Subject: Dake's Annotated Bible |
Bible Note: In the Andes I stand on my position and feel very comfortable by my answer. To make the statement as you stated, was made was outside human understanding and therefore outside of what would be known as accepted orthodoxy. I also did not label the statement as heretical, but rather said since it could not be answered within the Biblical boundaries or the human scope of understanding, to state it would then therefore be outside orthodoxy. Your test was a little flawed in that you didn’t exactly repeat what Bowman had quoted nor what Walter Martin had stated. The statement you contributed to Copeland had far reaching theological implications while the statement Walter Martin made carried none and was based on his perception of how Jesus accomplished the miracles He had. We are warned in the last days there will be an increase of false teachers. I believe we are seeing this. We are called to discern. Look at Paul and Bereans, Paul complemented them on their desire and willingness to discern the truth. Many say we are told not to judge but the Word doesn’t say that, It says do not judge hypocritically. In other words don’t apply one standard to your neighbor and another lighter standard to yourself. As long as men revel in tantalizing tales, invented revelations, repeating wives tales to increase viewer support there is a problem. If it reduces God down to man’s level or promotes man to God’s it is heresy pure and simple. If it puts words in God’s mouth or contributes actions to God that just didn’t occur then it is heretical. If scripture is manipulated in an attempt to prove God must perform to a human desire it is heresy. I think Copeland who you contributed this inaccurate statement to, has been shown to have taken liberties in the past that have placed his teaching outside the confines of orthodoxy. Therefore any statement contributed to him, especially the one that carried the theological implications of the statement you used in your example, could quite naturally be suspect. I do not believe you proved anything other than some people responded by cutting and pasting and that quite frankly wasn’t news. I was an interesting question, but not a very good test. :-) EdB |