If you look up the word “heretic” in any modern dictionary, you will likely find something close to the following: “...a professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those accepted by his or her church or rejects doctrines prescribed by that church.”* Of course, the word is most often used in the context of religion, but it can refer to “...anyone who does not conform to an established attitude, doctrine, or principle.”* So in the broader sense of the term, I suppose you could also be called a heretic by the local Lions Club or Moose Lodge (although not very likely). Throughout church history, to be branded a heretic often meant a death sentence. Many were burned at the stake, drowned, beheaded or otherwise cruelly killed.
Interestingly enough, when you look at the New Testament concept of heresy and heretics, you find something different. Instead of focusing primarily on differing doctrines or opinions in contrast to the accepted norm, the emphasis is on what one does with those different doctrines or opinions. The sin of heresy was being divisive with our doctrine and opinions. In the context of disputes in the church, Paul directed Titus: “Reject a factious (Greek “hairetikos”, heretic) after a first and second warning” (Titus 3:10). The apostle also includes “factions” (Greek “haireseis”, heresies) among his list of deeds of the flesh in his letter to the Galatians (5:20).
Yes, it's possible to be heretical (divisive) with false teaching (2 Peter 2:1). It happened in the first century and it still happens today. But we must also guard against being heretical (divisive) with the truth as well. It’s possible to take correct doctrine and use it to divide or split the body of Christ (Romans 14; 1 Corinthians 8). Having the truth doesn’t make us immune from being heretical. Paul said it this way in 1 Corinthians 8:11: “For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.” That, my friends, is heretical.
Interestingly enough, when you look at the New Testament concept of heresy and heretics, you find something different. Instead of focusing primarily on differing doctrines or opinions in contrast to the accepted norm, the emphasis is on what one does with those different doctrines or opinions. The sin of heresy was being divisive with our doctrine and opinions. In the context of disputes in the church, Paul directed Titus: “Reject a factious (Greek “hairetikos”, heretic) after a first and second warning” (Titus 3:10). The apostle also includes “factions” (Greek “haireseis”, heresies) among his list of deeds of the flesh in his letter to the Galatians (5:20).
Yes, it's possible to be heretical (divisive) with false teaching (2 Peter 2:1). It happened in the first century and it still happens today. But we must also guard against being heretical (divisive) with the truth as well. It’s possible to take correct doctrine and use it to divide or split the body of Christ (Romans 14; 1 Corinthians 8). Having the truth doesn’t make us immune from being heretical. Paul said it this way in 1 Corinthians 8:11: “For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.” That, my friends, is heretical.
God loves you!
Mike
*http://www.dictionary.com/browse/heretic
