Excerpt from: Show me actual false teachings
What are they teaching out there? …or right in there in your church?
First, it is good to note this passage: We should be careful to not scorn prophecies. Allow the Holy Spirit to minister as He sees fit. But we are to test carefully, and learn to recognize what is good, or not – what is or is not actually of the Spirit. Trust your Bible more than your Pastor or your Bible study teacher, or visiting speaker.
19 Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit.
20 Do not scorn or reject gifts of prophecy or prophecies [spoken revelations—words of instruction or exhortation or warning].
21 But test [a]all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good].
Hold firmly to that which is good.
So what are some false teachings out there?
1. False teachers and prophets will be so full of themselves, so conceited, so ego-centric, so willful… that they will listen to nobody else except their own reasonings. And off they go! And they find others of like-mind, actually seek them out, go to their seminars… in order to get back-up for their heretical thinking.
They think of themselves as so special and bright — that they don’t even realize that they have come up with heinous, spurious interpretations. They have lost any semblance of love for God, and have rejected Him (2 Peter 2:1).
Matthew 7: verse 16
16 By their fruit
you will recognize them
[that is,
by their contrived doctrine
and self-focus].
Just as Scripture specifically warns against — they teach falsely from their “own [personal or special] interpretation“. They think, and thus it must be right. “By an act of human will” (v21) they make Scripture say what they themselves very well want it to say. And shallow thinkers follow after them.
2 Peter 1:20-21; 2:1 Amplified Bible (AMP)
1:20 But understand this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of or comes from one’s own [personal or special] interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
2:1 But [in those days] false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will subtly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves.
2. False teachers and prophets may say, “‘Let us follow after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve and worship them.’ (Deuteronomy 13: verse 2)
3. False teachers and prophets (v5) may counsel “rebellion against the Lord your God … to draw you away from the way in which the Lord your God has commanded you to walk. So you shall remove the evil from among you.” (Deuteronomy 13: verse 5)
Deuteronomy 13:1-5 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“If a prophet arises among you, or a dreamer of dreams, and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder which he spoke (foretold) to you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us follow after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve and worship them,’
3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams;
for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and all your soul [your entire being].
4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and you shall fear [and worship] Him [with awe-filled reverence and profound respect], and you shall keep His commandments and you shall listen to His voice, and you shall serve Him, and cling to Him.
5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to draw you away from the way in which the Lord your God has commanded you to walk. So you shall remove the evil from among you.
4. False teachers and prophets may “presume” to speak for the Lord, but they are not speaking for God at all. (Deuteronomy 18: verse 20)
5. False teachers and prophets may “presume” to speak “in the name of other gods.” Why would we who are devoted to Jesus – want to hear from them!? (Deuteronomy 18: verse 20)
6. False teachers and prophets may predict a future event — and “the thing does not happen or come true” as they said. (Deuteronomy 18: verse 22)
Deuteronomy 18:9-22 Amplified Bible (AMP) Read verses 20-22:
20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods—that prophet shall die.’
21 If you say in your heart, ‘How will we know and recognize the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ 22 When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord and the thing does not happen or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.
7. False teachers and prophets do “not confess Jesus [acknowledging that He has come in the flesh, but would deny any of the Son’s true nature].” (1 John 4: verse 3)
- They deny the deity of Christ.
- They deny God came down to earth in the flesh – as the man Jesus. (1 John 4: verse 4)
1 John 4:2-3 Amplified Bible (AMP)
2 By this you know and recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges and confesses [the fact] that Jesus Christ has [actually] come in the flesh [as a man] is from God [God is its source]; 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus [acknowledging that He has come in the flesh, but would deny any of the Son’s true nature] is not of God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and is now already in the world.
8. False teachers and prophets may even practice spiritism. Spiritism is forbidden by God. These are forbidden by God, even today:
(v10-11) “anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire [as a sacrifice], one who uses divination and fortune-telling, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who casts a charm or spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or a necromancer [who seeks the dead].”
We are to reject any leader who has sought out such: “For everyone who does these things is utterly repulsive to the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 18: verse 12)
Deuteronomy 18:9-22 Amplified Bible (AMP)
9 “When you enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable (repulsive) practices of those nations.
10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire [as a sacrifice], one who uses divination and fortune-telling, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who casts a charm or spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or a necromancer [who seeks the dead].
12 For everyone who does these things is utterly repulsive to the Lord; and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God is driving them out before you.
13 You shall be blameless (complete, perfect) before the Lord your God. 14 For these nations which you shall dispossess listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners and fortune-tellers, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.
9. False teachers and prophets come and preach “another Jesus whom we have not preached” (v4), or “a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted.”
2 Corinthians 11:3-4 Amplified Bible (AMP)
3 But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ.
4 For [you seem willing to allow it] if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted.
You tolerate all this beautifully [welcoming the deception].
1 Timothy 6:3-5
3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine and teaching which is in agreement with godliness (personal integrity, upright behavior), 4 he is conceited and woefully ignorant [understanding nothing].
He has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, which produces envy, quarrels, verbal abuse, evil suspicions, 5 and perpetual friction between men who are corrupted in mind and deprived of the truth, who think that godliness is a source of profit [a lucrative, money-making business—withdraw from them].
10. False teachers and prophets will come in the name of Christ, but only to appropriate “the strength of the name”, “misusing it”. They will be saying, ‘I am the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ and they will mislead many.”
Matthew 24:3-6 Amplified Bible (AMP)
“…what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end (completion, consummation) of the age?”
4 Jesus answered, “Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error]. 5 For many will come in My name [misusing it, and appropriating the strength of the name which belongs to Me], saying, ‘I am the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ and they will mislead many.
11. False teachers and prophets will appear (especially in the great tribulation period) and “will provide great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect (God’s chosen ones).” Don’t believe teachers are of God just because they do signs and wonders and healings. (Even Pharaoh’s priests copied many of the wonders that God did through Moses.)
Matthew 24:23-26 Amplified Bible (AMP)
23 Then if anyone says to you [during the great tribulation], ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and they will provide great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect (God’s chosen ones). 25 Listen carefully, I have told you in advance. 26 So if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out there, or, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms [of a house],’ do not believe it.
12. False teachers and prophets “will subtly introduce destructive heresies” …teachings that differ from what Jesus and Paul taught.
2 Peter 2: verse 1 Amplified Bible (AMP)
1 But [in those days] false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will subtly introduce destructive heresies
1 Corinthians 12:3 Amplified Bible (AMP)
3 Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the [power and influence of the] Spirit of God can say, “Jesus be cursed…”
In conclusion:
Know they are out there. Believe it. Be wary of these who come to you lookin’ good, “dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent]” but actually on the inside they are horrible, “ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7: verse 15).
Get to know well those who are to become your leaders, those who are your leaders. Know their life “fruits”. That will tell you who they really are.
Matthew 7:verse 16
16 By their fruit
you will recognize them
[that is,
by their contrived doctrine
and self-focus].
Matthew 7:15-20 Amplified Bible (AMP)
15 “Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 By their fruit you will recognize them [that is, by their contrived doctrine and self-focus]. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the unhealthy tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore, by their fruit you will recognize them [as false prophets].
FOR MORE:
About False Teachings of today …a series
Show me actual false teachings
Needing something more than Jesus
They in fact have seen nothing
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