I'm doing a redux on Foxfyre's post on Christianity, False Teachers, Faith and Reason. I thought it had the potential to be an excellent posting series and this is my effort to engage the questions.
First of all, Foxfyre - it looked like you asked at least twice about how does one tell if a person is a 'false teacher'. Please note I am only speaking of Christianity in these replies and I am sure other faiths may have an answer different than my own. But, as far as Christianity? It's pretty well laid out in the NT:
1. A false teacher denies the person and work of Jesus Christ
2. Jesus spoke about false teachers by complimenting and quoting Isaiah: a paraphrase would be, "...they honor me with their lips but their heart is far from me - they worship me in vain by teaching as doctrine the commandments of men". Jesus stressed that point by saying again that they leave off the commandment (note Jesus did not say commandments) of God and hold to the traditions of men.
3. False teachers do not do what God's will is.
4. And lastly, in a section talking about false teachers, the author noted that God is the author of peace, not confusion.
That's a pretty good start, in my opinion.
Also, I was interested in your expressions about faith and reason. It seems extraordinary to me to people try to throw reason to the dogs. I think faith can most definitely be informed by reason, yet the bottom line is the bottom line: faith is the hope in things we have not yet seen. Still - if anyone thinks their faith is not informed by reason? Then tell me how you are reading the Book and understanding it, making decisions about it. While I realize the Holy Spirit serves the function of teaching, our mental capabilities are the filters this is happening through - we are still thinking, reasoning about all of it. Seems simple enough to me!
K.
First of all, Foxfyre - it looked like you asked at least twice about how does one tell if a person is a 'false teacher'. Please note I am only speaking of Christianity in these replies and I am sure other faiths may have an answer different than my own. But, as far as Christianity? It's pretty well laid out in the NT:
1. A false teacher denies the person and work of Jesus Christ
2. Jesus spoke about false teachers by complimenting and quoting Isaiah: a paraphrase would be, "...they honor me with their lips but their heart is far from me - they worship me in vain by teaching as doctrine the commandments of men". Jesus stressed that point by saying again that they leave off the commandment (note Jesus did not say commandments) of God and hold to the traditions of men.
3. False teachers do not do what God's will is.
4. And lastly, in a section talking about false teachers, the author noted that God is the author of peace, not confusion.
That's a pretty good start, in my opinion.
Also, I was interested in your expressions about faith and reason. It seems extraordinary to me to people try to throw reason to the dogs. I think faith can most definitely be informed by reason, yet the bottom line is the bottom line: faith is the hope in things we have not yet seen. Still - if anyone thinks their faith is not informed by reason? Then tell me how you are reading the Book and understanding it, making decisions about it. While I realize the Holy Spirit serves the function of teaching, our mental capabilities are the filters this is happening through - we are still thinking, reasoning about all of it. Seems simple enough to me!
K.