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Danger of False Teaching and Importance of Truth

How serious is the problem of fake instruction? Does the Bible contain many warnings about religious mistake and faux teachers?

Should we compromise and overlook differences in doctrine and fellowship people regardless of their errors? How important is spiritual truth? How concerned should we be about imitation prophets?

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Introduction:

I once heard a preacher say, "There is only one passage in all the Bible that mentions false teachers."

Why would a man, professing to be a teacher of God's give-and-take, say that? He sought to convince people that false teaching is non a great danger: The Bible does not warn against information technology often and so information technology we don't need to exist very concerned almost it. You might see it occasionally, but not very frequently.

Why would someone want u.s. to believe that? He advocated overlooking most points of disagreement nigh Scripture and fellowshipping people who are involved in obvious religious error.

This idea has many labels: "ecumenism," "political definiteness," etc. People defend it past saying we should not "judge" others but should accept a spirit of dearest and be more Christ-similar, etc. The basic idea is that we should achieve fellowship among various groups by compromise: i.e., by ignoring differences in doctrine and practice. They say we should oppose immorality, hypocrisy, or open denial of God, etc. But we should non teach that, in order to be acceptable to God, people must repent of errors in worship or religious practices. As long as they sincerely seek to worship God, nosotros should fellowship them.

A fundamental plank in this platform is the doctrine that false teaching is not very serious, so we do not demand to be very concerned most it.

The purpose of this written report is to consider but how serious a trouble imitation educational activity really is.

Surely nosotros must concur that we should not condemn practices that harmonize with God's will. But the question is: Should we view imitation teaching as a serious threat, or should nosotros tone down our opposition to information technology and seek unity based on compromise with those whose practices cannot exist establish in Scripture? Does the Bible contain many warnings against false instruction, or is it a minor concern rarely mentioned?

Consider the following Bible teachings:

I. Warnings against False Didactics

Is information technology true that fake teaching is rarely discussed in Scripture, or are at that place many passages that mention it?

2 Peter chap. 2

This is the one passage that expressly mentions "imitation teachers."

Vv ane,two - There will be false teachers today just equally there were fake prophets in Israel. They bring destructive heresies, crusade destruction, and many follow their error. They forsake the right way and go astray (v15). Those who follow their error would be ameliorate to have never known the truth (vv twenty-22).

This may be the only passage that technically uses the words "false teacher," nonetheless this passage itself shows it is a serious problem. The context discusses the problem for an entire chapter and gives a stinging rebuke. It warns that "many" will be led astray past fake teachers. But it is non the only passage on the subject! Note: "False teachers" are called "false prophets" (v1).

Matthew 7:15

Beware of false prophets, who are wolves in sheep's clothing. Many people who follow their teachings will call up they are pleasing to God, but will exist rejected because they accept not done His volition (vv 21-23).

Notation that these false teachers come up in disguise. They practise not appear to be fake teachers. V21 shows that they don't necessarily deny Christ: they call Him "Lord, Lord." They appear to be "sheep," non "wolves"; they appear to be godly, sincere, adept moral people. Simply they teach enough error to cause people to be lost.

This passage uses the phrase "simulated prophet," instead of "false teacher," but it shows that imitation teaching is a serious trouble. Jesus expressly warned the states to exist on guard for information technology; He said simulated teachers volition be difficult to recognize, and that "many" will be rejected because of their influence. Doesn't that sound serious?

2 Corinthians 11:xiii-15

Faux apostles are deceitful workers who pretend to exist apostles of Jesus. They are like Satan himself, who pretends to be an angel of light. One reason false teaching is so dangerous is that it is mendacious; numerous passages warn about this danger.

Before I brand whatsoever major purchase, I like to keep the Internet and read product reviews written past people who accept actually bought the particular. You may read something like: "This product consists of cheap materials assembled by shoddy workmanship. It is sure to interruption within a month, and then you will learn that the company does not stand backside its warranty. In curt, information technology is a lousy product and you lot would be meliorate off buying a unlike brand." Manifestly, such reviews must be taken with a grain of salt; the reviewer may have gotten a lemon or may have ulterior motives, etc.

Only when you shop in a store, would you detect such a label attached to a production? Who would buy it? Even if they knew it to be true, neither the manufacturer nor the store would admit it.

The same is true of false teaching. If it came clearly labeled as mistake, who would purchase information technology? So, Satan'due south favorite trick is to disguise false didactics and make it appear as truth.

V3 illustrates this. Satan led Eve to sin by deceiving her. (See notes beneath.) The starting time sin resulted from deception, and Satan has used that technique always since. He makes counterfeits that fool people because they are and so much like what God made, and he promotes them by men who seem to be and so godly, only there is merely enough error to crusade people to be lost (Matt. xv:14).

Again, this passage does not employ the words "false teacher." It uses "false apostle." But who could deny that it is intended to bear witness the serious danger of false pedagogy?

1 Timothy 4:one-iii

The Spirit expressly warns that some will fall away from the faith and speak lies and doctrines of demons. This includes doctrines such as forbidding marriage, commanding to abstain from meats, etc.

A person does non have to be an openly immoral rebel to teach such doctrines. He might merits to believe in God and the Bible and live a decent, moral life. He could be a hypocrite, but a hypocrite is a deceiver: he fools people to retrieve that he is upright and godly when he is not. So those who believe his teaching may be honest, sincere people who take been deceived.

That is the danger of false teaching.

ii Timothy iv:two-iv

The fourth dimension will come up when men volition not suffer sound doctrine, but will heap to themselves teachers subsequently their own lusts, and will turn aside from truth to fables. And so he charged faithful teachers to preach the truth and rebuke such errors.

The passage does non mention the words "false teachers," but who tin can deny that it discusses the subject and shows that it is a serious problem?

1 John 4:i

Practice not believe every spirit, but put them to the test, considering many fake prophets take gone out into the globe. This warning about fake prophets expressly says it is a common problem: there are "many" false prophets.

If you only consider the exact phrase "false teacher," then it is technically right to say the expression is used only once. But the statement itself illustrates the kind of deceitful half-truths that all these passages have been warning about, because there are many, many passages that warn confronting the concept of false teaching; they simply apply other phrases to draw information technology.

[Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Thessalonians 2:ten-12; Matt. 24:xi,24; Acts twenty:29,xxx; Col. ii:viii; Tit. 1:9-fourteen; three:10,11; Eph. 4:14; five:half-dozen; 2 Pet. 3:fifteen,sixteen; 1 Cor. four:6; Lam. 2:14; Zech. 10:2; 1 Tim. half-dozen:20,21; 6:5; 1:3; Luke 6:26; Deut. 18:20; Heb. 13:nine; Rom. xvi:17,xviii; James 5:19,20; Psa. 119:118]

II. Examples of Faux Teachers

The Bible not merely expressly warns united states of the danger of false educational activity, it also gives us many examples that demonstrate the consequences of accepting error. Note that many of these teachers were non immoral reprobates who openly denied the existence of God. And in nearly cases the people who followed the false teachers were neither reprobates nor hypocrites; rather they accepted fault considering they were deceived by the false teachers.

A. The Serpent - one Timothy two:fourteen; 2 Corinthians 11:3

Eve sinned because she was beguiled or deceived. God said she would die if she ate, but Satan tricked her with the simulated doctrine that she would not dice only would become similar God.

Eve was not a hypocrite or moral reprobate, nor did she deny God'southward existence. She was deceived by a faux instructor. Was in that location no serious effect in this? Think of all the horrible problems that came into the world - even into your life and mine - as a result of this one human activity.

Surely this illustrates the serious problems that false teaching can crusade.

B. The Ten Spies - Numbers 13:30-33

These men said Israel could not enter Canaan because the people in the state were too great to be defeated. This was simply false: God would have given the ability they needed to conquer the state, even every bit He subsequently did under Joshua. Simply the people believed this fake instruction and refused to enter.

Again, the people where not immoral hypocrites who openly denied God'south existence. Yet the event was the people wandered xl years in the wilderness till anybody over age twenty died, except the two faithful spies.

Who would deny that this false doctrine had serious consequences?

C. Opponents of One-time Testament Prophets

In the Quondam Testament, God's faithful prophets often opposed false teachers who attempted to pb God's people into sin.

Jeremiah 23:xiii-17,21,22,25,26,32 - God said that the prophets spoke by Baal, not what God had told them. They caused the people to err, and encouraged them in sin instead of urging them to repent. They prophesied lies and deceit, and did not profit the people. Why requite such a stern rebuke if false teaching is not dangerous?

Ezekiel 13:1-9,22,23 - Prophets spoke from their ain hearts, non from God. It was futility and false divination. They grieved the righteous and caused the wicked to continue in sin.

These are only a few of many examples we could examine. Had people of the ecumenical spirit lived in those days, would they accept given such firm rebukes to these false teachers or would they take sought to fellowship them despite their simulated practices? Note that one of God's main objections to false teaching was that it led people to think they could safely keep in their sins instead of warning them to repent. Simply that is exactly what modernistic ecumenical teachers do!

[Jeremiah 28:xv-17; i Kings 12:26-33; Jer. five:xxx,31; 27:9,ten,14-16; 29:eight,9; 14:xiv; Isa. 30:10.]

D. Jewish Leaders in Jesus' Day

Matthew 15:one-9,12-xiv - The Pharisees transgressed God'due south control because of human tradition. Following human being commands makes worship vain. Those who follow such teachers, fall into the ditch with the teacher. Jesus believed that following false teaching has serious consequences, and so he rebuked the false teachers and told others to "leave them alone."

Mark 12:24,27 - Sadducees refused to believe in the resurrection of the dead. Jesus said they were greatly mistaken not knowing the Scriptures.

These are simply a few of many passages where Jesus rebuked the faux teaching of Jewish leaders. Annotation that neither the teaching of the Sadducees nor that of the Pharisees involved immorality nor unbelief in God'due south being. And while the teachers themselves may take been hypocrites, the people who followed them were often quite sincere. Nonetheless Jesus rebuked the imitation teachers and warned people not to follow them.

[Run into likewise John 8:43- 47.]

Eastward. Judaizing Teachers - Galatians 2:4,5; 5:1-seven

Judaizing teachers taught that people had to be circumcised and go on Former Testament laws to be saved (Acts fifteen:1,24). Paul said such were false brethren, and he refused to compromise with their instruction for so much as an hour. Those who accustomed this fake educational activity are not obeying truth, just are fallen from grace.

Note again the severe consequences of following false teaching, yet the practise in question was not a matter of immorality, hypocrisy, or unbelief in God's existence (or in Jesus as the Savior, etc.). Would those of the ecumenical spirit oppose such teaching? Compromise is the essence of their view. Yet Paul refused to submit. [cf. 2:11-14.]

F. False Teachers in Asia - Revelation chap. 2

Jesus' ain statements to the seven churches of Asia include several strong warnings about the danger of simulated teaching.

two:2 - Ephesus was commended considering they put to the test men who claimed to be apostles, and proved they were liars.

two:14-16 - Pergamum was rebuked because they had some there who taught the false doctrine of Balaam and some who held the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Jesus hated. He said they must repent or He would come up and fight against them. Was that doctrine insignificant?

2:20-22 - Thyatira was also rebuked considering it immune a false instructor, Jezebel, to teach and lead people into sin.

These show that God does want u.s. to reject and firmly oppose false pedagogy. In fact failure to oppose imitation teaching is itself one of the errors that the Lord firmly rebukes! Many other examples of false education tin be found in both Old Testament and New Testament.

Honestly, does this sound like imitation teaching is non a very serious matter? Is it true that there are not many warnings about it in the Bible?

[See also Acts 13:6-12; Jer. 20:vi; Amos ii:4; Isa. nine:15,16; 3:12; 1 Kings thirteen:18; 22:22f; 2 Chron. 33:nine; Mic. 3:5; 2 Tim. ii:18; ane Tim. one:19,xx; Malachi 2:7,viii; Zech. 13:3.]

III. Teaching well-nigh the Importance of Truth

At the root of the problem, why should we be and then concerned near fake didactics?

A. Appreciation for Truth Requires Opposition to Fault.

When two things are opposites, if I am for ane thing, I must be against its reverse. In fact, the stronger I favor something, the stronger I must oppose its opposite.

Examples:

(1) If I favor a democratic republic, I must oppose dictatorship.

(2) If I favor life, I must oppose death.

(three) If I favor light, I must oppose darkness. The more than I value the one, the more I must object to the other.

Just error is the opposite of truth. If I appreciate truth, then, I must oppose error. To say that false practices exercise not affair much, is to necessarily imply that truth does non affair much!

Every passage that emphasizes the importance of truth, simultaneously emphasizes the danger of error. The more I intendance about truth, the more than firmly I will oppose error. So, consider:

B. Passages that Emphasize the Importance of Truth

Proverbs 23:23 - Buy the truth and sell information technology not. Truth must be obtained at all costs. Once nosotros have it, we must non surrender it for any price. Nothing is more than valuable than truth. But if we really care almost truth, and then we must firmly object to accepting mistake.

John eight:31,32 - To be free from sin (v34) so we can be Jesus' disciples, we must know and bide in the truth. What if we do non know the truth, only abide in mistake? Then we are non Jesus' disciples; we are servants of sin.

James 3:17 - Wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable. Peace is and then of import that we should never sacrifice it for the sake of our own stubborn opinions or personal preferences. Yet important as peace is, purity in doctrine and practice is even more of import.

The ecumenical spirit says that we should exist first peaceable, but don't worry much near purity. God'southward word says to be outset pure, and so peaceable.

Jude 3 - Earnestly fence for the faith that was once delivered to the saints. But to contend for the faith absolutely requires us to oppose imitation instruction, because it contradicts the faith (cf. Eph. 4:iii-6).

Psalms 119:104,105 - If we consider God's precepts to exist right, then we must detest every false manner. You cannot support truth without opposing mistake.

2 John nine-11 - If we do not bide in Jesus' teachings, we exercise non accept God. If nosotros want to have God, we must abide in His teachings, and this requires us to turn down to fellowship those who bring other teachings.

The problem with false pedagogy is that it contradicts truth and leads people away from God'due south will. When a person belittles the danger of error, he is also belittling the value of truth. And so the real reason why we ought to be concerned about false teaching is that we care nigh truth. And the reason nosotros intendance about truth is that we care about God and other people. We want to please God by following His volition and helping other people do the same.

[John 4:23,24; Rom. 2:half-dozen-11; 1 Pet. 1:22-25; Rom. 16:17,eighteen]

Conclusion

1 Corinthians ten:12 - Permit him who thinks he stands, take listen lest he autumn.

One of the surest ways to become a victim of fake doctrine is to call up that information technology is non dangerous and yous don't need to be concerned most it.

When someone tells you lot that false didactics is not a big problem and y'all don't need to exist very concerned almost it, he is teaching you a faux doctrine when he says it! And information technology is just a affair of time before he will attempt to get you to accept other false teachings! Non every fake teacher will scoff the danger of false pedagogy. Only someday a human does tell you that false teachers are not a serious danger, y'all can be certain he is telling you lot that either because he is a false teacher or considering he is under the influence of imitation teachers!

What should we do about it?

How tin can we escape the danger of imitation pedagogy?

(1) Love the truth. We have seen that the people who are most likely to take error are the people who are not sufficiently dedicated to the truth.

(2) Study God'south word diligently. The way to recognize error is to compare it to the truth (Acts 17:11; 2 Tim. 2:15; three:xvi,17).

(3) Honestly examine every doctrine and practice earlier we accept it (ii Cor. 13:v).

(four) Let God'southward word be the standard for all our spiritual decisions (Gal. one:6-9; 2 Tim. 3:16,17; Matt. 15:ix; 2 John 9; etc.)

What almost you and me? Do we care about truth? Do we care enough to report diligently, remove mistake from our lives, and serve God faithfully? If you know the truth nigh becoming a Christian, accept you obeyed it? Are yous living a faithful life as a Christian?

(C) Copyright 1991, 2009,David East. Pratte; www.gospelway.com
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Why And then Much Religious Defoliation and Disagreement?

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Tradition as Religious Authority

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