The Man Of God Who Poisoned The Church

2 KINGS 4:38-41 38 Elisha returned to Gilgal and there was a famine in that region. While the company of the prophets was meeting with him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and cook some stew for these prophets.” 39 One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs and found a wild vine and picked as many of its gourds as his garment could hold. When he returned, he cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were. 40 The stew was poured out for the men, but as they began to eat it, they cried out, “Man Of God, There Is Death In The Pot!” And they could not eat it. 41 Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He put it into the pot and said, “Serve it to the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.

INTRODUCTION: THE MAN OF GOD WHO POISONED THE CHURCH (TEACH)

OVERHEAD: No One Enriches Hell More Than False Pastors. And as Christ delays, they increase more and more. No one finds greater joy in drawing people away from truth and leading them into error than false preachers, teachers, prophets. They have been present in every era of human history. They have always been a plague and have always been in the business of providing counterfeit truth. Just watch television – you see mess. Paul warned in 2 Timothy 4:3-4: “Time will come when [believers] 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”.

PER GOD’S WORD, THE PREACHER AND HEARER HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. The False Teacher is Damned: Matthew 18:6 "If anyone causes one of these little ones - those who believe in me - to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

2. The Christian Must Test Every Spirit: 1 John 4:1-3: Dear friends, 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. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.”

Today’s church in America and abroad is dangerously turning to fables. Millions have already succumbed to these false teachings. It’s crucial that we identify some of the poison in the pot. Examples: Pastor doctored angels in video. People crawling behind pastors. People eat grass.

BIBLE VERSES ON FALSE DOCTRINES / TEACHERS / PROPHETS

1. 2 Tim. 2:17-18: “17 Their false teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.”

2. 2 Cor. 11:4 / 13-15: “4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” “13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”

3. Matt. 24:23-27: “23 At that time if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Messiah!” or, “There he is!” do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you in advance. 26 So if anyone tells you, “There he is, out in the desert,” do not go out; or, “Here he is, in the inner rooms,” do not believe it.”

4. Luke 6:26: “26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.”

CHARACTERISTICS OF FALSE TEACHERS & PROPHETS (QUICKLY)

Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, Jude, John Warned The Church About False Teachers.

1. They Creep In Unnoticed (Jude 1:4) Not every false teacher is easy to spot. In fact, most are not. Most false teachers sneak in quietly without being noticed. They blend in, look like everyone else, and no one usually looks twice at them. Then, when opportunity strikes, they begin to influence a church negatively.