Reject A Heretic
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MEMBER BLOG
Reject A Heretic
By Pastor Joel – Open Heaven Christian Church – Fisher, Arkansas
Within the church there will always be people who want fellowship with Christians for various reasons but do not want the word of God in their life. Some people do this out of loneliness, others because they feel comfortable being around Christians who walk in the love of God, and others for many other reasons.
The fellowship of Christians is not only wonderful, but necessary but when people come together for fellowship the Lord must always be the central reason why they come meet. The word of God must be central to Christian fellowship and believers must encourage one another in the Lord and His word when coming together for fellowship.
Oftentimes many people will join a fellowship group for the wrong reasons. Their motive or intent for fellowship is wrong, and they refuse to accept the word of God that is being shared in a Christian fellowship group.
How should Christians respond and deal with people who come into their fellowship group, but refuse to accept the word of God that is being shared by believers within the group?
Let’s begin by looking at what the bible teach on how to deal with a “Heretic” who want to be part of a Christian fellowship but refuses the word of God.
2 Thessalonians 3:14, focusing on what the Scriptures instruct regarding how to deal with individuals who persistently refuse to live by apostolic teachings of the word of God.
Seeing and Responding: A Biblical Blog on 2 Thessalonians 3:14
“And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.”
1. What Does the Verse Say?
The Apostle Paul writes: “If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.”
In various translations this carries a consistent message: note or mark the individual and refrain from association so they might feel “shame” for their behavior and be provoked toward repentance.
2. Why This Approach? The Purpose of Shame
This isn’t mere exclusion, but corrective discipline aimed at restoration. As explained in commentaries:
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Barnes’ Notes: Marking someone serves to “withdraw all Christian fellowship” and possibly awaken remorse.
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown: The goal is for the erring individual “to be put to shame” — not condemnation, but a means to turn inward and be moved toward change.
The bible teaches in 2 Corinthians 7:10 “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
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True repentance is one who has true remorse for their actions and behaviors. This remorse will cause “godly sorrow” and “shame” because they have come to realize that their behavior is sinful before God and others and that they must amend their ways and ask God and others that they have sinned against to forgive them and seek the Lord to deliver them from their real intent and ungodly behavior.
3. What Leading Up to This Verse Looks Like
This verse follows Paul’s broader teaching about discipline and responsibility:
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Verses 6–12: Paul urges believers to keep away from those who live disorderly, commanding them to work quietly and earn their own needs.
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Verse 13: He encourages the faithful—“do not grow weary in doing good.”
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Verse 14: Now, for those who persist in disobedience—mark and distance yourselves.
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Verse 15: But don’t treat them as enemies—instead, admonish them as brothers.
We are taught in scripture that a believer is to confront those within their assembly and “admonish” them in the truth of the word of God, but this admonition must not be a long drawn out process, we are told to admonish them once or twice and after that reject them because they refuse to adhere to the teachings of the Lord.
Titus 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
4. Putting It Into Practice How To Admonish Before Rejecting Them
Reflecting on this passage invites us to ask: How does scripture call us to lovingly restore, rather than merely reject? Here’s how we might think about it in a modern context:
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Discernment and Care: First, recognize when someone continues to stray despite gentle correction.
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Restored Relationships—Not Revenge: The discipline is not punitive but relational, intended to bring self-awareness and change.
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Love and Accountability Together: We exclude temporarily from fellowship—not out of bitterness, but from hope that separation will spur repentance.
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Always Open to Reconciliation: The goal is restoration, never permanent alienation. As Paul continues, maintain a posture of brotherly warning, not hostility.
Why Does God Tell Believers To Reject Heretics?
The answer this question is clear in the word of God. There are several factors as to why God would tell believers to reject a person who refuses to submit to the authority of the word of God. Here are several reason:
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When a person refuses to listen and abide in what the Lord teaches in the scriptures, they are actually refusing to continue to be a disciple of Jesus because the Lord said “If you continue in my word then you are my disciple” implying if they don’t continue in the word of God they cease being a disciple.
John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; -
A heretic that refuses the word of God will always cause divisions and offend others by promoting false teachings that contradict the word of God. They do this because they themselves to not adhere to the teachings of the Lord and have no shame in what they are doing toward others.
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. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
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The danger of refusing to accept correction from the word of God can lead a person into perdition and their mind to become reprobate which means worthless. A heretic that refuses to submit to the teaching found in the word of God will hear the word but never be able to come to the knowledge of the truth, their mind becomes corrupt concerning doctrinal truths taught in scripture and they begin to become literally a reprobate meaning worthless anymore in the eyes of God.
2 Timothy 3:8 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
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Jesus spoke about people who’s heart grew gross and their understanding of God was not present in them. People who were spiritually blind to the truth.
Matthew 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
The bible is clear, turn away from people who are heretics, these people will drain you mentally, and emotionally if you do not set biblical boundaries to keep them away from your fellowship, they will always refuse to accept the word of God as it is written. A heretic will have a form of godliness, they can quote scripture, but deny Christ and the power of the word of God to transform and save them by turning to the truth. Timothy describes them to us and how to deal with them.
2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Jude describes them as “spots in your love feast” and also marks them as lost individuals who deny the truth and are spiritually dead. These “Heretics” are actually on their way to hell unless they repent and believe and obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
Final Thought
2 Thessalonians 3:14 calls believers to a delicate balance—firmness in upholding truth and community norms, yet tender-heartedness within discipline. It reminds us that sometimes true love requires boundaries. But even then, the door is always open for the wandering soul to turn back to the truth, healed and welcomed once more if they have truly repented.
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