I have spent two weeks exploring the Greek words for "heretic" and "heresy." I used e-Sword extensively. As a result of this meditative study, my perception of heretics and heresy was greatly altered.

The 44-minute video below allows you to journey alongside me during these two weeks, trying to understand what the Bible teaches about heretics and heresy. My views were so profoundly changed, I decided these two words should be tossed out of my vocabulary completely! It was unbelievable to me that it took me so long to sort through my confusion and completely re-adjust my thinking and the pictures in my mind.

So the video below walks you through the way I used e-Sword to help me discover a new way of looking at these two Greek words. I hope that it will train you how you can use e-Sword to do your in-depth research and come away with new enlightenment from the Holy Spirit on a topic. Lord, reveal!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3qqcqWmpYM

Reading this blog in an email? Click here to watch the video on our website.

See 9-part blog series: What Is a Heretic?

Removing "heretic/heresy" from our speech and defining "false/true" teachers

1. Heretic (G141) is only used in 1 verse in the King James Version (KJV). Young's Literal Translation (YLT) translates that word as sectarian, and the New American Standard Bible (NASB) translates it factious. That means the word "heretic" is NEVER found in either the NASB or the YLT, nor is it found in the NKJV, the ASV or many other translations! A sectarian person delights in creating dissension for the sake of controversy. Being sectarian has little to do with holding a different view on a theological topic, and everything to do with having a passion to create schisms and divisions.
2. The word heresy (G139) never shows up in the NASB or the YLT, and the KJV translates it heresy in less than half the verses it shows up in. The YLT translates G139 as "sect" all 9 times it appears (never "heresy"). Every religious group in Jesus' day was called a sect, including "The Way," which was the first name given to followers of Christ. The New Testament refers to believers as Christians (3 times). Christians are part of the ekklēsia, which is translated as "church" over 100 times. My story: I have received training from Baptists, Wesleyans, Methodists, Pentecostals, Charismatics, Word of Faith, and others. I prefer to call myself a Christian, a part of the Church.
3. A false teacher has an evil heart and exhibits the works of the flesh, as does a false prophet (Matt. 7:15).
4. A true teacher has a righteous heart, manifests the fruit of the Spirit and receives ongoing enlightenment, as their path gets brighter and brighter.