Changes

Today these questions may seem unimportant and difficult to answer one way or the other, but during the early centuries of the church, countless hours were devoted to [[Bible|Biblical]] study in search of the truth, and disagreements often led to ostracism, [[violence]] and persecution. In [[Dante's Inferno]], heresy is one of only four [[sin]]s that are punished with [[fire]] (the other three being [[simony]], wicked counsel, and [[violence]] against God).

Today these questions may seem unimportant and difficult to answer one way or the other, but during the early centuries of the church, countless hours were devoted to [[Bible|Biblical]] study in search of the truth, and disagreements often led to ostracism, [[violence]] and persecution. In [[Dante's Inferno]], heresy is one of only four [[sin]]s that are punished with [[fire]] (the other three being [[simony]], wicked counsel, and [[violence]] against God).

Conservative Christian historians and [[Christian apologetics|apologists]] are mindful of this statement from the year 1521:<ref>Luther's statement here is supremely [[Irony|ironic]] in light of his refusal to submit to the judgment of the Church, the emperor Charles V, and the [[Pope]], and the teaching of Paul in [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+13:1-5&version=KJV Romans 13:1-5].</ref><blockquote>

Conservative Christian historians and [[Christian apologetics|apologists]] are mindful of this statement from the year 1521:<ref>John Eck's statement here addressed to Martin Luther is supremely appropriate in light of Luther's refusal to submit to the judgment of the Church, the emperor Charles V, and the [[Pope]], and the teaching of Paul in [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+13:1-5&version=KJV Romans 13:1-5].</ref><blockquote>

"...there is no one of the heresies which have torn the bosom of the church, which has not derived its origin from the various interpretation of the Scripture. The Bible itself is the arsenal whence each innovator has drawn his deceptive arguments. It was with biblical texts that [[Pelagianism|Pelagius]] and [[Arius]] maintained their doctrines. Arius, for instance, found the negation of the eternity of the Word—an eternity which you admit, in this verse of the New Testament—''Joseph knew not his wife till she had brought forth her first-born son''; and he said, in the same way that you say, that this passage '''enchained''' him. When the fathers of the [[Council of Constance]] condemned this proposition of [[John Huss]]—''The church of Jesus Christ is only the community of the elect'', they condemned an error; for the church, like a good mother, embraces within her arms all who bear the name of Christian, all who are called to enjoy the celestial beatitude."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/luther/lutherbyluther.html#secondnarrative|title=Life of Luther (Luther by Martin Luther)|author=Martin Luther|publisher=}}</ref>

"...there is no one of the heresies which have torn the bosom of the church, which has not derived its origin from the various interpretation of the Scripture. The Bible itself is the arsenal whence each innovator has drawn his deceptive arguments. It was with biblical texts that [[Pelagianism|Pelagius]] and [[Arius]] maintained their doctrines. Arius, for instance, found the negation of the eternity of the Word—an eternity which you admit, in this verse of the New Testament—''Joseph knew not his wife till she had brought forth her first-born son''; and he said, in the same way that you say, that this passage '''enchained''' him. When the fathers of the [[Council of Constance]] condemned this proposition of [[John Huss]]—''The church of Jesus Christ is only the community of the elect'', they condemned an error; for the church, like a good mother, embraces within her arms all who bear the name of Christian, all who are called to enjoy the celestial beatitude."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/luther/lutherbyluther.html#secondnarrative|title=Life of Luther (Luther by Martin Luther)|author=Martin Luther|publisher=}}</ref>

</blockquote>See [http://biblehub.com/multi/hebrews/13-17.htm Hebrews 13:17] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/hebrews/13-17.htm commentaries on Hebrews 13:17]

</blockquote>See [http://biblehub.com/multi/hebrews/13-17.htm Hebrews 13:17] and [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/hebrews/13-17.htm commentaries on Hebrews 13:17]