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On Sunday, October 18, 2015, Elder Wayne Wylie reviewed “Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church” which he taught through the 18th century about a year and a half ago. After a couple of weeks of review, Wayne will resume where he left off dealing with Pietism and Revivalism.
“What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) sets a prominent theme the student of heresies in church history must keep in mind. The heresies with which the modern church contends are merely variations on heresies which the church throughout history has always had to correct.
The concepts of “heresy,” “error,” “dogma” and “orthodoxy” are defined, compared and contrasted.
Why are there more controversies and heresies associated with Christianity than with any other religion? This stems largely from the fact that most religions are based on morality, whereas Christianity is based on propositional doctrines which are rooted in historical events.
Heresy forces the church to define what we mean by the doctrines we confess. The earliest heresies dealt with who is God? Who is Jesus Christ? What was he like? How much does one really need to know about the nature of the triune God, and the person and work of Jesus Christ?
Listen to “Introduction to Heresy and Orthodoxy” for all of this and more at mcopc.org.
Mid-Cities Presbyterian Church Library 
Outcasts Accepted (John 9:8-41)
Jesus Christ finds people that have been abandoned, rejected and cast out, and he calls them to himself.
1. Blind Skepticism—It’s understandable that the people were skeptical of the claim of the man born blind to being made able to see, but their response in taking him before the Pharisees betrays their unbelief. The Pharisees, unable to come to consensus, ask him for his opinion, which leads him to confess that Jesus is a prophet.
2. The Formerly Blind Leading the Blind—The man born blind already understands more about Jesus than do the Pharisees. Unafraid, he confessed that Jesus is from God. Lacking humility to hear his believing reasoning, the Pharisees cast him out of the synagogue.
3. Found By Jesus—Jesus identifies himself as the Son of Man referenced in Isaiah, and the man healed of blindness confesses faith and worships Jesus. Jesus is the supreme revelation of God to man, and the Judge to come on the Last Day. Worship of Jesus is the duty of those chosen for redemption by him. Hypocrites who claim to see are blind to Jesus as the true Object of worship.
The Kingdom of God seeks, receives and never forsakes believers who have been rejected by their unbelieving family or society.
Listen to “Outcasts Accepted” (John 9:8-41) at mcopc.org.
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