How to identify actual heretical beliefs and protect yourself from false accusations

Heresy and false teaching—these are two terms you’ve likely heard Christians throw around, often with the intensity of a witch hunt. It seems like any woman who becomes popular in Christian culture gets labeled “a witch,” and any pastor or speaker who makes it big suddenly becomes “a heretic” or “false teacher.”

But what does heresy actually mean? And how can you tell the difference between legitimate theological concerns and people using these terms to shut down honest questions about faith?

Why Understanding Heresy Matters for Your Faith

If you’ve been following along with our series on building a solid spiritual foundation, you know we’ve established that the Apostles’ Creed represents the essential beliefs you need to call yourself a Christian. Think of it as the foundation of your spiritual homestead.

Now we need to make sure the “bricks and lumber” we add on top of that foundation are also sound, so your spiritual house remains structurally stable and safe to live in.

Understanding heresy helps you distinguish between:

• Healthy questioning and exploration of faith
• Legitimate theological boundaries that protect biblical truth
• False accusations meant to control or silence you

The Simple Definition of Heresy

In its simplest form, a legitimate heretic is anyone who discounts or discredits the core beliefs outlined in John 3:16 or the Apostles’ Creed.

Heresy is essentially a rogue version of Christian doctrine—beliefs that stray so far from biblical truth that they create an entirely different faith system while still claiming to be Christianity.

What Actual Heretical Beliefs Look Like

Throughout church history, theologians have identified specific heretical teachings. Here are some classic examples of beliefs that would be considered genuinely heretical:

1. About Jesus’ Nature:

• Jesus didn’t exist before His birth (denying His eternal nature)
• Jesus is a demigod—half God, half human (rather than fully God and fully human)
• Jesus was never actually human (denying the incarnation)
• Jesus wasn’t a real person but an illusion created by God

2. About the Trinity:

• The Trinity is literally three separate Gods (tritheism)
• The Trinity represents only one-third of God (rather than three persons, one God)

3. About Jesus’ Work:

• God literally died when Jesus died on the cross (denying the eternal nature of God)
• Jesus only became the Christ after His baptism (denying His eternal Sonship)

Why These Distinctions Matter

Notice how these heretical beliefs directly contradict the Apostles’ Creed. They’re not minor theological differences or matters of interpretation—they fundamentally change who Jesus is and what Christianity teaches about God’s nature.

Think of it like a franchise business. If someone opened a McDonald’s but served pizza instead of burgers, changed the golden arches to purple squares, and completely ignored corporate protocols, they’d be going rogue from what McDonald’s is supposed to be. That’s what heresy does to Christianity.

The Difference Between Heresy and Honest Questions

Here’s what’s crucial to understand: Exploring doubts, asking hard questions, or researching your faith is not heresy.

If someone calls you a heretic because you’re:

• Questioning certain church practices
• Exploring theological concepts they’re uncomfortable with
• Working through doubts about non-essential beliefs
• Seeking to understand your faith more deeply

You can confidently respond: “I’m not a heretic. I’m someone willing to research my faith and figure things out. This is my body, my soul, my life. You don’t get to make spiritual choices for me—I get to make them for me.”

Red Flags: When “Heresy” Accusations Go Too Far

Be wary of people who use heresy accusations to:

• Shut down legitimate questions about church practices or non-essential doctrines
• Control your spiritual journey or dictate how you should explore faith
• Attack anyone who gains influence in Christian circles
• Silence women or minorities who speak about faith

These modern-day Pharisees often have a very narrow way of defining faith and biblical interpretation. They’re quick to sharpen their pitchforks when you say something that challenges their comfort zone, even if it’s perfectly within orthodox Christian belief.

Building a Heresy-Proof Foundation

To protect yourself from both actual heresy and false accusations:

1. Know the Apostles’ Creed inside and out—this is your theological measuring stick
2. Study core Christian doctrines about God’s nature, Jesus’ identity, and salvation
3. Distinguish between essential and non-essential beliefs
4. Find trusted theological resources that help you grow in understanding
5. Build community with mature believers who encourage questions rather than shut them down

Your Spiritual Authority

Remember, the goal isn’t to make you dependent on others to tell you what’s heretical and what’s not. The goal is to help you own your faith so well that nobody can challenge your spiritual authority or make you feel guilty for honest seeking.

When you understand what genuine heresy looks like, you can confidently navigate your faith journey without fear of legitimate theological boundaries while also recognizing when someone is using these terms inappropriately to control you.

Moving Forward with Confidence

True heresy involves fundamental departures from core Christian beliefs about God’s nature, Jesus’ identity, and the gospel message. It’s not about different worship styles, varying interpretations of non-essential doctrines, or asking hard questions about faith.

As you continue building your spiritual foundation, let the Apostles’ Creed guide your understanding of essential beliefs while maintaining the freedom to explore, question, and grow in your relationship with God.

Your faith should be strong enough to withstand any church crisis, any change in pastoral leadership, and any honest theological discussion. That’s what spiritual homesteading is all about—building a faith that’s both biblically sound and personally owned.

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Have you ever been accused of heresy for asking honest questions about faith? How do you distinguish between healthy spiritual exploration and potentially harmful theological departures? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Next week, we’ll explore false teaching and how to identify when someone is leading others astray versus simply having different perspectives on non-essential matters.