There’s no hypocrisy in pointing out false teachers. Nearly every book in the New Testament does this, and that’s the standard by which we should judge.
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked person from among you.”
Christians should care about false teachers because the New Testament tells us to watch out for them, to identify them, and to correct them. The New Testament tells us these things because false teaching is dangerous, leading people away from God instead of toward Him. The early church was concerned because people are harmed by false teaching. We should be as concerned as they were, because people are still being harmed today. In fact, there is far more false teaching today than in the 1st century.
False teachers distort what Jesus taught. It’s important to remember Jesus’ words from John 8:31-32: If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. If you don’t know the truth, you can’t be free, so – logically – people who believe a lie are being kept in bondage. Good theology makes trusting God easier, and bad theology makes trusting God harder. That’s the reason GodWords exists: to help people trust God by learning what Jesus actually taught. False teachers make trusting God harder, so they should be exposed.
Every Christian should, at some point, become mature enough to spot the errors of false teachers. Yes, sometimes it takes a bit of work. No, it’s not something that requires anyone to be an expert.
Read and hear what others teach and compare that with Scripture. We should all be like the Bereans that Luke mentions in Acts 17:10.
Our goal should not be to hurt anyone, but simply to expose false teachings. Gossip and slander are condemned in Scripture. We don’t have special insight into anyone else’s mind and heart, and it would be wrong for us to pretend otherwise.
It would be equally wrong for us to engage in gossip or slander by simply repeating what others have said, rather than checking things out for ourselves.
The only reliable evidence we have about teachers, both false and true, are their words and actions. For that reason, we should not claim that someone is a false teacher without referring to their own words and actions. We should not engage in gossip about anyone, but – as followers of Jesus – we should point out false teachings where we find them.
The Bible is clear about false teachers. Some of the strongest language in the New Testament has to do with false teaching. For an example, take a look at this passage from Titus 1:
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. 12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 14 not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. 15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.That’s powerful. Paul didn’t pull any punches. Neither did Peter, or John, or Jude… and neither should we. This is important, and lives are at stake.
NOTE: a distinction must be made between someone who contradicts a clear, fundamental principle in Scripture and someone who takes a position on a controversial issue. In-house debates about the proper interpretation of a passage should not necessarily divide us. These in-house debates include topics like infant baptism, the age of the earth, whether Jesus could have sinned, the exact timing and order of events in Revelation, and so on. Unfortunately, many of the online articles about false teachers are based solely on disagreements of this nature. You won’t find that on GodWords, as I don’t consider such disagreements to be the marks of false teachers.
Why do I name names?
One might ask whether we should only outline the false teachings, and not name the false teachers. This is a good question. I name those who teach false ideas because people need to know who they can trust. In James 3:1 we read that those who teach will be judged more strictly than those who don’t. Paul taught Timothy and Titus, who were pastors of local churches, that the gospel should be entrusted to only those who are faithful, who are above reproach, and who hold firmly to the true gospel.
The goal of pointing out false teachers is not to give someone a bad reputation. The goal is to expose those who should have a bad reputation but do not, because people generally don’t know they’re being taught falsely. Paul named names: Hymenaeus (twice), Alexander, Philetus, and Demas. If the early church needed to know, surely the modern church does as well.
False accusations are a serious problem. Condemning the innocent is unjust. We must be careful to accurately report what a person teaches. I do not want to dishonor God or myself by bearing false witness against anyone. Our goal is not to put any person down, but to make sure that false teachings are exposed.
What’s the difference between a false teacher and false teaching?
A false teaching is simply something that’s wrong. A false teacher, according to what we read in the New Testament, is someone who deceives, teaching things they should not teach. They cause division and confusion where we should have unity and clarity.
Not everyone who teaches an error is a false teacher. It is wrong to pretend otherwise. Not everyone who ‘creates division’ is a false teacher, either. In fact, wherever disagreements occur, there is division. The goal is not to avoid conflict entirely, but to make the truth our basis for disagreement. Errors should be gently corrected, as we see in 2 Timothy 2:23-26:
Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Humility in this area is often undervalued. If I’m wrong, I should be corrected. If these teachers are wrong, they should be corrected. Our goal should not be condemnation, but restoration.
What does the King James Bible say?
There are a lot of Bible verses about false prophets, false teachers, and false gospels. I will not try to list them all here. I hope to provide enough info to convince you that the truth matters, that we’re to protect the message of the gospel from those who would distort it, and that every person who follows Jesus should avoid false teachings.
A different gospel is no gospel at all
Galatians
1:6-9 tells
us that the gospel that was handed down is the only true gospel:
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
A little leaven
The Bible regularly uses yeast to symbolize influence, whether positive or negative. In Matthew 13, Jesus compared the Kingdom of Heaven to yeast… that’s positive. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul corrected believers and told them to get rid of the yeast of their former lives of sin.
With regard to false teachers, Paul chastised the Galatians for being swayed by a false gospel.
7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
Note his use of the word ‘persuasion.’ These followers of Jesus had allowed false teaching to influence them away from the true gospel of Jesus Christ…. and even just a little false teaching, Paul suggested, is very dangerous. This passage, along with many others, should convince us to be on guard against false teaching, and false teachers.
This isn’t a small problem
2 Peter 2:1-3 tells
us that false teachers exist, that they are destructive, and that
they will damage the reputation of Christianity:
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
Acts 20:28-31 explains
that Christians should be watchful, and diligent, to protect others
from false teachers:
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
Command people to not teach false doctrines
In
1 Timothy 1:3-4 we
see Paul instructing Timothy to address the issue of false doctrines
directly:
As
3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
Keep away from a false teacher
Romans 16:17-18 explains
that naive people can be deceived by false teachers, and should be
avoided:
16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.
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.
Don’t share in their wicked work
2 John 1:10-11 points
to the fact that we are not to welcome a false teacher:
10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
Keep the goal in mind
We should not be eager to condemn or criticize. We should, instead, be eager to know the true gospel, to share the true gospel, to protect the reputation of Jesus and the faith, to gently correct those who are in error, and to protect the young, the innocent, and the naïve among us. The goal is love, as Paul explained to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:3-6:
As 3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. 5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
This is serious business. It’s not a contest to see who’s right, where we tear down people with whom we disagree. It’s a spiritual war, where we seek to expose the lies of the enemy, to save those who are lost, and to free those in error from the bondage of the devil.
With that in mind, feel free to visit the List of False Teachers
