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.