rmaffeo

Heresies have cropped up periodically throughout Church history. The Judaizing heresy was only the first. Gnositcism was also floating around at the time. Later, Arianism, Appollinarianism, Nestorianism, and a host of other ideas (false gospels) which had the great potential to lead new (and older) believers astray. The Galatians heresy had the potential to ruin the orthodox faith taught by the apostles. False teachings today have the same potential. Our safety? What saith the Scripture? But the argument usually follows: WHOSE interpretation of Scripture?

Q1. (Galatians 1:4) (A) According to verse 4, for what purpose did Jesus give himself? How does Jesus rescue people today? How does he keep people from falling back into their old ways? A. He gave Himself for our sins in order to rescue us, redeem us, pay with His blood the penalty our sins deserved (e.g. Isaiah 53, Leviticus 16 and the Day of Atonement, lots of other types). B. Jesus rescues us today as He did then. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8). His blood alone confers on the penitent alone forgiveness and eternal life. C. By the action of the Holy Spirit to convict us of "sin, righteousness and judgment" (John 16:7-14), leading us to ongoing conversion, repentence, maturity and humility. I like to refer to the four Ss : Scripture (reading/study), Supplication (prayer), the Sacraments (especially confession and the Eucharist), and Socialization (fellowship).