BEWARE OF FALSE TEACHERS AND FALSE DOCTRINE

PROCLAMATION

“For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached … or a different gospel from the one you accepted … such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.  It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness.  Their end will be what their actions deserve.”  2 Corinthians 11:4-15 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Corinth.  In this chapter, Paul continues his discourse on the false teachers.  He tells them that he will continue his attack on false teachers, and he says that no one can stop him. (2 Corinthians 11:10-12)  Those false prophets deceive the people just as the serpent deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden. (2 Corinthians 11:3)  He ends the chapter by recounting the trials and suffering that he has gone through. (2 Corinthians 11:16-33)

 

APPLICATION

An important reason for reading and studying The Word of God is to be able to recognize when someone is presenting something which is different and wrong.  Eloquent speech can be full of lies which are presented artfully.  Doctrines, philosophies, religions, and teachings should be compared to God’s Holy Word before they are accepted as true.  Satan is continuously roaming the earth, back and forth, seeking those whom he may destroy. (Job 1:6-7 and 1 Peter 5:8)  He is cunning and crafty, and he is full of lies. (John 8:44)  Do not be deceived by those who come presenting lies. (Deuteronomy 11:16 and Luke 21:8)  As the saying goes, “all that glitters is not gold.”  Just because it sounds good does not mean that it is the truth.  Also, we should beware of those who come glorifying themselves and not glorifying The Lord God.

 

THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE GOSPEL THE GOSPEL OF JESUS THE CHRIST

Proclamation:

“As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!”  Galatians 1:9 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Galatia.  After the opening greeting in his letter to these believers, Paul states that any other gospel other than the gospel of Jesus Christ, and Him crucified and risen, is no gospel at all. (Galatians 1:6-7)  He said that if the apostles, or angels, or anybody else should preach anything else to them, let them be under God’s curse. (Galatians 1:8-9)  Then Paul goes on to tell them that he was called of God to preach to them and he briefly presents his background. (Galatians 1:11-24)

Application:

Worldly people will present all manner of doctrine and beliefs to us in the name of their religion or philosophy.  However, if they present anything other than the birth, life, teachings, crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ, we should not put any faith in it.  Any other “gospel” is not really the gospel at all.  The Lord God will deal with all of those false prophets.  We need to read, study, and live The Holy Word of God in order to make sure that we recognize false teachings and errors when they are presented to us.  Remember that Satan was an angel and he was kicked out of heaven along with one third of the angels in heaven who followed him. (Luke 10:18 and Revelation 12:9)  There is only one way for us to be saved and that is through belief in Jesus, The Christ. (John 3:16, Acts 4:12, and Romans 10:9)  Jesus said, “I am the way … no man cometh unto The Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6)  To God be the glory!!!

BEWARE OF FALSE TEACHERS AND FALSE DOCTRINE

Proclamation:

“For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached … or a different gospel from the one you accepted … such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.  It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness.  Their end will be what their actions deserve.”  2 Corinthians 11:4-15 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Corinth.  In this chapter, Paul continues his discourse on the false teachers.  He says that he will continue his attack on them and no one can stop him. (2 Corinthians 11:10-12)   Those false prophets deceive the people just as the serpent deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden. (2 Corinthians 11:3)  He ends the chapter by recounting the trials and suffering that he has gone through. (2 Corinthians 11:16-33)

Application:

An important reason for reading and studying The Word of God is to be able to recognize when someone is presenting something which is different and wrong.  Eloquent speech can be full of lies which are presented artfully.  Doctrines, philosophies, religions, and teachings should be compared to God’s Holy Word before they are accepted as true.  Satan is continuously roaming the earth, back and forth, seeking those whom he may destroy. (Job 1:6-7 and 1 Peter 5:8)  He is cunning and crafty, and he is full of lies. (John 8:44)  Do not be deceived by those who come presenting lies. (Deuteronomy 11:16 and Luke 21:8)  As the saying goes, “all that glitters is not gold.”  Also beware of those who come glorifying themselves and not glorifying The Lord God.

BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS

Proclamation:

"Watch out for false prophets.  They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." Matthew 7:15 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, which He spoke to His disciples and to the surrounding crowd during His Sermon on The Mount as recorded by the Apostle Matthew.  Jesus was warning them to beware of false teachers.  These false teachers are known by their false doctrine and by their evil living.

Application:

Everything that sounds good is not the truth.  Just because someone says that something is in The Bible does not mean that it is actually there.  Some of time people will take things out of context in order to make a point that is Biblically incorrect.  Be careful of who you follow and who you listen to.  Everyone who claims to be a man of God, or a child of God, is not telling the truth.  "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)  “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:23)  We all need to read and study The Bible for ourselves. "Study to show thyself approved unto God ... rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)  Be careful, there are false prophets out there.