Characteristics Of False Churches & Teachers
(2 Tim. 2:14-18)
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Jesus Himself tells us in John 8:31-32:
31 "... If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. " NAS
In John 15:7, He also tells us:
7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. NAS
Let’s take a moment to quietly confess our sins to God, so that we are in fellowship with Him and led by the Holy Spirit when we study God’s word. 1 John 1:9 promises us, that if we name our known sins to God, He always forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness, even from the unknown sins we forgot or didn’t even realize we committed. Let’s pray.
Thank you, Father, for always restoring your children when we admit our sins to you. May your Holy Spirit teach us your word as we study it now. We ask these things in Jesus Name. Amen.
INTRODUCTION
I was recently reading an article on the Internet which warns about the false teachings of a certain well-publicized group of so-called "Biblical scholars". At one point, the writer of the article makes the following points:
1) "some Christians may feel that it is a ’waste of time’ for believers to criticize or analyze the dangers" of such a group of false teachers;
2) such an attitude "is contrary to Scripture";
3) "believers are to test all things by the Scriptures."
I agree with the writer on his third point, but not his first two. I happen to be one of those Christians mentioned in his first statement. I firmly believe it is, quote, a "waste of time" to familiarize myself with the doctrines of all the false religions, groups, or teachers that exist. If you apply his logic generally, that’s what a Christian believer would have to do. That’s clearly impossible, and just the thought of trying gives me a headache. I also don’t agree with the writer’s second point, that such an attitude is "contrary to Scripture," and I’ll explain why by discussing the writer’s third point.
"Believers are to test all things by the Scriptures." I could not agree more with the writer on this third point. It is because I agree with him on this point, that I think he’s wrong on his first two statements. If believers are going to "test all things" against God’s word, "the Scriptures," then they need to know the Bible, not the warped theology of those who attack it or who blaspheme Jesus Christ. The Bible does not tell us to study the false teachings of unbelievers, but rather to study God’s word.
1. Jesus tells believers to "abide in His word", to dwell continually in it. I believe in this so firmly and think it is so important, that I named my own Internet ministry "Abiding In The Word".
John 8:31-33
31 Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;
32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. " NAS
2. The apostle Paul instructs Timothy that the Scriptures adequately equip a believer. God’s word is sufficient to protect us.
2 Tim 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
17 that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. NAS
3. The Old Testament gives us an example to follow in the prophet Ezra’s attitude toward the Scriptures.
Ezra 7:10
10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. NAS
4. Paul also tells Timothy that believers are not to get involved in false words and discussions.
2 Tim 2:14-18
14 Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless, and leads to the ruin of the hearers.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.
16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,
17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,
18 men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and thus they upset the faith of some. NAS
The above verses tell us that believers should not get involved in false doctrines, and tell us why:
a) Believers should not "wrangle about words,"
b) We are to "avoid worldly and empty chatter."
c) Paul says that that such talk "leads to the ruin of the hearers;" "will lead to further
ungodliness;" "will spread like gangrene;"
d) Paul warns that such "men who have gone astray from the truth" will "upset the faith of some."
Instead, believers are to study God’s word as a "workman" that is "approved to God" with the goal of "accurately handling the word of truth."
It’s knowledge of God’s word that adequately equips believers to deal with the false doctrine. Christians need to study the Bible on a regular basis, from a qualified pastor-teacher who knows the Scriptures from the original languages, and is famililiar with the history, customs, and idioms written there.
Don’t waste your time trying to learn the convoluted teachings of what each cult believes. As disciples (students) of Jesus Christ, we are supposed to study God’s word, not the words of Satan or of his false disciples.
As I learned and understood the Bible, I realized that instead of having to learn the specific beliefs of every false religious group or teacher in the world, there are several general questions which you can ask in evaluating a group that attacks the Bible or attempts to masquerades as a Christian church. If you get a "no" to any of these questions, then you’re dealing with a person or group who believe false doctrine. Keep in mind that many Christian churches will answer "no" to one or more of these questions, or might answer "yes" but have teachings or practices contradicting what they claim to believe (most likely for questions 1, 3, & 4, which few churches fully believe).
QUESTIONS TO DETERMINE A FALSE CHURCH / TEACHER:
1. Is the Bible alone, and in its entirety, God’s word?
A false church will add to, or take away from, the Bible as God’s only inspired revelation to mankind. They may use the Bible, but not believe it to be entirely accurate or complete. They may have other sources of divine revelation such as an additional book(s); a leader who claims direct revelation from God; and the acceptance of dreams, visions, and tongues as a way God reveals messages to them. (John 8:31-32; Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12; Rev. 22:18-19)
2. Is Jesus Christ both fully God and fully man?
A false church will usually teach that Jesus was not God, or perhaps even that as God, He was not fully man. They may view Jesus as merely a great teacher, prophet, a sage, a philosopher, a charismatic revolutionary, or even an angel. (John 1:1, 2, 14; Luke 1:35; Rom 3:24-25, 4:25, 8:34; Col. 2:9; 1 Pet 1:3-5; Heb 9:24; 1 John 2:1-2)
3. Is salvation received as a free gift by faith alone in Christ alone?
A false church does not believe that salvation is a free gift from God received by simply believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross as payment for our sins. Such groups almost always add human works, avoidance of certain sins, self-denial, religious rituals, church attendance, giving, etc. as being necessary (or "proofs") for salvation. They may also teach that Jesus Christ is not the only way to God, that believing in other religions and their leaders can save you. (John 3:3-7, 14:6; Acts 16:30-31; Rom. 11:6; 1 Cor. 16:3; Eph. 2:8-9)
4. Is salvation guaranteed once it is received?
A false church never offers the assurance of salvation. With such groups, you never know for sure if you are going to be saved. Salvation is not eternally secure, not guaranteed once it is received, and even the receiving of it may be uncertain. (John 3:16, 10:28; Rom. 8:1; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; Eph. 1:13, 4:30; 2 Tim. 2:13; Jude 24).
5. Is the giving of your money and time between you and God, based on grace?
False churches strongly pressure you to give your money and time, especially your money. They teach that God’s blessings and perhaps even your salvation depends upon how much money you give, and how much you participate in the activities of the group. Ultimately, the question is, can you be a regular part of this ministry if you DON’T give any money and if you don’t give a significant anount of your time? (1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 8 & 9; Heb. 7:7)
6. Does this group allow and encourage you to remain an active part of your unbelieving family and friends?
Many false churches attempt to totally separate you from your unbelieving family and friends, those people who are not part of that church. They pressure you to interact only with other members of the group. This isolates you from those people who love you most and know you best, and could potentially show you what is wrong with that church and what it believes. I know of one group who would hold an event, where members bring pictures and momentoes of their families and former friends, anything that could remind them of the loved ones in their past. Then they all burn these things in a large bonfire.
7. Does the group have a leader who is viewed as an equal with other members of the church?
False churches often have leaders who are viewed and treated as a "Messiah," who are on a "pedestal" above the rest of the congregation. Such leaders may demand to be called by titles such as "apostle" or "prophet," may live an extravagant lifestyle, and may even claim special divine revelation directly from God. They may likewise make ludicrous claims concerning their contact with Satan (for example, physically wrestling with him in their study). Their primary motivations are a lust for money, and for power over people. Sexual lust can also play a major role in what they do. This is all in contrast to the truly spirit-filled pastor-teacher who humbly struggles to use his spiritual gifts, as an equal part of the body of Christ, with the rest of his congregation. Such a Biblical leader studies and teaches the Scriptures as God’s only complete and accurate revelation to mankind. He lives a lifestyle (home, car, etc.) which reflects the way that the rest of his congregation lives.
8. Does the church try to avoid maliciously denouncing others?
A false teacher or group will directly malign specific churches and their leaders. I’ve seen one pastor write a book denouncing the ministry of another pastor, and then sell that book for profit! He’s actually trying to make money from maligning someone! A Biblical pastor-teacher attempts not to do that, sometimes with great difficulty, but at least tries. Instead of maligning groups and their leaders, he equips his congregation to handle false teachers and groups by teaching them the truth of the Scriptures. (Acts 18:11; Col. 1:25)
9. Does the church teach all of God’s word and avoid over-emphasizing only certain doctrines?
False churches or teachers often focus upon only certain doctrines in the Bible, such as tongues, healing, end-times prophecy, giving, and recruitment (which they might call "witnessing").
ILLUSTRATION
So now let me show you how you can use such Biblical principles to determine if a person or group is involved in false doctrine, or as some believers might say it, if the group is a "cult." I’ll illustrate this by telling you about an incident in my own past, in which I was able to use the above questions in a challenging situation.
I was at a family party, and there was a couple there who I hadn’t seen for awhile. I began to talk with them, and knowing that they were believers, I asked them if they were still attending the same Baptist church. They told me that, no, they were now involved in a new church, and they told me the name. I was caught off guard, and without trying to use any diplomacy, I asked, "Isn’t that a cult?"
Of course, they immediately got defensive, and denied they were in a cult. No group would describe themselves as a cult. They called it group of believers who spent a lot of time in serious Bible study, and that the group’s leader knew the original Bible languages which he used to help the group understand the Bible. I was doubtful, and again I said, "No, I think your group is a cult." So the husband asked me, "Well, what’s your definition of a cult?" Since I didn’t know the specifics about their group, I started to ask the couple the above questions.
I asked, "Does your group believe that people are saved by believing in Jesus Christ?" They both answered "yes", although I found out later that it isn’t really what that group believes.
Then I asked, "Is the Bible alone, and in its entirety, your only source of divine revelation?" Again, they both said "yes", and again, I found out later that their answer wasn’t true. The words of the group’s founder are at times accepted as "doctrine". They also get revelation from God through their so-called "gift of tongues."
I asked, "Does your group deny that Jesus was fully God and fully man?" At that point, he and his wife looked at each other for a moment, and then he said reluctantly, "Well, I guess you have us there". I looked at them with surprise, and asked, "Well, which don’t you believe, that He wasn’t fully God, or wasn’t fully human?" He answered back, "Well ,we don’t believe that Jesus was God".
By talking with them for quite a while, I discovered that besides denying that Jesus was God, that group also doesn’t believe in the Trinity, nor in salvation through faith alone in Christ alone. Their leader is a strongly charismatic and controlling person. The group expects its members to separate completely from family and friends (which this couple at least weren’t doing since they were at a family gathering).
My point with this illustration is that I didn’t have to know anything about the "cult" they were in. I used my knowledge of God’s word to ask them some basic doctrinal questions. By doing that, it wasn’t difficult at all to find out what they believed, and to determine that their "church" is a false one.
Most believers are ill-equipped to deal with members of false groups, not because they don’t know enough about cults, but because they don’t know the Bible well enough. I’ve never had any trouble dealing with cult members who knock at my front door, not because I understand their beliefs, but because I understand mine.
I once complained to a couple of people for disturbing me by knocking at my front door early on a Satruday morning (when I like to sleep late). One of them then said, "Well, you know, Jesus Himself went door-to-door". I responded firmly, "He did no such thing! Jesus went from town-to-town, not door-to-door. He respected peoples’ privacy. Jesus made Himself available for those who wanted to know Him, and the people came to where He was!"
On another occasion, a person was trying to show me that Jesus wasn’t God, so I showed him John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." He then said that the verse is mistranslated and actually says, "The Word was a god". I told him firmly that, no, in the original Koine Greek manuscripts, Jesus is called "God", with a capital "G", and that the adjective "a" does not appear. Again, I didn’t dispute him by knowing what his cult believes, but by knowing what the Bible actually says.
IN CONCLUSION
So I want to close with some verses that the apostle Paul writes to us in Col. 2:6-10:
Col 2:6-10
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
8 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.
9 For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; NAS
How have we "received Christ Jesus" as Paul says in verse 6? We received Him in simple faith when we heard the gospel. We believed what the Bible says. We didn’t get saved by reading and becoming authorities on every religion, and then select one. So Paul tells us in verse 6 to "walk" in that same simple faith by which we "received Christ Jesus" at salvation.
How did we get "firmly rooted" as Paul states in verse 7? We began with the Bible, with its gospel of salvation, and then we "were instructed" in it. This is how you are "established in your faith", through the teaching of God’s word.
In verse 8, Paul warns us not to be taken "captive through philosophy and empty deception", that these things come from the "tradition of men" and the "world", rather than from Christ.
In verse 9, we see that "in Him, all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form". This verse tells us that Jesus Christ is fully God, something that most false groups deny.
Paul finally tells us in verse 10, that "in Him you have been made complete". Knowing God’s word and knowing Christ are the same thing. If we know Jesus, our knowledge is complete and we are fully equipped to do battle with all false teachings. The Bible is our "sword of the spirit" and will allow us to be victorious.
Let’s pray.
Father, help us to learn more about you each day through your word, so that we are adequately equoiied to do battle against the false doctrines of the world, and ultimately Satan. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Copyright © 2001, Frank J. Gallagher,
Abiding In The Word,
http://members.aol.com/abidingitw
All materials are written by me and are copyrighted. These materials may be freely copied and distributed for the purpose of study and teaching, so long as they are made available to others free of charge, and my copyright is included. These materials may not, in any manner, be sold nor used to solicit "donations" from others, nor may they be included in anything you intend to copyright, sell, or offer for a fee. God the Holy Spirit freely provides this knowledge in grace, and so do I. My copyright is exercised to keep these materials freely available to all.
