The False Teacher Conundrum.
The False Teacher Conundrum
By: Dr. Danny Purvis
So, last week we finished up our series on Questions Every Believer Should Be Able to Answer. Even though I am quite sure we could have come up with a lot more, those are the most basic ones I feel most Believers struggle with. So, let’s move on to a different topic.
If you have been in church the last few weeks, you know we have been going through a series related to the five one-chapter books in the Bible. Obadiah; 2 John; 3 John; Jude; Philemon. This week will finish up the series with Philemon. But one of the things I have found interesting related to this series is how many of the letters deal with the topic of false teachers/false believers. Three of the five one-chapter letters, in fact, contain this topic. In fact, that is the entire subject of Jude’s letter. Of course, these are not the only books of the Bible to deal with this phenomenon.
As a matter of fact, every single letter in the New Testament (except Philemon) deals with this subject in some way. This idea is also throughout the Old Testament. The very first example of false teaching in the Bible? It is found in Genesis 3 when the Serpent lied to Eve about God (Genesis 3:1-5). He intentionally corrupted God’s true teaching with false teaching. So, we see this topic brought up throughout the Scriptures over and over and over again. And that got me thinking. If this is such an important topic so that it is spread all throughout the Bible…why do so many Believers simply ignore this warning?
And make no bones about it…we have waaaay too many Christians who simply think that false teachers/false believers are no big deal. I have seen it. I have heard it. I just don’t understand it. I have seen Christians (or people who claim to be Christians) explain away false teachers as if it is a minor inconvenience. They seem, to be saying: Move along…nothing to see here. And they do this despite the fact that they have been shown the demonstrably false teaching. They just don’t seem to care. Because here is the interesting thing about false teachers. They do not hide their false teaching.
It is there for the world to see. Detecting false teachers should be the easiest thing in the world for a Believer to discern. All you have to do is to match up what a teacher/preacher says with the Word of God. If it is an intentional misrepresentation of His Word…it is false. Paul talked about this in his letter to the Galatians. “6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-7).” Notice the verbiage…he calls it a “different gospel”. Meaning it is a gospel that cannot save.
So, again, I ask the question: Why do so many Believers give demonstrably false teachers a pass for presenting a different gospel that does not save? Two reasons. First, because too many Believers simply do not know God’s Word. They hear false teaching and ascribe to it some sort of weight because they do not know God’s Word. They don’t know it because they don’t read it. They don’t study it. They only hear these words without ever Biblically scrutinizing them.
Second…and this is really distressing…they actually like the false teachers. False teachers are gifted speakers. They have charisma. They have a gift of rhetoric. They sound good. They are entertaining. They tell you what you want to hear. Paul mentions this in 2 Timothy. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions (2 Timothy 4:3).” False teachers are appealing…otherwise no one would listen to them. And when you point out their false teaching? People say things like: But he does so many good things. His heart is on the right place. He’s not working in his gifts (a completely nonsensical statement).
And then they keep on listening to these false teachers. They keep on giving to these false teachers. They keep on telling others to listen to these false teachers. This has to stop. As we finished up 2 John the other day, John makes an interesting statement regarding this topic. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works (2 John 9-11).
Look at the last verse there. If you tolerate, as a Believer, false teaching/teachers/believers, then you actually are taking part in whatever wicked works he/she engages in. Think of it this way. If nobody listened to false teachers, then it wouldn’t matter what they say. That is on us. The only thing worse than false teachers…are the Believers that excuse it away.
-Dr. Danny Purvis
By: Dr. Danny Purvis
So, last week we finished up our series on Questions Every Believer Should Be Able to Answer. Even though I am quite sure we could have come up with a lot more, those are the most basic ones I feel most Believers struggle with. So, let’s move on to a different topic.
If you have been in church the last few weeks, you know we have been going through a series related to the five one-chapter books in the Bible. Obadiah; 2 John; 3 John; Jude; Philemon. This week will finish up the series with Philemon. But one of the things I have found interesting related to this series is how many of the letters deal with the topic of false teachers/false believers. Three of the five one-chapter letters, in fact, contain this topic. In fact, that is the entire subject of Jude’s letter. Of course, these are not the only books of the Bible to deal with this phenomenon.
As a matter of fact, every single letter in the New Testament (except Philemon) deals with this subject in some way. This idea is also throughout the Old Testament. The very first example of false teaching in the Bible? It is found in Genesis 3 when the Serpent lied to Eve about God (Genesis 3:1-5). He intentionally corrupted God’s true teaching with false teaching. So, we see this topic brought up throughout the Scriptures over and over and over again. And that got me thinking. If this is such an important topic so that it is spread all throughout the Bible…why do so many Believers simply ignore this warning?
And make no bones about it…we have waaaay too many Christians who simply think that false teachers/false believers are no big deal. I have seen it. I have heard it. I just don’t understand it. I have seen Christians (or people who claim to be Christians) explain away false teachers as if it is a minor inconvenience. They seem, to be saying: Move along…nothing to see here. And they do this despite the fact that they have been shown the demonstrably false teaching. They just don’t seem to care. Because here is the interesting thing about false teachers. They do not hide their false teaching.
It is there for the world to see. Detecting false teachers should be the easiest thing in the world for a Believer to discern. All you have to do is to match up what a teacher/preacher says with the Word of God. If it is an intentional misrepresentation of His Word…it is false. Paul talked about this in his letter to the Galatians. “6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-7).” Notice the verbiage…he calls it a “different gospel”. Meaning it is a gospel that cannot save.
So, again, I ask the question: Why do so many Believers give demonstrably false teachers a pass for presenting a different gospel that does not save? Two reasons. First, because too many Believers simply do not know God’s Word. They hear false teaching and ascribe to it some sort of weight because they do not know God’s Word. They don’t know it because they don’t read it. They don’t study it. They only hear these words without ever Biblically scrutinizing them.
Second…and this is really distressing…they actually like the false teachers. False teachers are gifted speakers. They have charisma. They have a gift of rhetoric. They sound good. They are entertaining. They tell you what you want to hear. Paul mentions this in 2 Timothy. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions (2 Timothy 4:3).” False teachers are appealing…otherwise no one would listen to them. And when you point out their false teaching? People say things like: But he does so many good things. His heart is on the right place. He’s not working in his gifts (a completely nonsensical statement).
And then they keep on listening to these false teachers. They keep on giving to these false teachers. They keep on telling others to listen to these false teachers. This has to stop. As we finished up 2 John the other day, John makes an interesting statement regarding this topic. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works (2 John 9-11).
Look at the last verse there. If you tolerate, as a Believer, false teaching/teachers/believers, then you actually are taking part in whatever wicked works he/she engages in. Think of it this way. If nobody listened to false teachers, then it wouldn’t matter what they say. That is on us. The only thing worse than false teachers…are the Believers that excuse it away.
-Dr. Danny Purvis
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Amen! Many I know have abandoned church attendance to watch these TV evangelists who false teach and/or omit essential Gospel doctrine each sermon.