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Pastor Jay's Blog

16 Safeguards Against False Teaching

 

This list was put together by the pastors of Church of the Open Door in Leavenworth, Kansas and myself.

1. Recognize the Presence and Prevalence of False Teachers.

– 1 John 4:1 “Beloved, 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.”

– “Our generation is exposed to more religious ideas than any people in history. Religious broadcasting and the print media bombard people with all kinds of deviant teachings that claim to be truth. In the area where I live, for example, we are assaulted with everything from Gene Scott-a vulgar, cigar-chomping television preacher whose messages are peppered with profanity-to huge billboards declaring “ISLAM IS TRUTH.”” (Reckless Faith, p. 37)

2. Examine the Scriptures

– Acts 17:10-11 ¶ And the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea; and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.”

– 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.”

– Cf Jude 1:20

– MacArthur “Yet many professing Christians are perplexed by the lies. The church today is filled with people who lack any ability to differentiate the very worst false doctrines from truth. I constantly encounter Christians who are at a loss to answer the most profound errors they hear from cultists, unorthodox media preachers, or other sources of false doctrine.” (Reckless Faith, p. 37)

3. Check your Hermeneutic

– The Bible is written in plain language of the day for the plain language of every day.

– Grammatical/historical/contextual interpretation.

4. Check your Presuppositions

– They should be few and self-evident.

5. Check your Sin

– There is a connection between your living a life of faith and understanding the Scriptures.

– Hebrews 5:11-14

– Focus on vs. 14 and “practice/application” of the Bible necessary for understanding it.”

6. Pray for Wisdom

– James 1:5 “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

7. Listen to your church Elders

– Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.”

8. Listen to the Universal Church

– 1 Timothy 3:15 “but in case I am delayed, I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.”

9. Evaluate the Life of all your Teachers

– Titus 1:16 “They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed.”

– Jude 1:18 “In the last time there shall be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.”

– Hard to do with the internet

– Be extra careful when you are following teachers but you have no access to their life.

– In our age of Christian celebrities do not idolize any man or woman.

– False teachers are often known by their deeds

– And it is easier to hide behind the miles that separate us or the medium of communications like books, TV, radio, internet, etc.

10. Recognize that False Teachers Separate Themselves from the Body of Christ

– 1 John 2:18-19 “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us.”

11. Remember that False Teachers Cause Divisions

– Jude 1:19 “These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.”

– Titus 3:8-11 “This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. But shun foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law; for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.”

12. Note if Other Christians are Concerned for your Soul

– Elders

– Acts 20:28 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

– Other Believers

– Jude 1:20-23 “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire;”

– Be willing to be confronted and questioned by other godly men and women.

– Paul to Peter and Barnabas

– John MacArthur before the IFCA

– JI Packer and other before RC Sproul and others.

13. Remember that False Teachers Bring a Distorted Understanding of the Bible

– 2 Peter 3:14-16 “Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

14. Don’t be Fascinated with Novelty

– MacArthur “An almost inexhaustible gullibility has destroyed people’s will to be discerning.” (Reckless Faith, p. 38)

– Jude 1:3-4 “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

15. Don’t Explore New Theology in Private

– Ephesians 5:13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.”

– John 3:20 “For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

– Don’t dabble in false teachings or with false teachers

– Proverbs 14:7 “Leave the presence of a fool, Or you will not discern words of knowledge.”

16. Be Aware of Your Own Limitations.

– Romans 12:3 “For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment,”

– Romans 12:16 “Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.”

B. Top 3 Safeguards Against False Teaching

1. Study the Word

2. Pray for Guidance

3. Be under Godly Leaders—Locally.

C. Conclusion

2 Peter 3:17-18 “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

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