5 Signs of False Teachers

5 Signs of False Teachers

2 Peter 2:1-3

(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.

(2) And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of which the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

(3) And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingers not, and their damnation slumbers not”

Signs

(A) Teacher clever lies and they will bring in heresies (verse 1)

The word privily shall bring in the Greek means they will introduce or bring in secretly. How many times do we hear these people say they have a private “word from God” that is only for them to bring to people? ALL THE TIME… If anyone does this you need to run away because everything we need is already ours and it is found in the Word of God!

(B) They will gain popularity by doing it (verse 2)

I have spoken on this many times, but if any “pastor, prophet, teacher, apostle, or evangelist” is pointing to themselves or they are “popular” in the church crowd and especially popular with the world then you need to be real careful. First, we are NEVER to name our ministry after ourselves. Did Paul? Did Peter? Did Jesus? Was Jesus popular with the world? Was Paul? Peter? NO NO NO and NO! Second, Jesus (you know the LORD JESUS) said we would be HATED not LOVED by the world and I think he meant it.

(C) They will live immoral lives (verse 2)

This is a sticky area because americanized christians have bought into the lie that God wants them to have it all now, but what did Jesus say? We would suffer, be hated by the world, and we would be persecuted. Of course the wolves on TV have twisted verses to make people think that if they send their money to the wolves that magically they would get their mansions too. How has that worked out for you? Oh yes, some will receive a small amount of blessings but know this… satan can send you blessings to keep you deceived into thinking it is God… Remember, it was satan who offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the earth and Jesus never said that satan could not do it so many people are receiving things from God’s enemy so that he (satan) can keep them in deception. Answer this christian, do you think God is happy with these people spending hundreds of millions on themselves while millions of his children have needs? While there are so many going to bed hungry at night? While the children of the world suffer? Is that YOUR GOD? If this is YOUR GOD then I want NOTHING to do with him!

(D) The will make people speak evil of the real truth (verse 2)

This is a big one because anytime you speak out against these lying wolves you will get attacked. I cannot count how many “judge not’s” I have gotten, but the word judge in Matthew 7:1 means condemn not and not point our errors in a person’s teaching or the apostasy of someone’s life. The deceived ones following these TV wolves will answer to God one day because we are responsible for whom we support and when you bring up facts they are like a parrot…

RAWK JUDGE NOT, JUDGE NOT!

(E) They are motivated by taking people’s money (verse 3)

“Oh they aren’t motivated by money, I mean don’t they give to millions to charities”, and I say sure… about .05% of their income… Where does the rest go? Houses? Cars? Boats? Planes? Extravagance? One of the wolves on TV is constantly buying thousands of dollars to “decorate” their home with “pottery and other junk” and can you as a “born again believer” see nothing wrong with this? If you do not see how wrong this is then you have been deceived by the word of faith prosperity gospel. Nowhere, and I mean NOWHERE did Jesus or ANY of his disciples preach this satanic prosperity gospel. Seek ye first, the TV liars claim, and ALL (to them it is things and money) will be added unto you. However, in context all these things are food, water, and clothing and NOTHING MORE.

I will close with this…

In 2 Corinthians 2:17 we read this "For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak". The word "corrupt" here is the Greek word "kapeleuo" which means "to be a retailer, to peddle, to make money by selling anything, to trade in the word of God, and to try to get base gain by teaching divine truth". In other words, selling ones "word from the Lord" is corrupting the Word of God! Back in the Bible days (and even today) peddlers make a habit of adulterating their commodities for the sake of gain (in this case these preachers cannot make money if they tell people to repent and stop sinning now can they!). Finally, an interesting point is that this word comes from the root word kapelos which means a huckster…

So if ANYONE tells you it is okay to sell the Word of God in any form (books, music, cd’s, clothing, to attend their meetings, or whatever) you now have the information you need to dispute that lie that they have allowed into the Church …