The New Testament & False Teaching
A Short Survey of False Teaching &
False Teachers in the New Testament
1. Matthew:
a. 7:15-23 (False Prophets who are ravenous wolves...depart from me you workers of lawlessness). We can discern false teaching by the teacher’s lifestyle
b. 10: 16 “Sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.”
c. 12: 32 “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.” was propagated by Pharisees
d. 12:33-37 “Brood of Vipers”
e. 13:24-30 “Parable of the Weeds.”
f. 16:1-4 “an evil generation asks for a sign (condemnation of the Pharisees).
g. 16:6 “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
h. 22:23-33 Jesus corrects the Sadducees false teaching on the resurrection
i. 23:13-36 Seven “Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees.”
j. 24:24 “for false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible even the elect.” False teachers may be accompanied by miraculous signs” this means that the False Teachers in false Christ will and can perform great signs and wonders. So being able to perform miracles is not a sign of being a true follower of Christ or much less a true teacher.
2. Mark:
a. 3:22-30 Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
b. 7:1-13 Jesus calls out the Pharisees hypocrisy regarding their teaching on ceremonial cleanliness and washing
c. 12:18-27 Jesus corrects the Sadducees false teaching on the resurrection
d. 12:38-40 Beware of the scribes
e. 13:22-23 “False christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders and lead astray if possible, the elect.” False teachers may be accompanied by miraculous signs this means that the False Teachers and false Christs will and can perform great signs and wonders. So being able to perform miracles is not a sign of being a true follower of Christ or much less a true teacher.
3. Luke:
a. 3:7 John the Baptist calls the people a “brood of Vipers”
b. 3:18-20 John rebuked Herod publicly
c. 6:1-5 Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their views of the Sabbath
d. 6:24-26 “Woe to you when people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.” False prophets may be spoken well of and have a “good reputation” mainly because they are smooth talkers.
e. 11:37-53 Woe to Pharisees and Lawyers
f. 12:1-3 Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees (hypocrisy)
g. 13:32 Jesus calls Herod a “fox”
h. 18:9-14 Pharisee and tax collector (Humility of sinners vs the pride of false teachers i.e., Pharisees)
i. 19:45-48 Jesus cleanses the Temple of robbers (swindling true worshippers)
j. 20:27-40 Jesus corrects the Sadducees false teaching on the resurrection
k. 20:45-47 “Beware of the Scribes”
4. John:
a. 2:13-22 Jesus Cleansed the Temple (robbers thieves and false teachers who tried to rob true worshippers)
b. John 8:39-47 Jesus says the Jews who didn’t believe were of their father the Devil
5. Acts (of the Apostles)
a. 8:9-25 Simon the Sorcerer is rebuked by Peter “may your silver perish with you because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!” and “Repent therefore, of this wickedness, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven.” Simon was engaged in the false teaching (belief) that one could buy gifts or power from God.
b. 13:6-12 Saul and Barnabas rebuke the magician Jewish false prophet Bar-Jesus. He rebuked Elymas the magician and said “You son of the devil you enemy of righteousness full of deceit and villainy. Will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?” And Saul struck him with blindness. God can and will judge false prophets and teachers whether in this life or the life to come.
c. 14:13-15 The People of Lystra tried to Worship Barnabas and Paul as Zeus and Hermes. Paul did not allow it and preached the gospel.
d. 15 The Jerusalem Council began by confronting the false teaching of the Judaizers “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved (v.1).” Paul and Barnabas debated hotly with them, and then traveled to Jerusalem to seek clarity from the Jerusalem Apostles. Peter said God “made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith (v.9).” “But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
e. 17 to avoid the easy acceptance of false teaching the Bereans “examined the scriptures to see if these things were so.” And they were lauded as more noble for their examination of the scripture.
f. 18:26 Priscilla and Aquilla took Apollos to the side and corrected him by explaining the “way of God more accurately.”
g. 21:17-26 Further dealing with the false teaching that the Jerusalem Council was dealing with. Paul took an oath wherewith he confirmed he was committed to the law, but NOT a Judaizer
h. 23:1-11 Paul defends himself with the scripture before the Sanhedrin. This is how the scripture should be used to defend against false teaching that would jeopardize the truth of the gospel by taking anything away or adding anything to it.
6. Romans:
a. 2 Paul deals with circumcision and adherence to the law in juxtaposition to faith alone. And if you adhere to the law one needs to keep the whole law (Judaizers).
b. 16:17-18 “Mark and avoid” those that teach things opposed to sound doctrine. We are encouraged here by Paul to shun by marking and avoiding false teachers
c. 16:18 Such false teachers serve their own appetites (bellies). They seek money. In another place, it says teaching for “shameful gain (Titus 1:11).”
d. 16:18 they deceive by flattering the hearts of the naïve. False teaching can be avoided and resisted by not being naïve. How are we not naïve? By being rooted in Christ and his word.
7. 1 Corinthians
a. 1:10-17 & 3:1-14 do not quarrel among you as to whom you follow we all follow Christ (not Apollos, Paul, Cephas)
b. 3:18 People can be self-deceived “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.” Wisdom is a strategy against falling prey to false teaching.
c. 4:2 teachers (stewards) must be found faithful “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”
d. 5:1-2 sexual immorality is not to be tolerated and the person who is the ringleader of it is to be removed from the congregation. The same sort of thing has happened often with false teachers, including sexual immorality from Benny Hinn and many others. Those false teachers stay in power even though they have committed grievous sexual immorality. We are commanded by Paul to put them out from our fellowships.
e. 5:9-13 those who claim to be believers and are sexually immoral; we are not to associate with them. This list could certainly include many of the false teachers who have been accused of much sexual morality greed and swindling…“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.””
f. 12:3 We can discern false teaching by its contents
g. 14:26-33 false teachers who promote chaotic worship defy the “order of worship” described by Paul “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,”
1 Corinthians 14:26-33 ESV
8. 2 Corinthians
a. 1:20-22 anyone who would teach that there is an extra special anointing above the anointing with which every Christian is anointed is certainly a false teacher “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” (2 Corinthians 1:20-22 ESV)
b. 2:17 false teachers can often be “peddlers of God‘s word” “For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:17 ESV)
c. 11:3-4 False Teaching can be demonically inspired
d. 11:20 We can discern false teaching by the teacher’s lifestyle
e. 11:3-15 there are such things as false apostles and Satan disguises himself as an angel of light…“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So, it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15 ESV)
f. 12:1-10 Paul spoke of his thorn the flesh in the third person to deflect attention from himself to Christ. Most people speak today of visions and dreams and prophecies not to deflect but rather to garner attention for themselves.
9. Galatians
a. The whole book deals with the Judaizers and their false teaching
b. 1:9 There are false gospels and false teachings out there, and if you hold to an untrue gospel or accept another gospel then the person preaching that gospel shall be accursed. False teachers, people propagating a false gospel, will be accursed.
c. 1:6-9 The antidote to false teaching is holding fast to the true gospel
d. 2:4-5 people can slip into our congregations as was in Paul’s case bring congregations back into slavery. And as false teachers slip into congregations it is necessary to not yield for a moment to their message to preserve the truth of the gospel. “Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—”
e. 2:11-14 Paul opposed the senior apostle (Peter) to his face because of his hypocrisy and not holding to the truth of the gospel. Paul opposed him because the gospel is for all people and ethnicities and it creates unity between ethnicities, but Peter was holding to the law, not the gospel. if you’re holding to the law then you’re not holding to the gospel. False teaching should be swiftly and quickly confronted, even if it is a senior leader. Especially when it affects so many people and it did in this case.
f. 3:1 false teaching can “bewitch” people
g. 4:9 it is possible to turn back to week worthless and elementary principles of the world. “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?”
h. 4:13-15 Those who would teach that the gospel includes healing Paul speaks in direct opposition to that false teaching when he says the gospel came to the Galatians because of his ailments whatever they were. And it was likely an eye ailment of some kind “You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.”
i. 5:9 False teaching is like leaven it can only spread…“A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
j. 5:12 Paul has some harsh words for the Judaizers false teachers who are teaching that circumcision was necessary to be saved. “I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!”
k. 5:15 false teaching can lead to biting and devouring each other “But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”
10. Ephesians
a. 4:14 False teaching leads people astray. False doctrine can be deceitful, cunning, and full of craftiness to draw people away from the truth.
b. 4:15 we are meant to speak the truth and love as we teach and admonish one another and grow up and to maturity
c. 5:6 False Teaching is devoid of value
11. Philippians
a. 3:2 Paul says watch out for the Judaizers sort of like in Romans 16:17. What do you do when you watch out for people? You try to avoid them and their teaching and their influence. “Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—”
b. 3:18-20 there are people who are false teachers who are “enemies of the cross their end is destruction. Their God is their belly and their glory their shame“ “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it, we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”
12. Colossians
a. 2:8 False teaching can be a result of human error and empty philosophy “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”
b. 2:18-20 False teaching can disqualify people by believing false visions from puffed up people…“Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.” (Colossians 2:18-19 ESV$
c. 2:20-23 false teaching has no value“If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.” (Colossians 2:20-23 ESV)
13. 1 Thessalonians
a. 2:14-16 Sometimes false teachers will oppose the gospel as the Judaizers did. They may say they preach the gospel but opposition to the gospel is preaching a false gospel in actuality. “For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!” (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 ESV)
14. 2 Thessalonians
a. 2:1-3 Do not be shaken, alarmed, or deceived by false teaching. In Paul’s case, the teaching was that “The Day of the Lord has come.”
b. 2:9-10 False teachers may be accompanied by miraculous signs, wicked deception, “all power and false signs and wonders.”
c. The end times will include false teaching that makes people fall into a “strong delusion“ we can certainly acquire principles from this but false teaching includes people who refused to love the truth. And they refused to be saved. This false teaching includes deception and the way they deceive is through false signs and wonders. Because of their inability to accept the truth, God will send a strong delusion. “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore, God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 ESV)
15. 1 Timothy
a. 1:3-7 we should charge people not to teach different doctrines that do not line up with biblical truth. And people who “swerve” from the truth end up taking people with them. “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” (1 Timothy 1:3-7 ESV)
b. 1:3-4 We can discern false teaching by its effects
c. 1:3-7 False teaching is void and valueless.
d. 1:18-20 The antidote to false teaching is holding fast to the true gospel.
e. 4:1-3 False teachers may be popular because of their false teaching.
f. 4:1-2 False teaching can be demonically inspired “Doctrine of Demons.”
g. 4:1-5 False Teachers are liars whose consciences are seared. They sometimes forbid marriage…“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.”
h. 6:3-10 false teachers are puffed up with conceit and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy craving for controversy and quarrels. In the end, these things produce envy dissension slander evil suspicion. They are depraved of mind and deprived of the truth. These people who are false teachers imagine that their teaching is a means of financial gain. Many of the false teachings that are around today include the teaching that we are meant to be healthy wealthy and prosperous. They would teach that wealth is included in the cross of Christ (i.e., financial prosperity). Paul here debunks that idea. By saying that those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare. The desire for wealth can lead to ruin and destruction. How could the cross of Christ and the things that he accomplished for us, bring our ruin and destruction? It’s impossible that Jesus accomplished for us something on the cross that would bring and lead to our “ruin and destruction.” “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:3-10 ESV)
i. 6:3-5 We can discern false teaching by the teaching’s effects
j. 6:20-21 False teaching has the power to lead people astray and can be a result of human error
k. 6:20-21 Timothy is commended to guard the positive sound doctrine that has been laid up in him through Paul. And to avoid irreverent babble and contradictions namely the gnosis heresy. Paul displays here that false teaching and particularly this early heresy can lead people away from the faith, namely that they have “swerved from the faith” “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.” (1 Timothy 6:20-21 ESV)
16. 2 Timothy
a. 1:13-14 The antidote to false teaching is holding fast to the true gospel
b. 2:16-19 is the second time that Paul calls false teaching “irreverent babble.” He names two people who were teaching such “irreverent babble.” that the resurrection had already taken place. He says also that they had swerved from the truth. False teaching also he said spreads like gangrene. Gangrene is a cancerous and deadly infection that will eventually kill the whole body. Gangrene must be eradicated or else it will eventually kill a person. Paul says here that these two men “upset the faith of some.” False teaching naturally upsets the faith of some. “But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”” (2 Timothy 2:16-19 ESV)
c. 2:16-18 We can discern false teaching by its effects
d. 2:23-26 Paul gives here, a roadmap for how to correct false teachers. First of all, we should have nothing to do with foolish controversies that breed only quarreling. We should patiently correct opponents with gentleness, because God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. Paul indicates here that those who are caught up in false teaching after correction might come out of such false teaching and the snare of the devil and that God might grant that. “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:23-26 ESV)
e. 3:1-9 Here is another indication that false teaching will increase in the last days. Such false teachers will work their way into weak-willed women’s homes and overtake them. He says such false teachers have an appearance of godliness but deny its power. That power is the power of the message of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul says in his Romans treatise that God’s power is found in the message of the gospel. So, these false teachers deny the message of the gospel. He compares such false teachers to Jannes and Jambres in the Old Testament who opposed Moses. So also, such men Paul says, oppose the truth. Paul also indicates that false teachers' folly will be evident to everyone. “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.” (2 Timothy 3:1-9 ESV)
f. 3:1-9 We are commanded to shun false teachers
g. The antidote laid out by Paul to Timothy to oppose false teaching is sound doctrine. He encourages him to teach the word in season and out of season. Never diverging from the consistent teaching and preaching of the word of God. He juxtaposes the consistent teaching of the word of God, with what will happen when The word of God is not taught consistently. People will gather for themselves teachers who teach what their itching ears want to hear. He says the time is coming when people will not want to endure sound doctrine. So people who want to gather for themselves teachers who teach for their itching ears are also culpable in the proliferation of false teachers. People want to hear false teachers’ messages. The hearers are as culpable as the teachers themselves. “I 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, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV)
17. Titus
a. 1:9 an Elder must hold to sound doctrine and be able to rebuke those who contradict sound doctrine (i.e., be able to contradict false teaching).
b. 1:10-16 Paul thought that the Judaizers, the false teachers, should be “silenced” and that this particular false teaching was upsetting whole families. This particular set of false teachers was teaching for “shameful gain.” This shows us that Paul thought the way in which they earned their money through false teaching was shameful. Paul then later exhorts Titus in verse 13 to “rebuke them sharply.” “For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.” (Titus 1:10-11 ESV)
c. 1:10-11 False teachers have the destructive power to lead people astray
d. 3:9-11 those who are false teachers should be once or twice warned and corrected and when they are not correctable after the second time you should stay away from them. Have nothing more to do with them. “But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.” (Titus 3:9-11 ESV)
18. Philemon
a. No known false teaching addressed
19. Hebrews
a. 13:9-14 false teaching leads people astray. False teaching is a perpetual danger for God’s people. To avoid being carried away by false teaching, we may imitate the faith of godly leaders. To avoid being carried away by false teaching, hold firmly to the centrality of Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death. “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” (Hebrews 13:7-14 ESV)
20. James
a. 2:1-13 The Sin of partiality to the rich. The Prosperity gospel certainly shows partiality or gives in to the partiality to the rich. This is sin and certainly false teaching and practice
b. 4:1-12 James warns against worldliness. False teaching often seeks to make us friends with the world or at least more palatable to the world. Verse 4:4 “You adulteress people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
c. 5:1-6 James here again warns the rich. These teachings directly contradict the contents and the emphasis of the prosperity gospel.
21. 1 Peter
a. 5:1-3 Peter describes how an overseer is to shepherd the flock of God in verses 2-3 “not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock.” Juxtapose this teaching over and against current false teachers whom nearly all teach for shameful gain, and domineering.
22. 2 Peter:
a. 2:1 False teaching is destructive in nature
b. 2:2 False teachers may be popular who follow their “sensuality
c. 2:3 False teaching can be a result of human error
d. “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.” (2 Peter 2:1-3 ESV)
e. 2:14-15 False teaching has the power to lead people astray verses 14-16 “insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children. Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, but was rebuked for his transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrain the prophet’s madness.”
f. 2:18-19 False teachers may be popular but God is reserving the “gloom of utter darkness.” And their teaching has no content “waterless springs.”
g. “These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”” (2 Peter 2:17-22 ESV)
23. 1 John
a. 2:20-23 We can discern false teaching by its contents
b. 2:24 The antidote to false teaching is holding fast to the true gospel
c. 2:26 False teaching leads people astray
d. 3:7-10 We can discern false teaching by the teacher’s lifestyle
e. 4:2-3 We can discern false teaching by its contents
f. 4:1-3 False Teaching can be demonically inspired
g. 4:1-5 They might be very popular
24. 2 John
a. 7-11 We can discern false teaching by its contents
b. 9-11 We are commanded to shun false teachers
25. 3 John
a. John the beloved Apostle talks about Diotrephes and will address his “talking wicked nonsense” when he comes to them.
b. “I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.” (3 John 1:9-10 ESV)
26. Jude
a. The whole book gives a blueprint of sorts in dealing with false teaching, false teachers, rebuking it, and contending for the faith.
b. 4 We can discern false teaching by the teacher’s lifestyle
c. “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage. But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” (Jude 1:1-23 ESV)
27. Revelation
a. 2:14-15 false teaching of Ballam, which was putting a stumbling block before the sons of Israel so that they might “eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.” There were also the teachings of the Nicolatians. Nicolatian doctrine spiritually or symbolically. Literal eating of idol meats and fornication in Pergamos were accompanied by spiritual idolatry and fornication. Jesus reproves the church for their sinful failures (v. 14): But I have a few things against you because you tolerate those that hold the doctrine of Balaam, etc., and those that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which I hate. There were some who taught that it was lawful to eat things sacrificed to idols, and that simple fornication was not a sin; they, by an impure worship, drew men into impure practices, as Balaam did the Israelites. Noteworthy here is that spiritual filthiness and fleshly filthiness often go hand in hand. Corrupt doctrines and corrupt worship often lead to a corrupt conversation. It is very lawful to affix the name of the leaders of any heresy upon those who follow them. It is the shortest way of telling what we are talking about.
b. 2:20 We can discern false teaching by its effects (seduction, sexual immorality, eating food sacrificed to idols, idolatry).
c. 13:11-15 False teachers (the Beast) will be accompanied by miraculous signs, that will be allowed by God.
d. 16:13-14 False Teaching can be demonically inspired and produce “signs.”
e. 22:18-20 no teacher shall add to or take away from scripture. The private revelation that is on par with “thus saith the lord” is to be rejected. Because the revelation of the canon of scripture is closed.
The New Testament “Names Names” of False Teachers
Some teach it is not good to “name names” when confronting false teachers. The idea goes something like this. We ought not to call anyone by name a False Teacher or call them out individually for their false teaching. People teach something to the effect that Paul and the NT writers did not “name names” so to speak. So, we ought not “name names” either. If you have a problem with a teacher then you should humbly approach them in private as seen in Matthew 18 even though Matthew 18 is talking about approaching a brother about a specific sin against you. But the New Testament teachers and the biblical pattern of the New Testament is something altogether different.
For instance, Jesus calls Herod a Fox in
Luke 13:32-35 32) And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. 33) Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ 34) O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35) Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Paul Calls Elymas the Magician a “son of the Devil”
Acts 13:9
9) But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10) and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?
Paul called out Demas and Alexander the Coppersmith in a very harsh way…
2 Timothy 4:10-15
10) For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. 11) Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. 12) Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13) When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. 14) Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15) Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.
Paul names Hymenaeus and Philetus as false teachers
16) But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17) and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18) who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.
And Here Paul repeats the names of Alexander and Hymenaeus again with a very sharp rebuke…He “handed them over to Satan.”
1 Timothy 1:20
"among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme."
In Acts 19:13-17 The Seven Sons of the High priest Sceva were named and the embarrassing story about their counterfeit miracles speaks about how they could not “imitate” the miracles of the Apostles. The seven sons of Sceva were named.
Paul writes in Romans 16:17-18 to Mark false teachers, ones that teach a different doctrine that the one you have learned. He says to “mark and then avoid” them. How can you avoid them if you do not know who they are?
In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul talks about and addresses a man in the church there who had committed grievous sexual immorality. Having sex with his mother-in-law. They knew precisely who he was even though he had not named him in practicality Paul did. He said, “deliver such a man to Satan and remove him from your midst.” Paul did this so that he might “be saved on the day of the Lord Jesus” how could they have delivered him over to Satan if they did not know who he was?
in 2 Corinthians Paul denounced several false teachers in the city. The Corinthians would certainly have known whom he was talking about even though he did not name them. he says, “such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.”
Paul likewise mentioned “opposing Peter (an Apostle of Christ) to his face because he was not “walking in step with the gospel,” and “he stood condemned.”
In Philippians Paul again did not necessarily name people although he did “urge Euodia and I urge Snytyche to live in harmony in the Lord (4:2-3).” Apparently, their sin had nothing to do with false teaching but with hurtful attitudes toward each other. He urged them by name to reconcile.
Later in Philippians, Paul mentions how to deal with the sins of elders who refuse to repent. He says, “Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning (5:20).” Sometimes a public rebuke is necessary for the good of all involved. That would include naming names
Paul even named names for non “false teaching” offenses. In 2 Timothy 1:15, He called two out by name for having abandoned him “You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.”
Paul saved his choicest words for the Judaizers…in Galatians 5:11-12 He said he wished they would go all the way and emasculate themselves. How could he not be talking about specific people? He just did not name them all because most certainly they were numerous. 11) But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12) I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!
Then there was Demas…In 2 Timothy 4:10 he wrote, “Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me (4:10).” Did Demas ever repent and return to Paul? there is no real record of it, but he called him by name.
In his letter to Titus Paul says an elder might need to refute someone…“He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” How would you be able to rebuke a nameless person? You can’t you need to know whom to rebuke.
He then goes after the Judaizers a group of people again in Titus 1:10-11 and said they must be silenced. How should we silence people we cannot name? “10) For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11) They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.” although he does not name them he is clear that these men must be openly denounced and silenced. You need a name to be able to silence them.
John, the beloved apostle’s, warnings are also very clear. He says that many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who “do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the anti-Christ (2 John 7).” He says that the faithful saints must have “nothing to do with these deceivers: Do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting (vv. 9-11).” So those are people that they must have known although John does not name them. They had to have known who they were to deny them hospitality.
When John wrote to Gaius (3 John), he warns of a certain Diotrephes: “I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say (v. 9).” He says that when he comes, he will deal with this proud and rebellious man (v. 10). Not just Paul named names also the beloved Apostle did.
The book of Revelation contains seven letters written to seven of the assemblies in Asia (chapters 2-3). Here we find that Jesus personally rebuked those in the city of Thyatira, saying, “I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols (v. 20).” He warned that He would personally deal with this false prophetess and those who followed her (vv. 21-23). Jezebel was a real person in Thyatira whether that was her real name or a symbolic name taken from the wicked queen Jezebel we do not know but it was a real person NOT the Spirit of Jezebel.
These several passages in the new testament should suffice to dispel the myth that we should not name names. All the previous sweeping examples in the NT also give us a clearer picture of how false teaching was handled in the New Testament. It gives us a clearer picture that nearly every NT book deals in some way with false teaching that perverts the gospel and may if possible draw away the elect. We should also as Jude describes “contend for the faith.” I hope and pray this helps you contend for that precious faith once and for all handed down to the saints.