Seperating From Heresy

Separating From Heresy

The question was asked: Why should Christians have zero tolerance for heresy?

Answer: The word heresy means choosing one's own ideas, but also refers to that which is untrue. Even the early churches in the Bible 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 divisive, heretical teachings (Romans 16:17).

He commanded Titus to reject heretics if they did not respond after two warnings. The apostle John warned that a heretic should not be admitted into a Christian's home (2 John 10).

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).

Christians should separate and dissociate themselves from investing themselves in cooperation with heretics so as to be unhindered in their Christian lives for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sincerely, Dr. Arthur Belanger

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