How to Identify False Teachers.
"To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn." Isaiah 8:20
"So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him." Malachi 3:18
"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit." Matthew 7:15-17
"Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son." 1 John 2:22
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another." Galatians 5:22-26
Are We to Judge and Expose False Teachers?
"As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith." 1 Timothy 1:3-4
"Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret." Ephesians 5:11-12
"This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme." 1 Timothy 1:18-20
The Sin of Greed. (This is why we have so many false teachers. For many, it is a Get-Rich-Quick scheme. For others, they do not speak the truth because it will cause people to leave; less people means less money.)
"If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain." 1 Timothy 6:3-5
"Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep." 2 Peter 2:2-3
Increase of False Teachings within Christianity!
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Be On Guard for False Doctrine.
"I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing 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 what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!" Galatians 1:6-8
"If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds." 2 John 1:10-11
"Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting." Romans 16:17-18
"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ." Colossians 2:8
Warning Against Adding to, Taking Away from, and Twisting the Prophecy (Applicable to Scripture).
"I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book." Revelation 22:18-19
Test the spirits: Guard Yourself with the Bible.
"Beloved, 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." 1 John 4:1
"But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Rebuke Them.
"I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction." 2 Timothy 4:1-2
"Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned." Titus 3:10-11
Reminders.
"As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." Ephesians 4:14-16
"For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." Jude 1:4
While They Might Look Like a Christian and Do Good Deeds, Remember That Even Satan Disguises Himself.
"For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds." 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
"For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these." 2 Timothy 3:2-5
"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44
There are many passages addressing false teachers and false teachings in the Bible. 1 Timothy 6:3-10, 2 Peter 2, and Jude 3-16 are some large passages. They will not only come from without, but also from within. We need to constantly be on guard, dwelling in the Word, and praying for discernment. If we do not know our Bibles well, then we will be able to be easily deceived. There are many who appear to be righteous, but they are venomous ministers of darkness masquerading as ministers of light. Truth offends. If it does not offend, then it is not truth that is being spoken.
False teachers throw away clear teachings in the Bible and twist the Bible to justify sin. They spread the false prosperity gospel because of their greed. They will say things like, "Hell is not real," "Jesus is not God," and "I can't judge, you can be Christian and live in rebellion." They are proud and conceited people. They appear on magazine covers because the world loves them. Most are nothing more than motivational speakers who only talk about a false Hippie kind of "love" and your best life now. These false teachers never preach on sin because they do not want to offend anyone.
If a false teacher tells you not to judge them because the Bible says not to judge, that is a clear indication that your assessment of them is correct, because the Bible informs us to judge with righteous judgement. If you are not allowed to judge, then how could you possibly judge against false teachers, which the Word of God expressly tells us to do? It warns us against such things for a reason. Christians can identify false teachers by aligning what they say and teach with what Scripture says and teaches, and by how they act. If something appears to be not quite right, search the Scriptures and judge with righteousness so that the truth is not blasphemed. We must defend the truth!
Sadly, too many people within Christendom are willfully allowing false teachers to spread their lies throughout Christianity, and very few people are standing up against them. The present-day Church is married to the world, concerned with the world, and placating to the world. This is not what Jesus envisioned for His Bride. As Scripture puts forth, when Jesus returns will He find faith on the Earth? Or a bunch of false converts, hypocrites, and apostates?
Here's a small list of just some of the false teachers out there:
| Ché Ahn Jennie Allen Neil Anderson Paul & Andi Andrew Tomi Arayomi Herbert Armstrong John & Carol Arnott John Avanzini Mel & Desiree Ayres Jimmy Baker Rolland & Heidi Baker Marlyne Barrett Mark Batterson Rob Bell Todd Bentley Kenton Beshore Mike Bickle Tudor Bismark Nadia Bolz-Weber Shawn Bolz Greg Boyd Rodney Howard Brown Juanita Bynum Christine Caine Stacie Campbell Harold Camping Tony Campolo Ergun Caner Charles Capps Timothy Bruce "Bruxy" Cavey Morris Cerullo Steve Chalke Mahesh Chavda David Yongii Cho Shane Claiborne Randy Clark Kim Clement Tracey Cook Graham Cooke Kenneth & Gloria Copeland Paul Crouch John Crowder Jim Cymbala Jennifer Kennedy Dean Creflo Dollar Francois Du Toit Jesse Duplantis Debbie Eaton Lou Engle Rachel Held Evans Russel & Sam Evans Margaret Feinberg Charles Finney Don Finto Richard Foster Jentezen Franklin Steven Furtick Daniel Fusko Charlotte Gambil Eric Geiger Jack Graham Trisha Graves Jessi Green Craig Groeschel Nicky Gumbel David Guzik Mimi Haddad John Hagee Ted Haggard Kenneth Hagin Nick Hall Lisa Harper |
Michael & Carol Hart Jen Hatmaker Jack Hayford Eric Heard Nate Heitzig Skip Heitzig Jack Hibbs Marilyn Hickey Benny Hinn Ed Hindson Zane C. Hodges David Hogan Bryan & Bobbie Houston Cindy Jacobs T. D. Jakes Brad Jersak Bill Johnson Brian & Jenn Johnson Tony Jones Rick Joyner Bianca Juarez Olthoff Haron Kaisa John P. Kelly E. W. Kenyon Erin Kerr Patricia King David Koresh Michael Koulianos Greg & Val Kurjata Madeleine L'Engle Nora Lam Greg Laurie Jennifer LeClaire Witness Lee Carl Lentz Aaron Levy Banning Liebscher Heather Lindsey David Lister Eddie Long Anne Graham Lotz Levi Lusko Rebekah Lyons David Mainse Zach Manis Texx Marrs Molly Marshall John C. Maxwell Brian McLaren Adam Mesa Diego & Cindy Mesa Eric Metaxas Joyce Meyer Brent Miller, Sr. Donald Miller John Milton* Kelly Minter Jen Miskov Miles Monroe Beth Moore Hayley Morgan Robert Morris Malcolm Muggeridge Mike Murdock Arnold Murray Raechel Myers Shauna Niequist Henri Nouwen Bianca Olthoff John Ortberg Joel & Victoria Osteen Doug Pagitt |
Rod Parsley Earl Paulk Norman Vincent Peale Fred Phelps (and family) Cal Pierce Chuck Pierce Peter Popoff James A. "Jacob" Prasch Frederick Price Joseph Prince Bob Proctor Shane Pruitt Chris Quilala Chris Quintana Rodney Reeves Raul Reis Ryan Reis Sarah Jakes Robers Oral Roberts Richard Roberts Pat Robertson James Robison Samuel "Sammy" Rodriguez Richard Rohr Sid Roth Jennifer Rothschild Ricky Rush Charles Taze Russell Gabriel Salguero Robert Schuller Susie Shellenberger Priscilla Shirer Ed Silvoso Brian Simmons Walid Shoebat Joseph Smith Judah Smith David J. Stewart Diana Stone Perry Stone Tim Suttle Jimmy Swaggart Wes Tameifuna Leroy Thompson Phillis Tickle Robert Tilton Jack van Impe Kris Vollotton Ann Voskamp Derek Vreeland Alexis James Waggoner C. Peter Wagner Sheila Walsh Raphael Warnock Thomas Wesley Weeks, III Stovall & Kerri Weems Ellen G. White Randy & Paula White Todd White Bruce Wilkinson Dallas Willard Amanda Bible Williams John Wimber Oprah Winfrey Andrew Wommack Philip Yancey Brigham Young Ed Young Sarah Young William P. Young Michael Youssef Brian Zahnd |
The above names are low hanging fruit, the most obvious kind of false teachers. Many of the following names are false teachers in their own right, especially those of the Dispensational and Calvinistic persuasions; they are the most dangerous kind of false teachers, wolves dressed in sheep's clothing:
| Jay E. Adams Thomas Adams* Randy Alcorn Eric J. Alexander Joseph Alleine* Isaac Ambrose* William Ames* Thabiti Anyabwile (Ron Burns) Gleason L. Archer, Jr. Aaron Armstrong John Arrowsmith* Stephen Arterburn Kay Arthur John Ball* Richard Baker* Albert Barnes Donald Grey Barnhouse William Bates* Voddie Baucham Herman Bavinck Richard Baxter* Paul Baynes* G. K. Beale Joel Beeke Alistair Begg Louis Berkhof John & Lisa Bevere Hugh Binning* Henry Blackaby Darrel Bock Loraine Boettner James Montgomery Boice Robert Bolton* Samuel Bolton* Dietrich Bonhoeffer Robert R. Booth Thomas Boston* James P. Boyce William Bridge* Jerry Bridges Timmy Brister Benjamin Brook* Thomas Brooks* Michael Brown Robert Browne* F. F. Bruce Henry Bullinger* John Bunyan* Anthony Burgess* Denny Burk Jeremiah Burroughs* Edmund Calamy* John Calvin* Kirk Cameron Robert S. Candlish D. A. Carson Thomas Cartwright* Joseph Caryl* Thomas Case* Lewis Sperry Chafer Tim Challies Oswald Chambers Francis Chan Matt Chandler Walter J. Chantry Bryan Chapell Gary Chapman H. B. Charles Stephen Charnock* Isaac Chauncy* Tim Chester G. K Chesterton R. Scott Clark David Clarkson* Henry Cloud Elisha Coles* John Colquhoun* Charles Colson Ray Comfort Tim Conway John Cotton* Mal Couch Tobias Crisp* Oliver Cromwell* Brian Croft John R. Cross R. L. Dabney John Nelson Darby John Davenant* F. Delitzsch Mark Dever Kevin DeYoung James Dobson Philip Doddridge* George Downame* John Downame* Martin Downes Mark Driscoll J. Ligon Duncan John Eaton* Jonathan Edwards* John C. Egerdahl John Eldredge Jim & Elisabeth Elliot David J. Engelsma Millard J. Erickson Ebenezer Erskine* Jerry Falwell Jeff & Shaunti Feldhahn Sinclair Ferguson J. V. Fesko John Fischer Edward Fisher* Samuel Fisk John Flavel* Brian Flynn John Frame Thomas Gataker* Norman Geisler Kenneth L. Gentry Jim & Elizabeth George John H. Gerstner Gene A. Getz Louie Giglio Greg Gilbert John Gill Gary Gilley |
Robert "Bob" Glenn Thomas Goodwin* A. J. Gordon Thomas Gouge* Billy Graham Franklin Graham J. D. Greear Richard Greenham* William Greenhill* Wayne Grudem Os Guiness Robert H. Gundry William Gurnall* William Guthrie* Joseph Hall* O. Hallesby H. H. Halley Ken Ham Hank Hanegraaff John Hannah Colin Hanson Joshua Harris Michael S. Heiser Howard Hendricks William Hendriksen Matthew Henry* A. A. Hodge Charles Hodge Anthony A. Hoekema Herman Hoeksema Ezekiel Hopkins* Michael Horton Kent Hovind John Howe* Dave Hunt Bill Hybels Daniel R. Hyde Thomas Ice Gary Inrig H. A. Ironside Grant Jeffrey Jerry Jenkins William Jenkyn* David Jeremiah Dennis E. Johnson Jesse Johnson Phil Johnson Benjamin Keach* C. F. Keil Timothy Keller D. James Kennedy Mark Kieler Karen Kingsbury Gerhard Kittel Meredith Kline Hanserd Knollys* R. B. Kuiper George Eldon Ladd Tim LaHaye William Law* Steve Lawson C. S. Lewis John Lightfoot* Hal Lindsey Jason Lisle Paul E. Little Martyn Lloyd-Jones Christopher Love* Max Lucado Sean Michael Lucas Martin Luther* Erwin Lutzer Robert Murray M'Cheyne J. Gresham Machen John F. MacArthur William MacDonald C. J. Mahaney Thomas Manton* Matt Marino Walter Marshall* Walter Martin Mike Mason Cotton Mather* Keith A. Mathison James McDonald Josh McDowell J. Vernon McGee Matthew Mead* Joseph Mede* David Miller Samuel Miller Chuck Missler Albert J. Mohler Joshua "Chavez" Monroe D. L. Moody Russell D. Moore Christopher W. Morgan G. Cambell Morgan Andrew Murray David Murray Iain Murray John Murray Henry M. Morris Andy Naselli Daniel Neal Watchman Nee Christopher Ness* Stephen Nichols Phillip Nye* Thomas C. Oden Dane Ortlund John Owen* J. I. Packer Les & Leslie Parrott Burk Parsons Michael & Debi Pearl Frank E. Peretti William Pemble* J. Dwight Pentecost William Perkins* Justin Peters Robert A. Peterson John Phillips Richard D. Phillips A. W. Pink Barnabas Piper |
John Piper David Platt Matthew Poole* Vavasor Powell* Vern S. Poythress John Preston* Charles Price Thom Rainer Dennis & Barbara Rainey John Rainolds* Dave Ramsey Leonard Ravenhill Paris Reidhead Tony Reinke Robert L. Reymond Edward Reynolds* Ron Rhodes Gary & Betsy Ricucci Herman Ridderbos Kim Riddlebarger Francis Roberts* A. T. Robertson John Robinson* Richard Rogers* Chris Rosebrough Samuel Rutherford* J. C. Ryle Leland Ryken Philip Graham Ryken Charles C. Ryrie John Saltmarsh* John Samson Ken Sande J. Oswald Sanders John P. Sartelle Francis A. Schaeffer Philip Schaff Thomas Schreiner C. I. Scofield Henry Scudder* John Sedgewick* Obadiah Sedgewick* Thomas Shepard* Richard Sibbes* Charles Simeon Gary Smalley Stephen Smallman Lewis B. Smedes Chuck Smith John Smyth* R. C. Sproul C. H. Spurgeon* Miles J. Stanford Andy Stanley Charles Stanley Ray C. Stedman Richard Steele* Ed Stetzer Don Stewart John R. W. Stott Alexander Strauch Greg Strawbridge Lee Strobel Augustus Strong Leonard Sweet Charles Swindoll George Swinnock* Paul Tautges Justin Taylor Thomas Taylor* Tullian Tchividjian Lysa TerKeurst Henry C. Thiessen Derek Thomas I. D. E. Thomas R. A. Torrey Robert Towne* A. W. Tozer Robert Traill* John Trapp* Paul David Tripp Tedd Tripp A. Craig Troxel Carl Trueman William Twisse* Merrill F. Unger James Ussher* Gene Veith Ralph Venning Robert Venning Marvin R. Vincent Milton Vincent Nathaniel Vincent Thomas Vincent W. E. Vine Geerhardus Vos Nick Vujicic Samuel E. Waldron Bruce K. Waltke John Walvoord Samuel Ward* B. B. Warfield Rick Warren Paul Washer Thomas Watson* Trevin Wax John Wesley Warren W. Wiersbe James R. White George Whitefield Donald S. Whitney William Wilberforce Andrew Willet* Daniel Williams* Harold L. Willmington Douglas Wilson Octavius Winslow Herman Witsius* Nancy L. DeMoss Wolgemuth N. T. Wright Kenneth Wuest Richard Wurmbrand K. P. Yohannan Ray Yungen Ravi Zacharias Spiros Zodhiates |
Avoid music and ministry from these churches:
Bethel Church
Celebration Church
Elevation Church
Gateway Church
Hillsong Church
iHOP
Lakewood Church
Passion Church
Planetshakers Church
Saddleback Church
* = Reformers and Puritans