Who is a Heretic?

1. Heretic – 1. One who maintains theological or religious opinions at variance with the ‘catholic’ or orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, that of any church or religious system, considered as orthodox.
2. Within a local church, all members are supposed to be of one mind and believe the same thing.

            1Co 1:10 – Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

            Rom 15:5 – Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

            Rom 15:6 – That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

            Php 1:27 – Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

            Php 2:2 – Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

III.   There should be no schism in the local church body.

            Eph 4:11 – And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

            Eph 4:12 – For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

            Eph 4:13 – Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

            Eph 4:14 – That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

            Eph 4:15 – But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

            1Co 12:25 – That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

1. A heretic is a person who maintains a theological or religious opinion which is at variance with the doctrine that is believed and taught by the church of which he is a member.

            It doesn’t matter how seemingly “small” or “insignificant” the doctrine may be.

            It is never okay to believe any lie.

            1Co 13:4 – Charity…

            1Co 13:6 – Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

            1Co 13:7 – Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

            It’s not okay to break even the least of Jesus’ commandments.

            Mat 5:19 – Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

            All of God’s doctrine is true and important and must be believed and defended.

            Joh 17:17 – Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

            Psa 119:128 – Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

1. Heresy and variance are sins for which the church must exclude someone from their membership if it is publicly known.

            Gal 5:19 – Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

            Gal 5:20 – Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

            Gal 5:21 – Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1. Heretics are to be given two admonitions and then rejected.

            Tit 3:10 – A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

            Tit 3:11 – Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

VII.            But what heretics consider heresy is not necessarily so.

            Act 24:14 – But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: