Question 1

Could my church have false prophets and teachers?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 24:3-4, 11Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, . . . And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.”1 Timothy 4:1-2Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.2 Peter 2:1There were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.1 John 4:1Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.False prophets and teachers have always been around and always will be around. They were common among the Israelite people in the Old Testament, they were common in Jesus’ day, they were in many of the early Christian churches, they could be in your church, and they will be around until Christ returns.

Question 2

What are the signs and characteristics of a false prophet?

Accepted Answer

Deuteronomy 13:1-4“Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before—do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul. Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.”A false prophet will ultimately try to get us to worship “other gods.” A “god” is whatever takes the greatest priority in our lives. A false god or “idol” can be a person, an object, a hobby, a career, or a certain kind of lifestyle. A false prophet will talk more about himself or about other issues than about God. Some false prophets have a great deal of spiritual power. We should be careful to not be deceived by that, for Satan also has spiritual power and gives it to those who serve him. We must make sure that any spiritual power or uncanny vision from our leaders points us to God and doesn’t contradict anything from God’s Word.Jeremiah 23:9-14My heart is broken because of the false prophets, and my bones tremble. . . . For they all do evil and abuse what power they have. . . . They commit adultery and love dishonesty. They encourage those who are doing evil so that no one turns away from their sins.False prophets have evil motives, abuse power, engage in sinful lifestyles, and don’t confront others when they sin. They say what people want to hear, rather than what people need to hear.2 Peter 2:1-3There were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. . . . Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money.False prophets teach heresy, which is any message that contradicts the truth taught in the Bible. Heresy can appear small and harmless—perhaps it may be a half-truth—but it creates an opportunity for Satan to twist our understanding and manipulate our behavior.2 Peter 2:14They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed.False prophets lead their people into sin before they can realize what is happening. They also ignore wrongdoings among the people of their congregation, unless the people are violating their own teachings. Then they become very upset.Colossians 2:9In Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.1 John 4:1-3Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.A false prophet often denies that Jesus was fully God and fully human when he came to earth. Jesus’ identity as the God-man is an essential doctrine of the Christian faith. Jesus had to be fully human in order to experience our human life on earth. He also had to be fully God, sinless so that he could take our sins on himself, die for us, and rise from the dead to show his power over death. That is the basis for our hope and confidence that we, too, will be given this same power over death. Many false prophets or teachers will say that God was either just a good man or that he was divine and never truly became human. This undermines the entire gospel.John 10:10“My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”John 16:33“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”Hebrews 11:35-38Others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.False prophets twist Scripture or take passages out of context. Some, for example, quote the end of John 10:10 and other verses about God’s blessings to teach that God will reward people who have faith with health and wealth. That may be true for some in this life, but the Bible is filled with example of believers who suffered greatly, as we see in the passage from Hebrews 11. We should believe in Jesus because he is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), not for the hope of any earthly rewards.Matthew 7:15-17“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. . . . A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.”1 John 1:6So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.False prophets are motivated by the wrong things. What they say and how they live their lives are usually not consistent.2 Corinthians 2:17You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.2 Peter 2:3In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.False prophets are often greedy and come up with all kinds of schemes to get people’s money. They often don’t reveal how the money is spent and refuse to give accurate accounting.Luke 6:26“What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.”Acts 20:29-30“I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.”2 Corinthians 5:12Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart.Galatians 4:17Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good.False prophets always try to gain a following because they are more concerned about popularity than accurately teaching the Scriptures. They seem obsessed with winning our favor. Usually they distort the truth of Scripture to convince us that they have some secret or special knowledge from God.Ezekiel 13:10“This will happen because these evil prophets deceive my people by saying, ‘All is peaceful’ when there is no peace at all! It’s as if the people have built a flimsy wall, and these prophets are trying to reinforce it by covering it with whitewash!”False prophets try to convince people that all is well with their souls and lives, lulling them into a false sense of security. True prophets will show us how things really are, revealing our sins so we can take the necessary actions to be restored to peace with God.Matthew 23:23-24“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!”Colossians 2:20-23You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.1 Timothy 4:1-3Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth.False teachers can appear very religious and self-disciplined by abstaining from certain activities and foods and urging us to do the same. These kinds of practices do not take away sin nor do they necessarily make anyone more godly. We should not allow a leader’s style or credentials to overly impress us. We must be careful when a leader adds rules to Scripture and tells us that God wants us to follow them. The Pharisees were famous for their rigorous additions to God’s law, but all their pride and rule-keeping only hardened their hearts to Jesus. Spiritual discipline and the study of God’s Word are valuable, but their purpose is to humble us and open the soil of our hearts, not to harden us with pride.Micah 2:11Suppose a prophet full of lies would say to you, “I’ll preach to you the joys of wine and alcohol!” That’s just the kind of prophet you would like!False prophets and false teachers often encourage people to use what is good to excess, causing them to sin. False teachers often only point to the passages in the Bible that talk about freedom and ignore the passages that talk about self-discipline.2 Corinthians 10:12Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!False teachers compare themselves to others rather than God, lowering the spiritual standards they should strive to achieve. They care more about public opinion than God’s opinion.1 Corinthians 2:14People who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.False prophets and teachers don’t have the presence of God’s Holy Spirit in them, which means they don’t have the wisdom of God to discern spiritual matters. False teachers, therefore, will often not understand the work of the Holy Spirit in a group of believers. False teachers cannot feel the confirmation of the Holy Spirit in their hearts, so they will either look for some logical explanation or make up their own special revelations from God.

Question 3

What are some common statements made by false teachers?

Accepted Answer

2 Corinthians 11:4You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.False teachers will say that the Bible is a guideline for good living, not the inspired Word of God. They will define Jesus on their own terms, picking what they like and leaving out what is inconvenient for their lifestyle. They may even claim the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit to justify their teachings.John 10:7He [Jesus] explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.”John 14:6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”Many people resent the Christian claim that Jesus is the only way to God. A false teacher will say that people can get to heaven in many other ways besides Jesus.1 Kings 22:6-8So the king of Israel [Ahab] summoned the prophets, about 400 of them, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?” They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead! The Lord will give the king victory.” But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the Lord here? We should ask him the same question.” The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.”False prophets and teachers will tell people what they want to hear: “You will be successful! All is well! You are doing everything right. You are a good person, and your good deeds will get you to heaven.” Godly teachers, however, are not afraid to confront us when we sin or warn us when our lifestyles are taking us in the wrong direction. The prophet Micaiah never had anything good to say about King Ahab because Ahab was one of the most wicked kings Israel ever had.1 Timothy 1:3-4When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God.False teachers often embroil the church in irrelevant disputes, sidetracking believers from important spiritual discussions and their pursuit of godly living.Matthew 24:23-25“Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.”Matthew 24:36“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.”2 Thessalonians 2:2Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us.Some false teachers will say that Jesus Christ has already come back a second time or that there is no life after death, but if we do enough good deeds we can turn this earth into heaven. Many false teachers have claimed to predict the Second Coming and gathered their followers in preparation—and some have even claimed to be the second coming. Jesus himself tells us to reject all such claims. Many lies will gain popularity, but no one knows the time of Christ’s return besides God himself (Matthew 24:36). And when he does come, there will be no doubts about it.

Question 4

Why is false teaching so deceptive and dangerous?

Accepted Answer

2 Timothy 3:13Evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.False teaching is dangerous because it leads us in the wrong direction, away from God’s truth. As long as Satan has power to deceive, he will use false teachers to deceive people. Some false teachers are fully deceived themselves. The worst kind of deceiver appears sincere and concerned for our good but actually wants to lead us down a path of destruction.Titus 1:10-11There are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money.False teaching is dangerous because it can lead to the spiritual destruction of both individuals and families.Galatians 1:7You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.Jude 1:8In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings.False teaching is dangerous because false prophets and teachers are manipulators. They claim to have spiritual wisdom, but are really seeking to take advantage of people.Jeremiah 14:14Then the Lord said, “These prophets are telling lies in my name. I did not send them or tell them to speak. I did not give them any messages. They prophesy of visions and revelations they have never seen or heard. They speak foolishness made up in their own lying hearts.”False teaching is dangerous because false prophets base their ministries on lies about Jesus, God, and the teachings in Scripture. They claim God’s authority to gain the loyalty of their followers, but they only teach their own ideas. We must be able to discern their lies from God’s truth.

Question 5

How can I keep from being deceived by false teaching?

Accepted Answer

John 10:3-5“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”In these verses, Jesus is saying that when we really know someone, we can instantly recognize his or her voice. We can pick it out in a crowd because it is unique and distinct. In the same way, as we spend time studying the teachings of Jesus and getting to know him better in prayer, we will get to know his voice. When a person is preaching or teaching, we will be able to recognize if what he or she is saying is consistent with what Jesus would say. Knowing Jesus’ voice will protect us from deception.1 Timothy 4:1-13Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth. Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer. If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed. Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.The only way for believers to stand their ground is to be spiritually fit. We should consistently expose ourselves to solid teaching instead of leaving our spiritual formation to chance.James 3:1Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.We should carefully evaluate our spiritual teachers, checking to see if they are people of high moral character. They should consistently point us to Jesus and not to themselves. They should be humble and teach truth consistent with what is in the Bible.Colossians 2:8Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.1 Timothy 6:3Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life.1 John 4:1Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.We can to recognize the devil and his lies by knowing God and his truth. Being familiar with the lies Satan often uses will also prepare us to counter them. Satan has practiced his lies over millennia—but that also means we can prepare for his game plan.

False Prophets & Teachers