Sproul teaches us to look at our works

"The fruit of righteousness is that fruit that is exercised in us by the Holy Spirit. If we want to be holy, if we have a real hunger for righteousness, then we must focus our attention on the fruit of the Holy Spirit." R.C. Sproul, The Holiness of God, pg. 204

Sproul against the Gospel

So I have read the revised and expanded edition of Sproul's The Holiness of God. On pg. 204 Sproul tells us to focus on the fruit of the holy spirit. Sproul basically is telling us to look inward to ourselves for holiness. The problem is that all of this is abstract and conjured. Ultimately speaking if our holiness and sanctification is dependent on what the Spirit does in us then it is no longer Christ alone but our salvation then hinges on what we do.

Heretical views on the Incarnation

Nestorianism - 5th Century
This heresy taught that Mary only gave birth to Jesus’ human nature. The founder of the heresy, Nestorius, believed Jesus was really two separate persons, and only the human Jesus was in Mary’s womb. If that was true, then Jesus was not God incarnate while in the womb.

Monophysitism - 5th Century
This heresy taught that Jesus’ humanity was absorbed by His divinity. The heresy is Monophysite in nature, derived from the Greek words “mono” (one) and “physis” (nature). In essence, the heresy claimed Jesus had only one nature (something new and different than the Divine or human nature that God and humans have, respectively). Instead, this heresy taught a third unique nature was possessed by Jesus; a blend or mixture of the human and the Divine.

Apollinarianism - 4th Century
This heresy denied the true and complete humanity of Jesus. Led by Appollinaris the Younger, bishop of Laodicea in Syria, this heresy Jesus did not have a human mind, but instead had a mind that was completely Divine. The heresy lessened the human nature of Jesus in order to reconcile the manner in which Jesus could be both God and man at the same time.

Docetism - 2nd Century
This heresy was coined from the Greek word, “dokesis” meaning “to seem”. It taught that Jesus only appeared to have a body and was not truly incarnate. Docetists viewed matter as inherently evil, and therefore rejected the idea that God could actually have a body. By denying Jesus truly had a body, they also denied He suffered on the cross and rose from the dead.


Of course with all of these heretical views I must say Nestorianism is used a lot against those who do have the correct viewpoint of the Incarnation. The problem is not with 'Nestorian' itself but rather the problem is that this heresy has not been clearly defined. The terms used here are unclear.