Pentecostal Pants on Fire
The prosperity gospel
also known as the
“health and wealth gospel”
or by its most popular
brand,
the
“Word of Faith” movement
is a
perversion
of the
Gospel
of
Jesus Christ
That claims that
God rewards increases in faith
with increases in
health and/or wealth.
As Stephen Hunt explains,
In the forefront is the doctrine of the
assurance of “divine”
physical health and prosperity
through faith.
In short, this means that “health and wealth” are
the automatic divine right
of all Bible-believing Christians
and may be procreated
by faith as part of the package of salvation,
since the Atonement of Christ
includes not just the removal of sin,
but also the
removal of sickness and poverty.
What makes the prosperity gospel a
false gospel?
David W. Jones outlines
five errors of prosperity gospel teaching:
1. The Abrahamic covenant is a means to material entitlement.
2. Jesus’s atonement extends to the “sin” of material poverty.
3. Christians give in order to gain material compensation from God.
4. Faith is a self-generated spiritual force that leads to prosperity.
5. Prayer is a tool to force God to grant prosperity.
In light of Scripture,
the
prosperity gospel is fundamentally
flawed,
Jones says.
“At bottom, it is a false gospel because
of its faulty view of the
relationship between
God and man
Simply put, if the prosperity gospel is true,
grace is obsolete, God is irrelevant,
and MAN
is the
measure of all things
Whether they’re talking about the Abrahamic covenant,
the atonement, giving, faith, or prayer, prosperity teachers
turn the relationship
between God and man into a quid pro quo
transaction.”
Where did the prosperity gospel come from?
The prosperity gospel originated as an
offshoot
of
Pentecostalism in post-World War II
America.
While it started in local congregations and in tent revivals,
the movement gained a larger following
through the use of radio and television, and became
firmly entrenched
in the 1980s with the rise of “televangelism.”
While not all prosperity gospel preachers are
Pentecostal or charismatic
(and most charismatic and Pentecostal Christians are
not associated with the prosperity gospel),
the movement is still largely connected to
revivalist and charismatic churches.
This has made it easier for the movement to gain traction in
Africa, South America, and other areas of the world where
Pentecostalism is rapidly expanding.
Who preaches the prosperity gospel?
The man who could be considered
the father of modern
prosperity gospel teaching is
Oral Roberts.
The faith-healing evangelist became so influential
that he started his own school, Oral Roberts University
(ORU).
At the height of his influence,
Roberts oversaw a ministry that
brought in $110 million in annual revenue
Kenneth Copeland, a student at ORU who served as a pilot and chauffeur for Oral Roberts, also became one of the most notorious (and wealthiest) of prosperity preachers. These men paved the way for the televangelists who became famous in the 1980s, including Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Benny Hinn, Pat Robertson, and Robert Tilton.
Today, some of the best-known prosperity teachers are Creflo Dollar, T. D. Jakes, Guillermo Maldonado, Joel Osteen, and Paula White.
How can we identify a prosperity gospel preacher?In a 2014 sermon, John Piper outlined six keys to detecting the prosperity gospel:
1. The absence of a serious doctrine of the biblical necessity and normalcy of suffering,
the absence of a doctrine of suffering.
2. The absence of a clear and prominent doctrine
of self-denial
is a tip off that something is amiss.
3. The absence of serious exposition of Scripture.
4. The absence of dealing with tensions in Scripture.
5. Church leaders who have exorbitant lifestyles.
6. A prominence of self and a marginalization
of the greatness of God.
The Story Behind John Piper’s Most Famous Attack on the Prosperity Gospel)
Who in America is attracted to the prosperity gospel?
In 2015,
YouGov surveyed 1,000 American adults
who describe themselves as
either “
born again”
or as an
evangelical Christian,
and asked their
views about particular preachers and
whether wealth is a sign of God’s favor.
On the question,
“Do you believe that prayer
can make you wealthier?”
15 percent of whites, 42 percent of blacks,
and 25 percent of Hispanics answered
“yes.”
On the question,
“Is wealth a sign of God’s favor?”
9 percent of white, 34 percent of blacks,
and 24 percent of
Hispanics said “definitely” or “probably.”
When it comes to black prosperity gospel preachers,
black evangelicals were much more likely than either
Hispanic or white evangelicals to
have a “very favorable” or “somewhat favorable” opinion.
Seventy percent of blacks had a favorable opinion of T. D.
Jakes compared to 10 percent for whites and 24 percent for Hispanics.
(Most whites and Hispanics answered “not sure”—71 percent and 64 percent, compared to 15 percent for blacks.)
The results were much lower for Creflo Dollar: 28 percent of black evangelicals held a favorable view, compared to 3 percent for whites and 8 percent for Hispanics. (Most whites and Hispanics answered “not sure”—72 percent and 78 percent, compared to 26 percent for blacks.)
However, black evangelicals also held more favorable opinions of prosperity preachers who were not black. They were more likely to have a “very” or “somewhat” favorable view of: Joel Osteen (51 percent, compared to 22 percent for whites and 39 percent for Hispanics), Pat Robertson (41 percent, compared to 17 percent for whites and 14 percent for Hispanics), Benny Hinn (23 percent, compared to 4 percent for whites and 12 percent for Hispanics), and Kenneth Copeland (34 percent, compared to 8 percent for whites and 12 percent for Hispanics).
Additionally, one in four black and Hispanic evangelicals believe it is acceptable for religious leaders to become wealthy through their religious work compared to one in seven white evangelicals.
Where can I find resources on addressing the prosperity gospel?
You can download a free copy of
Prosperity: Seeking the True Gospel,
and find articles and videos by TGC, 9Marks, Desiring God, and others
at this link.
BLACKMAIL, COERCION, FRAUD
PROSPERITY THEOLOGY
FALSE DOCTRINE, HERESY, APOSTASY
COERCION
BIBLICAL TRUTH ARTICLES
REFEREEING
FALSE TEACHINGS, AND “BIBLICAL” “PASTORS”
That use a form of Scripture as a leverage for
financial gain, power, control, and fame
FALSE, HARMFUL TEACHING
ARE REMOVED
COERCION, BLACKMAIL, FRAUD, EXTORTION,
MONEY LAUNDERING BUSINESS;
MINISTRY FUNDS
BLACKMAIL AND COERCION
What in Gods name is Lordship Salvation Gospel?
OYE
Such distorted, misinterpreted theology.
You won’t find the true Spirit in false teachings. .
Throughout biblical times to
today,
FALSE DOCTRINE
has
always been
A PROBLEM
In my opinion, false doctrine is more
dangerous than persecution
because it is an attack from within
rather than without
It is a poison within
the
body of Christ,
affecting many
who
genuinely love God
and scratching itching
ears who want teachings
that don't have
much
to do with
The
Word of God
If anything, new believers are
most at risk of
becoming
deceiving by false doctrine
since they
have no grounding
in
the Scriptures
Ministers who prefer to preach a
water-down message
instead of the Bible are more concerned about
pleasing man
rather than
glorifying God
As a result, God will hold
them to account and
judgment
False doctrine
is a serious
matter because it is a
dangerous matter
It must be addressed
for what it is
so that Christians
would stand against it.
Here are three dangers of false doctrine
, followed by an
exhortation to
return to the Scriptures.
1. False Doctrine Is Deceptive
Consider the Scripture in 2 Cor. 11:14
(English Standard Version),
“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,” the text reads.
The verse begins by noting that “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light,” which suggests how deceptive our enemy is. Elsewhere in Scripture. he is described as the “father of lies” (John 8:44) and as the one “who deceives the world” (Rev. 12:9). Back in the garden of Eden, he deceived Eve by telling her if she ate the fruit of the tree, then she “would not die” and that she “would be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:4-5). That, of course, was a lie, since God warned that eating from the fruit of the tree would result in death (Gen. 2:17). We also see Satan and attempting his deceitful schemes on our Lord Jesus Christ in the temptation in the desert (Matt. 4).
Now how does this tie to false doctrine?
Well, if you think about it, false doctrine is deceptive because false doctrine is primarily Satanic. It is meant to distort the truth with lies, thus deceiving its hearers, who end up believing those lies as truth. Church, that is a dangerous thing, because once one becomes accustomed to false doctrine, then it becomes difficult to break out of it. Now we know that is not impossible since all things are all possible with God, Amen? But in many cases, challenging or expressing concern of false doctrine can be shunned by those who embrace it, including friends, family, and preachers.
2. False Doctrine Is Divisive
our second point, we recognize that false doctrine is divisive. Just as false doctrine distorts the truth, it divides it as well. It can even split a church from within. For instance, a pastor can fall into criticism for bringing in false doctrine and shunning those church members who speak out against it. On the other hand, church members can criticize the pastor for speaking out against sin and stressing repentance in favor of a lighter message.
There is also the division between true and false doctrine. On the one hand, you have biblically centered, Christ-exalting truth, while you have unbiblical, me-centered messages on the other. Not only that, you have the influence of a sinful world that is a temptation to some professing Christians. The battle for the truth is real, and it is divisive.
For the church, false doctrine divides the sheep from the goats. In other words, false doctrine can divide true born-again Christians from those who are Christian in name only. Now I want to clarify that there are true Christians who are deceived by false doctrine but will ultimately come to realize the truth because of their continued growth in their relationship to God and His Word.
Nevertheless,
false doctrine is divisive because
of the schism
it has caused within
the
body of Christ
3. False Doctrine Is Destructive
The third point in this post is that false doctrine is destructive. Why do I say this? Because false doctrine ends in destruction, such as the judgment of God. False believers are at risk of facing God’s judgment because they are not truly born again and remain unrepentant. They may profess, Lord! Lord! Only to hear the sobering words, “Depart from me you workers of lawlessness, I never knew you” (Matt. 7:23). Meanwhile, false teachers will face greater judgment by God (James 3:1) for their deceiving the body of Christ with false doctrine. Overall, this is a sober warning that Christians must take heed because judgment first begins in the house of God (1 Peter 4:17).
The church is the bride of Christ, and she is precious to Him. So He will not tolerate when there are wolves preying upon His sheep. He will not stand when there are false prophets deceiving His elect. Thanks be to God for His grace but woe to those who fail to repent unto His imminent return ! For Christ is coming back, and He is coming to judge the world. For all the talk on how God is all love, and no wrath will be very surprised on the day of Christ's return. And for false teachers and false converts, we must pray for their repentance before it is too late. For there will be no excuses on judgment day.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, we see why false doctrine is so dangerous. It is deceptive, for it leads one away from the truth. It is divisive because it causes a rift in the church. And it is destructive for Christ will judge all false teachers and false converts in addition to unbelievers. While this is not an easy message to share, it is necessary because false doctrine is everywhere. It’s bad enough we live in a fallen world, where corruption and depravity abound, but how much worse it is when we have so many churches that have been compromised.
To stand against the winds of false doctrine means to be
grounded in biblical truth.
It is the responsibility for every professing Christian to supplement the Word of God in their lives so that the Word of God would encompass their lives. During His high priestly prayer, Christ tells God the Father, “sanctify them in truth, for Your Word is truth.” (John 17:17).
That was His prayer to God
for His disciples,
and the same applies for us as we are also disciples of Christ.
Friends, that is a prayer that God answers for His people, for we are supposed to be sanctified in His truth, that is in His Word. The scriptures are essential in renewing our minds, equipping us to fight sin, walking in obedience, and growing in the knowledge of God.
Getting back to the Bible is crucial in this day and age,
especially against
pushing back
against false doctrine
Christians who grow in the Word also grow in discernment
as they will be able to distinguish that which
is biblical and that which is unbiblical.
Pastors who
devote their time
in
studying the Scriptures
will be able
to divide it rightly
(2 Tim. 3:15).
Additionally, they must be able to mark and avoid false teachers (Rom. 16:17) and expose the works of darkness (Eph. 5:11). Preachers must also be wary as to whom they associate with, such as false teachers, or invite into their church lest they partake “in his wicked works”(2 John 11). As the Scriptures say, a little leaven leavens the whole lump (Galatians 5:9). Therefore, we must embrace biblical truth so that we would stand firm in the truth against false doctrine. We need that now more than ever.
The word doctrine
means
“teaching.”
Christian doctrine
is the
central body of teachings
about
God, the gospel,
and the
Christian faith
These doctrines are the truths passed down through
the generations
as “the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people”
(Jude 1:3).
Scripture provides the litmus test believers can use to
Judge doctrine
as either
True or FALSE
If a belief or teaching agrees with
The Word of God,
it is
sound doctrine.
If it contradicts Scripture,
it is a
FALSE Doctrine
The Bible
tells us that
God, by His character,
is truth--
He is entirely
truthful and trustworthy
(Deuteronomy 32:4; 2 Chronicles 15:3; John 14:6, 17; 1 John 5:20).
God’s Word
is
TRUTH
(John 17:17; Psalm 18:30; 119:151). He cannot tell a lie (Hebrews 6:18; Numbers 23:19). The Bible also reveals that God is unchanging and unchangeable in His nature, His plan, and His being (Malachi 3:6; 1 Samuel 15:29; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17).
Because God does not change, believers can trust that
TRUTH
will never change,
and neither will doctrine based on truth.
It can always be relied upon as the
foundation of the principles and beliefs of our faith.
We can defend our faith
and build our lives on
God’s rock-solid, unchanging TRUTH
The standard
for
discerning
TRUTH
from
ERROR
has always been
the
Word of God
When the people of Isaiah’s day were tempted to heed false teachers,
the prophet pointed them to Scripture:
“Look to God’s instructions and teachings!
People who
contradict his word
are
completely in the DARK”
(Isaiah 8:20, NLT).
The objective measure of God’s Word
is how
we judge doctrine as either true or false
Sadly, many churches
construct their doctrinal positions on
shaky ground
ERRONEOUS TEACHINGS
OCCUR
When the Bible
is
Ignored, Dismissed, or Mishandled,
In
Whole or in Part.
We must carefully consider the Scripture’s whole teaching
on any given subject.
Understanding the context includes studying
the literal meaning of the words, placing them in
their proper historical and cultural setting, and
comparing the teaching
with other related passages in the Bible.
Misapplied teachings are nothing new. Jesus rebuked
the scribes and Pharisees for
“teaching as doctrines
the
commandments of men”
(Mark 7:7, ESV; cf. Isaiah 29:13).
FALSE DOCTRINES WERE
RAMPET
In New Testament times,
and the Scriptures tell us they
will continue to be taught
(Matthew 7:15; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1).
Paul warns,
“For the time will come when people will
NOT
put up with sound doctrine.
Instead, to
suit their own desires,
they will
gather around them
a great
number of teachers
to say what their
itching ears want to hear”
(2 Timothy 4:3)
Paul was astonished by those in Galatia who were
“turning to a different gospel—which is really
NO GOSPEL
AT ALL
Evidently some
people are throwing
YOU
into CONFUSION
and are
TRYING to PERVERT
The gospel
of
Christ
But even if we or an angel from heaven should
PREACH a GOSPEL other than the ONE
WE preached to YOU,
LET THEM BE
UNDER
GODS CURSE!
As we have already said, so
NOW I SAY
AGAIN
If anybody is preaching to you
a gospel other
than what you accepted,
LET THEM BE
UNDER
GODS CURSE!
(Galatians 1:6–9)
If our doctrine is based soundly on Scripture, we can know we are walking in the path God designed for us. However, if we do not study the Word of God for ourselves (2 Timothy 2:15), we risk being led easily into error. Paul taught that an elder of the church must hold firmly to God’s truth “so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9, ESV; see also Titus 2:1). Those who do not hold to sound doctrine should be quickly spotted by their ungodly actions (Titus 1:16; 1 Timothy 1:10).
The Bible includes a solemn warning not to add to or remove anything from God’s Word (Revelation 22:18-19). Instead, Paul urges us to “hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13, NLT).
Sound biblical doctrine refers to teachings that align with the revealed Word of God, the Bible. False doctrines are ideas that add to, take away from, contradict, or nullify the teachings given in God’s Word. For example, any teaching that denies Jesus Christ’s virgin birth is a false doctrine because it contradicts the clear teaching of Matthew 1:18–25. We can judge doctrines that refute the existence of hell as false based on Revelation 20:15, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, and Christ’s own words in Matthew 10:28 and 25:46. Teachings that claim there are many paths to God are directly opposed to the truth that Jesus is the only way of salvation (John 6:35; 10:7; 11:25; 14:6).
The better we know God’s Word, the more equipped we will be to judge doctrine and discern whether it is true or false, sound or in error (Matthew 22:29; Romans 15:4; 1 Peter 2:2; 2 Timothy 3:15). We should be discerning, as the Bereans were in Acts 17:11: “They . . . examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” When we follow the lead of the first Christians, we will go far in avoiding the pitfalls of false doctrine. Acts 2:42 sets the standard: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
Such devotion will protect us and
ensure we stay on the path Jesus set for us.
Biblical doctrine
False doctrine is any idea
that adds to, takes away from,
contradicts, or
nullifies the doctrine revealed in God’s Word.
A false doctrine,
because it contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture
(Matthew 1:18).
As early as the first century AD,
false doctrine
was already
infiltrating
the church,
and many of the letters in the New Testament were
written to address those
errors
(Galatians 1:6–9; Colossians 2:20–23; Titus 1:10–11). Paul exhorted his protégé Timothy to guard against those who were peddling heresies and confusing the flock:
“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”
(1 Timothy 6:3–4).
As followers of Christ, we have no excuse for remaining ignorant of theology because we have the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) available to us—the Bible is complete. As we “study to show ourselves approved unto God” (2 Timothy 2:15), we are less likely to be taken in by smooth talkers and false prophets. When we know God’s Word, “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” (Ephesians 4:14).
It is important to point out the difference between false doctrine and denominational disagreements. Different congregational groups see secondary issues in Scripture differently. These differences are not always due to false doctrine on anyone’s part. Church policies, governmental decisions, style of worship, etc., are all open for discussion, since they are not directly addressed in Scripture. Even those issues that are addressed in Scripture are often debated by equally sincere disciples of Christ. Differences in interpretation or practice do not necessarily qualify as false doctrine, nor should they divide the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10).
False doctrine is that which opposes some fundamental truth
or that which is necessary for salvation.
The following are some examples of false doctrine:
• Any teaching that redefines the person of Jesus Christ. Doctrine that denies the deity of Christ, the virgin birth, His sinless nature, His actual death, or His physical resurrection is false doctrine. A group’s errant Christology readily identifies it as a sect or cult that may claim to be Christian but is actually teaching false doctrine. Even many mainline denominations have begun the rapid slide into apostasy by declaring that they no longer hold to a literal interpretation of Scripture or the deity of Christ. First John 4:1–3 makes it clear that a denial of biblical Christology is “anti-Christ.” Jesus described false teachers within the church as “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15).
• Teaching that adds human religious works to Christ’s finished work on the cross as necessary ingredients for salvation. This teaching may pay lip service to salvation by faith alone but insists that a religious ritual (such as water baptism) is salvific. Some groups even legislate hairstyles, clothing options, and food consumption. Romans 11:6 warns against attempts to mix grace with works. Ephesians 2:8–9 says we are saved by the grace of God, through faith, and nothing we do can add to or take away from it. Galatians 1:6–9 pronounces a curse on anyone who changes the good news of salvation by grace.
• The teaching that presents grace as a license to sin. Sometimes called “easy-believism,” this false doctrine implies that all one must do for right standing with God is to believe the facts about Jesus, pray a prayer at some point, and then resume control of one’s life with the assurance of heaven at the end. Paul dealt with this thinking in Romans 6. In Matthew 7:21–23, Jesus warned those who adopt this doctrine that they did not know Him at all. Second Corinthians 5:17 states that those who are “in Christ” become “new creatures.” That transformation, in response to a believer’s faith in Christ, changes the outward behaviors. To know and love Christ is to obey Him (Luke 6:46).
Satan
has been
confusing and perverting
the
Word of God
since
The Garden of Eden
(Genesis 3:1–4; Matthew 4:6). False teachers,
The SERVANTS
of
SATAN,
TRY to APPEAR
AS
“SERVANTS
of
RIGHTEOUSNESS”
(2 Corinthians 11:15),
But THEY will be KNOWN
by their
FRUITS
(Matthew 7:16).
A charlatan
promoting false doctrine
will show signs of
pride, greed, and rebellion
(see Jude 1:11)
and
will often promote or
engage in sexual
immorality
(2 Peter 2:14; Revelation 2:20)
We are wise to recognize how vulnerable
we are to heresy
and make it our habit to do as the Bereans did in
Acts 17:11:
“they . . . examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
When we make it our goal to follow the lead of the first church,
we will go far in avoiding the
pitfalls of false doctrine.
Acts 2:42 says,
“They devoted themselves to
the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship
to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
Such devotion will protect us and ensure that we are on
the
path Jesus set for us.
"WATCH OUT
for
FALSE PROPHETS
They come to you
in
SHEEPS CLOTHING
but
INWARDLY THEY
are
FEROCIOUS WOLVES
Matthew 7:15
Jesus alerts us to
“watch out for false prophets” in Matthew 7:15.
He compares these
false prophets to wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Jesus also tells us how to
identify these false prophets
we will
recognize them by their fruit
(Matthew 7:20)
Throughout the Bible, people are warned about false prophets
(Ezekiel 13, Matthew 24:23–27, 2 Peter 3:3)
False prophets
CLAIM to speak for God,
but
they speak FALSEHOOD.
To gain a hearing, they come to people “in sheep’s clothing,
but inwardly they are ferocious wolves”
(Matthew 7:15).
No matter how innocent and harmless these teachers appear on the outside, they have the nature of wolves—they are intent on destroying faith, causing spiritual carnage in the church, and enriching themselves.
They
secretly
introduce
destructive heresies
bring
The Way of Truth
into disrepute,
and
“exploit you
with
fabricated stories
(2 Peter 2:1–3)
The false teachers don “sheep’s clothing” so they can mingle with the sheep without arousing suspicion. They usually are not up front about what they believe; rather, they mix in some truth with their falsehood and carefully choose their words to sound orthodox. In reality, they
Follow
their
Own
ungodly desires
(Jude 1:17–18), and
They Never
Stop
Sinning;
they
Seduce the Unstable;
they are
Experts in Greed
(2 Peter 3:14)
By contrast, a true prophet teaches God’s Word fully (Deuteronomy 18:20). Wolves in sheep’s clothing twist God’s Word to deceive or influence the audience for their own purposes. Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and his ministers masquerade as servants of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:15).
The best way to guard against wolves in sheep’s clothing is to heed the warnings of Scripture and know the truth. A believer who “correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15) and carefully studies the Bible will be able to identify false prophets. Christians must judge all teaching against what Scripture says. Believers will also be able to identify false prophets by their fruit—their words, actions, and lifestyles. Jesus said, “A tree is recognized by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33; cf. Matthew 7:20). Peter described false teachers as having “depraved conduct” and who “carouse” as “slaves of depravity” (2 Peter 2:2, 13, 19). If a teacher in the church does not live according to God’s Word, he is one of those wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Here are three specific questions to identify false prophets,
or wolves in sheep’s clothing:
1) What does the teacher say about Jesus? In John 10:30, Jesus says, “I and the Father are one.” The Jews understood Jesus’ statement as a claim to be God and wanted to stone him (John 10:33).
Anyone who denies Jesus as Lord
(1 John 4:1–3)
is a false prophet.
2) Does the teacher preach the biblical gospel?
Anyone who teaches an incomplete or unbiblical gospel is to be eternally condemned (Galatians 1:9). Any gospel apart from what the Bible tells us (1 Corinthians 15:1–4) is not the true good news.
3) Does this teacher exhibit godly character qualities?
Jesus said to beware of teachers whose moral behavior does not match what the Bible says. He says we will know wolves in sheep’s clothing by their fruits
(Matthew 7:15–20)
It doesn’t matter how large a church a preacher has, how many books he has sold, or how many people applaud him. If he “teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,” then he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing
(1 Timothy 6:3).
What does "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" mean?
A wolf in sheep's clothing is symbolic for someone who outwardly looks harmless and kind with good intentions but inwardly is full of hate, evil and deceit. We are warned of this false teacher in the book of Matthew in the Bible. This person seeks to twist truth and Scripture to fit their own agenda. They deceive their audience with false prophecy and teachings.
Wolves teach false doctrine
while
appearing attractive
Sometimes the truth can get twisted in this life. Blurred.
Manipulated. Lines get crossed.
Things once seen as black and white may start to appear grayer. It may seem harder to recognize what’s true or what’s false. What’s light and what’s dark? At the heart of the battle, we face every day, is a real enemy who prowls around seeking someone to devour. (1 Pet. 5:8) He’ll stop at nothing to gain new ground. He and his forces have quoted God’s words since the beginning of time, twisting it, trying their best to manipulate the truth, their main goal only to deceive and lead astray. They know who God is and the Bible says they “shudder” in fear at His name. (James 2:19)
They know that God alone will be victorious and no matter what traps are used today to try to distract us away from Him,
in the end, they will not win.
Many times the wolf disguised in sheep’s clothing knows God’s Word better
than we thought, crafting and twisting it so much,
we might even find ourselves feeling
confused over what real truth is anymore.
So how can we spot a wolf in sheep's clothing and how
can we see through their deception to protect ourselves?
First, let's look at three signs that help you detect one of these individuals.
SIGNS of a
WOLF
in
Sheep's Clothing
They Love
POWER
and
THEMSELVES
This leader will try
to
GAIN and HOLD onto POWER
for their
OWN SELFISH REASONS
Relationships
are
USED and ABUSED
solely for the
PURPOSE of GAINING
MORE CONTROL.
A wolf in sheeps clothing will
USE their POSITION
to create
RULES and STANDARDS
that were
NEVER a PART
of
GODS PLAN
They do NOT want to empower
people with
freedom and TRUTH
but rather KEEP them
UNDER
HER POWER with BOUNDARIES
2. They Refuse Correction and Respond to Criticism with AngerWhen you confront a wolf in sheep's clothing, the response will not be one of humility and repentance. This person will respond with anger, bitterness, and often turn the criticism back on you. Their main goal in life is self-preservation and will not let anyone get in the way of their authority. A wolf will appear meek in front of an audience but will show aggression when confronted.
3. They Use Emotions
to Get
What THEY Want
A wolf knows the power of words and emotions to manipulate people. They use guilt, shame, and fear to keep others under their power. A wolf knows when to speak sweet words of compliments and when to use cutting words to fuel insecurity.
4. They LACK the FRUIT of the
Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23 tell us what the characteristics and traits
are in the life of a person who is following the Holy Spirit.
The WOLF does NOT
PRODUCE
THE FRUIT of the SPIRIT
They may be able to
appear loving and gentle
in
front of people
but behind closed doors,
they
LACK
kindness, gentleness, self-control,
and other fruits.
A wolf gives into sinful natures
and
will display
them when feeling attacked.
The best way to expose the false lies of the enemy is to know the Truth of the One voice who matters most. Know the real and you'll know what is false.
One way federal agents are trained to detect counterfeit money is by learning how to spot what is "fake," by understanding first what is "real." They study real money, for hours and hours, every part of it. They know it so well when the counterfeit is set before them, they immediately know that it's false. Because they know the real thing.
And so it is with us. As we keep pressing in to know God, who is real, who is Truth, and we set our minds on His Word, spending time there, meditating on it, eventually we become very trained in detecting the "fake."
How to Spot and Respond to a Sheep's Clothing: 5 Reminders from God’s Word1. Watch out.“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Matt. 7:15
God reminds us in His Word to “watch out,” “beware,” to stay awake. He knows and understands how difficult it can be to fight this spiritual battle. Some days we get weary, or we get so busy and distracted, we’re not watching anymore for ways we might get tripped up. But he tells us, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” 1 Cor. 16:13
God desires the best for us and knows how important it is for us to live aware. He freely gives us his strength and protection to stand strong each day, he will never leave us defenseless on our own.
2. Know the real and you’ll know the fake too.“You will recognize them by their fruits…” Matt. 7:16
God’s Word is clear, it says they’ll be known by their fruits. Not by how much money they have. Not by how many followers they have. Not by how many books they have written or the great things they have done. They’ll be known by what fruit exists in their lives. Is there love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control? Are they sharing the gospel of Christ, and pointing others to the forgiveness and freedom that He alone can bring? What do they say about who Jesus is? What do they believe about the authority of God’s Word?
We may have to look more closely than what is on the outside. The world often views “success” and popularity differently than how God sees.
What’s at the HEART?
Eventually, the
TRUTH
of
WHO they
ARE
WILL BE brought into the
LIGHT. “
He will BRING to LIGHT
what is
HIDDEN in DARKNESS
and will
EXPOSE the MOTIVES
of the HEART.”
1 Cor. 4:5
We can trust His word to be true and rely on Him for guiding us.
3. Know God’s word and you’ll know when it’s being twisted and manipulated.“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 Cor. 11:14-15
Sometimes DECEPTION
may be
HIDDEN WELL
MANIPULATED and CUNNING,
for the Bible makes CLEAR that
even Satan
DISGUISES himself
as light.
If we don’t know His truth,
we will never know when we’re being deceived.
Study it. Meditate on His words. Guard them in your heart. “
I have hidden your word
in my heart that
I might not sin against you.”
Ps. 119:11
Press in close to God. Spend time in His presence. Pray, talk to Him, listen to His voice through His word. Staying close to His side, living under
the protection of His armor and covering,
helps us to know when we’re
STARING
straight into falsehood
4. Trust the discernment and wisdom of God’s Spirit living through your life.“…
false prophets will appear and perform
great signs and wonders to deceive,
if possible, even the elect.
See, I have told you ahead of time.” Matt. 24:23-25
God gives us His Spirit to guide us in discernment and wisdom. “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth…” John 16:13
He wants more than anyone, for us to be guided by Truth. He tells us “I have told you ahead of time,” so that we will be prepared and watching. Walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh. We don’t have to wander through life blindly, unsure of what’s true and what’s not. When we’re daily asking for his leadership and direction, submitting to his authority over our lives, we can trust the leadership of His Spirit. When feeling unsettled or sensing something is just not “quite right,” we can press in close to Him,
knowing He’s faithful to guide us.
5. Surround yourself with other believers you know and trust.“Knowing this…scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.” 2 Pet. 3:3
Use caution in who you listen to and choose to take guidance from. Sometimes when we’re in a place where it’s hard to see clearly, maybe because of our own pressing worries or cares, we need a trusted friend who can speak the truth in places we need to hear. This is often true in marriage. Learning to listen to one another and take into consideration what the other might be sensing or discerning can often have great power in saving us from a heap of trouble up ahead if we’ll only heed the warnings that someone
we love may speak our way.
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance
of counselors there is safety.” Prov. 11:14
Recognize that sometimes believers may simply disagree. It doesn’t
necessarily mean that one is a “false teacher,”
but only that both might be doing their best to follow God’s Word and what He’s leading, they just may not agree on everything. We see this in Scripture and we see it all around us today. Let’s not waste time-fighting against ourselves, but recognize who the real enemy is. We can choose to give each other grace and kindness.
We can hold on to what matters most, and pursue unity in the body of Christ.
Standing strong together,
on
Christ the Solid Rock.
"And you will know the truth,
and the
truth will set you free.”
John 8:
As Jesus readied His twelve disciples to go out and minister,
first He gave detailed guidelines for their early mission
(Matthew 10:5–15), and then
He prepared them for opposition and persecution:
“Behold, I am sending
you out as sheep in the midst of wolves,
so be wise
as serpents and innocent as doves”
(Matthew 10:16, ESV).
Jesus knew that His messengers would encounter fierce resistance,
so He immediately dismissed
any idealistic notion of
what it meant to be
His servant
He told them that
persecution and betrayal
would come from unexpected places
and all
kinds of people, even family and friends
(Matthew 10:21–22, 34–36).
Jesus also knew that many would respond to the disciples’ message, so they had to go. To be as “sheep amidst the wolves” is the Lord’s fitting imagery portraying how we obey His call and take the message of salvation to receptive souls scattered amid a crowd of hostile challengers.
Reflecting the character of meek and gentle sheep, our message is one of love and compassion. Luke 10:3 uses the language of “lambs among wolves,” emphasizing the dedicated vulnerability that ought to exemplify Christ’s servants, messengers, missionaries, and evangelists. We are to go out clothed with grace, mercy, kindness, and humility—“innocent as doves”—but also with wisdom, truth, and integrity—“wise as serpents.” We keep our attitude and actions pure and harmless and our eyes wide open, “alert and of sober mind” because our “enemy the
devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”
(1 Peter 5:8).
The future peaceful reality of sheep and wolves living together in harmony (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25) is not yet our reality. The apostle Paul testified to church leaders, “
I know that after
I leave, savage wolves will
come in among you
and will not spare the flock
” (Acts 20:29).
To His disciple Timothy, Paul wrote,
“Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus
will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).
Jesus desires that
we be
fully prepared to be hated
and
treated poorly just as He was
(Matthew 10:25).
Yet we can find
comfort and encouragement in
our struggles,
knowing such ill-treatment
is a sign
of our close fellowship with Jesus
(Acts 5:41; 2 Corinthians 11:16–33; 12:1–10; Philippians 3:10–11).
Sheep are defenseless animals.
Unless they stay near their shepherd, these animals
have no hope of surviving against a pack of wolves. Jesus,
who is “the great Shepherd of the sheep”
(Hebrews 13:20),
assured His disciples
repeatedly that
He would care for His sheep,
leading, guiding, protecting,
and
laying down
His life for them
(John 10:1–16, 26–30).
Even though we will
face persecution
In our mission
to
follow and obey Christ,
He encourages us not to fear: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?
Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
So don’t be afraid;
you are worth more than
many sparrows”
(Matthew 10:28–31)
Matthew 10:16 was not the disciples’ first exhortation to expect persecution as servants of God’s kingdom. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10–12).
Honor in God’s kingdom is a
blessing reserved
for those who actively seek to advance
His righteousness and serve the King
Initially, the “wolves” in Jesus’ analogy
included the Pharisees and Jewish religious teachers
who
violently persecuted
The
early church
But the caution to be like sheep amidst the wolves is relevant to believers in every age who must live as Christ’s ambassadors in a dark and unreceptive world.
Without our Shepherd,
we are
defenseless and in danger.
But with Jesus,
we are promised
protection and peace
(John 14:27; 16:33; Psalm 3:5–6; Matthew 6:25–34; 11:28; Romans 8:28, 35–39).
When Jesus told the Twelve to be as wise as serpents and
harmless as doves,
He laid down a general principle about the technique of kingdom work.
As we take the gospel to a hostile world, we must be wise (avoiding the snares set for us), and we must be innocent (serving the Lord blamelessly). Jesus was not suggesting that we stoop to deception but that we should model some of the serpent’s famous shrewdness in a positive way. Wisdom does not equal dishonesty, and innocence does not equal gullibility.
Let us consider Jesus as exemplar:
the Lord was known as a gentle person. Indeed, Scripture testifies that He would not even quench a smoking flax (Matthew 12:20). But was He always (and only) gentle? No. When the occasion demanded it, He took whip in hand and chased the moneychangers out of the temple (John 2:15). Jesus’ extraordinarily rare action, seen in light of His usual mien, demonstrates the power of using a combination of tools. This “dove-like” Man of Innocence spoke loudly and clearly with His assertiveness in the temple.
In His more typical moments, Jesus showed that
He was as wise as a serpent in the way
He taught.
He knew enough to discern the
differences in His audiences
(a critical skill),
He used the story-telling technique to
both feed and weed
(Matthew 13:10–13), and
He refused to be caught in the
many traps that His enemies laid for Him
(Mark 8:11; 10:2; 12:13).
Jesus showed that He was as harmless as a dove in every circumstance. He lived a pure and holy life (Hebrews 4:15), He acted in compassion (Matthew 9:36), and He challenged anyone to find fault in Him (John 8:46; 18:23). Three times, Pilate judged Jesus to be an innocent man (John 18:38; 19:4, 6).
The apostle Paul also modeled the “wise as serpents, harmless as doves” technique. Paul lived in dove-like innocence in good conscience before God (Acts 23:1) and learned to deny his carnal desires so as not to jeopardize his ministry (1 Corinthians 9:27). But Paul also displayed serpent-like shrewdness when he needed it. He knew his legal rights and used the legal system to his advantage (Acts 16:37; 22:25; 25:11). He also carefully crafted his speeches to maximize the impact on his audience (Acts 17:22–23; 23:6–8).
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus taught us how to optimize our gospel-spreading opportunities. Successful Christian living requires that we strike the optimal balance between the dove and the serpent. We should strive to be gentle without being pushovers, and we must be sacrificial without being taken advantage of. We are aware of the unscrupulous tactics used by the enemy, but we take the high road. Peter admonishes us, “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Peter 2:12).
As Christians, we are commanded against following teachers blindly but are told rather to “test everything; hold on to the good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The Apostle Peter warns us in 2 Peter 2:1-3 that there will be false teachers in our day just as there were false teachers in his day. Among their false teachings is a denial of the sufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross to take away sin, which is a common theme among cultists today. Another characteristic of false teachers is the greed which motivates them in everything they do. Paul offers a similar warning to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:29-31,
calling the
false teachers “savage wolves” who
mercilessly attempt to
destroy the faith of the sheep
and draw them
away from the Shepherd.
Paul warned the church continually,
pleading with them night
and
day to be on their guard against
such deceivers.
From these passages, we see clearly that we are to
distinguish between true and false teachers.
How then are we to do that?
First, as Paul instructs the Ephesians, we are
to “no longer be infants,
tossed back and forth by the waves,
and blown here and there
by every wind of teaching
and by the cunning and craftiness
of men in their
deceitful scheming”
(Ephesians 4:14). Rather, we are
to “
become mature, attaining
to the whole measure of the
fullness of Christ”
and we do this by “
the knowledge of the
Son of God” (v. 13).
The knowledge of Christ
can
only be obtained
through
the Word of God,
and it is by that Word that we distinguish between the true and the false.
In Matthew 7:15-20,
Jesus offers some critical advice in discerning who is a false prophet:
“Watch out for false prophets.
They come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
By their fruits you will recognize them.
Do people pick grapes
from thornbushes, or figs from
thistles?
Likewise every good tree bears good fruit,
but a bad tree bears
bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
and
a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
Every tree that does
not
bear good fruit is
cut down
and thrown into the fire.
Thus, by their fruits you will recognize them.” Plainly stated, is the teacher’s life marked by a progressive conformity to the likeness of Christ? Is the teacher bearing the fruits of the Spirit? Just as only good trees produce good fruit, so do only true teachers of Christ display the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), whereas false prophets and teachers display the acts of their sinful natures (Galatians 5:19-21). By these fruits, we recognize true and false teachers.
Second, does the teaching that is being presented
conform to the message as
proclaimed by the early church
and
the apostles?
As Paul writes to the church in Galatia, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” These are harsh words indeed that Paul has for the false teachers, but eternal condemnation is what they store up for themselves until the day of God’s wrath (Galatians 1:6-9).
The Apostle John tells us in his first epistle (1 John 4:1-6)
how we are to discern which spirits are from God. “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. 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, 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. You, dear children, are from God and
have overcome them,
because the one who is in you is greater than
the one who is in the world.
They are from the world
and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world,
and the world listens to them.
We are from God, and whoever knows God
listens to us;
but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.
This is how we recognize
the
Spirit of truth
and
the spirit of falsehood.”
It is of utmost importance that
Christians are well grounded in the Scriptures
so that they are able to discern which
teachers speak from God
and which are false in their proclamation.
Only then can we reject what is false and “hold on to the good”
(1 Thessalonians 5:21).
http://the-end-time.blogspot.com/2015/03/marks-of-false-teachers-discerment.html
https://baptistnews.com/article/baptist-calvinists-defend-slavery-of-southern-seminary-founders/
http://the-end-time.blogspot.com/2015/03/marks-of-false-teachers-discerment.html
https://thewartburgwatch.com/2014/11/07/a-closer-look-at-pastors-in-the-arc/
https://churchofthehighlandsbloodlessgospel.com/
https://bereanresearch.org/association-of-related-churches-time-to-get-off-the-arc/
https://www.al.com/news/2020/06/cancel-pastor-chris-hodges-church-of-the-highlands-faces-social-media-firestorm.html
https://narconnections.com/chris-hodges-4/
https://narconnections.com/chris-hodges-endorsements/
In 1844, University of Alabama president Basil Manly Sr., a
prominent preacher and major planter who
owned 40 slaves,
drafted the "Alabama Resolutions" and presented them to the Triennial Convention.
They included the demand that
slaveholders be eligible for denominational offices
to which the Southern associations contributed financially.
They were not adopted.
Georgia Baptists decided to test the claimed neutrality by
recommending a slaveholder
to the Home Mission Society as a missionary.
The Home Mission Society's board refused to appoint him,
noting that missionaries
were not
allowed to take servants with them
(so he clearly could not take slaves)
and that they would not make a decision that appeared to
endorse slavery.
Southern Baptists considered this
an infringement
of their right to determine their own candidates.
From the southern perspective, the northern position
that "slaveholding brethren were less than followers of Jesus"
effectively obligated slaveholding Southerners
to leave the fellowship.
This difference came to a head in 1845 when representatives
of the northern states refused
to appoint missionaries whose families owned slaves.
To continue in the work of missions,
the
southern Baptists separated and
created
The
Southern Baptist Convention