Everyone wants to be like Jesus, but no one wants to turn tables, rebuke false teachers, or wash the feet of doubters.
In Isaiah 58:1, the prophet is warned that he must not hold back in his preaching against sin because of some false sense of compassion.
So, on this week’s blog, as our church prepares to study Mark 13:1-8 on Sunday, some reminders about false teachers/teaching.
False teachers make false converts and false converts hire false teachers.# 1 - So much of false teaching boils down to the same thing: Final authority becomes something other than the objective standard of God's word (2 Tim. 3:16).
Satan used the Bible (out of context, mind you – another mark of a false teacher) to tempt Jesus. False teachers follow his example by twisting Scripture to justify sinful desires. Don't be deceived.
#2 - The most effective false teachers know how to make people feel comfortable in their sin, and use Scripture to do it.
Pray for discernment.
#3 - False teachers are often sincere and passionate (2 Tim. 2:16-18).
They are still false teachers.
#4 - False teachers use religion to secure power, steal money, and satisfy their lusts with those they should be serving.
“False prophets in sheep’s clothing are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15). How much more ravenous then are such prophets in shepherd’s clothing.
#5 - False teachers make false converts and false converts hire false teachers.
Salvation comes to everyone who believes. However, the validity of a man’s confession of faith is confirmed or proven false by his life.
#6 - False gospels are seductive because they always tell you that you are more righteous than you are and have more power than you possess.
There's a name for those pastors who never speak of sin, repentance, or hell—they're called false teachers.
#7 - False teachers wouldn't have such influence if professing Christians would stop giving them a platform.
Stop watching. Stop buying. "My people love false prophecy, but what will you do when the end comes?" Jer. 5:31. Let the final day have its present force.
#8 - Much false teaching begins with the assumption that God means to give us our best life now instead of our best life later.
If you don't hear hard things from your preacher, don't trust him. The false prophet says "Peace, Peace, where there is no peace" (Jer. 6:14).
#9 - False shepherds use authority to abuse the flock Jesus purchased with His own blood.
"I don't care if the teaching is false because it makes me feel better." There's a Bible verse about this -> 2 Timothy 4:3
#10 - False prophets come in sheep's clothing, but don't bear fruit. The beauty of fleece and the beauty of fruit are not the same.
The remedy for the distortion of true doctrine is not to replace it with a false doctrine less vulnerable to the distortions.
#11 - We don't want to be boring teachers, but it is better to be a boring teacher than a false teacher.
False teaching in a church is like a cancer that if not cut out, will spread, cripple, weaken and kill the church.
For false teachers, the big question is which message will win human applause. For faithful pastors, it's pleasing the Lord above. Pray for your church to be the latter.
