Tag Archive | False Teachers

Are you following False Teachers?

Sep2

Question: What does God say about following false teachers?

Answer: Plenty! This is one more reason Believers need to read God’s Word. By studying the Bible and praying for the Holy Spirit to give you discernment, you will be prepared when you encounter false teachers.

Among the many Scriptures that talk about false teachers is Matthew 7:15-20. Jesus warns, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” He goes on to say, “You will know them by their fruits…. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (NKJV)

Also, Believers should not be fooled into following those who tell them some things that are godly while also telling them to support sinful behaviors. Read about some of these sinful behaviors in Romans 1:18-32. Jesus spoke of such people.

He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'” (Matthew 7:21-23.)

Unfortunately, some Believers choose to follow false teachers. They may admire them because they are famous or in high positions. This would include people in the church as well as people outside church in positions of influence on the national and international stage. They want to continue to give them their support because they agree with many of the things they are saying. But the problem comes when these “teachers” convince Believers to help them spread sinful behaviors to others under the guise of also doing good things. Believers simply turn a blind eye to the sin and convince themselves that giving their support is fine as long as the Believer isn’t practicing the sins themselves.

We read about the Apostle Paul’s warning about such Believers to a young pastor named Timothy. Paul warned: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you (Timothy) be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of the evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:3-5)

So, make sure you are not following after false teachers. Protect yourself by studying God’s Word and praying for His Holy Spirit to give you discernment. And look for the “good fruits!”

Are you falling for all the sweet talk?

Feb6

Question: Our new Bible study teacher is friendly, funny, and very intelligent. But, she says that we should be neutral on the sinful behaviors being promoted in our culture or we might come across as judgmental or hateful! Should I stay in her study group?

Answer: No! It’s very important for Believers to be in Bible studies and churches that teach God’s Word correctly! Your new leader may sound smart, but she is not teaching you the truth. The Scriptures do not tell us to be neutral about sin. Our sins are what keep us separated from a Holy God. And when we sin, we are being disobedient to God. God hates sin. (Proverbs 6:16-19) And, so should we. There’s nothing neutral about that!

But while hating the sin, God loves the sinner and so should we. We are all sinners saved only by the grace of God through our acceptance of His Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior! (John 3:16) Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. He rose on the third day to live again with God the Father!

As for being judgmental, Jesus did say in Matthew 7:1 to “Judge not, that you be not judged.” (NKJV) However, His teaching does not stop there. Verses 3-5 go on to say, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but do not consider the plank in your own eye?… Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

So, while your teacher is correct to say that we shouldn’t be hateful and judgmental hypocrites, she leaves out the rest of God’s teachings. It is not uncommon for those who are leading you away from God to mix their sweet-sounding lies with a little bit of truth.

Another example of this is when these false teachers try to convince you that since you are not committing a certain sin yourself, it’s okay to support leaders who give legitimacy to certain sins being promoted in our culture. But God’s Word doesn’t say supporting these type of leaders is fine. In fact, the scriptures tell us that supporting such leaders would be wrong. (Read Romans 1:18-32)

Therefore, you must not believe these false teachers. They will only lead you away from God. (Matthew 7:15-20) Pray that you don’t fall victim to their sweet talk when what they are saying goes against God’s Word!