Walpole
Member
We are making progress. And who gets to define what God's essence is or is not?God determines what is a heresy by His Essence.
His ESSENCE being His attributes as best man can define them keeping in mind His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.
Scripture does not define God's essence. Christ is either homoousios or homoiousios. Who is right? Arius?
When, where and how did God answer this about Himself?
So God decides but provides no answer, means or mechanism? That leaves you completely in the dark, in total chaos.God defines truth, God defines right and wrong. If God tells people to kill babies, which He has done, it is just, good.
God is not controlled by a means, mechanism or rules; He is sovereign. What He says and does is perfect by definition and this partially defines God; that nothing can even be thought that is superior to Him .... no rule, no mechanism.
Again, who gets to define what God's essence is? I am trying to stick to Arius, but if we fast forward 1200 years from Arius, we get to John Calvin, who also introduced a completely different teaching on the essence of God. Again, how, when and where did God define Himself and answer what is or is not heresy?Christian heretics ... agreed
By His essence. He is perfect (lacks nothing desirable and has everything desirable) by definition. Any belief or opinion contrary to God's essence is heretical I suppose is another way of putting. Since no one's opinions can express an incomprehensible God, I suppose we are all heretics to some extent given the definition I am using.
Arius is heretical if his opinion/belief is contrary to God's essence (who God is).
There must be a means or mechanism otherwise by saying "God just does" you are just repeating an empty platitude.
I'm not interested in your opinion. You said God Himself determines what is or is not heresy. How, when and where did God declare Arianism a heresy?Arianism maintains that the Son of God was created by the Father and was therefore neither coeternal with the Father, nor co-substantial. Thus, in my opinion Arianism, is heretical as it is not in agreement with God's essence. Now, if Arianism be true, that would make me the heretic in this matter.
In my opinion
Premise 1: Definition of heresy is opinion/belief is contrary to God's essence (who He is, what He says).
Premise 2: Christ is co-eternal as Jesus is the Creator also verifies His deity, because God is portrayed throughout the Bible as the Creator (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 102:25; Isaiah 40:28; 42:5; 45:18; Mark 13:19; Romans 1:25; Ephesians 3:9; Revelation 4:11). MacArther
Premise 3: Arianism maintains that the Son of God was created
Conclusion: Arianism is heretical because premise 3 is false and premise 2 is true.