One of the big power words used frequently in Christian circles of late has been the word "heresy".  Websters dictionary defines it as "a belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine or an opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted."  So in short heresy is something contrary to the accepted truth.  But where is the line drawn between what is accepted truth, and what is merely allowable opinion, or even more so, a misunderstanding or lack of proper knowledge on the topic being discussed?  The best way to answer that is to ask the bible what God says about this.

1 Corinthians 8 (KJV) - "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."

Pay close attention to the wording of this chapter.  In the first part it very clearly states that too much knowledge, or more correctly THINKING you have a lot of knowledge, brings about pride, and that in turn causes us to become prideful, which is an extremely dangerous state to be in.  But love (aka charity in old King James English) is what we should always cling to, and what truly builds us up.  So thinking you know everything there is to know about a particular subject is presumptuous and prideful, and thus should be avoided at all costs.  We're not God and we don't know everything, and never should think we do.  I'm a big knowledge guy and even I had to learn that painful lesson.  We can't know it all, but we can know some things.

Now read the rest of this chapter.  Notice a trend here?  First we are given the truth, in this case about idols, sacrifices made to them, and the one true God and His Son Jesus Christ.  However, look at the next part of the chapter, just after that affirmation.  "Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge:"  Notice anything interesting about what that says?  Not everyone understands this truth.  That's what the verse is saying.  The first part is the established truth and the second is an affirmation that, while some have come to an understanding of this truth, not everyone has.  We would call this the stronger vs weaker brother.

So how does this relate to heresy?  Well, in more modern terms we would say that heresy is denying the truth despite knowledge to the contrary.  It'd be like saying that a red pickup truck is a green sedan.  The red truck is the truth and can't be changed, and the green sedan is the heresy as it's standing contrary to the truth.  But, let's say someone has never seen your vehicle and when asked they say, "It's a green sedan."  Is that heresy?  Not really, because their knowledge is flawed or potentially incomplete.  But what if they have seen the truck and still believe it's a green sedan.  Well, this false believe might be due to a mistaken understanding of what a sedan is or the difference between green and red, and it could be color blindness, it might be a trick of the light, or maybe even be something where the color is such that either interpretation could be right depending on the person's experience.

How is that last option possible?  Well, let's say the truck is a greenish red.  One person might look at that and lean towards red, while another may look at that same color and lean towards green.  In that case both are partially right, and yet both are also partially wrong.  IE, it's a lack of proper knowledge.  I've had to come through the struggles of learning this lesson of late myself.  Screaming heresy just because someone doesn't believe the same as you is no better than shouting fire in a crowded theater.  All that'll end up happening is that lots of innocent people will get needlessly hurt.

I think the same is true with the use of the word heresy.  So when is it right to use?  Well, there are lots of times actually.  For example, when someone perverts very clear and solid doctrines of the bible.  Such as denying the deity of Christ, or that He died for all, or that He ascended into Heaven and the like.  If it's a clear, rock solid doctrine in the bible, and someone knowingly perverts that, then it's heresy.  But the question is, when is it done knowingly, and when is it merely a case of the weaker brother who doesn't realize that what they believe is wrong?  I ask that question in the face of Acts 18:24-26.

Acts 18:24-26 (KJV) - "And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.  This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.  And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly."

Did you notice what Aquila and Priscilla did when they found Apollos preaching facts about Jesus in the synagogue that were apparently not entirely correct?  He evidently had some things right, but not everything.  So what did they do when they came across this?  Did they point their fingers and scream at him or drag him out of the city and stone him?  No.  If you notice they gently took him aside and lovingly taught him the correct understanding of what he'd been preaching.  They didn't beat him up and call him a heretic.  Nor did they shout him down, or threaten bodily harm.  They kindly and lovingly took him to the side, and basically said, "We love you, and we're glad you're preaching the gospel.  But you have a few things wrong.  Allow us to help clarify your understanding of the truth."

If you notice later on, Paul speaks highly of Apollos and in general he's treated as a great man of the first century church.  So clearly Aquila and Priscilla clarified his understanding of the scriptures.  Did he at one time have a wrong understanding of the gospel?  Yes.  Did he have parts of his doctrine wrong?  Yes.  Was he a heretic, or was he speaking heresy?  No.  He was speaking from what he understood, which just happened to be either incomplete or in error in some way.  We're all guilty of that.  We don't know it all and never will.  Even I admit that.  This is even true of the subjects that are our pride and joy, which is eschatology for me.  We may understand a lot in these areas, but we don't know it all.  That's been a bitter pill I've had to swallow lately.  Or actually for the past seven years really.  I once thought I knew it all when it came to end times prophecy only to discover how little I actually knew in comparison to the big picture despite having an extensive understanding of scripture in regards to the end times.

And this is true with everyone.  You may know more than someone else on a particular subject, making them your weaker brother, but in turn they will likely have greater knowledge in something you don't understand, and thus you are their weaker brother.  So treat each other kindly.  We're all learning despite all we know.  So as a lesson of experience from one believer to another, let's be a bit more loving to our brothers and sisters, and all those who claim the name of Christ than we have been of late.  And I talk to the body in general.  I'm not the only one guilty of this.  In your zealousness to defend God you've cast aside your love in favor of the "I'm right, you're wrong, so go to Hell" attitude.  And yes, that may sound extreme, but that's exactly what we're doing if we're not doing this in love.  So if someone doesn't follow your understanding of the bible, don't immediately crucify them.  If it's a clear, set doctrine that's indisputable, that's one thing.  In cases like that I say defend away.  But do it in LOVE, and with all knowledge (ie, know what you're talking about inside and out before you open your mouth) and not in the presumptuous way you've been doing it.  People are won to Christ or growth in faith with love, NOT knowledge.  People are in turn lost by the expression of pride, anger, hate, or even worse things.

So before you go and scream heretic, or "you're wrong!" or anything like that, first make sure your understanding of what you believe is right.  You may discover that it's actually YOU who's wrong.  Then, when you're sure you understand what you are about to confront them with, go to your brother or sister, be that someone new in the faith, or some very senior such as your pastor, and discuss it with them, understand them, and understand WHY they believe the way they do.  What is their reason for believing it?  Where does it say in the bible about that belief?  Is it a well supported doctrine or, like the topic of tongues (another doctrine I got into a spitting match over), a topic with limited scriptural support. or areas that aren't clearly explained?  Worse yet, is it a church doctrine that's not even supported at all in scripture?  The latter is one I've really gone to the woodshed over in the past few years; things that I held onto as scripture only to find out they weren't scriptural at all.

Now, to wrap all of this up, I want to clarify that I'm not saying you shouldn't call out heresy.  Trust me, there's plenty of wolves out there to shoot; more than enough for each of us a hundred times over.  What I'm saying is, before you haul out the heavy hardware and go to war over something be sure you yourself understand it correctly, and then seek to understand the other person, and then correct them lovingly and gently before you cry heresy.  If it's truly heresy, and they're directly, knowingly, and willingly contradicting an established truth, fire away.  But if it's simply a misunderstanding or lack of knowledge, then approach it with the concept of the weaker brother, and most importantly, DO IT IN LOVE.  You'll get more done with a feather than a filet knife.  Trust me, I've been there.