heresy

How Heresies Find Root In The Church?

This is an important question because heresies abound dogmatically.

The term heresy means a teaching that is contrary to biblical doctrine. The apostle Paul confronted heresy in the Colossian church (Colossian. 2:1-23).

Heresy will always find its opportunity to abound where the knowledge of God's word is weak. Heresies always rely on human insight and wisdom. Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write transparently about the evil of heresy. All heresies at its origination is in self exaltation. The apostle Paul deliberately condemns any and all teaching that credits humanity and not Christ with being the answer to all of life's problems.

How do we detect heresy? Heresies can be discovered through asking probing questions. Example:

1. Does it stress man-made rules and taboos rather than God's grace?

2. Does it foster a critical and condemning spirit toward others?

3. Does it stress formulas, secret knowledge, or special visions over the Word of God?

4. Does it elevate self-righteousness rather than the righteousness of Christ Jesus?

These are just some of the questions. To resist heresy, you must renew your mind with the Word of God. Remember: Salvation is by Grace through faith... Salvation is not secured by a persons behavior but the Savior, The Lord Jesus Christ.

Heresy represents teaching that deviates from the truth. We are warned against it in Acts 20:29-32 and Philippians. 3:2.

Heresies include teachings that Jesus is not divine and that the Holy Spirit is not a person (Jehovah's Witnesses, Christadelphians, etc.), that men may become gods (Mormonism), that there is more than one God (Mormonism), that Jesus lost His divinity in hell and finished the atonement there, and that good works are necessary for salvation (all cults emphasize this), to name a few. Even the New Testament church had false or heretical teachers who taught erroneous doctrine. Some epistles were specifically written to combat them (Galatians, 2 Thessalonians, Jude). Paul warned the believers in Rome against identifying with those who promoted divisiveness and heretical teachings (Romans 16:17), especially those who placed the law as preeminent over God's grace. The law condemns, grace converts. The law seeds rejection... grace breeds repentance.

Not everyone who makes an incorrect doctrinal statement is a heretic. When Apollos was further instructed concerning the gospel, he grew into a very influential Christian leader (Acts 18:24,28). By contrast, Hymeneus and Philetus were heretics when they rejected God's truth and hindered the faith of some believers (2 Timothy 2:16,18).

However, heresies always conceive subtly (Jude 1:4a) and seduces, even thrives in the arena of debate. Spiritually discerning Believers will reject heresy and its seduction for debate.

Sincerely, Dr. Arthur Belanger

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The Subtle Rooting Of Heresy