There are many heresies that have tried to disrupt the peace of the Lord's Church throughout the ages. God knew they would come. He is omniscient. That doesn't make him the originator of any heresy. Scripture tells us that "there must be heresies among you". (1 Cor. 11:19) God did not predestinate these heresies. Some will try to advocate the heresy that God predestinated many things. Scripture teaches that God predestinated those that he foreknew (the elect) to be conformed to the image of his Son. The elect are whom He did foreknow. Those only are whom He did predestinate. Any other assertions on predestination are opinions and concoctions of man and heresies. These opinions and concoctions of man's wisdom descendeth not from above, but are earthly, sensual, devilish. Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Why would God suffer His Church to be subjected to heresies? Why would our heavenly Father suffer divisions among the brethren (1 Cor. 11:18)? Scripture also tells us why there must be heresies among us. We are told that men shall arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. We are to mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them (Rms. 16:17). Shall we rank the heretics by the profundity of their heresy? Shall we distinguish the perpetrator from those that embrace the heresy? Scripture doesn't advocate that we make such distinctions. "Avoid them" is the exhortation. What does that entail? "Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away (Pro. 4 14-15)." God is His own interpreter.

I am fully persuaded that the Lord's church will have heresies in her midst. The Corinthian scripture tells us: "For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. There must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you." Paul anticipated that there would be divisions between "the approved" and those that embrace various heresies. I don't believe that Paul would have advocated that the "approved" be divided. The approved should be likeminded, not giving place or fellowship to heresy nor heretics. Who shall be made manifest among us when we come together as a Church? They which are approved are those that shall be manifest among us in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth! The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Is there a better description of the Lord's Church? 3/29/2003 Elder M. Hoogasian