Personality cults

You Are Not the One to Build, Part 6B: Spiritual Gifts: God Works through us for His Purpose

Ian Johnson September 4, 2023 1 Comment

The modern emphasis on first identifying my “gift” so that I may then “help” God develop it gets the matter exactly backwards. The important thing isn’t identifying my gift, it is offering my body as a living sacrifice so that the Spirit may exercise any gift He chooses through me. Then any gift I am observed to be actually exercising can be identified as my gift, and its exercise will be genuine and have God’s power.

A God who Speaks, Desire to have our own way, Disrespecting poor believers, Divisions in the Church, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, Historical Background, In the Church, Meaning of Unity, Other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Personal Background, Personality cults, Prophecy, Through others, Through teachers, Through the church, To be his ambassadors, To bear fruit, To live in unity

fruit, Fruit of the Spirit, gifts, gifts of the Holy Spirit, Gifts to the Church, Holy Spirit, Love, love one another, Spiritual Gifts

CONCLUSION: THE SELFISH FOCUS OF HERETICS

Ian Johnson June 3, 2021 0 Comments

Even a very respectable denomination’s or church organization’s determination that a teaching is “heresy” cannot be taken, without examination, as absolute truth for two reasons. First, a deliberately divisive person’s–a true “heretic’s”– motives are selfish rather than doctrinal and usually well-hidden behind doctrine. Second, such people sometimes take control of even respectable denominations.

Authority Contests, Denominationalism, Desire to have our own way, Divisions in the Church, Heresy, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Peril of Seeking Power, Personality cults

church organization, Conclusion, denomination, division, False prophets, false teachers, following, heresy, selfish, selfishness

The “Winning” Faction may be Heretical

Ian Johnson May 31, 2021 2 Comments

Because the truth remains true even if no one believes it, it does not depend on human power relationships. Therefore, it is not safe to label people “heretics” because they disagree with us concerning doctrines that were imposed on our ancestors by right of conquest or that disagree with teachings honored by political leadership or majorities today.

A God who Speaks, Authority Contests, Church purpose versus church growth, Denominationalism, Divisions in the Church, God Speaks to Us, God's Voice, Heresy, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Peril of Seeking Power, Personality cults, Truth and Falsehood, Victory

Falsehood, heresy, Political determination, Right Doctrine, Right of conquest, Truth

Recognized Leaders May Lapse into Incorrect Positions and Divisiveness

Ian Johnson May 27, 2021 2 Comments

“Heresy” cannot be determined by calling anything that goes in a different direction that specific leaders a heresy, because leaders are sometimes wrong. Peter is an example, though he repented when rebuked for his divisiveness in Antioch.

Denominationalism, Divisions in the Church, Ethnic Division, In the Church, Jew versus Gentile, Meaning of Unity, Personality cults

Divisions, Divisions in the Church, Galatians 2:11-14, Judaizers, Love, Paul, Peter, repentance, Them and Us, Them vs Us

Conclusion: False Brethren Seek to Bring Us into Bondage

Ian Johnson November 3, 2020 0 Comments

The essence of heresy is division in the Body of Christ, and a “heretic” is one who stealthily introduces division into that Body in order to increase his or her own reputation, power or wealth. In that way, they seek to replace Christ as Head of the Body for their own profit.

Authority Contests, Denominationalism, Divisions in the Church, Greed, Heresy, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Peril of Seeking Power, Personality cults

bondage, false christs, false messiahs, False prophets, heresy, submission

Factions–Following Human Leaders–Leads to Heresy

Ian Johnson October 31, 2020 2 Comments

Christ is not divided. But historically Christianity has been divided into groups following human leaders, past or present, ahead of Christ. The solution is an individual one, letting God perfect our unity with our brothers. It cannot be imposed by a human leader or organization.

Authority Contests, Denominationalism, Divisions in the Church, Personality cults

Denminationalism, Divisions in the Church, factions, heresy, human leaders, personalit cults

False Teachers and “Damnable Heresies” in 2 Peter 2

Ian Johnson August 8, 2020 6 Comments

Peter’s main points in 2 Peter 2 regarding false teachers teaching heresies is that these teachers act stealthily, are motivated by greed, and use their teachings to create a lucrative following.

Authority Contests, Divisions in the Church, Greed, Heresy, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Personality cults

adultery, arrogance, False prophets, false teachers, greed, heresy, heretics, lust, self-indulgence

The “Heretick” in Titus 3

Ian Johnson August 6, 2020 3 Comments

Titus 3:10 instructs whenever a divisive person approaches ME and tries to start an argument, I am to warn them twice about their behavior and then excuse myself. Thereafter I should ignore them, until they repent of their argumentativeness. It is a simple instruction by which I can avoid being influenced by divisiveness. It is not an instruction to the Church or the State to burn heretics.

Authority Contests, Disputes about words, Divisions in the Church, Greed, Heresy, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Peril of Seeking Power, Personality cults, Quarrels, Restoration of our Relationships

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Divisions and Factions in 1 Corinthians 11

Ian Johnson August 3, 2020 3 Comments

Factions, “hereseis,” as used in 1 Corinthians 11:19, clearly does not refer to divisions caused by false teachers. Instead, in that context, it refers to divisions caused by neglect and humiliation of poor believers and by the formation of personality cults.

Disrespecting poor believers, Divisions in the Church, Greed, Heresy, Our Oneness in Christ book revision, Peril of Seeking Respectability, Personality cults, To live in unity

1 Corinthians 1, 1 Corinthians 11, Disrespect for poor believers, Divisions, Divisions in the Church, Heresies, personalities, personality cult, schismata, schisms, Segregation of the poor

You Are Not the One to Build, Part 6B: Spiritual Gifts: God Works through us for His Purpose

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CONCLUSION: THE SELFISH FOCUS OF HERETICS

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The “Winning” Faction may be Heretical

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Recognized Leaders May Lapse into Incorrect Positions and Divisiveness

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Conclusion: False Brethren Seek to Bring Us into Bondage

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Factions–Following Human Leaders–Leads to Heresy

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False Teachers and “Damnable Heresies” in 2 Peter 2

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The “Heretick” in Titus 3

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Divisions and Factions in 1 Corinthians 11

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Personality cults

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