Meaning of HERESY

The word "hairesis" comes from "election" (from "haireomai", to choose). It is also translated as "sect," and is applied to sects among the Jews, such as those of the Sadducees and the Pharisees (Acts 5:17; 15:5; 26:5). The Jews used this term with respect to Christianity (Acts 24:5, 14; 28:22).

Heresies and sects soon arose in the church, as a result of the activity of man's autonomous will in one form or another. The root "elect" in the Greek term indicates that a heresy is something peculiar. The doctrine held and urged may be true in itself, but it may be exaggerated and taken out of proportion or context.

The frequent result is the formation of a party or sect (1 Cor. 11:19; Gal. 5:20; 2 Pet. 2:1). The adherent of a heresy is a heretic, and must be rejected after the first or second admonition (Tit. 3:10). In addition to its primary meaning denoting the formation of currents and schools and tendencies, it soon came to denote doctrinal errors.

Thus, in his second epistle, Peter warns believers against “destructive heresies” (2 Pet. 2:1). Since God has given us in his word everything we need (Acts 20:32; 2 Tim. 3: 15-17), the believer is not given to choose, but to obey. He has to learn to receive with humility (cf. 1 Cor. 4: 7).