Identify False Teachers Prophets and Apostasy

World Religions – Babel the Mother of False Religions – Identify False Teachers

Introduction

The Bible warns that ever since Christ ascended to heaven, that there would be many false teachers, false prophets and anti-Christ’s that would rise up to deceive the world, and in the end times they will try to deceive even the very elect of God (Matt 24.24).

I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. – Jude 1.3

God warns us that we must content, or fight, for the faith. Since there are so many evil deceivers in the world.

We see throughout the New Testament the Apostles where continuously concerned about Gods people being deceived (Col 2.8, 2 Pet 3.17). This serves as a warning to all believers to be on their guard against deceit, from the Devil and false teachers who seek to subvert Gods people.

False Prophets and How to Test Them

False prophets faced the most severe punishment in the Old Testament. If you simply presumed to speak on behalf of God and whatever you said did not come true, there was no second chance, you would be executed. This was the test for a prophet; none of their prophecies would fail if they truly heard from God. They also would never speak in the name of another God.

God tells His people that He does allow false prophets to rise up, to test them to see if they love Him with all their heart and soul, in keeping from turning away from Him.

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ 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 with all your soul. – Deut 13.1-3

A prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.” – Deut 18.20

An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes? – Jer 5.30

the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds. – Jer 14.14

When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20. Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. – Isa 8.19-20

Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets. – Luke 6.26

False Doctrine and Teachings

A false doctrine is something that is contrary to the true teaching or doctrines of the Bible. These are typically the doctrines of cults and religions that claim to have a Christian root, but when examined, their beliefs are very different or opposed to Biblical doctrine.

False teachings can be anything that is false or deceptively and taught. Therefore it is important to understand that even if something is true, then twisted from its context or biblically intended meaning, it becomes a false teaching. This is why false teachers will add to or omit various verses to create a specific teaching that is contrary to Biblical teaching.

The Bible lists various types of teachings to be on the guard against:

• Denial of who Jesus is and salvation (1 John 4.1-6)
• Different Gospel (Gal 1.6)
• Legalistic Teachings – Teachings that retain use of something to gain Gods favor (Gal 2)
• Cleverly Devised Stories (2 Pet 1.16)
• Destructive Heresies (2 Peter 2.1)
• Pervert Gods Grace into Sensuality (Jude 1.4)
• Appeal to the Lust of the Flesh, lust of the eye, or pride of life (2 Peter 2.17, 1 John 2.16)
• Oppositions to sound doctrine or questions Biblical truth (Titus 1.9, 1 Tim 6.3)
• Follow human teachings and traditions of men (Isa 29.13, Matt 15.9, Col 2.8)

For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. – 2 Peter 1.16

Teachings of the Pharisees

Jesus continually rebuked the Pharisees of His time because they were supposed to be the religious leaders bringing the people into a relationship with God. Instead they used the traditions and teachings of men and their religion to honor and exalt themselves, and for personal gain. This is the common theme for false teachers, because false teachers will eventually seek to satisfy the carnal flesh.

How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12. Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. – Matt 16.11-12

Woe to the Pharisees

Jesus specifically points out 6 different things concerning how the Pharisees belief system lead people astray; each idea preceded as He states ‘woes to the Pharisees and teachers of the law’, summed up as the following:

1. They shut the door to the kingdom of heaven, preventing themselves and others from entering.
2. They travel far to convert one person to be twice as worse as they are.
3. Hypocritically seeking gain without reverence for what is holy.
4. Hypocritically divide just enough to seem devote but neglect what is important and the meaning of the teachings of God.
5. They appear clean on the outside but inside are full of sin, greed and self indulgence.
6. They appear as righteous on the outside but inside are unclean and wicked.

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5. “Everything they do is done for people to see…

13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.

15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.

16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17. You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18. You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19. You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

20. Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21. And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22. And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

– Matthew 23

Legalistic and False Gospels

Paul rebuked the Galatians who were taking in the teachings of the law along with the gospel of Christ. Teaching that the law and traditions thereof needed to be kept in order to be saved. This teaches us the importance of the doctrine of salvation; that Christians should never add anything to the fact that we are saved by grace alone though faith (Eph 2.8). God freely saved us, not based on anything we could ever do, it is a free gift. This does not negate the fruits of a born again believer. When we add anything to salvation by free grace alone, we become a slave to a supposed ‘gospel’ that is not good news at all.

• See Free Grace vs. Works Salvation

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. – Galatians 1.6-9

Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery – Gal 2.4

Anything the attempts to take the place of the good news; that Christ died for all believers and freely and graciously paid the price so you could have a right, regenerated relationship with God, is a false gospel.

Teaching of the Nicolaitans

The Nicolaitans taught a doctrine of compromise, that you did not have to completely separate from paganism to be a Christian. This belief allowed for the justification of fornication and idolatry. Which the Bible says is the same thing (Col 3.5). This would also leave the door open for any occultic practices. This leads to a lukewarm Christianity without conviction of sin.

But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. – Rev 2.14

Philosophy and Vein Deceit

The Apostle Paul strictly warns about captive philosophies and vein deceit being taught. These types of teachings are referenced to human traditions and human teachings, opposed to the teachings of God. We are also warned against irreverent babble, which means talk that does not have a regard for the things of God. In his letter to Timothy, Paul rebuked those who taught a false idea about the resurrection already occurring, that upset the faith of some.

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. – Colossian 2.8

Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. – Heb 13.9

But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. –  2 Tim 2.16-18

The Deceiver

The Bible teaches us that the Devil is the deceiver from whom originates most if not all of the deception over the world. The devil masquerades as an angel of light to deceive as many as he can (2 Corin 11.14). Babylon was the original whore who deceived the entire world with mysticism and false religions (Gen 11), and she will again arise in the last days to be used by the Devil and his anti-Christ (Rev 17).

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. – John 8.44

And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. – Rev 12.9

Identifying False Teachers

False teachers have risen up and deceived people throughout all of human history. Deceivers looking to impress their will and their own self interest, or the interest of a demon on those willing to follow them. The Bible warns that in the last days, there will be more deceivers and false teachers than ever before. We find this true as societies decline in morality and become more susceptible and tolerant of deceivers.

False teachers will rise up and will be able to perform miraculous works; to the point even the elect will be susceptible to deception. Jesus warns those whom believe they are His; just because they can cast out demons and perform miraculous works doesn’t mean they belong to God. The Bible teaches the apostate is unfit for anything good (Titus 1.16), and they will be destroyed quickly (1 Peter 2.3) after God gives them a chance to repent (Rev 2.21).

Identifiers of False Teachers

The Bible lists the identifiers for false teachers

• Disguise Themselves as Righteous-
  • False teachers disguise themselves as righteous teachers. However their deeds will eventually reveal who they really are. They appear righteous but are brutes or abusive inwardly- Matt 7.15, 2 Corin 11.13, Titus 1
• Are Worldly, Carnal and Fleshly Minded –
  • They are worldly and speak with a viewpoint that is worldly. The world listens to them because they are of the world. They crave and live for the temporary world (carnal) and for the lusts of the flesh, with eyes full of adultery – 1 John 4.5, 2 Peter 2.14
• Fruits and Results are not Godly–
  • They will eventually become recognizable because of the results and fruits of their works – Matt 7.15
• Actions Deny God –
  • They will claim to know God, however they will deny Him in their actions. – Titus 6.16
• Deceptive Liars –
  • They fabricate deceptive stories – 2 Peter 2.3
• Lazy Gluttons –
  • They will be lazy and gluttonous – Titus 1.11
• Seek Financial Gain –
  • They will always be looking for ways to profit off of people and make merchandise from people. They teach that Godliness is a means of gain and believe it. – Titus 1.11, 2 Peter 2.3, 1 Tim 6.5
• Corrupt and Idolatrous–
  • They have a corrupt mind and a corrupt conscience. Meaning their morality will differ from the morality in the Bible. They have idolatrous ideas and hearts. – Titus 1.15
• Heretical Teachings –
  • They will secretly and subtlety brings in heresies over time (false teachings) that leads people away from God to destruction. They seduce the unstable and appeal to the lust of the flesh of the people that listen to them – 2 Peter 2.1,14, 18
• Questions True Theology –
  • They will bring into question the true doctrinal teachings of the Bible – 2 Peter 2.2
• Teach Rebellion, are rebellious and question authority –
  • they teach rebellion and to be disobedient, and to despise authorities. They speak against dignitaries and spiritual authorities they don’t understand – Titus 1.10, 2 Peter 2.10
  • God has setup every authority even if we do not agree with it (Rom 13) and are to subject ourselves to them.
• Promise False Freedom –
  • Promise and proclaim freedom but are slaves of sin – 2 Peter 2.19
• Meaningless Talk –
  • They will be full of meaningless talk that does not feed the spirit of their listeners. – Titus 1.10, 2 Peter 2.17
• Bold and Arrogant –
  • They are filled with the pride of life and their position, filling themselves with arrogance. – 2 Peter 2.10

False messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. – Matt 24.24

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16. By their fruit you will recognize them. – Matt 7.15-16

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. – 2 Corin 11.13

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. – Jude 1.4

9. (A Bishop) He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. 10. For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain.

12 One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

– Titus 1. 9-16

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.

3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. 4. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5. if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people…

9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. 10. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings;

11. yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from the Lord. 12. But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.

13. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14. With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood!

15. They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness.16. But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

17 These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”

20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”

 – 2 Peter 2

27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.- Matt 23

Results of False Ministries

The Bible teaches the results of the ministries of false teachers. We know that the false teachers will be known by their bad fruit, here is a list of what their ministry will look like over time.

• It will have prideful and conceited leaders
• It will have leaders that crave unhealthy controversy
• It will have leaders that quarrel
• Envies
• Dissention
• Slander
• Evil suspicions
• Constant friction
• Depraved minds
• Depraved truths and doctrines
• Seeking financial gains

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. – 1 Tim 6.3-5

False Believers and the Deceived

The Bible teaches what kinds of people are deceived by false teachings. First, are those who are young in the faith are susceptible to false teachings; for they are not well acquainted with the word of truth are subject to error and who do not know any better, we see many examples of verse concerning the young believers in this section.

Second, there is a group of people who think themselves to be believers, however, they do not belong to God, but rather seek those who will itch their ears. This group is also examined in the section below.

Young Believers

Young Christians are susceptible to carnal teachings as they themselves are not yet acquainted with the meat of God’s word (1 Corin 3.3). They are not yet mature to handle Gods word (2 Tim 2.15, 1 Peter 2.2) and therefore can remain immature under teachings that do allow them to grow, or teachings that produce no water of the word (2 Peter 2.17).

You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food – Hebrews 5.12

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil – Hebrews 5.14

So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. – Eph 4.14

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. – Romans 16.17

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. – Ephesians 5.6

And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. – Matt 24.4

1.But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,

15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

– 2 Timothy 3

I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. – 2 Corin 11.1-4

This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. – 1 Tim 1.18-20

False Believers

The Bible teaches that many false believers look for teachers to confirm what they want to hear and are attracted to false teachings, or things contrary to sound doctrine. The carnal nature naturally looks for other people to confirm their own beliefs and desires that ultimately satisfies some carnal desire, no matter how subtle.

The Bible teaches us that those who allow their conscience to become seared and harden their heart from God, God will allow them to go their own way and even send strong delusion to keep them in their false beliefs (Rom 1.18, 2 Thess 2.11). Believers that do not hold the faith and a good conscience and accept delusion and deception can become in danger of eventually making shipwreck of their faith (1 Tim 1.18).

They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us – 1 John 2.19

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, – 1 Tim 4.1-2

But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. – Rev 2.20

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. – 2 Tim 4.3-4

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ – Matt 7.21

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. – Romans 8.7

Reaction of Believers to False Teachings

The Bible teaches believers what to do when they encounter false teachings. When believers encounter false teachers they are to do what the Bible instructs depending on the situation.

• Be on your guard – 2 Peter 3.17, 1 Tim 6.20
• Encourage true doctrine, and be an eye witness to the truth – Titus 1.9
• Refute false doctrine – Titus 1.9
• Rebuke false teachers so they will become sound  – Titus 1.13
• Expose the works of darkness, take no part in them – Eph 5.11
• Don’t dispute over myths – Titus 3.9
• Don’t dispute over human commands – Titus 1.14
• Rebuke one alone, second with a witness, third with the elders, afterwards leave them alone. – Matt 18.15
• Have nothing to do with them – 2 John 1.10

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.29. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.30. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.- Acts 20.28-30

His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. – 2 Peter 3.16-17

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.- Eph 5.11

O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you. – 1 Tim 6.20

Believers Warned Against Deceit

All throughout the New Testament believers are continuously warned against being deceived an to be on the lookout for deceivers and to test the teachings they are given. Paul was continuously concerned about the Church that God was using him to build up, that they were going to be deceived. These warning are found in Deut 13.1-3, Jer 29.8, 1 Corin 6.9-10, 15.33, Gal 6.7, Eph 5.6, Col 2.8, 2 Thess 2.3, 1 John 3.7.

Different Jesus, Different Gospel or a Different Spirit

In the Apostles Paul’s epistle to the Corinthians, we find the concern against a different Jesus, a different gospel or a different spirit:

I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. – 2 Corin 11.3-4

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. – Hebrews 13.9

Believers are to Test Every Spirit

Believers are to test every spirit to see if they are from God. False spirits are recognizable by the following two means:

• They deny Jesus came to the earth in the flesh (denying the nature of Christ, that He came to the earth and that His sacrifice on the cross was necessary for salvation)
• They do not acknowledge Jesus (they want to draw people’s attention away from Jesus)

Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. – Acts 17.11

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. – 1 John 2.18-19

Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. – 1 John 2.22

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. – 2 John 1.7

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.- 2 John 1.10

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,3. but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

4. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

– 1 John 4.1-6

But test everything; hold fast what is good. – 1 Thess 5.21

I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. – 1 John 2.26-27

Believers Will have Disagreements

Believers will have disagreements on certain issues (Acts 15.36, Gal 2.11). Ever since the reformation there has been many splits in the protestant church divided denominations. Core doctrinal beliefs and unity in the love of Christ (Eph 4.3) are important among true believers, always keeping in mind the truth does not reject the testing thereof, but rather rejoices in it (1 Corin 13.6, James 3.17).

Exposing Heresy

Believers are to expose heresy and apostates as the Apostle Paul did, and cut the ground or undermine the claims of those who claim to be workers of God but are not. We are to expose the unfruitful deeds of darkness (Eph 5.11) in love and truth (Eph 4.15), praying that those who are captured by false teachings will escape the snare of the enemy (2 Tim 2.26).

I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ – 2 Corin 11.12-13

We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but powers of darkness (Eph 6.12). Those who are taken captive are our fellow mankind and we should always have compassion for them, desiring that God sets them free. It is difficult to see people in places of bondage to false teachings, however for those who have the truth, it is their duty to continue in a position in love, in the same way that Jesus still loved us even when we where an enemy of His (Rom 5.7-10).

Do Not Associate with Heretics

Believers are instructed not to associate with those who pretend to be believers but are living a life contrary to sound doctrine or in sin. The Bible tells us that if we associate with them, we will be regarded as partakers with them, or will be identified as partakers in their beliefs and works, or as being one who is in agreement with them.

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10. not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

– 1 Corin 5.9-11

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. – Eph 5.11

As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him – Titus 3.10

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 1.10-11

Disagreements vs. Heresy

Those who adhere to false doctrines and teachings are apostates and we are to discontinue fellowship with them if they do not repent after being confronted with the truth (2 John 2.10). This brings us an interesting topic, discerning between disagreements and apostasy; as all people believe that what they believe is the truth, otherwise they would not believe it. Every believer should be able to defend their beliefs from the scripture and we know that it is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict people of the truth (John 16.8-9). Jesus told us that when the Holy Spirit comes, He will teach us all things and cause us to remember all truth (John 14.26).

Jesus taught us that His sheep will hear His voice and follow Him (John 10.27-29) and the those who worship God must worship in spirit and truth (John 4.24). The Bible teaches we are to help a brother who wonders from the truth to bring them back (James 5.19-20) showing it is possible for a brother to wonder form the truth.

Jesus told us we will know them by their fruits (Matt 7.15), therefore as someone lives a sinful life or contrary to sound doctrine, we need to warn them in love and if they have swerved from the faith, disassociate with them ( 1 Tim 1, 2 John), as evil people will always go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Tim 3.13).

References

https://renner.org/article/who-were-the-nicolaitans-and-what-was-their-doctrine-and-deeds/

https://www.gotquestions.org/false-teachers.html

https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/should-we-call-out-false-teachers-or-ignore-them