Heresies

False Doctrines in the Church

Heresy (Gk. hairesis) is properly defined as “the taking” of a choice, option, way, plan, or philosophic set of principles. The basic idea is “choice.” The word most often denotes the existence within a parent body of a group of self-willed individuals who have a sectarian spirit. However, the term was also used in the New Testament to refer to Christians who were considered separatists or sectarians by some of the Jewish religious leaders (Acts 24:14; 28:22).

Paul refers to heretic parties appearing within the church and implies that these divisions demonstrate the falsity or genuineness of our faith (1 Cor. 11:18, 19). Heretic divisions occur when God’s people are not walking in the Spirit (Gal. 5:20), and heretics are to be admonished twice, then disciplined or rejected (Titus 3:10).

“Heresy” in the sense of doctrinal error occurs when the person and work of Jesus Christ is denied (2 Pet. 2:1). Gnosticism (Col. 2:8–23; 1 Tim. 6:20) and Docetism (1 John 4:2, 3; 2 John 7) are among the doctrinal heresies challenged in the New Testament.

Modern heresies show a startling resemblance to the ancient ones. The New Age movement tends to regard everything as a part of God rather than acknowledging God as transcendent. Heresies often reject the full deity or full humanity of Christ and typically add some form of human works to the finished work of Christ on the Cross.

Taken from The Woman’s Study Bible