Completely incorrect

What does the term “heretic” stand for? Certainly not that which people were accused of in the Middle Ages if they simply had a different opinion than that of the ruling Church. If anyone, in those days, alleged that the earth was not flat, but round and revolved around the sun, they were found guilty of heresy and burnt at the stake – perilous times! In those days people were accused as being “heretics” and “false teachers” for all types of heresy by church standards. Paul certainly meant something else and spoke about the pure Gospel, (the healthy faith) namely, the forgiveness of sin. He was not speaking of outward appearances, as some do who build their own teachings on outward appearances and lose sight of the big picture. If someone makes politics, vain arguments, irrelevant issues and disputes the merits of a saving faith, they are disruptive, false and heretical. In 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 Paul tells us what this is all about: “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.” In biblical sense, a heretic, is someone who does not abide in the truth, but adds to it, brings forth new revelations and even denies that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh (2 John 7-9) Someone who is neither sober, nor temperate (Titus 2:2) and above all is not of sound faith.

Whoever denies that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh will also reveal the great deceiver, the coming antichrist, who will, just as the serpent in the Garden of Eden did, ask: “Yea, have God said...” (1 Genesis 3:1) Whoever strays from the direct guideline of the true Gospel, and teaches that the message of the forgiveness of sin is old-fashioned, obsolete or insufficient, has firstly not understood anything at all, and secondly will bear his judgement in the Day of Judgement before the Throne of God. Paul wrote the following words of admonition in 2 Timothy 4:3-5 to the argumentative which, in these current twisted and complicated times, demand our full attention “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of they ministry.” Such people, who will be found in our very own congregations, will preach captivating sermons, leading many astray, deceiving the hearts of the simple (Romans 16:18). A heretic is characterised by his continuous questions, argumentativeness and arrogance (1 Timothy 6:3-4). We should avoid these people and not give them the opportunity to spread their verbal poison – we should not be deceived by them (Matthew 24:4)

Jörg Bauer