The Biblical Definition of Heresy

[Raven180]

To try and answer your question, Yooper, I would point some to what OOJ was beginning to eludicate: treasure in earthen vessels, i.e. basically pure, perfect Word from God poured into marred, imperfect people.

Adding to that, there are those who, through pride, contend for individual differences to the disunity of the Body.

We then have to remember that there is a real devil trying to keep the Body from my next point:

The fullness of the stature of the Son of God, as we read in Ephesians 4.

God gave some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Pastors and Teachers.

Where are they? Some say Apostles and Prophets don't exist any more. Some are called Evangelists but are not. Some are not called Pastors, but actually are. Until we get these gifts from God sorted out, we won't come into complete unity of the faith and the fullness of the stature of Christ. Read the passage. These offices, if we want to come them that, are absolutely essential to the growth of the Body to such a degree that without them, we will always stand in danger of always being tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.

The Body needs help. We need help from the most humble. Only true humilty and repentance can get us past this weakness and penchant for heresy and division in the Body.

[onli-one-jehovi]

The Body needs help. We need help from the most humble. Only true humilty and repentance can get us past this weakness and penchant for heresy and division in the Body.

Very good post.

The humility and repentance needed will only come on an individual basis. We cannot wait for *the ministry* to lead the way any longer. They cannot and will not! Most of the leadership in the Body teaches/adheres to the very heresy which must be removed. Jesus tells us to search out the leaven in our own selves. Proper utilization of *leadership* gifts given to the Body - apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers - helps tp reveal the leaven brought in purposely and erroneously.

It is the elders {those mature/seasoned in life and the LORD} who should be watching for such errors and correct them asap. Instead, they have fallen out of the established governmental order of scripture and abdicated responsibility to *PASTORS*. Thus, the heresy of a single authority over a congregation brings about even more heretical concepts having nothing to do with true scriptural meaning. The Body goes along with it and falls further and further away from the leading of the LORD. Rather than individually passing from the outer court into the inner court and on to the holy of holies; average saints wait in the outer court for the PASTOR or MINISTRY to come out and reveal what Jesus is saying.

What an abomination! This is the exact system Jesus destroyed at Calvary.

As we as individuals truly begin to understand the errors in our own lives, and confess our sin to the LORD; then our repentance {stop doing what's wrong and do right} will lead us to a deeper relationship with Jesus. HE becomes our head - not the pulpit. HE defines and interprets HIS word - not a leader in heretical error. HE tells us how to help each other and how to recognize heresy.

As we begin to come back under alignment with scripture & the Holy Ghost, our gatherings will become more edifying and beneficial to the entire Body. What the Holy Ghost reveals to *you* can be openly and freely shared with *me*. The leadership will even allow itself to be corrected  by *average saints*. Wouldn't that be a miracle? {Well, as long as they too cast out the leaven in their lives. Otherwise, they'll be forced out.}

We must examine ourselves against the Word of God. We must discover what it actually says and cast aside what we think it says. That is the only way to prevent heresy in our own lives, and ultimately in the Body itself.

Come out from her {heresies} and be separate. Be willing to change your mind and open your understanding. It's not easy, but it's worth it. It has to be overcome. 

 

[titushome]

As much as we hate to admit it, there isn't supposed to be multiple interpretations/understandings of Scripture. The Holy Spirit of Truth should lead us all into the same revelation of TRUTH. The fact that we do not agree is not the fault of the God of Truth, but rather the result of the frailty and insidious nature of our flesh which constantly falls prey to the deceivableness of sin.

So, I conclude that heresy is any conclusion to which one comes with which the Spirit of Truth does not agree; therefore the Spirit of Truth did not lead that person to such because the Spirit of Truth will never break the Word and never lead God's people into a variety of interpretations of Its own Word.

I think you hit the nail squarely on the head.  So, seeing the divisions that continue to multiply fractiously among believers, I believe there are only two possibilities:

1. The proliferation of differing understandings is evidence there is no God and/or the Bible is not the Word of God, so there is no such thing as "heresy."
2. The proliferation of differing understandings is due to men who interpret the Word according to their own flesh and/or intellect, instead of genuinely being led by the Spirit.

My experience with God rules out number one, so I have to go with number two.  Which means I must challenge myself to a greater degree to allow myself to be led by the Spirit, not my intellect alone, when studying the Scriptures.

[(R.I.P.) YooperYankDude]

As much as we hate to admit it, there isn't supposed to be multiple interpretations/understandings of Scripture. The Holy Spirit of Truth should lead us all into the same revelation of TRUTH. The fact that we do not agree is not the fault of the God of Truth, but rather the result of the frailty and insidious nature of our flesh which constantly falls prey to the deceivableness of sin.

So, I conclude that heresy is any conclusion to which one comes with which the Spirit of Truth does not agree; therefore the Spirit of Truth did not lead that person to such because the Spirit of Truth will never break the Word and never lead God's people into a variety of interpretations of Its own Word.

I think you hit the nail squarely on the head.  So, seeing the divisions that continue to multiply fractiously among believers, I believe there are only two possibilities:

1. The proliferation of differing understandings is evidence there is no God and/or the Bible is not the Word of God, so there is no such thing as "heresy."
2. The proliferation of differing understandings is due to men who interpret the Word according to their own flesh and/or intellect, instead of genuinely being led by the Spirit.

My experience with God rules out number one, so I have to go with number two.  Which means I must challenge myself to a greater degree to allow myself to be led by the Spirit, not my intellect alone, when studying the Scriptures.

*LIKE*

Excellent thought!