In an earlier example, we considered the example of a man reading the Bible, and coming to the conclusion that Jesus was the Eternal God in human form.

In the example, we noted that the very process of arriving at the conclusion of Jesus being God in human form required stumbling over false doctrine (that Jesus was an angel with healing powers), and some half-true doctrines (recognizing Jesus humanity without recognizing his divinity, or vice versa).

The arrival at a false conclusion is not wrong.  It is part of the thinking process that governs the navigation of ideas using the medium of human language.  Heresy typically arises when a novice hears or formulates an errant  theological concept that explains, or seems to explain, some verse, and then begins teaching it as absolute truth before comparing his conclusion with the rest of Scripture.

The driving force behind heresy is not that an errant conclusion was reached during the thinking process.  This is part of the thinking process.  The driving force behind a heretic is sin.  Heretics can be identified by a uniform set of character disorders, first and foremost being, in some form or anoter, the sin of pride.

ARROGANCE:

The belief (unspoken) in the heart of a man that he is so smart and so perfect that the first thought that flows through his head must be true.