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Old 12-13-2008, 08:58 AM
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Diligent Diligent is offline
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As Bro. George pointed out in his original post:
Acts 24:14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
Who were "they?" And what was the "way?" This is when we first see heresy mentioned. Paul was believing contrary to the way of those who accuse him.

So to discern genuine heresy we must discriminate between a true way and a false way.

Getting details wrong is not automatically heresy, and to prove this we only need to read of Apollos:
Acts 18:24-25 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
Knowing only the Baptism of John, Apollos' knowledge and teaching was imperfect. But Apollos was immediately open to being perfected:
Acts 18:26-28 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

At least for me, this answers the "do you have to get everything right" question.

And we can't "weasel out" of calling out heretics by saying "well, we aren't the final authority, so we can say who is a heretic."
Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Obviously, Paul had a commandment here, not just a suggestion. So we have a responsibility to discern heresy.