Daily Devotions
Hebrews
"Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines."
Text: Hebrews 13:9
DOCTRINES- THE HEART OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
There were a number of dominant religions in the first century, which affected Christianity in its cradle form. These may be listed as follows:-
1. Judaism
a) Christianity shared the same historical and Biblical roots.
b) But Judaism in the first century was corrupted by its religious leaders who were more interested in personal and political gain.
2. Rome’s influence
a) There was emperor worship.
b) There was a mixed Greek-Roman idolatrous religion.
3. Gnostic influence
a) There were subtle influences exerted by people who called themselves Christians.
b) But these had “various and strange doctrines” (Cf. Hebrews 13:9a)
WARNING SOUNDED
The New Testament writers wrote against these heretical doctrines very strongly. The following resisted these evil and erroneous doctrines vigorously:-
1. The apostles wrote against
a) Jewish false teachers who sought to confuse the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith (Galatians, Romans were written by Paul to defend the faith).
b) Gnostic (also Jewish) writers who suggested robbing Christ of His central place in Christianity (Paul stoutly resisted them in his epistle to the Colossians).
2. The false teachers who taught erroneous doctrines concerning the End Times. {Peter, Jude joined Paul in writing strenuously against them (2 Peter; Jude; 1 Timothy 4; 2 Timothy 3)}
3. There were also “false prophets” who had to be exposed (Cf. 1 John 4).
Christianity was most vulnerable to heretical attacks in the first century!