A good book of Scripture to learn all about heresies and their effect on the early church would be 1 John and the book of Jude. Therein we find these two Apostles addressing the problem of heresies and heretics as their abominable theologies are spouted forth. You see, this is at least two generations into the Christian life as well as the church. New philosophies and theologies are coming to the forefront to replace the Gospel and these are disrupting the church. We should not be surprised though because in the year 1831, we find a revelation which addresses these very same things in the early Restoration. D&C 50:2a "Hearken, O ye elders of my church, and give ear to the voice of the living God; and attend to the words of wisdom which shall be given unto you, according as ye have asked and are agreed as touching the church, and the spirits which have gone abroad in the earth. Behold, verily I say unto you, that there are many spirits which are false spirits, which have gone forth in the earth, deceiving the world: and also Satan hath: sought to deceive you, that he might overthrow you. Behold, I the lord have looked upon you, and have seen abominations in the church that professes my name; but blessed are they who are faithful and endure, whether in life or in death, for they shall inherit eternal life." Heresies as well as heretics were present then and they are still present in the church today.
In the November 7, 1918 Zions Ensign, Fred M. Smith declared, "When there arises persons claiming that they have had the will of the Lord revealed to them, that such and such is wrong in the Church, and that such and such would be right, the safeguard that God Himself has placed before you is always available for your protection. You have the right, and not only the right but the duty, to weigh that which shall come, and be alert to the fact that God will reveal Himself in the way that pleases Him best. But always and at times that shall be in harmony and consistent with His revelations in the past, however they may come." Yet, many in the Restoration and Reorganization seem to have failed in that counsel.
You see, not only do heretics misquote and manufacture and otherwise alter Scriptural texts they refuse to accept, but they also misapply the ones they tend to leave alone and accept. Let's go back to Genesis and the conversation Satan has with Eve. God commanded, Genesis 2:19-20, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it." Satan in verse 8 of chapter 3 says this, "Yea, and God said, ye shall not eat of EVERY tree of the garden," See the difference? Satan, the great heretic, turned that Scripture around and made it more restrictive than it really was. It is obvious in Genesis 3:9 Eve is now confused, beguiled as she eventually tells us. She, in verse 9 tells the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which thou beholdest in the midst of the garden God hath said, "Ye shall not eat of it, NEITHER SHALL YE TOUCH IT, LEST YE DIE." So, Satan the great heretic indeed confused Eve and in her confusion she changed the commandment to make it even more restrictive than it really was, adding what is bold above. And, in the end Eve followed the advice of Satan and did it her own way. (We know the result of that I am sure.)
When heretics attack the Scriptures and make them more restrictive than they really are, good Christians become confused and many fall. We in the Restoration are not strangers to heretics among us, for they have been among us for some time, many years in fact. Hence the RLDS Church and its heretics of 30 years ago, and even until today, have changed and raped the Scriptures concerning baptism, priesthood authority, presidency, homosexuality, abortion, adultery, marriage, the family, the continuation of Stakes and a whole host of past RLDS doctrinal beliefs. More next week. Ed
