A Layman’s Guide To False Preachers and Teachers – Part 13

We have spent the last several years looking at the layman’s guide to false preachers and teachers (the Bible). You can read the first part of the series here.

You will find a list of the topics we would look at in this series in that first part. Here’s a reminder:

Spiritual Parasite and Wolves List

Here’s a Spiritual Parasite and Wolves List to help identify false preachers and teachers who may be targeting you or others in your family, church family or sphere of influence’. We are using information available in A Layman’s Guide to False Preachers and Teachers for this list.

false preachers and teachers are ungodly and dangerous to your spiritual health
false preachers and teachers are everywhere and into everything ‘Christian’
false preachers and teachers claim to speak for God, but are really spokespeople for the enemy of Christ (Satan)
false preachers and teachers have one purpose and that is to promote themselves and dominate people
false preachers and teachers accomplish that by raising (read praising) themselves and lowering (read diminishing, demoting, denigrating) God
false preachers and teachers cause divisions between Christians and within churches
false preachers and teachers claim God ‘speaks’ or ‘appears’ directly to them, so they know things others cannot know by simply reading the Bible
false preachers and teachers claim to see ‘visions,’ but their visions are false and deceptive
false preachers and teachers manipulate people for their (false preachers and teachers) benefit rather than ‘minister’ to people for their (people’s) benefit
false preachers and teachers present a message that is different than Jesus Christ and His apostles
false preachers and teachers are depraved and doomed
false preachers and teachers will be known by their fruit
false preachers and teachers are able to disguise themselves and appear as sheep — but are in fact wolves who feed off unsuspecting people

We’ve looked closely at the first two points on the list, so let’s move to the third.

#3 – false preachers and teachers claim to speak for God, but are really spokespeople for the enemy of Christ (Satan)

False preachers and teachers are not just wrong in their preaching and teaching; they are actually mouthpieces for Satan. They are agents (representatives) of the devil. Just as a Christian preacher and teacher represent God and speak for Him, false preachers and teachers represent and speak for Satan.

Does that sound too harsh? Think we should tone that statement down a bit? Why would we do that given what Jesus and the apostles said about false preachers and teachers?

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Matthew 7:15-16

And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. Matthew 24:10-12

Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand. Mark 13:21-23

But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:12-14

Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. Galatians 2:3-5

O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. 1 Timothy 6:20-21

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 2 Peter 2:1-3

But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the sonof Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire. 2 Peter 2:12-22

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 1 John 4:1-3These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. Jude 1:12-13

False preachers and teachers are not from God. They work for the enemy of God. The sooner we understand and accept that is the case, the better. Christianity has long been under attack. Satan attacked Jesus as soon as the Lord left the Jordan River and headed to the wilderness to face the devil’s temptations. When we hear the words of a false preacher or teacher, we are hearing the words of Satan.

What can we do? If you are in a teaching position, you can do this:

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:2-5

If you are not in a teaching position, there are still things you can do. We listed those in the last part of our series:

Here are the steps for dealing with a false teacher in your church:

Talk privately
Rebuke sharply with witnesses
Withdraw and take a position away from

Each of us can do something to oppose the infiltration of Satanic influence in churches and denominations through false preachers and teachers.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13

[Podcast version of this study coming soon.]

Next Time

How can preachers and teachers so easily become spokespeople for the devil? We’ll look into that in the next part of our special series, A Layman’s Guide to False Preachers and Teachers.

A Layman’s Guide To False Preachers and Teachers Part 1

A Layman’s Guide To False Preachers and Teachers Part 2

A Layman’s Guide To False Preachers and Teachers Part 3

A Layman’s Guide To False Preachers and Teachers Part 4

A Layman’s Guide To False Preachers and Teachers Part 5

A Layman’s Guide To False Preachers and Teachers Part 6

A Layman’s Guide To False Preachers and Teachers Part 7

A Layman’s Guide To False Preachers and Teachers Part 8

A Layman’s Guide To False Preachers and Teachers Part 9

A Layman’s Guide To False Preachers and Teachers Part 10

A Layman’s Guide To False Preachers and Teachers Part 11

A Layman’s Guide To False Preachers and Teachers Part 12