Have you ever stopped to think about how amazing a time we live in?  We have computers that can do in seconds, calculations that used to take months or years.  We can watch hundreds of television shows on a phone that fits in our hand.  If we want to talk to a relative, we can, from anywhere in the world instantly with a cell phone.  If we want to know anything about anything, we can find it within 30 seconds by searching on the internet.  Amazing.  At the same time this interconnectedness is a great blessing, it also opens us up to limitless opportunities for temptation and false teachers.  Now temptation is nothing new, but never before in history have believers been confronted with so much false teaching in the name of Christ.  All you have to do is look on TV at the televangelists, each wants to tell you that Jesus wants your dreams to come true… for $19.99.  This would be comical, if it weren’t so tragic that the largest “church” in America, is led by a pastor who teaches that God wants them to have “Their Best Life Now” and defines that as being healthy and financially prosperous verses joy in God Himself.  So how should we defend ourselves against false teaching, and how will we know it when it comes to us?

Before returning to the Father, Jesus gave this warning about false prophets, as well as the means to discern false teachers.

Matthew 7:15-20 – “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”

Now many Christians misunderstand what God means by “judge not, lest ye be judged” (Matt 7:1).  Clearly, immediately after saying that in the 1st verse of Matthew 7, Jesus tells people to judge false teachers by their fruit.  So we are called as believers to judge the fruits of others.  Jesus was saying not to judge from a sense of pridefulness, such as the Pharisee judging the tax collector in Luke 18:11.  Clearly God wants us to be wise about who we put in positions of authority over us in matters of teaching the Word of God.  So then, if the great commandment of God is to love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love others as yourself – Look at the teacher’s life – is this true of them?  What about the people they have discipled – are their lives marked by a passionate love for God Himself and others?

What other fruit should we look for?  Galatians 5:22-23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;”  Do you see these fruits increasingly in the person’s life?  If not, be wary.  The Spirit of God dwells in every believer, and these are the characteristics of God.  Therefore, if someone does not have these fruits increasingly present in their life, what comfort do we have that the Spirit they are speaking from is of God?

We know that there are many false teachers.  Satan Himself tried to tempt Jesus by twisting scripture, and disguises himself as an angel of light.  What are some of the marks of false teachers?

2 Peter 2:1-3 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

The root of sinfulness is the desire to be God rather than worship Him.  Therefore, does the person delight in the glory of God, or do they make much of themselves with their lifestyle and speech?  Are they trying to appeal to individuals based on sensual experience apart from a delight in God?  As someone who struggles with pride, know that no man or woman of God, comes face to face with God in His Word, and comes away with a desire to make much of themselves, they come away amazed, humbled, in awe of the beauty, lovingkindness, and goodness of God, and delight to see God rightly made much of, He alone is worthy.  If you find a teacher that isn’t marked by a sense of humility before God and His Word – run.

My exhortation in light of these things, is to be like the Bereans, who after hearing the professed Word of God, went back to the scriptures to see for themselves if it was so.  Acts 17:10-11 – “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. ¹¹Now 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.”  Now, more than ever, we live in a world where ideas are constantly being pushed on us, information is immediately available to us via the internet.  This can be a great blessing, but wisdom demands that we filter what we consider to be true, but the Truth that we find in the Word of God.  People sometimes ask me my opinion about authors, pastors, churches, etc.  Often I do not know much about the individuals or churches, so I refer the questioner to the above passages and encourage them to be a Berean, and trust the Holy Spirit will lead them in their decisions.  Find your safe refuge in the Word of God, be a Berean.  We are all sheep amongst the wolves, be on your guard.

Grace and Peace,
Adam