False Teachers are Dangerous Spiritual Counterfeits: How To Identify Them and What To Do About It - Part 1

Paul's warning to the Ephesian churches is maybe more pertinent today than ever:

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.” (Ac 20:28-29)

There will be false teachers operating among the Lord’s churches (Ac 20:28-29; Matt 7:15) and in our day of great apostasy this is maybe worse than ever. The Bible plainly reveals this, so we're not going to deny that reality by telling you there is a way to be rid of these men in their entirety. They operated in Corinth, they influenced the church at Thessalonica, they targeted the Galatian churches, and they infested the church at Pergamos. Other examples could be given from the NT. Our job is to warn of them and oppose them but many don't get it or like it.

One cannot read very far in the Bible and not come across God repeatedly making a difference between true doctrine and teachers and false doctrine and teachers. Over and over the trumpet sounds about false doctrine and false teachers: e.g. Matt. 7:15-23; 24:4-5,11,24; Ac. 3:6-12; 20:28-35; I Cor. 15:12,33-36; 2 Cor. 11:1-4,12-15; Gal. 1:6-9; 2:4-5; 5:1-12; Eph. 4:11-14; Phil. 3:1-3; 3:17-19; Col. 2:8; 2:9-23; 1 Tim. 1:3-11; 4:1-6; 2 Tim. 3:1-4:4; Ti. 1:9-16; 3:9-11; 2 Pet. 2:1-22; 3:14-18; 1 Jn. 2:18-29; 4:1-6; 2 Jn. 1:6-11; Ju. 1:3-19; etc. The Bible frequently warns the Christian be careful and not to be gullible, not to accept every man who claims to be a preacher, and test everything by the Word of God (1 Jn. 4:1-6). This means the servant of Christ must exercise judgment (Jn. 7:24; Pr. 21:15). False teachers can have the appearance of godliness (Matt. 7:15) and they deceive by appearing to be true preachers. We must not be taken up by how someone says something or how sincere the speaker is, neither look upon his countenance. Our fidelity must be to the Lord Jesus Christ and His truth alone (Pr. 14:15). Jesus warned His disciples in Matt 16 to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, for "a little leaven leaventh the whole lump" (Gal. 5:9).

The Danger of False Teachers

False teachers are everywhere in evangelicalism, reformed calvinism, protestantism, Baptists, including in the ranks of the independent Baptist churches today, which we believe are the only true churches in our present world.

Scripture warns of false teachers repeatedly: Matt. 7:15-23; 24:4-5, 11, 23-24; Ac 20:29-30; Rom. 16:17-18; 2 Cor. 11:3-4, 12-15; Gal. 2:3-4; 3:1; 5:7-12; Eph. 5:6-11; Col. 2:4, 8; Phil. 3:2, 18-20; 1 Tim. 4:1-6; 6:3-5; 2 Tim. 3:1-10; 4:1-5; Ti 1:9-16; 2 Pet. 2:1-3, 15-22; 1 Jn. 2:18-19; 2 Jn. 1:9-11; 3 Jn. 1:9–11; Ju. 1:3-16; Rev. 2-3; etc. For instance,

“Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers,” (Phil. 3:2a)

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matt 7:15)

"For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." (AC 20:29-30)

The Lord Jesus Christ commanded His redeemed to beware of false prophets (Matt. 7:15-17), as did the apostles, who stood against false teachers with great boldness and conviction. For instance: Ac. 13:8-12; 15:1-2; 20:28-31; Rom. 16:17-18; Gal. 1:6-9; Phil. 3:17-21; Col. 2:8, 18-23; 1 Tim. 1:5-7, 19-20; 4:1-3; 6:20-21; 2 Tim. 1:15; 2:16-18; 3:13; 4:14; Ti. 1:9-16; 2 Pet. 2:1-22; 1 Jn. 2:18-23; 4:1-3; Ju. 1:3-16. False doctrines, false gospels, false christs, false spirits are a great spiritual danger for true born again Christians, but also false deceived "believers" (1 Cor 11:3-4). Paul was afraid for the Corinthian believers, afraid that they would bear, or compromise with false teachers, afraid that many were not true believers.

The Bible warns of many false teachers and prophets among the true (with many followers), who secretly come in, and appear godly.

False teachings will come from within and from without (Ac 20: 29-30).The second epistle of Peter places a special emphasis on warning of and exposing false teachers/prophets.

2 Pet 2:1,

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."

Israel had great and faithful men of God who gave them the Word of God, but among these holy men of God Israel also had ungodly men like Korah, Dathan and Abiram, Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah, Hananiah who contradicted Jeremiah, and others. Those were men "among the people" who were false prophets. So, while men of God were giving the Word of God to the people of God there were ministers of Satan (2 Cor 11:14,15) contradicting the God's Word given by holy men of God. Though there were false religions outside the camp of Israel, with there false gods and false priests and false prophets of those false gods, the greatest risk to Israel involved those “among the people.” This was such a huge danger that God commanded Israel to put to death any prophet among them that opposed the Word of God (De 13:1-5). Those "among the people" were the most dangerous because they appeared to be with God and His people when they were actually with the Enemy.

“Even as there shall be false teachers among you.” Among who? The Lord’s churches of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bythinia (1 Pet 1:1; 5:1-4). These were assemblies that were directly influenced by the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. These were all NT churches of the Lord’s that were made up of people of “like precious faith” with the Apostles (2 Pet 1:1). They had overseers/ pastors/ elders who served the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet 4:1-4). They were churches “in the true grace of God” (1 Pet 5:12), made up of those who were “elect according to the foreknowledge of God” (1 Pet 1:2). They had “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet 1:3), were called "to glory and virtue" (2 Pet 1:3), were recipients of “exceeding great and precious promises” (2 Pet 1:4), were “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet 1:4), had "escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pet 1:4), had Scripture (2 Pet 1:12), and were established in the truth (2 Pet 1:12).

Paul also warned of false teachers bring in the church at Corinth (1 Cor 15:12), and Paul did not ignore this problem. 

Yet, right there among those God-owned NT churches, there would be "false teachers" who would “privily bring in damnable heresies.” Don’t miss that word “privily.” They didn’t then, and they don’t today, announce themselves as false teachers. They bring in the heresies in a sneaky fashion, creeping in and operating under the guise of being Biblical. False teachers are characteristically sneaky and deceitful (Gal 2:4 “unawares brought in, who came in privily”). “Privily” refers to entering in a stealthy manner, pretending to be a Bible-believing Christian while holding heretical doctrines, whether wittingly or unwittingly (severely self-deceived). Peter’s warning is consistent with Paul’s revelation to the church of Ephesus in Ac 20:29.30 and Galatia in Gal 2:4-5, Jude's sounding of the alarm in Ju 1:3-19, and the Lord Jesus' warning on false teachers/prophets: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matt 7:15). Christ indicates that false teachers have the appearance of godliness (Matt 7:15). They deceive by appearing to be true preachers. Notice also what He says here: “which come to you…” You, those that are saved or professing to be—not the non-religious lost! Christ also made it clear that His people would know them. “Ye shall know them by their fruits” (Matt 7:16). False teachers are known by their fruit (vv. 16-20). The certain fruit of a false teacher is his doctrinal heresies (Ac 20:30; Rom 16:17; Gal 1:6-7; 1 Tim. 1:3; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 Jn 4:1-2).

It is no accident that Matt 7:15-20—Christ's warning on false teachers/prophets—is followed by the warning found in vv. 21-23. There will be many unsaved professing Christians (vv. 21-23), secondary because of the many false prophets/teachers. Salvation is not a religious act, what false teachers have and purvey, but a real and true personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Salvation is not complicated but many come for the wrong reasons (help with some earthly trouble, adding Jesus to one’s other gods, to get a “ticket to heaven” with no intention of surrendering and submitting to God, etc.).

Sadly many Bible-believing independent baptist churches today don't get the warning in passages such as 2 Pet 2:1 and Ac 21:29-30. Most sermons delivered on the book of Jude, 2 Pet 2, Ac 20:29-30, Matt 7:15-20, and the like, cry out against popes, ecumenical leaders, TV preachers, Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, etc, but rarely heretical neo-evangelical main stream preachers (such as Rick Warren, Billy Graham, David Jeremiah, Charley Stanley, Francis Chan, Bianca Olthoff, Max Lucado, etc) or conservative Reformed Calvinists (such as John Calvin, Augustine, Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, Al Mohler, Steven Lawson, Alistair Begg, Tim Keller, James White, John Piper, RC Sproul, The Gospel Coalition, David Platt, etc), or Baptist / independent Baptist heretics (such as Jack Hyles, Jack Schaap, Paul Chappell, Clarence Sexton, Bob Gray, Steven Anderson, Michael Sullivant, etc). Of course the former need to be exposed, but the latter are the more dangerous, the Lord and His Apostles emphasized the danger of false teachers working among the NT churches. The result is that our own ranks are infested with false teachers, who wave the flag of NT church and Biblical preacher, and yet they are false teachers. The wolves are among the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are influencing NT Baptists as they preach, persuade, and practice according to their own fleshly ideas, extra-Biblical clichés, and philosophies of men, instead of the Word of God. They do all of this right in the midst of the Lord's churches and very few say anything about them because they are safely cloaked in the label of "independent Baptist" and protected in the big boys club. These men will often respond to serious Scriptural warnings with non-inspired, unBiblical statements such as "it takes no size to criticize," or "I never answer my critics." These false teachers are a serious threat to the purity of the Lord's churches, for they have infiltrated and influenced these bodies that have been bought with the Lord's blood.

False teachers also many times have a big following. 2 Pet 2:2-3 speaks to this,

"And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."

By deceiving the people through "good words and fair speeches" (Rom 16:18) they develop a pernicious following, and because of covetousness, they speak evil of true believers behind their backs, and fakeness before their faces.

False teachers lead the unsaved (mostly false professing believers) to eternal damnation, wittingly or unwittingly.

Fellowship with error is dangerous and corrupting (1 Cor 15:33). False teachers seek to turn people from true faith, as Elymas the sorcerer attempted (Ac 13:8).

The most dangerous aspect to the false teachings of a false teacher is their propensity to influence the unsaved into eternal damnation. Undoubtedly, spiritual death is MUCH more critical than physical death. The guy preaching a false gospel is worse than the Moslem devil killing children with his car.

Modern false teachers are reminiscent of the false teachings that were creeping into the church at Galatia. Paul said there were “false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.” (Gal. 2:4-5). False teachers are not satisfied being on their own. They do not have a relationship with the Triune God, so the only satisfaction they procure in this life is what they achieve through their flesh and people. Thus, they endeavour to grow a group and this they do through putting professing believers into bondage to their system, their words, their church, their law.

False teachers reject the true liberty found in Christ Jesus. “While they promise them liberty...” (2 Pet 2:19; Gal 2:4) in areas that they claim, with no Scriptural support and totally eisegetical, are “secondary issues,” or “non-essentials,” or methods based on preferences. They tout Rom 15, Gal 5, and Col 2 as “liberty” passages that they declare tell us we are free to decide for ourselves on a myriad of issues, when, in fact, those passages deal with food, circumcision, and holy days. They stretch them in an attempt to declare that you can pretty much do whatever you want to do in the Lord’s ministry (as long as you dedicate it to the Lord) because you have “liberty.” Have you ever noticed that the neo-evangelicals will tell you that you have liberty to drink booze, go out dancing, curse and swear, dress immodestly or gender indistinctively, watch whatever they want, use any Bible version you prefer, etc. while the independent Baptists that compromise will tell you that you have liberty to do whatever you prefer with baptism authority, the Lord’s Supper, fellowship, missions, man-made movements and ministries, church offices, etc., all while the Scripture gives very detailed teaching concerning these matters.

Those who teach false gospels reject liberty in Christ Jesus (Gal 2:4). Only the gospel of grace alone can produce liberty for the believer. The Gospel produces liberty because it is by grace through faith without works (Rom 10:1-6). Jesus satisfied the Mosaic Law, and the believer is not therefore under bondage to it. The believer’s relationship to the Mosaic Law is like a woman whose first husband is dead and she is married to another (Rom. 7:1-4). She is not under bondage to the first husband in any sense whatsoever. If the believer must do anything whatsoever for his salvation, if he must add anything to the grace of Christ, he cannot have true liberty because he cannot be sure that he has done his part sufficiently. This is why those who teach false gospels of grace plus works do not believe in eternal security. The true gospel of the grace of Christ produces life, liberty and eternal security, because the believer’s sins are covered by the blood of Christ and his eternal inheritance was purchased by Christ, and he serves God because he has been saved not in order to be saved or to hold only his salvation. Those who try to intermingle grace with the Law of Moses pervert the gospel (Gal 2:2-5). This is true of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Christ, many Mennonite sects, and every other group and denomination that teaches that salvation is by grace plus works or sacraments.

These false teachers keep unsaved people in their bondage to their works and keep the truth of the gospel from them. They do not understand what it means to have “liberty . . . in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 5:1), and all those who teach false gospels reject liberty in Christ Jesus (Gal. 5:4). Only the gospel of grace alone can produce liberty for the believer. If the believer must do anything whatsoever for his salvation, if he must add anything to the grace of Christ, he cannot have true liberty because he cannot be sure that he has done his part sufficiently.

Corrupters or deniers of the biblical doctrine of repentance and Christ's lordship for salvation, are also preaching a false gospel and are thus false teachers. We cover this subject here in some detail: Lordship Salvation is Salvation, here: Salvation Requires Surrendering to Jesus Christ as Lord, here: The Cause of Most False Professions Today, here: Repentance — The Foundation of Salvation, and here: The Call to Discipleship is a Call to Salvation.

False teachers bring in errors, heresies and damnable heresies.

The list of errors and heresies could almost be endless. We expose many here at 20/20, most of which are classified under the Report heading, "Exposing Error and False Teachers." In 1 Cor 11:19, hairesis is used for error pertaining to the practice of the Lord’s Supper. Heresies are not limited to fundamental errors. There are also "damnable heresies" warned of in 2 Pet 2:1, which are heresies that bring eternal judgment and result in souls being damned to eternal hellfire. This error is concerning the gospel and soteriology. In 2 Pet 2:1 Peter gives an example of a damnable heresy: “denying the Lord that bought them.” This is the denial of Christ's Lordship. Any false teaching about the Person of Jesus Christ or His substitutionary atonement brings damnation because this is a false christ and a false gospel. Damnable heresies also include denying that Jesus is the Christ or that He has to be received as Lord, denying His virgin birth, His incarnation as fully God and fully man, His eternal Sonship, His sinless character (e.g., the heresy that Jesus partook of fallen human nature), His miracles, His substitutionary atonement, and His bodily resurrection. In 2 Cor 11:4, Paul lists three major categories of damnable doctrines: false christs, false gospels, and false spirits.

Peter says of false teachers in 2 Pet 2, “presumptuous are they, self-willed...” And they are. Like Nadab and Abihu, who were presumptuous and dared to offer strange fire before the LORD, they offer to the Lord—in His worship and service—that which He has not called for. Instead of humbly submitting to God’s plan and program, they speak and guide from their own heart with vain philosophies of men.

False teachers are blasphemers.

We often confine blasphemy to using God’s name in vain, but blasphemy is in fact much more than that, noted even in its definition: “the action or offence of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk.” It is any form of evil of speaking against God and His Word, which would include any perversion of His truth. The verb from which we get the transliterated word “blasphemy” appears over 30x in the NT, and often carries the sense of making a false report against God. That may seem like an over-simplification, but it is the substance of all railing and evil speech against God. In Scripture, the false teachers blasphemed by their false doctrine, just as Paul had blasphemed God before he was saved, by his attack upon the truth in Jesus Christ. He caused believers to blaspheme God by denying their faith. Actively following and teaching and promoting false doctrine is blasphemous, because it is promoting error and falsehood in contrast to God’s truth. This is particularly true for a false gospel, a false christ, or a false spirit.

For instance, consider the teaching of losing salvation. This false teaching perverts and corrupts the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore it's “another gospel” (2 Cor. 11:3-4), which is not another, but a perverted and accursed gospel (Gal. 1:8-9). Furthermore, it’s blasphemous because it denies the wisdom of God; it says that He doesn't know what He's doing. It blasphemous because it denies the love of God; it says He does not care and He will stop loving those He had promised to never stop loving even in His chastisement (when they sin unrepentantly)--cf. Pr 3:10-11; Heb 12:5-11; Rom 8:35-39. It’s blasphemous because it denies the power of God; it says that He isn't able to keep me and deliver me, and to never leave me nor forsake me, as He has promised to (Heb 13:5-6; Eph 1:19; Phil 1:6). It’s blasphemous because it charges Christ with casting his children into hellfire, since that’s where those that hypothetically lose their salvation would go, since all that are born again “are dead, and [their] life is hid with Christ in God.” (Col. 3:3). It's blasphemous because it declares that God will not answer the prayers of His Son (Jn. 17:1-3, 4-6, 9-12). Worse yet, even the very worse (I know, it seems it couldn’t get any worse), it is so blasphemous that it undermines and disgraces the blood of Christ, which brings eternal redemption and inheritance to ALL that are covered by it  (Heb 9:11-15, “[Christ] by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. . . . they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”). When a man charges God with error, injustice, or some other falsity, he blasphemes. This has to be applied across the board. There is no excuse for the continued teaching that God's grace and promises will not perform what He has so explicitly stated. To teach thus is to blaspheme against the very grace of God that bringeth salvation.

False teachings are always of the devil (Ac 13:10), and false teachers are servants of Satan (2 Cor 11:12-15), whether knowingly or unknowingly.

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Cor 11:13-15)

The Marks and Characteristics of False Teachers

There are a number of characteristics that identity the false teacher, though man is superb at deceiving and manipulating his fellow man. Not every false teacher reflects all these characteristics. Some may be present and dominant, while others hidden and insidious. It's important to understand that one does not need obvious outward reflection of all the following characteristics to be a false teacher. Some might be more obvious than others. The characteristics of false teachers are not an ‘all or none.’ Some of the characteristics may be there, while others not. Moreover, the following is not exhaustive, because, no doubt, other factors may come into play that would clearly identify a person as a false teacher (such as a homosexual teacher, or an adulterer who is a teacher, or a female pastor, 1 Tim 2:11-14; 1 Cor 14:34-37; 6:9-10). These marks do not necessarily stand alone, that is, that a man would have only one mark that is characteristic of his life and not any others. But, for the sake of simplicity and to help in identification, one mark is all it takes.

These are obvious false prophets/teachers:

Those identified above are fairly easy to mark. False teachers that practically carry a banner. But we can say that because we are born again and thus have spiritual discernment due to the indwelling Spirit of God. When people are unsaved, they cannot discern the errors and evils of false religions so easy.

Believers need to use the weapons of truth which God has given us, so that we identify and deal with every false teaching and fraud in the spiritual arena in which we live. Note their characteristics. They can be seen absolutely everywhere around us on the landscape of Christendom. Mark such evil entities and avoid them. A true servant of Christ has discernment to perceive great subtleness of false teachers who profess Christianity and come close to the truth.

False teachers corrupt doctrine and many times the gospel.

There are many types of false teachings and teachers. Some false doctrines are “damnable” (2 Pet 2:1), which refers to a teaching that destroys the very gospel, and if accepted, brings eternal damnation. False teachers have exchanged the true gospel with “the commandments of and doctrines of men” (Col. 2:22). Some misuse the law, teaching that salvation (and maintenance of it), is achieved through man's works of the law (Col. 2:16-17; 1 Tim. 1:7). They make the law a means to salvation; whereas the right use of the law, is to reveal sin and lead to Christ (1 Tim 1:8-10; Gal. 3). This is the only true gospel (1 Tim. 1:11).

When a preacher or teacher embraces a false gospel, and/or wilfully teaches error from the pulpit in his sermons or in his writings or videos, etc, and refuses to be corrected or even listen to the concerns, the Bible says such a man is a false teacher: Pr 15:10, 31-32; 29:1; 2 Pet 3:16-17; Rom 16:17-18; Ti 3:10; 2 Jn 1:9-11; 3 Jn 1:9-11; Ps 50:21-23; 58:1; etc. They are to be sharply reproved and rebuked for their error and sin (Pr 24:23-25; Ti 1:13; 3:10; Matt 23:13-33; 2 Cor 11:4, 12-15; Gal 2:4-5; 3:1-3). They are to be marked (exposed) and avoided (separated from) (Rom 16:17-18; Eph 5:11). Their false doctrine should be countenanced angrily (Pr 19:27; 25:23; Mt 23:3-33; Jn 2:14-17) because it is terrible and destructive (Gal 5:9).

Every professing teacher of Christ fruit of doctrine must be examined. If his doctrine is unsound or impure, avoid him (Rom. 16:17; 2 Jn 1:10-11; 2 Tim 3:8-9). Even though the teachers "God-talk" may proliferate, we must examine the fruit of his doctrine — corrupt doctrine comes from a corrupt tree and these cannot be the children of God. A lot of things false teachers teach is simply not true. It’s made up. Man-made fiction and fables.

True Biblical teaching/doctrine always produces godly fruit (1 Tim. 1:4). True doctrine is edifying and produces godliness and faith. False doctrine, on the other hand, produces unanswered and unsettling questions, confusion, and doubt. False teachers (Matt 7:15) are known by their fruit (Matt 7:16-20). The Bible says that preachers are to have uncorrupt doctrine (Ti 2:7) and the sure fruit of a false teacher is his doctrinal heresies (e.g Ac. 20:30; Rom. 16:17-18; Gal. 1:6-7; 1 Tim. 1:3; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 Jn. 4:1-2). It is probably the most clearly evident fruit.

When a man stands up and preaches, or writes a message or article concerning Christianity, we don’t need him to do some kind of miracle to validate himself. His smiles, kindness, genuineness, booming voice, etcetera, are not validations of being a true teacher and preacher of God. We can tell whether he is true or not by simply measuring what he says and believes and preaches against the Bible. Because that is the revealed final standard for knowing whether something is true or not. A true born again believer knows the truth and understands the truth, manifested to him or her at the moment of salvation, and then onward throughout the Christian life (1 Jn 2:20-21, 27; Pr 8:8-9; 22:21-22) growing in wisdom and knowledge. He can thus test everything spiritually because he has the truth and the Teacher of truth dwelling in him, "he that is spiritual judgeth all things," (1 Cor 2:15).

1 Jn 2:20-21, 27:

“But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

Corruption of the gospel changes the true gospel (Gal. 1:7). False gospels are not completely new and different; they merely change the true gospel in some way. Perversion and corruption of the gospel is a “damnable heresy” (2 Pet. 2:1), meaning that those who hold it cannot be saved. God’s curse is upon false gospels AND upon those who preach them (Gal. 1:8-9). “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word [God’s Word], it is because there is NO light in them.” (Is. 8:20). NOT some light, but NO light. A perverted and accursed gospel (Gal. 1:8-9) is not light but darkness.

False teachers also do not abide in the doctrine of Christ.

“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God." (2 Jn 1:9a)

False teachers almost always corrupt the gospel in some fashion, especially in the areas of repentance and Christ’s Lordship. These are two of the greatest attacks on the gospel today. Sometimes its not a denial in words, but in works (Ti 1:16). They will reject the authority of Christ over them. They despise civil authorities, though not necessarily expressed (Ju 1:8, 11). They teach that one may believe in Jesus as Saviour, but not as Lord, and still be saved. This rejection of Christ’s Lordship is rampant in our day. They teach that one may be justified, yet not sanctified. They teach that not all Christians are “disciples.” They slander advocates of holiness as “legalists.” Their chief end is happiness of man, not God's glory.

The Bible was given for doctrine (2 Tim. 3:16) and is to be preached with doctrine (2 Tim. 4:2). A person is only saved by believing the right doctrine (1 Tim 4:16). We are not to be cast about by every wind of false doctrine (Eph. 4:14), and are commanded to not allow any false doctrine (1 Tim. 1:3). Preachers are to take heed to all Bible doctrine (1 Tim. 4:16; Ac. 20:27-28) so he can edify and protect the local church (Ti. 1:9). Only true to the NT churches (as noted here: Marks of a True Local Church According to the Seven Churches of Revelation), are the “pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). The true pillar and local body of believers is to be “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27) but majority churches today are far from that Biblical standard. 1 Tim 3:15 teaches that the foremost characteristic of a true local church is TRUTH. The ministers of God (2 Cor 5:18-20) are commanded “That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:” (1 Tim. 6:14) and pastors and evangelists and teachers commanded to "speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:" (Ti. 2:1), to "Hold fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." (Ti. 1:9). Each individual believer is exhorted to “be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” (2 Pet. 3:14). Jude instructed every believer to “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints” (Ju 1:3). As Jude didn’t delineate only corruption of soteriology is to be defended ("the common salvation" - Ju 1:3), the obvious direction is that whatever aspect of the faith is under attack, it should be defended. Scripture is crystal clear that church leadership is to only teach “sound doctrine” (Ti 2:1) and “no other doctrine” (1 Tim 1:6). Saved people believe and teach the truth, not heresy (Ti 3:10-11; 2 Tim 4:3-4), because they know the truth, since they are taught the truth by the “Spirit of truth” (Pr 8:8-9; 22:20-21; 1 Jn 2:20-21).

With that said, the Bible does not teach that everyone that ever gets a passage or doctrine wrong is a false teacher. There are examples of ignorance or forgetfulness in the churches of the NT. Read the Epistles and you’ll know what we are referring to. This is also not a matter of godly people who need a little instruction like Apollos. These men that the Bible warns about (by the apostles Paul, Peter, John, and the Lord, etc) are sneaky, covetous, ungodly men who spread false doctrines and practices among the true churches of Jesus Christ.

False teachers habitually corrupt, wrest and falsely divide Scripture, thereby confusing and contradicting Scripture and doctrine.

This is maybe one of the most important rules of identifying false teachers, also one of the easiest, and further, the most attacked.

False teachers “wrest . . . the . . . Scriptures,” which is an “error of the wicked,” for they are “unlearned and unstable,” which they do “unto their own destruction.” (2 Pet 3:16-17).

Some of the preaching of false teachers is of “an uncertain sound” (1 Cor. 14:8), “without life giving sound” (1 Cor. 14:7), for they indeed “occupy the room of the unlearned” (1 Cor 14:16), "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (cf. 2 Tim 3:7).

False teachers have a form of godliness but are deceptive spiritual counterfeits and frauds.

False teachers have "a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” (2 Tim. 3:5). The “power” “of godliness” is the power of the gospel (Rom 1:16) and the Scriptures (Heb 4:12) and when the false teacher is confronted with the condition of their souls and need of salvation, he rejects and resists the truth (2 Tim. 3:8). And when someone rejects the sound truth of God’s Word, the devil blinds him even further with fables (2 Tim. 4:4).

False teachers are deceivers, sly spiritual snakes. In Matt 24, Christ makes it clear that there will be many false christs (v. 5), many false teachers (v. 11) and that many will be deceived by them (v. 11).

By every appearance, Balaam manifested to be a man of God, a genuine prophet. His God-given words to prophecy attested to his being a prophet (Num 22:8, 13, 34, 38; 23:12, 28; 24:13); God was speaking to him and through him (Num 22:9, 12, 20, 32-35; 23:4-5, 16, 18-24); Balaam appeared to worship God in spirit and truth (Num 22:31); and he blessed the people of God (Num 23:5, 7-10, 18-24; 24:2-9, 15-19). But in reality Balaam was a diviner (one who uses omens to determine God's will) and a soothsayer (possessing certain powers not of God), the practices of which were condemned in De 18. Many false teachers, spiritual counterfeits, are modern day Balaam's.

But Balaam is not the only false pagan teacher that God appeared to. There are other instances in the Bible where God appears to pagan peoples and reveals Himself: Ambimalech in a dream (Gen 20:6-7); Pharaoh (Gen 41:25); Nebuchadnezzar before his conversion (Dan 2; 4); Pilate's wife through suffering in a dream (Matt 27:19); Saul (1 Sam 19:23-24); and to Caiphas (Jn 11:51-52).

Just because an individual seems to have great powers or a large following or that God is "using" him, doesn't mean that the person is a genuine "prophet," let alone a true believer in Jesus Christ. The person could be a pagan, a false prophet, false teacher, a spiritual fraud, who God is using for His purposes. Spiritual frauds are quite capable of quoting the Word of God, of sounding pious and true, yet can be totally wicked. The world is loaded with this kind. God speaking through a false prophet does not signal a true born again believer, any more than Balaam's donkey was a believer because God spoke through him (Num. 23:21-30). In fact, the deception of a false prophet appearing to be from God was so prevalent in OT times that God established another screen for true prophets, in addition to accurate predictions — 'Do they lead you to worship other gods?'

"Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;" (De 13:1-5)

Many so-called professing Christians and Churches today tolerates Balaams — 'They say some good things. They use the Bible.' That might be true but their doctrine and how they deal with Scripture gives them away. They are false prophets, corrupting and destroying the local Churches from the inside! We need to learn the lesson Israel learned the hard way from her unfortunate exposure to Balaam and his unscrupulous methods.

The issue is not whether there is some good in their teachings. The issue is their erroneous doctrinal teachings from which the Bible commands us to separate. Beware of those who reject spiritual separation. In these apostate days of ecumenism, there are scores of frauds about us who make little distinction between what is right or wrong, whose energies are devoted to man-made unity while they de-emphasize doctrine and purity, whose purposes are to appeal to the hearts of the masses while neglecting the truth of God. Inclusivism over areas of agreement can never take precedence over our obligation to separate because of error.

False teachers honour Christ with their lips but their hearts are far from Him, following after the lusts of their flesh and after other false teachers.

Like Balaam, false teachers “have forsaken the right way” that has been delivered and commanded by God, and instead, go astray, “following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.” (2 Pet 2:15). They do this by utilizing fleshly, carnal means and methods to promote themselves and their ideas only to bring about great weakness, and ultimately destruction.

2 Pet 2 tells us that they are “wells without water” (v. 17) that promise a drink, but instead deliver the dirt and dust of their own reasoning and thoughts. “They speak great swelling words of vanity” (v. 18) as if they really have something to offer, but the reality is that their big, catchy, powerful one-liners, catch-phrases, and ideas are so often just found to be based on Scripture used out of context, at best, and pragmatism, at worst.

“They allure through lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness” (2 Pet 2:18) as they play on the senses of the multitude appealing so carefully to the eye, the ear, the touch, the taste, and the smell. They gain followers by pampering the flesh, tantalizing the senses, and by “wowing” people with promises of great gain, big exciting times, rousing music, and festivals of the emotions. Yes, they even use sex appeal in their magazines, on their websites, and on their platforms with the models, music, singing styles, and the singers they promote. They "turn the grace of God into lasciviousness" (Ju 1:4), and many, many today adore it, as their flesh and ego are appealed to and satisfied. Paul didn't warn in vain,

"For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." (Rom 16:18)

The apostle Paul documents the reason for their religious hypocrisy and dead faith, in the epistle to the Romans:

“For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Rom 10:2-4)

Here is God’s test concerning false teachers, who always follow after other false teachers:

“Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that [false] prophet [see vv 1-2], or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.” (De 13:3-4)

This happens to apply to all teachings, not just prophecy and dreams (see Ac 17:11; Rom 16:17; 2 Jn 1:9-11; 3 Jn 1:9-11). When one follows the voice of strangers rather than the plain words of God, he proves to be not of God, since God’s sheep don’t follow strangers but the Shepherd (Jn 10:1-5), Whose voice is the sound truth of Scripture. There is no shortage of false teachers that false teachers associate with.

False teachers may be carnal and licentious, frequently subtly.

They are ungodly. They may have a “form” of godliness, but lack its power (2 Tim 3:5). They are sinful, impious, acting contrary to the nature of God, neglecting the fear and worship of God. True doctrine is according to godliness (1 Tim 6:3). “Ungodly” is a key word in Jude’s epistle in warning of false teachings and teachers (Ju 1:15,18)

False teachers may be antinomian. This false doctrine holds that the moral law is not binding upon Christians as a rule of life. There are three uses of the moral law: (1) to give knowledge of sin and to lead to salvation; (2) a restraint against sin, and (3) as a rule by which Christians should live. Antinomians however claim that the law has no place in the Christian’s life. They do not understand God's law because they reject it.

False teachers many times misunderstand and pervert God’s grace. They purvey lasciviousness by turning God's grace into lasciviousness (Ju 1:4). Lasciviousness refers to wantonness, absence of moral restraint, indecency, excellent descriptors of vast majority of Christendom today. Mk 7:21-22 and Gal 5:19 describe their problem. They falsely argue, 'Because we are saved without works, then works do not matter at all.' Those who are under God's grace become servants of righteousness (Rom 6). God’s grace teaches to live righteously and godly and holy, not lasciviously or worldly (Ti 2:11-13). Those who belong to Christ will have the evidence of a holy life. True Biblical repentance which resulted in the new birth produces a life of righteousness and repentance, and causes one to leave his sins. "Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity" (2 Tim 2:19) Those who keep not God’s commandments are liars and do not have the love of God in them (1 Jn 2:1-5). Those who are born of God do not habitually commit sin (1 Jn 3:3-10).

False teachers are blind, wilfully ignorant and heretical and do not clearly warn of error (vaguely at best) and never expose false teachers (besides maybe very obvious ones, that everyone would agree with).

Almost the entire chapter of Jer. 23 warns of false teachers and prophets:

“I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. 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 neighbour. Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord. And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the Lord ? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the Lord. And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the Lord, I will even punish that man and his house. Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and, What hath the Lord spoken? And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God. Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and, What hath the Lord spoken? But since ye say, The burden of the Lord; therefore thus saith the Lord; Because ye say this word, The burden of the Lord, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the Lord; Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence: And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.” (Jer. 23:25-40)

Isaiah provides even greater detail, a perfect description of many false “evangelical” teachers and pastors of our day:

“His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.” (Is 56:10-11)

This corresponds with what Paul write to Timothy, again a perfect description of our day:

“If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” (1 Tim. 6:3-5).

Notice that they “suppose that gain is godliness,” (v. 5), which is what Isaiah warned of in Is 56:11 (above), that they are “greedy dogs . . . they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.”

They are heretics:

“But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself” (Ti 3:9-11)

At the end of the epistle, Paul returns to the issue of false teachers and heresies. This is a major theme of Paul’s epistles, because it is a major problem that churches must face in every time and place. No sound Bible preacher will neglect this theme. No true shepherd will fail to protect the Lord’s sheep from wolves.

The word “heretic” is used only in this one place in Scripture, but the term “heresy” is used 4x (Ac 24:14; 1 Cor 11:19; Gal 5:20; 2 Pet 2:1). This word is used in two different ways in the NT: 1) A religious sect or party (Ac 5:17; 15:5; 24:14; 28:22), and 2) False teachers and doctrinal error (Ti 3:9-11; 2 Pet 2:1). The terms “heretic” and “heresy” refer to a willful choosing of error. The Greek hairetikos, translated “heresy” in Ti 3:10 is from hairtezo, which is translated “chosen” in Matt 12:18. Thus it refers to the product of a choice or of the will, instead of being drawn from the Divine Word, a departure from orthodox teaching which carried in them a breach of church unity.

A heretic has a heart problem, not an ignorance problem. Heresy is a work of the flesh (Gal 5:20). An individual can be sincerely ignorant of sound doctrine, but the evidence that he is not a heretic will be clear when he responds to the sound teaching of God’s Word and rejects error. A heretic will not receive the truth in the right manner.

Church history is filled with the account of heretics who have caused great harm to the cause of Christ. Heretics founded the Roman Catholic Church. They invented prominent errors such as infant baptism, sacramentalism, the papacy, Mariolatry, purgatory, auricular confession, transubstantiation, the intercession of the saints, veneration of relics, the inquisition, monasticism, contemplative mysticism. Heretics have preached false christs and false gospels and false spirits. Heretics have established a thousand sects. They have twisted and perverted sound doctrine in countless ways. They have corrupted the one and true gospel of Christ, denying and corrupting repentance and Christ's Lordship, denying the blood of Christ, and many other ways.

And there are more heretics in the world today, in the last hours of the church age, than ever before. They must be dealt with; they cannot be ignored. And the only way to be protected from them and to be protect the churches from them is to deal with them exactly as the Holy Spirit instructs in Ti 3:9-11.

Those guilty of violating this important truth and aspect of the ministry (warning about error, false teachings/teachers) disqualify themselves from the office of pastor, and yet this is normal occurrence in the charlatan environments of Christendom today. Is it possible to only proclaim truth without warning of the false? We don’t see that in Scripture. What we do see is vast amount of warnings throughout the NT and the Apostles and Christ spending a lot of time in dealing with error (e.g. Matt. 7:15-23; 24:2-4, 11, 24; Ac. 13:6-12; 20:28-32; 1 Cor. 15:12, 33-36; 2 Cor. 11:1-4, 12-15; Gal. 1:6-9; 2:4-5; 5:1-12; Eph. 4:11-14; Phil. 3:1-3; 3:17-19; Col. 2:8-33; 1 Tim. 1:3-11; 4:1-6; 2 Tim. 3:1 - 4:6; Ti. 1:9-16; 3:9-11; 2 Pet. 2:1-22; 3:14-18; 1 Jn. 2:18-29; 1 Jn. 4:16; 2 Jn. 6-11; Ju. 1:3-20; Rev. 2-3; etc). Over 200 verses in the NT deal with this subject. Every preacher has a responsibility to deal with error (Ac 20; 2 Tim. 4:2; Ti 1) yet it is unheard of in most churches today. The apostles named names and were very specific (1 Tim. 1:18-20; 2 Tim. 1:15; 2:17-18; 3:8; 4:10, 14-15; 3 Jn. 1:9-11). The under-shepherd of the Shepherds flock is commanded to not give heed to false teachers and wolves in sheep’s clothing (Ac. 20:26-31; 1 Tim. 4:16; 2 Tim. 4:1-5) but warn of them and to take heed to sound doctrine (Ti. 1:9; 2:1; 1 Tim. 1:3-11; 4:15-16; 6:3-5; etc). Every believer has a responsibility to defend the truth against error (Ju 1:3). This requires studying the Word of God and being strong in sound doctrine and bold through the indwelling Spirit. False teachers and teachings are a very great danger to churches, yet many do not warn of the massive amount infiltrating homes and churches through books, videos, programs, podcasts, etc. Not only do they not warn, they are complicit in promoting their dangerous and destructive poison. Doesn't that then make them one and the same? According to passages such as Am 3:3 it does. See here for Answers to Accusations, Slanders, Misconceptions, and Maligning of Contending for the Faith, Reproving and Exposing Error, and Fighting Spiritual Warfare.

False teachers entrap and ensnare the foolish, simple, and undiscerning, beguiling unstable souls.

Jer. 5:23-27,

“But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you. For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.”

False teachers do not fear God. They are rebels against God, holding the truth in unrighteousness (Rom 1:18-20). These wicked men lay await to ensnare the foolish and simple. Almost everything they do is by deceit.

This text dovetails with Paul's warning in Rom 16:17-18,

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple."

“Beguiling unstable souls” (2 Pet 2:14) is a hallmark of their ministry as they seduce, entice, and manipulate people into accepting their watered-down version of the truth and of the Gospel that lacks the meat of Christ’s Lordship, repentance, and true faith as opposed to dead faith and the faith of devils (see Jam 2). They beguile with their gimmicks, ploys, sad stories, and high pressure altar calls and make their converts “twofold more the child of hell” than themselves. They even beguile true believers into joining and financing their various ox-carts (think David and Uzzah).

The End of False Teachers

False teachers are in bondage to their sin (2 Pet 2:19) 
and thus without Christ.

The apostle Peter warned that God’s judgment upon false teachers will be severe (2 Pet. 2:4-6). Paul warned likewise (Gal 1:6-9).

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8-9)

To be accursed is to be damned in hell for ever. Being on the broad way leads to nowhere but hell (Matt 7:13-14). They will be cast into utter darkness and unquenchable hell fire and brimstone, along with Psychiatrists and all those who think they are wise (1 Cor 1:20).

God has ZERO tolerance for those who pervert His truth (De 13; Gal 1:9; 5:12; 1 Tim 6:3-5)

False Teachers are condemned and doomed to the eternal lake of fire by Almighty God (Jn 3:18, 36). They are ordained to this condemnation. This does not refer to God in the past foreordaining some to destruction but rather that the condemnation of apostates has been determined long beforehand, and as long as they continue on that path, which majority will because of their spiritual reprobatism (2 Tim 3:8-9), their condemnation is cemented in.


The apostle Paul also warned of God's judgement of these men (Eph 5:10).

Examples of False Teachers

There are many innumerable false teachers in these last days of great apostasy, and thus our listing here is focused on the popular ecumenicists, neo-evangelicals, and compromising fundamentalists of our day.

This Biblical truth is very practical. What are examples of false teachers today? The book-length list is practically endless, but here are examples of some of the more popular ones.

Among Mennonite Denominations: Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Evangelical Mennonite Conference (EMC), Evangelical Bergthaler Mennonite Conference (EBMC), Beside Still Waters Ministries, and specific Mennonites such as Henry Redekop, Henry Hildebrandt and the Church of God Restoration, Ron Sider, Phil Schlamp, John Regier and George Froese, Steve Janz, Brian Doerksen, High Valley, Sommerfelder Church, Old Colony Church, Mennonite Brethren, Mennonite Church of Canada, Mennonite World Conference, etc.

Among Evangelicals: Ravi Zacharias, John Maxwell, John Hagee, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, John Wimber and Vineyard Churches, Nancy Leigh DeMoss Wolgemuth and True Woman 25 Conference, K.P. Yohannan and Gospel for Asia, Choo Thomas, Charles Ryrie, Hannah Whittal Smith, Warren Wiersbe, Rick Warren, Pentecostal/Charismatic groups such as Victory North Association, Ethnos 360, Babylon Bee, Radio Bible Ministries/Our Daily Bread, David Lynn, Sarah Young, Asbury College, Mark Hall and Casting Crowns, Francis Chan, Chuck Swindoll, Chuck Colson, Charles Stanley, Andy Stanley, James Dobson, Larry Crabb, Tim Lahaye, Beth Moore, Tony Campolo, Ken Blanchard, Emerson Eggerichs, Bill Hybels, David Jeremiah, Mark Driscoll, Max Lucado, Gary Thomas, Philip Yancey, Lee Strobel, Dallas Willard, Jim Wallis, John Eldredge, Shane Claiborne, Mike Bickle, Joyce Meyer, Bruce Wilkinson, Richard Foster, Rob Bell, Dan Kimball, Watchman Nee, unbiblical heretical movies such as Fireproof and the like, and “evangelicals” in general, including those who misuse and corrupt the terms “legalism” and “Phariseeism,” or teach false doctrine such as “essentials and non-essentials” and don’t judge, etc.

Among Evangelical Schools: Prairie Bible College, PRBI, Wheaton University, Baylor University, Briercrest College, Steinbach Bible College, etc.

Among Baptist's including Independent Baptist's: Jack Hyles, Michael Sullivant and PVBC, Gordon Conner, Reg Kelly, Caleb Garraway, Baptist College of Ministry and Falls Baptist Church, Roy Hession, Kurt Skelly, Clarence Sexton, S.M. Davis, John R. Rice, Rick Flanders, Other IFB False Teachers and Independent Baptist wolves, Billy Graham, Albert Mohler, JD Greear, SBC leaders, Steven Anderson, Curtis Hutson, Jack Trieber, etc.

Among Reformers/Calvinists: Tim Keller (see also here), John MacArthur (see also here), Mike Hovland, Eric and Leslie Ludy,  James White, John Piper, R.C. Sproul, Alistair Begg, and the TGC, The Getty's, Protestant Reformers John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Wesley, and others such as Augustine, and Calvinism, J.I Packer, etc.

Among “Christian” Apostate Cults: Jehovah's Witnesses, Roman Catholicism, Seventh Day Adventism, Mormons, Christian Scientists, including all other religious self-righteous people such as the elder son and all those who believe and teach that salvation can be lost.

Others: Martin Richling, Justin Johnson and Grace Ambassadors Church, C.S. Lewis, Charles Finney, Martin Luther King Jr, Henri Noewen, Thomas Merton, Westcott and Hort, etc., including false worshippers such as “Christian” Contemporary Musicians like The Getty’s, High Valley, Brian Doerksen, Casting Crowns, and all those that love this music, since this unBiblical, carnal and worldly music is the nature of unregenerate man and the soundtrack of end-times apostasy. Hindus, Sikh’s, Buddhists, Baha'is, those that believe in Baptismal Regeneration, and evil ideologies like Islam.

What to Do About False Teachers

If you associate with false teachers, then you are very likely one as well.

"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Am 3:3)

Tragically, many are honkey-dory with wolves in their midst and don't want to be warned of them:

True born again believers on the other hand will obey the Word of God concerning this matter.

1. We Must Exercise Keen Biblical Discernment, Testing the Spirits, Confronting the Error and Lies.

Matt 7:15-23 lays out the necessity of protection from wolves in sheep's clothing, which requires caution and discernment. The born again Christian is warned not to be gullible, not to accept every man who claims to be a preacher. This means a Christian must exercise judgment. This is same sermon as vv. 1-5. In Matt 7:1-5, Jesus forbids hypocritical judgment, warning hypocrites (which are ALWAYS unsaved people in the Bible, being warned of their unregenerate hypocritical estate) of their hypocritical judgment (as Paul does likewise concerning these ungodly men: Rom 2:1-5), but in Matt 7:15-23 He commends judgment of false teachers (hypocrites - Matt 23) by those who are not hypocrites. Concerning the passage of Matt 7:1-5, we cover it here: Corruption of Matthew 7:1-5, the “Judge-Not” Passage, in Two Major Ways.

Discernment isn't only knowing the difference between right and wrong, but also between right and almost right. The most dangerous false teachers are not the ones who get everything wrong (e.g., Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism), or the ones that are obviously wrong (e.g., Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Pentecostals), but the ones who get almost everything right (e.g., Neo-Evangelicals, Reformed Calvinists, many Baptists). Satan works through deception and subtly, so his objective is to get as close to the complete truth as possible, while advancing dangerous and/or damnable errors.

Paul did not bear with false teaching. He confronted it quickly, not subjecting himself or anyone else to their ways even for an hour (Gal 2:5).

Many false teachers in general are non-judgmental, inclusive, hip, artsy type of heretical neo-evangelicalism. They refuse to make an issue of the whole counsel of God, hence the extremely shallow, non-exegesis humanistic feel-good preaching in their churches, and the power-less Bible perversions don’t help either. In contrast, Paul exemplified exactly what they neglect to do (Ac 20:27), and in this, he was merely following His Master’s example. Jesus commanded His disciples to teach converts “to observe ALL things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt 28:20). Paul instructed Timothy to keep the truth “without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Tim 6:14). A spot is a small, seemingly insignificant thing.

The Word of God is powerful (Ac 20:32). It is the final authority for faith and practice among the churches. Paul did not appeal to a church council or to tradition. He appealed directly to the Scriptures. Where truth is taught with conviction and sound exegesis, error loses its grip. The consistent teaching of God’s Word is like a fire that burns up falsehood and a hammer that breaks deception. Stay grounded in the full counsel of Scripture, not the trends of man.

To treat those who willfully preach error and/or false gospels with respect is to treat them differently than Jesus Christ and the apostles treated them. Jesus used strong language to condemn false teachers (e.g. Matt 23). Paul also was very plain in his dealings with false teachers (Phil 3:19), calling them “dogs” and “evil workers.” (Phil. 3:2). To the very religious teachers of His day, who were pretending to be believers, the Lord Jesus Christ warned:

“Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, . . . Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” (Mk 7:6-9)

2. We Must Expose False Teachers.

God commands the expose of teachers of error, of false teachers. Wolves in sheep’s clothing. E.g. Matt 7:15-20; Rom. 16:17-18; Phil. 3:17-19; 1 Tim. 6:3-5; 2 Tim. 2:15-20; 3:5-9; 2 Jn. 1:9-11; 3 Jn. 1:9-11; Rev. 2–3; etc.

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." (Rom 16:17-18)

"Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was." (2 Tim 3:8-9)

That requires naming names, like Paul did (2 Tim. 1:18-20; 2:15-18; 4:10, 14-15) and Jesus did (Lk 11:37-54), and John did (3 Jn 1:9-11). A preacher that is not naming names and groups that are teaching error and false teachings and thus not obeying Gods Word in a critical area, must either be very brave or very ignorant or hiding something. It's impossible to teach the truth, sound doctrine, and to instruct in righteousness without warning concerning what is in error and plainly false. Thus Paul declares that to "preach the word" one must "reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (2 Tm 4:2). And reproof and correction are incomplete without specifically identifying the offenders.

Paul did not “beat around the bush” in this matter and was not considerate of the feelings of false teachers, nor did he hesitate to warn of them (Col. 2:8). He confronted false teachers plainly and issued serious warnings against them and their error, constantly and repeatedly (Phil. 3:1, 18), even naming the names of 10 men in 1 and 2 Timothy, and that is simply because poison of error is so dangerous and destroys all good. False teachers are dangerous (Phil. 3:2) because they “spoil [true believers]" (Col. 2:8), they "beguile" (2 Pet 2:14), they are tricky and are not what they claim or appear to be (2 Pet 2:13; 2 Jn 1:7), and are the enemies of all righteousness (Ac 13:10).

The darkness of error and false teachings must be exposed. Truth must be declared boldly. Love does not cover up sin—it confronts it with redemption in mind. We must never be afraid to call out error. If left alone, it will grow and spread like the leaven that it is (Gal 5:9). Exposure is a crucial means of deliverance from this danger and to stop the spread of leaven. False teachers must be exposed to stop their mouths and thus influence. Ti 1:9-14,

"Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not givingheed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth."

It is certainly true that we should be careful about what we say about others, but that doesn’t invalidate the extreme importance of obeying Gods Word in examining and reproving and exposing those that teach falsely or prophecy falsely. We also shouldn’t just accept someone’s statement at face value without facts and truth to support it, this is also true. We must be like the noble Berean’s who tested everyone and everything that came their way by the Word of God (especially those in the way of public ministry), including the apostle Paul, and he commended them for it (Ac 17:11). Paul and the Lord Jesus (and many other NT writers) commanded judging and commended those as wise and noble that did (1 Cor 2:15; 6:1-6; 10:15; Lk 12:57; Jn 7:24). Repeatedly the NT commands the testing, judging and discerning of teachings and beliefs, and exposing those that wilfully propagate error (e.g. Rom 16:17; 2 Tim 3:8-9; Ju 1:3), which was exemplified by Paul in naming the names of 10 men in 1 and 2 Timothy, but also by others such as John (3 John 1:9-11). Like all of Scripture, we are to obey what Paul did and said (1 Cor 4:16-17). These things come characteristically to those that have the indwelling Spirit of God, Whom is given to all who are converted to Christ through the new birth (1 Cor 2:1-16). Therefore, when absent in a man's ministry, a big question mark hovers over whether the preacher is a true teacher or a false teacher.

3. We Must Sharply Reprove False Teachers, Contending Against Their False Teachings.

On purpose we put “reprove false teachers” after “expose false teachers” because exposing a false teacher is not secondary to reproving the false teacher who either responds or doesn’t. When a false teacher teaches public error, he can be exposed in the same public fashion, without first reproving him.

God, through the pen of Paul, demands the reproof and rebuke of teachers of error and false doctrine:

“Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith" (Ti 1:13)

This was written to Titus, because there were those going from house to house and subverting whole houses with false doctrine (Ti 1:10-16).

We must "earnestly contend for the faith" (Ju 1:3).

Here is the question that should be posted to every false teacher and their followers and supporters:

“How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.” ( 1 Ki. 18:21)

A popular saying expedient upon gullible and undiscerning compromisers, especially in the older generation, goes something like this: “If you can't say anything nice about someone, don't say anything at all.” But it is without Biblical basis. It’s not a biblical saying and it’s the cause of a nations downfall. We not only should but must reprove heretics, false teachers and wicked devils for their wickedness. It brings Gods blessings, stops errors and restores truth.

“These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.” (Pr 24:23-25)

Speaking out against error and sin is loving and good, and “to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (Jam 4:17). It is sinful to say nothing.

It's deeply flawed missiology that claims you cannot upbraid and sharply reprove false or compromised teachers. It completely contradicts what Scripture teaches and exemplifies repeatedly. Jesus called false professing believers, “Hypocrites,” “Blind guides,” and “Fools,” which doesn’t sound like He was trying to work with them or minimize their errors. He knew that they were believing a lie and needed to hear the truth. Accepting unbelievers as erring Christians rather than lost and deceptive sinners is neither helpful nor biblical. Jesus, had no problem calling out those that professed Christianity but were rejecting the true Christ to follow their own traditions. This is a false gospel and those that follow it don’t need coddling, they need the truth. Yes, “The truth in love,” but still, the truth. And the truth shall be spoken to such individuals with sharp reproof. Just because someone is closer to the truth does not make them of the truth, indwellers of the truth. Such persons may identify as "Christians" but they are not a step closer to salvation. A lie is never closer to the truth even if it sounds good. Satan would love nothing more than to make false believers and teachers believe they are close to heaven when in reality they are still on the broad path that leads to Hell. The truth should be in love, but never replaced by it.

God's saints are commanded to reprove those in error:

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." (Eph 5:11)

Though we would strongly reprove the errors of T.T. Shields (Calvinism, Amillennialism), he exemplified the warrior-spirit for Christ. He stated,

“I had a stormy life. . . . I have been zealous for the Gospel. . . . I regret nothing of my contention for the faith, save that I have not striven more heroically and continuously for the glory of the Gospel. . . . Preaching is the biggest business I know. . . . I am a soldier in the field. . . . I will have no compromise with the enemy” (Tarr, Shields of Canada, pp. 145-158).

4. We Must Separate from False Teachers.

We are commanded to “avoid” them (Ti 3:9). “Avoid” is the Greek periistemi, meaning “to keep away from” (Strong), “in the middle voice, ‘to turn oneself about’ for the purpose of avoiding something” (Vine). It is translated “shun” in 2 Tim 2:16.

Separation from error is an essential Christian responsibility and action. It is a matter of spiritual protection. It is impossible to maintain the truth without exercising separation and discipline. False teachers must be dealt with and not ignored, and the scriptural way to deal with them is to put them out of the assemblies and to separate the believers from them. Don't listen to their teachings, read their books or their blogs, or follow their social media pages.

Scripture is abundantly clear that we are to have nothing to do with false teachers. Nothing.

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor 6:14-18)

John tells us that even to greet them is to take part in their wicked works (2 Jn 1:9-11). To publicly praise, point people to, or partner with false teachers is even worse. Whether it's from the pulpit, pen, social media, by word of mouth, makes no difference. Those that do so are to be treated with the same Biblical principle: reprove, expose, and separate. Have nothing to do with these people either. Depart their church if it's coming from the leadership. Any preacher or teacher who favourably, and unrepentantly associates herself with false teachers should be avoided.

Birds of a feather flock together. If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas. Bad company corrupts good morals. It's all true.

"Be not deceived: evil communications [i.e., associations] corrupt good manners." (1 Cor 15:33)

5. Qualified Pastors, Evangelists, and Deacons Must Protect the Local Church from False Teachers, and by Preaching Sound Doctrine.

It is the responsibility of pastors to guard the church (Ac 20:28-35) and godly church leaders will guard carefully against error (2 Cor 11:1-3). False teaching cannot be ignored. Paul’s last message to the Ephesian elders in Ac 20 tells us how important it is to warn about false teachings.

Ac 20:28-35 also reminds us of the importance of qualified leaders. They are humble men who know that the church is not their own (v. 28). They are able to feed the church (v. 28). They are diligent (v. 31). They care about the flock (v. 31). They are not hirelings (vv. 33-35).

Conclusion

The end of the last days is characterized by a dramatic rising of “many false prophets” and deception and “iniquity shall abound” (Matt. 24:11-12). We must be vigilant and discerning.

It is the responsibility of every true born again believer to sound the alarm on false teachers and false teachings. We must take particular care as to what books we read and what teachings we listen to and must be grounded in the sound doctrine of God’s Word. 
Do you have the same love for the things of God and abhorrence for false teaching and those who promote it, as God does?

"Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way." (Ps 119:127-128)