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Hey kids! Gather 'round the campfire for a short church history lesson!

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This really isn't a "Top 9" list of all-time heretics, but in the early church it was. These 9 heretics were all from antiquity, and the early church addressed each one as they arose, usually coming to a biblical position that opposed each in counsels or creeds. 

You can access the 20 minute punch list by clicking the video link below.

Modern day leaders fall into many of these ancient heresies, although some are just out to lunch. Some start by rejecting parts of the Bible that they don't want to agree with (James Talarico and liberal theology), they twist scripture into a means of gaining things in this life (Word of Faith theologians), they add mysticism to the plain message of the Gospel (New Apostolic Reformation), or they just take all of these to an absurd level (I'm mourning over you, Kenneth Copeland). 

Adriel Sanchez lists the ancient heretics, from oldest to the youngest, as:

1. Simon Magus: The father of "Simony," the practice of trying to purchase religious positions

2. Marcion of Pontus: He rejected the Old Testament (and all of the New that affirms the Old)

3. Montanus: He claimed to be the "helper" that Jesus would send, so he gathered a couple ladies and started extatically "speaking" on behalf of God.

4. Sabellius - The father of Modalism, a belief that God is not three distinct persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). For more on Modalism, click --> here <--

5. Arius: He believes that Jesus is merely a created being, and is not co-eternal with God. For more on Arianism, click the link above.

6. Donatus: believed that if the person who baptized you fell away from the faith or formed a heretical belief, then your baptism was invalid.

7. Apollinarius: Believed that Jesus was not truly God and truly man, but that Jesus was flesh, inhabited by God as his animating soul. 

8. Nestorius: Took Apollinarius to another level, believing that Jesus was really two different people, the fleshly Jesus (who could suffer) and the spiritual Jesus (who was incapable of suffering).

Pelagius: Denied the soveriegnty of God, thus emphasizing the strivings and work of the flesh in attaining true redemption. He denied the soveriegn grace of God.