Ideas about the Kingdom of the Heavens around us and the unity of believers in Christ within it
Even a very respectable denomination’s or church organization’s determination that a teaching is “heresy” cannot be taken, without examination, as absolute truth for two reasons. First, a deliberately divisive person’s–a true “heretic’s”– motives are selfish rather than doctrinal and usually well-hidden behind doctrine. Second, such people sometimes take control of even respectable denominations.
Heresy cannot reliably be diagnosed by comparing individuals’ or other groups’ doctrinal positions or practices to the traditions of my own group and calling any that don’t match well “heretical.” Religious tradition, even Christian religious tradition, may support a heresy. Heresy is the division, not the disagreement.
In Galatians 5:17-23, “heresies” are one of the works of the flesh–something we do, not something we believe. These works are opposed by the fruit of the Spirit.
The words “heretic” and “heresy” in English New Testament translations are actually transliterations of Greek words that primarily denote division or divisiveness. They are used with those primary meanings in Acts. They did not come to secondarily connote teaching,teachers or doctrines disapproved by a church organization until the late second century. Tha authors of the New Testament did not know of this later technical meaning.
Heresy is properly defined as divisiveness, not merely believing a false doctrine. Heretics are divisive people. Those who state doctrines with which I disagree, but do so without insisting on division because of my belief, are not heretics. Thus calls for mutual understanding and patience.
The underlying cause of all of the divisions in the Church is “sin:” our determination to ignore God and the needs of others to have our own way. This leads to greed, anger, envy, jealousy, gossip, slander, strife, unforgiveness, bitterness and even war–all of which perpetuate division.
Our disunity also leaves us vulnerable to exploitation by false teachers and their distorted religious teachings, with which they seek to win a personal following for their own gratification or profit. proper recognition of the oneness of the Body, and of the importance of living in oneness, protects against divisive people.
The physical health of believers, the occurrence of healing in the Church, and the manifestation of oneness in the Church are also tied to one another. Living in disunity can lead to illness and premature death.
Our peace, joy and effectiveness are dependent on our unity as shown by forgiveness and the resolution of offenses between us, God takes division and unforgiveness so seriously because it damages all parties to the offense and limits the Body of Christ. When we neglect this, we are given over to the tormentors–guilt, fear, anxiety and mental illness.
Causes of division in the Body of Christ are compared in the scriptures to gangrene and leprosy. There are also valid comparisons to cancers and autoimmune disorders. Divisions have led to rejection of whole branches of the church by other branches, to religious violence and persecution and to bloody wars. They have also caused many to reject Christianity.