Heresy originally meant a having a choice, or making a choice,
but in relation to religion it has come to mean holding and
propounding an opinion contrary to official church teaching.
A Mediaeval English scholar Robert Grosseteste defined it:
"Heresy is an opinion chosen by human perception contrary
to Holy Scripture, publicly avowed, and obstinately defended".
The apostle Paul, on trial before the Roman governor, said
concerning his beliefs: "However, I admit that I worship
the God of our fathers as a follower of The Way, which they
call a sect [KJV: "heresy"]. I believe everything
that agrees with the Law and that is written in the prophets,
and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will
be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked."
Some Jews believed in the resurrection, others did not. To
those that did not the resurrection was heresy. Today, most
churches judge heresy not against the teaching of the Bible,
but against their own doctrines, expressed in their creeds.
If creeds differ from Scripture either by error or omission,
then in that respect the creeds are heretical, as Paul proclaimed
with regard to Jewish beliefs in his day.
1. the Sky
2. God's Home
Heavens and Earth
The "third heaven"
1. The People
2. The Language
3. The Letter
1. Holy Spirit in creation
2. Holy Spirit inspires God's
3. Jesus was born by the power
of the Holy Spirit
4. Jesus was filled with the
5. The Holy Spirit given to
6. The Holy Spirit with the
1. A building in which people
2. A 'household' or family
3. The dwelling of the believer