"And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many" (Matt. 24:11).
"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance" (Matt. 24:24-25).
"…savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert..." (Acts 20:29-31).
Scripture warns us very clearly to be on the alert for false prophets and false teachers in the last days. The need for discernment is critical because such false leaders arise from among us (Acts 20:30; 2 Pet. 2:1), come in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15), creep in unnoticed (Jude 1:4), secretly introduce their destructive heresies (2 Pet. 2:1), and can even show great signs and wonders to try to mislead God’s people (Matt. 24:24). They are deceitful workers and can disguise themselves as apostles of Christ and servants of righteousness (2 Cor. 11:13-15).
The danger is compounded by the fact that in the last days many people "will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth…" (2 Tim. 4:3-4). The condition is similar to Jeremiah’s day: "An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; and My people love it so!..." (Jer. 5:30-31). Many people today, even within the church, are opening the door and welcoming, and even embracing, the ministry and message of false teachers.
Thankfully, the Lord not only warns us about false leaders (teachers, prophets, shepherds and apostles), but He also shows us in His Word how to identify false leaders from the godly ones that He gives to the church.
1. False leaders want others to serve them; true leaders desire to serve others. Jesus emphasizes that in God’s kingdom, the strong are to serve the weak: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant...just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:25-28). Likewise, after washing His disciples’ feet, He instructed them, "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet…" (John 13:14). God gives leaders power and authority so that they might serve others.
False leaders, however, abuse power by exploiting others to their own benefit. They mostly care about themselves (Jude 1:12) and "speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage" (Jude 1:16). They are similar to the bad shepherds in Ezekiel’s day: "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them" (Ezek. 34:2-4).
Be suspect whenever you see a leader draw attention to himself and to his own needs rather than to the needs of others. A true leader is humble and considers others as more important than himself, giving special attention to those who are especially vulnerable, such as the sick, the poor, the oppressed and the lost. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).
2. False leaders focus on money; true leaders focus on ministry. A good indication that someone is a false teacher is when he focuses on money and material possessions, and teaches that godliness is a means to financial gain. This is such a widespread false teaching today, even though the Scriptures clearly warn against it. For example, the Apostle Paul, in the context of unsound doctrine, writes about "...men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world. So we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (see First Timothy 6:3-10).
The same problem plagued God’s people in Old Testament days. Listen to Jeremiah, Micah and Isaiah lament the pathetic conditions: "For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and from the prophet even to the priest every one deals falsely" (Jer. 6:13); "Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, her priests instruct for a price and her prophets divine for money" (Mic. 3:11); "And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each one to his unjust gain, to the last one" (Isa. 56:11).
Jesus warns, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed…" (Luke 12:15). We must be especially alert of false teachers in this regard because they have hearts "trained in greed" (2 Pet. 2:14) and "in their greed they will exploit you with false words" (2 Pet. 2:3). Of course, they cloak their deception by using (actually, misusing and twisting) biblical terminology, but in the end, their focus is still on money and material possessions.
Consider how much this contrasts with a godly leader such as the Apostle Paul: "I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. In every thing I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’" (Acts 20:33-35). Paul also wrote, "For we are not like many, peddling the Word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God…" (2 Cor. 2:17). Godly leaders are to be "free from the love of money" (1 Tim. 3:3). And again, Paul’s words to Timothy: "If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content" (1 Tim. 6:8).
3. False leaders whitewash sin; true leaders preach repentance. An integral part of the message of a man sent by God is the call to repent of sin and return to God. The prophet Micah, for example, contrasted his ministry with the false prophets and priests of his day who hated good, loved evil and led God’s people astray: "On the other hand I am filled with power – with the Spirit of the Lord – and with justice and courage to make known to Jacob his rebellious act, even to Israel his sin" (Mic. 3:8). In fact, the Lord sent all the Old Testament prophets to preach repentance: "I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again saying: ‘Turn now every man from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them...’" (Jer. 35:15).
Repentance is a major focus as well in the preaching and teaching in the New Testament. John the Baptist preached repentance (Matt. 3:1-2), Jesus preached repentance (Matt. 4:17), Peter and Paul preached repentance (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 26:20), and in the letters to the seven churches, Jesus continued to stress the necessity of repentance (Rev. 2:5, 16, 21, 22; 3:3, 19). Godly leaders do not skirt the issue of sin, but hit it head on and issue strong calls to repentance. They admonish people to forsake sin and return to the Lord.
False prophets and false teachers, however, water down the seriousness of sin. The Lord declares of them: "They keep saying to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord has said, "You will have peace"’; and as for every one who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, they say, ‘Calamity will not come upon you’" (Jer. 23:17). He also declares, "So My hand will be against all the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations.... It is definitely because they have misled My people by saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash; so tell those who plaster it over with whitewash, that it will fall..." (Ezek. 13:9-11). Instead of rebuking sin, they actually encourage "the wicked not to turn from his wicked way and preserve his life" (Ezek. 13:22).
False prophets and false teachers are more concerned with pleasing others and offering self-help than with stressing the need for each person to deny self, take up his cross and follow Christ. They do not treat sin seriously, and do not expose it to ward off judgment. They flatter others and promise favor with God without repentance and obedience.
4. False leaders misuse the Word of God; true leaders proclaim the whole counsel of God. Not only do true leaders preach and teach repentance, they are faithful to proclaim "the whole purpose of God" (Acts 20:27). They realize that "all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16). They do not distort the Word of God or water it down, but they "preach the Word" and "reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction" (2 Tim. 4:2). They are diligent to present themselves approved to God as workmen who do not need to be ashamed, "accurately handling the Word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). They do not preach nor teach their own word, but God’s Word, regardless of how popular or unpopular it may be. They set forth the Word of God plainly and powerfully. They do not follow the whims of popular theology, but "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints" (Jude 3).
False prophets and false teachers, on the other hand, malign the way of truth (2 Pet. 2:2). They draw only from the portions of Scripture that serve their purposes, and even then they pervert and distort the Word of God to their advantage (Jer. 23:36; Gal. 1:7; 2 Pet. 3:16). They "speak a vision of their own imagination, not from the mouth of the Lord" (Jer. 23:16), "prophesy from their own inspiration" (Ezek. 13:2), and follow "their own spirit" (Ezek. 13:3).
Of course, false teachers can be very deceitful and convincing. This is why God’s people must be alert, must take the whole counsel of God’s Word to heart, and must consider present-day teaching in light of the doctrine that has been passed down through the ages. Again, Jesus warns that many will be misled. We must grow up in Christ so that we are not "...tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by the craftiness in deceitful scheming..." (Eph. 4:14).
"I did not send these prophets, but they ran. I did not speak to them, but they prophesied" (Jer. 23:21).
Just because someone claims to be a prophet or teacher from God, does not mean that he is. In fact, Jesus warns that "many false prophets will arise, and mislead many" (Matt. 24:11). We have a great responsibility, therefore, to be alert for false leaders.
Last month, I described four ways to distinguish false leaders from the godly leaders the Lord gives to the church. I invite you to now consider three more distinguishing marks.
5. False leaders have a distorted theology of Christ; true leaders keep their focus on Christ. A central mark of a false prophet or false teacher is distorted theology regarding the Person and work of Christ. The Apostle Peter warns that there will "be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them..." (2 Pet. 2:1). Jude describes false leaders as those who "deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ" (Jude 4). The Apostle John instructs us to "not believe every spirit, but to test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God..." (1 John 4:1-3). Likewise, the Apostle Paul exhorts us: "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. For in Him all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form" (Col. 2:8-9).
The theology of the Person and work of Christ is, of course, of utmost significance. In fact, the whole focus of the New Testament is upon Christ, from the beginning of Matthew, "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ…" (Matt. 1:1), to the end of Revelation, "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen" (Rev. 22:21). In between, the pages of God’s Word highlight Christ’s virgin birth, His divinity, His powerful ministry, His sinless life, His sacrificial death, His resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His promise to come again.
In light of the centrality of Christ, it is not surprising that false prophets, false teachers and false religious groups distort the view of Christ. The spirit of the antichrist is very much at work in the world (1 John 4:3), and that spirit is opposed to all that God wants to accomplish through Christ. Beware of any person or group that in any way diminishes the Person or work of Christ, including His miraculous birth, His divinity, His death on the Cross, His resurrection or His Second Coming.
On the other hand, true leaders keep the focus on Christ, exalting Him above everyone and everything else. Their preaching and teaching is centered in Christ (1 Cor. 1:23; Col. 1:28), and their theology about Christ is in harmony with the emphasis of the New Testament and long-standing church tradition. As the Apostle Paul declared, "For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake" (2 Cor. 4:5).
6. False leaders have ungodly character; true leaders are consistently godly. Another significant mark of false leaders is ungodly character. In the days of the Old Testament, the Lord lamented through the prophet Jeremiah: "…My heart is broken within me...‘For both prophet and priest are polluted; even in My house I have found their wickedness.... Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: The committing of adultery and walking in falsehood; and they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one has turned back from his wickedness. All of them have become to Me like Sodom…’" "[Jerusalem’s] prophets are reckless, treacherous men; her priests have profaned the sanctuary…" (Zeph. 3:4). How tragic that the leaders were so full of moral pollution, wickedness, falsehood, recklessness and treachery. And from them, pollution had gone forth into all the land (Jer. 23:15). (Jer. 23:9-14). The prophet Zephaniah added,
The same was true in New Testament times. Jude describes false leaders as "ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness..." (v. 4), men who "defile the flesh, and reject authority" (v. 8), men who follow after their own lusts, and who speak arrogantly and flatter people for their own advantage (v. 16). The Apostle Peter likewise notes how they indulge the flesh, despise authority, practice deception and live in sin (2 Pet. 2:10-14). They promise freedom "while they themselves are slaves of corruption…" (2 Pet. 2:19).
Such ungodliness and deception can be cleverly cloaked. For example, Jesus declared of the ungodly religious leaders of His day, "For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness" (Matt. 23:27-28). Of course, Jesus saw right through the disguise and pointed out that these men liked to draw attention to themselves (Matt. 23:5-6; Luke 20:46), did not practice what they preached (Matt. 23:3) and were not just, merciful or faithful (Matt. 23:23).
Notice the stark contrast with godly leaders. The Apostle Paul, for example, shared how his exhortation did not come from "error or impurity or by way of deceit" nor "with flattering speech…nor with a pretext for greed," nor did he seek glory from men (1 Thes. 2:3-6). Instead, he conducted himself "devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly" (1 Thes. 2:10).
He exhorted Timothy to set an example in "speech, conduct, love, faith and purity" (1 Tim. 4:12), and to uphold the highest standards for other godly leaders: "An overseer…must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious..." (1 Tim. 3:2-3). In other words, the character of a true leader is consistent and godly in every aspect of his life. Whenever there are signs of inconsistency or ungodliness in a leader’s life, beware.
7. False leaders bear bad fruit; true leaders bear good fruit. An indication of a false leader is that he produces bad spiritual fruit. Jesus teaches, "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits…" (Matt. 7:15-16). On the outside they may appear innocent, harmless and meek, but the fruit of their ministry reveals that their ultimate concern is not the well-being of the sheep. They are "ones who cause divisions" (Jude 19). They are shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of God’s pasture (Jer. 23:1). They are "savage wolves…not sparing the flock" and they "draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:29-30). The Apostle Paul warns, "…keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting" (Rom. 16:17-18).
On the other hand, the true leaders that Christ gives to the church equip the saints, and build up the saints toward unity in the faith (Eph. 4:13). They use the authority the Lord gives them "for building up and not for tearing down" (2 Cor. 13:10). They give "no cause for offense in anything" that could discredit their ministry, but instead are commendable in every way: "in much endurance, in afflictions…in labors…in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God…" (see 2 Cor. 6:3-10). And through such faithful ministry, the Gospel produces spiritual fruit (see Col. 1:6-7).
Be Ever Watchful
We can be very grateful for good leaders who keep careful watch over our lives as those who will give account (Heb. 13:17). But at the same time, we must be ever alert to the threat of false leaders who would in any way bring harm to the body of Christ. The Apostle Paul points out that "evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Tim. 3:13). And the Apostle Peter warns that many will follow the sensuality of false teachers, and the truth will be maligned (2 Pet. 2:2).
We must, therefore, be very discerning and protect ourselves from false leaders. Their condemnation is certain; for them, "the blackest darkness has been reserved forever" (Jude 13). We dare not come under their influence, but must see that no one misleads us (Matt. 24:4).
(Written by Rich Carmicheal in the Herald of His Coming magazine, Jan-Feb 2010 edition)
