You ever Googled “pictures of false teachers”? I did the other day, and it’s amazing who shows up. You may think it just shows pictures related to people like Jim Jones or David Koresh. You know, the obvious people.
You would be surprised at who shows up. The faces of many popular mainstream ministers, male and female, smiled back at me as I looked at my computer screen. It’s not only outright adding to and taking away from of the Bible that falls into the “false teachers” category.
It’s the folks who use the Bible for their own purposes. Who manipulate what is written into their own interpretation.
“Did God really say?”
Remember, the serpent was subtle.
Paul addressed in his letter to Timothy:
2Timothy 4:2-4 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
People are so desperate for answers, for material possessions, for the things that this world has to offer that they listen to preachers and teachers who have manipulated Scripture to offer worldly things in the name of Jesus Christ.
They hear what they want to hear to get the things that they want to get.
And it’s really sad to see people’s reactions when we measure these teachers against Scripture. I had a pastor’s wife blast me, accuse me of being judgmental, and unfriend me on Facebook because I called out an unBiblical teaching from a popular television evangelist.
What did Paul say to Timothy?
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables”.
It amazes me that these false teachers can fill auditoriums with people who drive hundreds or thousands of miles to see them, pay good money to listen to them, buy every book they write, can quote them to the letter, and live according to their teachings; but they don’t know Scripture and what God really meant in His Word.
Stadiums are overflowing, mega churches are filled; yet our local, Bible preaching/teaching churches are practically empty on Sundays and mid week services. Sunday mornings might even draw a good crowd, but when the rubber meets the road, the sanctuary is empty.
Fun days, church carnivals, Christian concerts, and food events draw hundreds into the local church; but when The Bread of Life reaches out to them to come and be filled, they walk away.
Christians can be blamed for some of this. I read this quote the other day on Twitter:
“Most people don’t go to church because they have met someone who does”
What does this say for God’s people? I believe that the world is so easily being reached by these false teachings because we as Christians are failing to follow Christ’s command to go into the world and spread the Gospel.
I have a friend who participates in the Mormon religion. We had lunch together one day a few years ago and she wanted to share her faith with me in hopes of converting me to Mormonism. I shared my faith with her as well, and then I asked her why she chose the Mormon faith. She explained to me that she had attended a Baptist church in the area and that when her mother passed away, no one at her church shared any concern, support or caring over her loss. Soon after this, she was visited by someone of the Mormon faith who was very sympathetic to her, and provided to her what her previous church family should have provided but didn’t.
Can you see the confusion that people might experience and how easy it is to fall into false teachings? We as Christians preach Christ, but we don’t do a good job at living Christ. Some lost people or misguided people know enough about Jesus to know that we talk about Him, but we don’t look like Him at all.
So, they see someone who has the outer appearance of Jesus, and they are drawn to them (remember, Satan can appear as an angel of light; and can quote Scripture); they are drawn to their church, and soon indoctrinated with these false teachings.
I recently have been learning more about how active the Jehovah’s Witnesses are in this area. How? I started visiting people and asking about their faith, and their relationship with Christ. I was told by people how the Jehovah’s Witnesses visit them, and offer and provide weekly one on one “Bible study” right in their homes.
To think how powerful it would be if the True Church did the same thing!
Instead, we sit back and wait for the lost to come to us; and instead of accepting them where they are and sharing the Gospel and discipling them, we get angry about how they are living. Why do Christians get mad when the lost act lost?
It’s our job to show them another way. What is the best way to do that? By living it.
By walking the talk.
God has some powerful words for those who manipulate His Word:
Jeremiah 23:29-31 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
Jesus warns of false prophets:
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
So, what can we do when we hear a preacher or teacher to make sure we are not being deceived?
1John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
We must try each teaching against the Word of God. Don’t just read Scripture; study Scripture.
If it’s a particular denomination or religion, research their beliefs and compare them to true Christianity; measure what they teach against God’s Holy Word.
Know what God really said so you’ll know what He didn‘t say.
Another approach I have encountered lately is this statement:
“Well, Jesus never said anything about (fill in the blank: homosexuality, abortion, etc)”
Oh, the lengths we will go to justify our sin.
Join me next time as we discuss this further.
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