What is Heresy?

Some have been arguing whether a particular preacher is a heretic or merely has bad doctrine.  I sure don't want to start parsing theological points like that.  But suffice it to say that heresy is something that will pull you away from God, from Jesus as Lord, from genuine salvation and from running the race and receiving the crown.

Blatant heresy is *easy* to detect: "You can become 'God'!" or "There is no 'god'" or even "Everyone gets to go to heaven regardless of what they believe."  I say *easy* but not really.  Eve was snookered by a similar line.  Heresy detection only works if you are up to speed with what God has said AND if you are listening to His Spirit.

But sometimes *heresy* is not just in what is said or taught; it comes in what is left out.

Rick Warren has said: “I’m looking for a second reformation. The first reformation of the church 500 years ago was about beliefs. This one is going to be about behavior. The first one was about creeds. This one is going to be about deeds. It is not going to be about what does the church believe, but about what is the church doing. I am working toward a second Reformation of the church which could create a Third Great Awakening in our nation or world.”

You cannot emphasize behavior without addressing doctrine. That's why Paul wrote to Timothy that he should "Watch your life and doctrine closely; persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." (1 Tim. 4:16)

I would argue that each of the "great awakenings" and reformations came about because there was doctrine—not dry, theoretical doctrine, but Truths that affected the soul and the mind and the will and the affections of the people. Doctrine is to point us to God and show us who He is. When we see God correctly, we fall down in worship (Isa 6) and we obey His commandments. (Jn 14:15) 

How can we love God whom we do not see? We read His word. Our understanding forms our beliefs which is what doctrine is.  Doctrine is the tangible handles by which we know and love God.  We worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.  Doctrine is Truth!

Yes, doctrine divides. It divides the wheat from the chaff, the sheep from the goats, the good from the bad.  And to leave out fundamental, basic doctrine is thus arguably heretical.

The following is an interesting caveat, not any great theological insight, but illustrative of what I believe is the importance of doctrine:

It is interesting to note that the word "doctrine" derives from the Old French and Latin words for "doctor." As that word was coming into our language, "Savior" was translated into Old English as "Hæland." That is, "Healer." The Old English idea of Salvation was pictured by Health, Wholeness, Wellness; Someone who brought a Cure was a Healer or a Savior. (This is supported by Isa 53 and other passages.) So it is quite fascinating that Salvation ("Healing") is given to us through the Savior ("The Healer") and the Cure is Doctrine ("the Doctor").