TO ADDRESS the subject of heresy and those who promote it is, ironically, considered heresy itself.  Heresy is defined as an opinion or doctrine contrary to church dogma … or dissent or deviation from a dominant theory, or an opinion, doctrine … or practice contrary to the truth or to generally accepted beliefs or standards.(1)

The question is, Whose standards? Whose opinion, dogma or accepted beliefs? It should be understood that the trend of emerging truth in the church today is so fluid that to grasp it is like picking up water with your hands. The vast majority of Christendom considers standards, unchanging truths and dogma obsolete. Therefore, the heretic is now the one who refuses to deviate from the norm of absolute truth and embrace a relativistic “theology” which promotes and protects vacillation. 

Hermeneutics has been replaced with homogenization, and truth has been relegated to triviality. The entire concept of being heretical is redefined as the conviction that heresy is, in fact, a reality, and today’s “new heretic” is the one who adheres to that immutable conviction.

Redefinition is the new standard of the day, and reminders of the old standard are, at the very least, casually ignored. This mistaken position is dangerous in any field of study, but in the theological arena it is damnable. To replace the foundation of unchanging truth for the ever-changing whimsical notions of fallen humanity is an error too awful to fathom. Yet churches by the thousands are swallowing these fables every Sunday morning. Perhaps one of the greatest hindrances in combating such folly is the absence of addressing the reality of heresy. 

A subject that was once widely understood in the church is today tossed out as irrelevant, as well as extremely divisive, to the post-modern mind. It is this context that has created the new heretic. Heresy, therefore, which was once known as a false stand against the truth, has come to be known as an arrogant, narrow-minded stand for the truth. We who believe in the absoluteness of divine truth as revealed in Holy Scripture are the heretics, and those who embrace mutability are the new champions of love and compassion. We have, in fact, deviated from today’s norm and are therefore designated as ignorant, if not cultish, heretics. 

Before we implode at this despicable predicament, let us consider our options. We can join the emergers and the imaginers and enjoy the harvest of temporary fruitfulness and her accolades. Or we can stake our claim on the canon of truth and stand firm. I choose the latter, primarily because I have a difficult time hitting a moving target.  It is a moving target that these disseminators of falsehood are attempting to accomplish. They redefine the terms, reinvent the standards and regurgitate each other’s opinions. This week it’s this, and next week it’s that. 

Perhaps it arouses the curiosity of their followers because every day promises a new vision, a new direction, new priorities and the ability to expel last week’s old theology for this week’s new theology. They even have the luxury of catapulting those truths that weigh heavily on their consciences for newer, gentler truths whenever the next issue immerges from the minds of their inventors. 

How can we stem the tide of this heterodoxical dilemma and re-establish orthodoxy as the norm? First, we must recognize what we cannot do. We cannot open the minds and hearts of people to the truth of God’s Word without the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. What we can do, through a firm confidence concerning the Bible’s infallible veracity, is preach the truth of it. This, of course, requires courage, conviction and consistency in the pulpit, as well as the study. 

The ascendancy of vacillation is due largely to the laziness of orthodox men in the pulpit. While reading our books on the latest fad or the newest church growth phenomenon, we starve the sheep with half-baked sermonizing. You can be sure that a sentimental, self-help homily from a self-proclaimed professor of orthodoxy is not the prescription for turning the tide. Furthermore, the latest conference that promotes preaching by waving the Bible—but not actually preaching it—is not the answer.

We must establish a beachhead against the surge of heresy in our day, for it is a leaven that expands and multiplies exponentially with each passing day. Our retreat, as well as our stagnation, is not acceptable in this battle. For every lazy moment we spend as preachers of the Word of God, there is an advance of the enemy.  Like a cancer that reaches into the vital organs through its invading tentacles, heresy beats its path to the souls of men. 

While we are slumbering in our studies and the sheep are sleeping during our sermons, the heretics are marching onward. They are empowered by our negligence and emboldened by our complacency. All the while, the souls of men under our charge are falling into the pit. 

Stand up, gentlemen, like men of old against the onslaught of these promoters of poppycock. Wield the sword of God’s Holy Word against these purveyors of passing fads. Their end is certain, and the Truth will reign triumphant over them. 

The victory is ours, TAKE IT!

¹ Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary: http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/heresy.

-----------------------------------

Dr. R.A. Hargrave is the Senior Pastor at Riverbend Community Church in Ormond Beach, Florida. Dr. Hargrave is also the Bible-teacher for GraceWorx Ministries.