A heretic might roam the fellowship of the brotherhood and seldom be recognized. Thanks to the Catholic Church, a heretic came to be thought of as a false teacher. Specifically, in the Catholic Church as one who taught against the orthodox views, especially when the orthodox views prevailed. Today, most brethren think that if a brother does not teach false doctrine, that brother is not a heretic. Such a view is false. A heretic may or may not teach false doctrine. A heretic may or may not agree with specific teachings of Scripture. A heretic might be the most vocal person around in speaking against liberalism or anti-ism. The heretic might, in fact, take a leading role against certain errors in order to gain a following.
All false teachers are dividers. Their false doctrine will divide. But their chief aim is not to divide, but to conquer; to devour the faithful with their doctrine (Rom. 16:17-18; Acts 20:29-30; Matt. 7:15-20). The heretic on the other hand has the main concern of gaining authority over a following with little concern for doctrine or anything else. The main tool of the false teacher is false doctrine. The main tool of the Schismatic is division. He may use an act, an innocent or unwise statement, or some unrelated fact to twist and pervert into an occasion for division. The heretic is adept at twisting and changing meanings of one thing into something else. Why? Because he is subverted (perverted).
A heretic is a sinner who falls into a special category. Because this sinner is not easily recognized by most brethren, he is the most dangerous of all to the church. It is this sinner who occupies, as does the false teacher, a category of sin alone.
In the New Testament, five categories of sins are described which cover all the sins known. Every sin falls into one or the other category, and must be dealt with as that category of sin is dealt with by God in His word. These categories are: 1) The personal transgression (Matt. 18:15-18). 2) The False teacher (Rom. 16:17-18). 3) Moral sins (1 Cor. 5:1-13). 4) Unruly actions or disorderliness; general sins out of step with the Gospel (1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Thess. 3:6-15). 5) The heretic (Titus 3:10-11).
It is to the heretic that we want to pay special attention to in this article from this point. It is the heretic that is a most dangerous person because he has escaped attention in most teaching done by brethren in this century.
Paul said to Titus in Titus 3:10-11: "A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself."
Paul was, in effect, commanding to reject a heretic after the first admonition, but not more than two admonitions. This is the force of the original language. Admonition here is from the Greek nouthesia, literally a putting in mind. It is sometimes used of training in word, and as such is found in Ephesians 6:4 where Paul said: "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Here the word is used to indicate correction rather than training. Heresy is such a sin that little is needed to identify it in the scriptural sense. Our modern task is cutting through all the misconception surrounding the sin.
Paul argues that the quick and decisive action regarding a heretic is necessary because of the obvious and dangerous nature of the sin and the subverted condition of the sinner. After all, a short putting in mind of the sin and the warning involved, then, after that and not more than one more quick admonition, the act of rejecting is to be done. Why? Who is this dangerous individual? What is his sin?
Who is the heretic? The heretic is a hairetikos. This word indicates in a primary sense capable of choosing. It indicates a causing of division by a party spirit. It is used in this passage to refer to a factious schismatic. It is a man guilty of heresy.
Heresy is from the Greek hairesis indicating choosing; making a choice, then that which is chosen and, hence, an opinion, especially, a self-willed opinion. This opinion is substituted for submission to truth and leads to formation of sects within the body of Christ. This is referred to in Galatians 5:20: "Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies." Heresies here is indicated in the margin of some Bibles as parties. "Sect" is a secondary meaning of the word due to the significance attached to it in the New Testament usage.
The heretic is essentially a divider of brethren for the purpose of attaining power or leadership. Division is his specialty and most brethren, not recognizing the nature of his character, are easily taken into his fold before they know anything is wrong. The heretic, coming upon a peaceful and tranquil scene in the church may not surface with his actions until he has a majority following him. This is one reason a heretic is often thought of as a false teacher; their methods of operation are so identical in most instances.
A congregation might enjoy peace and unity for years until suddenly the heretic, after coming on the scene without notice, has gained a strong following and then he turns on one or more of those who have been responsible for the peace and unity. For whatever the occasion of attack, whether of a personal nature, or some manufactured reason, sudden division occurs. The peaceful brother may leave to avoid further problems and the rest might think the problem has gone away. There might not be any more such problems for some time. But the heretic is in control, whether directly, or by manipulating one who has strong leadership over the others.
One thing about a heretic: he does not care who appears to lead so long as he has his way in his vested interests. But if his interests are threatened, he is very quick to attack the one, or ones, he thinks responsible for the threat, whether real or imagined. The heretic will never leave unless he is rejected; asked out, or requested to leave. So long as he has any control over any members, he has his disciples and will remain entrenched with a view of gaining more.
A heretic might be a member who does not serve in any particular way, or an elder, a deacon, preacher, Bible class teacher, or other who has some leading part in the work. A heretic is an expert in at least one thing: dividing brethren to gain control.
My personal experience with heretics is limited. I have known at least eight heretics in my lifetime; men I am con- vinced beyond doubt as being heretics. I might have known more who were borderline without the courage to be full blown here- tics. I have been under attack by at least half of those. The attacks were vicious, two of them short, the others sustained. Two of the attacks were surprise attacks taking some time to sort out and get the motives identified. The other attacks were anticipated by others than me with motives obvious before they began gnashing with their teeth. In each instance, observers could more easily identify the nature of the heretic and the motives involved than those who were close to the situation. Why?
Because of the divisive nature of the situation, those close to it who were sincere searched their own hearts and lives first to see if they were guilty of anything. Second, the sincere ones were willing at first to give any benefit of doubt to the heretic. The seasoned heretic (one who has been through his routine once or twice) knows this already and always capitalizes upon it. He is quick to spread his poison about all who are of the opposite position. It may be by innuendo or it might be outright lies. After all, in this troubled period it is his word against the other. If some question most of his lies, there is a reasonable doubt about some of the others. If just a little truth is told by him, then his lying about the rest is acceptable to many. He gains new disciples every day he is tolerated. By the time facts and allegations are sorted out, the heretic has a sizeable amount of support for his position. Any discipline will be painful. Any delay means he gains more disciples. More lies are told. More reputations are tarnished. More truth is obscured. More souls are lost.
The Schismatic, the divider of brethren, may be allowed to leave quietly to go elsewhere to vend his services. The same thing will occur elsewhere; and again; and again, until the rejection takes place and public marking of the sinner happens.
Paul tells us the Schismatic is to be rejected. "Reject" is from the Greek paraiteomai meaning to ask off, to reject. This rejection is to take place after one, but not more than two admonitions. Why? Because the very presence of the schismatic is dangerous to the safety of the unity of faithful brethren. Unity between friends and brethren is to be treasured and every threat to genuine unity to be dissolved as quickly as possible.
Why is the presence of a schismatic or divider so dangerous, even if that one seems to have no opportunity to spread his venom among brethren? Very obvious! Paul said that such is subverted. The word used in the KJV as subverted is truly perverted. It is from ekstrepho literally meaning to turn inside out; to make into the opposite character. It is used in Titus metaphorically to indicate how opposite in character to truth the schismatic is.
The divider will intentionally take a statement or fact, or act, and verbally make it of the opposite character and use it to divide. In this sense, a schismatic cannot be trusted with even the least opportunity to work his poison. His very presence will damage unity. With just a casual word the schismatic can skillfully work his evil. Remember, he has experience and he has the devious character to use his experience to the fullest. It is for this reason he must be rejected very quickly without giving him more opportunity to divide. His nature of character is divisive. If he does not say a thing after being exposed, some poor soul is likely to feel constrained to give him the benefit of the doubt and attach himself emotionally to the schismatic.
Paul says his sin is a condemnation of him. That is, the very nature of his character. Schismatic is of the opposite character of Christ. Christ prayed in John 17:20-23: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." The oneness of unity characterized by love, peace, and joy is to characterize the church Jesus died for.
The schismatic is by character and disposition the opposite character. That is why the schismatic is condemned of himself. The very thing he pretends to want, unity, is disrupted by his character enacted in practice. He con- demns himself because his motive is to gain disciples. His very character is devoted to that end. This is why his presence alone will disrupt and divide. He knows no other way. He can think in no other terms than advantage for self. He hesitates not a moment in dividing friends and brethren.
The heretic is by nature a factious man. He will try to avoid this appearance. He will usually disavow at the outset any desire to be con- tentious. But he can't walk away from a matter. He must justify himself once he enters the fray. Rarely, if ever, will you hear the schismatic confess to sinning. He may apologize, but never admit he has sinned, or even that he was wrong in a matter. He might be misunderstood, but not wrong.
The schismatic will take an innocent statement from its context, place an evil connotation to the statement, then weave all sorts of stories around that connotation. The heretic usually has a vivid imagination; even a feverish childish imagination. This is coupled with his corrupt charac- ter and what he tells others may seem very real, but it is a figment of his evil imagination.
The schismatic looks for every opportunity to work his evil. Can you imagine the pain experienced by those to whom the schismatic lies in his effort to divide brethren and/or friends to gain his end? It hurts to be lied about, but for those lies to be applied to brethren and friends to destroy friendship and unity hurts even more deeply. When those who have worked together in the kingdom for years suddenly find themselves separated by a schismatic, there is bewilderment and pain, the like of which has seldom ever been experienced. What if you heard from your best friend, through the mouth of the schismatic of course, that you were a low down, good for nothing, reprobate fit only for hell? How deep is the stroke of pain felt? Even, if later, it is discovered that the report delivered was only a lie, does not every wound leave a scar? A doubt is planted which in most instances will never be fully removed.
Why give a schismatic a moment to do his iniquity? Why offer him a platform on which to be heard? Why extend to him any opportuni- ty to be heard with credibility by anyone? This, my friends, is why God commands that a schismatic be dealt with speedily and decisively. Do it at once, and do it decisively enough that honest people can never again believe the schismatic. Do it with fervor and conviction. But, above all, do it!
Reject the schismatic. Ask him out! Put away from you that evil one. Every second you delay he will use as opportunity to serve his cause. More division will result. Souls will be lost. Those who knew but failed to act will become responsible for the harm done. Judgment day is certain and it will then be too late to make amends.
Two very sinful characteristics are attached by Scripture to both the false teacher and the heretic. (1) Both are dividers, each using different tools with which to divide. (2) Both have the characteristics which the scriptures teach belong only to a hypocrite. Both will delib- erately lie to accomplish their end. I have never met an honest false teacher (the terms are contradictory - honest and false). Neither have I ever met an honest heretic. Subverted is the opposite of honest.
"A man that is an heretic after the first and second admoni- tion reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself" (Titus 3:10-11).