A Warning Against Following False Teachers

When you hear the words “False Teachers” or “False Prophets,” I bet the first thought that comes to mind is a long list of famous televangelists with their numerous mansions, private jet liners, and millions of dollars in their bank accounts while their followers are probably losing their homes, jobs, and even their life savings to them.

Perhaps, you’re thinking of that charlatan of a pastor in the last church you attended with all their word of faith, word of knowledge, or prosperity teachings that only served to line his pockets and nearly made you lose your faith.

By now, you can probably spot a false prophet a mile away. While you may be correct that many of these people you know or see on TV are false teachers and false prophets, they are not the only ones in the world deceiving others in the name of God. There are far more false teachers and prophets out there that do not stand out and outnumber the few hundred you see on TV or hear on your radio.

You will not only find them in churches and Christian circles, but everywhere where readers and listeners convene. They write books, load their videos on YouTube, and have their own websites. Some even join Hubpages, and begin to introduce their doctrine of demons as they twist the truth for all to read.

If you are not careful my friend with the things you read or hear, the seed of doubt will be planted in you and slowly, just like them, your spirit will be corrupted by the father of lies.

May this hub serve as a warning to all my brothers and sisters in Christ of the dangers that await them if they do not use discernment and stray from the truth. We should never stop listening to Jesus’ voice. Remember what He said in John 10:27, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (NIV)His voice and only His voice are we to listen to and follow.

I’ll start with something I read a few days ago that brought me to write this hub. I noticed an article with a title that caught my eye. I decided to stop in and read, only to regret it later. I should have known, the devil is very crafty and he will pull you in, in any way he can.

As I began to read, I didn’t notice the danger hidden in the subtle message. Maybe the word I’m looking for is not subtle but more like confusing because I was not clear on where the author stood or what she was trying to convey. As I skimmed over her words, I was thinking of writing a comment and possibly following this writer until my reading came to a screeching halt.

As I read her words, I realized that although this woman was talking about God, she was not a Christian. She was far from being a Christian. If anything, it was not until the end that I realized she hated Christians. Furthermore, although she commended Christians for “their zealousness,” she also condemned them for following Jesus as God. Her writing also revealed she also reviled the authors of the New Testament and much of its content.

I decided to finish reading her article but as I did, I began to feel righteous anger build in me. Yes, it was righteous anger because of the corruption and twisted interpretation of the Word of God. I could not believe what I was reading and I was tempted to leave a long comment pointing out the error in her interpretation. Instead, I decided to go back and re-read what she wrote. After all, I wasn’t sure if I was misreading the message because there were some things that had a ring of truth twisted within her words.

After I finished reading, I found no misreading in my part. In fact, her message became very clear from the moment she wrote her introductory paragraph. Why didn’t I see this earlier? Worse… why were Christians leaving this author nice comments and praising her? Did they really read what she wrote? Did they understand what she was saying or were they in total agreement with her? Some had even begun to follow her.

2 John 1:9-11 says, “Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.” (NIV) (Underlining is mine)

I figured, like me, her readers were either not reading thoroughly or were simply confused and not grasping her twisted interpretation of Scripture. However, I feel that a lack of discernment was the cause in some.

Now comes the true test. Her words tempted me with doubt and at the same time challenged me. I began to go over what she said and read what the Word actually says and mean, and I got very upset. What I was reading in her article was so upsetting to me that I struggled with the temptation to confront her and correct her, and I prayed for guidance. In the end, I decided not to leave a comment, which would have been a waste of my time and most likely end in an argument. Instead, I wrote here where I can reach many.

Every Christian should know what the Bible says about false teachers and anti-christs. They should also be aware of those who put a stumbling block for others. There is a bigger enemy behind the actions of those that do. Romans 16:17-18 warns us “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.” (NIV)

Christians should also be careful of what they read or whom they follow. What you choose to hear or read can plant a seed of doubt in your spirit, chose to nourish your spirit with sound doctrine instead. Follow the teachings of the Holy Ghost, as He is our teacher (Jn 14:26; Jn 16:13; I Cor. 2:10; 1 Jn 2:27).

To illustrate my point, I will quote a few things she wrote in her article. The writer begins her introduction with a mocking undertone describing Christians in church, with tears, shouts of “praise Jesus,” and hands up to receive his glory or spirit and all people had to do is “ask to receive him.”

Then she goes on to relate how she began to read her bible and was enlightened. In the process, she compares receiving Jesus to receiving the devil due to a sci-fi show she watched on TV where you had to invite the devil because he just can’t come in. She was reminded of how she heard in church that all you have to do to receive Jesus’ glory was to ask for it and that all this was a deception from Satan, along with the false “lofty promises” that you will be saved and have everlasting life.

She begins her interpretation of Revelations. In her interpretation, she describes Peter and Paul as being “the second beast with the two horns in Rev 13:11” that “made the inhabitants of the earth worship the beast.” She also describes the beast of the sea with the life of Jesus. In the same paragraph she connects the blood of Jesus in the Holy Communion with the “drinking the blood of the cup of abominations/adultery” and goes on to describe how she almost vomited when she realized what communion really meant.

She continues by saying Jesus is not God, and in so many words that Christians are an abomination in God’s eyes for worshiping Jesus as God, and then refers back to what God says in Deuteronomy 13. Then she shows her contempt for the New Testament by saying “Jesus never said to abandon the old laws…that was later in the new testament.”

To make it clear, the New Testament does not say to abandon the old laws but that Jesus came to fulfill the law (Mt 5:17; Mt 12:17-21; Lk 4:18-21; also in Isa 42:1-4). Through Jesus, a new everlasting covenant was established (Isa 55:3; Isa 59:20; Jer 31:31-34; Jer 32:38-40; Eze 16:62-63; Heb 8:1-13), and we are now justified by faith.

As to Jesus not being God, this is another area where some do not have a clear understanding of Scripture. Some people will argue that Jesus never said He was God. However, Jesus never said He was a man either, yet He was. Why else would the Pharisees and teachers of the Law accuse Jesus of blaspheming? Although they did not want to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, they understood perfectly what Jesus was saying. I can quote quite a number of verses that will prove my point, but that would make another hub.

However, what nearly blew me away was when she wrote that Jesus came to be a “test” for us from God to see if we truly love God and refers back to Deuteronomy 13. According to her, Jesus came to earth to “separate God’s followers from other followers.” Therefore, if I understand her correctly, since Christians believe Jesus and God to be one and the same and Christians follow Jesus, Christians failed the “test.”

She explains that the woman riding the beast is the church, and at one point she adds, she is not the woman riding the beast or the anti-christ, nor is she crazy. Apparently this writer has been accused before of being the anti-christ because she is making it clear she is not.

In fact, she excuses herself from being called an anti-christ because she claims anyone going against the apostles and their epistles, as she is, will be called anti-christs. She then goes to accuse John the Apostle of being a deceiver who preached to others to follow Jesus, and condemns him for not sticking to his Jewish roots and follow the one true God.

If this hasn’t made you shake your head by now, maybe this will. She sums up Revelations 15 by saying that “Christians who follow Jesus and call on him, are the sacrifices for God’s wrath so that his chosen may be spared.“ Therefore, according to what she writes, not only are Christians used by God to spare His chosen, but as Christians we are also destined for God’s wrath because we follow Jesus instead of God.

The twisted and corrupted interpretation of Revelation and other scripture continued in her article, and I will not add them here as I think this is sufficient for me to make my point. Neither is her identity important because there are many that believe as she, although she identifies herself as “an independent follower of the One True God.”

It suffices to say that this writer does not really know Jesus Christ, who was sent not as a “test” as she claims but as our savior. Jesus' message to His people did bring division, the truth always does, but her assumption of His coming to this world as the Son of God to be a “test” is not accurate.

God came in the flesh as the Son of God to bring salvation to mankind. Because He became the ultimate sacrifice, we are made righteous in Him and are able to stand before God and have communion with Him. At the cross, He completed what He came to do and tore the curtain (of the temple) (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38: Luke 23:45) that separated us from God due to sin. Even the most simple-minded uneducated Christians know this.

There is no question and no doubt in my mind who Jesus is; it is very clear. Out of Jesus own words, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7 (NIV)

In the Gospels, Jesus called out His disciples and said to them “follow me.” He didn’t do this to “test” them to see if they would abandon their love for God and idolize Him instead. To imply this, is absurd. There is no deceit in Jesus, and God doesn’t tempt anyone to commit sin (Jas 1:13).

Furthermore, to condemn the New Testament and their writers is saying the writers were uninspired by God, and I feel this is an abomination in itself. This tells me that this woman does not have a clear understanding of Scripture. The teachings of the gospels and epistles harmonize with the writing and the prophesies foretold in the Old Testament.

So, I end with a final warning to those who have ears to hear, beware of who you lend your ears to and who you follow. As Peter writes in his letter to the exiled saints in 2 Peter 3:16, where he cautions against those who twist Paul’s writings “…His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” (NIV)

Peace and Love in Christ Jesus.

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