The Reality Of False Teachers

A. The Bible warns Christians that, in every generation, there will be false teachers, people influenced by
the powers of Satan. They will depart for the written, inspired Word and cause people to be lost. Today, in our time and generation, many preachers, teachers make the claim, “God told me; God revealed to me this teaching....” By making these claims they imply that they are inspired and receive direct revelation. That way they can evade, circumvent God’s Word and teach new doctrine not in the New Testament. Why do they do that? They are motivated by the spirit of error.
1. Look at three scriptures that sternly warn us about the deceiving power of Satan in the world today. Eph. 6:10-13. 2 COR. 10:3-5. 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, (How?) steadfast in the faith.” How do I know what is the faith? Rom. 10:17. What is not from the Word is not from God. This Bible is the Word.
a. Two great powers warring for the souls of those created in God’s image. The apostle John in 1
Jno. 4:1, speaks with the authority of the Holy Spirit and says, “Dear friends, do not believe every
spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have
gone out into the world.” Do you understand what that means? Not everyone who claims to be a
Christian is a Christian. You can put a blond wig and lipstick on a pig. That doesn’t make it a
beautiful blond woman. It’s still a pig. Not everyone who claims to be a teacher of God’s Word is
one. Our world is filled with false teachers who are trying to pass off pigs as beautiful blonds.
They will lead you astray. You need to know God’s Word for yourself. Many Christians are to lazy,
or to involved in their job, hobby or other interests in life to study God’s Word. And so they let every self-proclaimed preacher, with a disguised pig, tell them what they believe. And they have no idea whether or not it’s true. And we’re no different. That’s the very reason some people, in this congregation, believed the false doctrine and lies of some men and were led away to start
another congregation down town. And even some of you believed them for a while.
(A) Early on in his ministry, Jesus warned His disciples in Matt. 7:15?20. Paul commands us to be aware, be on guard against false Teachers. 1 Tim. 4:1?3; 2 Tim. 4:1?5. As an evangelist I am charged with the responsibility of recognizing and exposing those who teach error. Who teach something other than God’s Word. Who teach ½ Truths in order to teach a false doctrines. I am also charged with making sure that you believe and practice correct doctrine. To the Christians at Corinth, and to all Christians through out all time Paul gives this charge in 2 Cor. 13:5?6, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you???unless indeed you are disqualified.”
(1) Many will receive a rude awakening one day for not doing this, Matt 7:15?16. Then in
Vs. 21?23, "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.”

(1) After Jesus ascended back into heaven, the apostle John repeats this charge and warning in 2 John 7?11, “For many deceivers (Do you understand the reality of

that statement?) have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as
coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that
we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have
God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If
anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your
house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”
(2) 1 Corinthians 14:37, “They recognized the words of the Apostles as the Word of God.” 2 Peter 3:15?17, ...”as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked.” Apostles recognized the writings of their fellow apostles as being equivalent to the Inspired Word of God. 2 Pet. 3-6, Another contrast between the children of the devil and the children of God. Jno. 14:21?24, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him....Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?" (How can we know who is a Christian other than ourselves?) Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.”
(2) The First way to know who is a Christian is to Listen to what they teach and believe. These scriptures are talking about doctrine. What you believe and teach about God, Jesus and the Church. The original doctrines and teachings about how to become a Christian and how the Church is organized and how Christians live is written in this book. The pattern of faith and belief has been established once and for all time. We are not to depart from it. To those who sought to change it the apostle Paul spoke these words in Gal. 1:6-12. What’s Paul saying? I speak what I got by direct, inspired, revelation of God and if you don’t believe it and obey it, you have a problem in your relationship with God. You need to check it out.
(2) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 09/07/03 am