is Orthodox or Heterodox. The clergy or teachers of any Church of the Lord Jesus Christ must give orthodox sermons, instructions, AND THEY MUST BE ORTHODOX THEMSELVES.
THE QUESTION OF WHERE ORTHODOXY ENDS AND HETERODOXY BEGINS IS FOUND IN GOD'S ROYAL LAW, THE 10 COMMANDMENTS. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IS THE ONLY SCHOOLMASTER TO BRING ANY SINNER TO THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST TO BE SAVED FROM THE WRATH TO COME.
Since the time of Constantine the eastern and western churches have become less and less orthodox and more heterodox. To be sure there are churches that claim to be orthodox. But can they pass the test of conformity to the Holy Bible? Do they pass according to the Spirit of Truth, especially in regard to God's Royal Law, the 10 Commandments, the 10 simple instructions how to really and truly love God and how to truly love your neighbor. If any "so called" orthodox church can not pass that test, it has become heterodox.
The Roman church with Jesuit leadership found great ways of gaining wealth and religious power to put men in bondage. The Greek "so called" Orthodox church became idolized like the Roman church. It may be painful to admit this truth, the Orthodox church today is far removed from the true Orthodoxy of The Apostles Paul, Peter, John and James.
Only the true Orthodoxy as clearly taught by Jesus, Peter, Paul and John will be able to stand in the antichrist onslaught of the antichrist world religion under the false prophet Vatican Pope. The blatant mockery of almost all churches of the 4th Commandment should be obvious. The prayers to mother Mary and saints (I Tim 2:5) is Classic IDOLATRY and mocks the 2nd Commandment.
Sin is a transgression of God's Law and these churches make no apology or even try to justify their transgressions of the Royal Law of God. The obvious reason is the heterodox traditions of these churches generate material wealth and exert religious control over the people in these churches.
Now the pending struggle is the FINAL STRUGGLE. It is against the Antichrist Vatican false prophet pope's global apostate church. Will churches become Orthodox in truth and stand to resist the antichrist church or join and be part of the antichrist church. Will they love and stand with the orthodox Jew, or join with the antichrist to kill them? Today's FINAL STRUGGLE is really TRUE Orthodoxy verses the antichrist global church.
Two totally different views of the universe. Christian and Antichristian is the nature of this struggle. Is it truly Orthodox, or will it carry an Orthodox name to try to hide its antichrist heterodox reality? Will it lead to Heaven or Hell?
The final struggle is no longer conservative or liberal theology. Now it is Christ or Antichrist. Orthodox or heterodox today, means Christ or Antichrist, Heaven or Hell.
Let not many of you become religious teachers, or masters, or rulers, for the Word of God in James 3:1 says you will be judged more severely. Whatever you teach in error, in heterodoxy, you will be held accountable before God for everyone you so mislead. It truly is time for church leaders to repent or perish.
It is time for all to determine if they are in a church that is Orthodox like that established by the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. Is Jesus Christ TRULY the Lord of you and your church? Does your church follow the antichrist Roman pope with the blatant violations of the 2nd and 4th commands of God's Royal Law? Does you church remember to keep holy the day God said, or the one the pope said? Does your church teach to pray to mother Mary, saints, or to the ONLY Mediator between God and man? 1Tim 2:5