Burning Off The Fog
True Teacher Versus False Teacher
Integrity of Preaching Profession
Gospel Warns of False Teachers
Christ Overcame - So You Can
1 Thessalonians 5:21; 2 Peter 2:1-22; 1 John 4:1
during the short time He walked the earth teaching, spent much of it warning people
of false teachers. Not until heaven will false teachers be gone. Therefore, although it
is not pleasant to have to do so, exposing false teachers is biblical and necessary.
Then when souls "open their eyes" to what is false, see the light of truth, and are
saved through obedience, that indeed is pleasant.
workers driving to work in the morning. Sometimes, before motorists can see far
enough ahead to drive on the freeway, it takes the rays of the rising sun to burn off
the fog. Well, we have in our world a 2000-year fog (see HYS lessons #5 & #11).
It will not be burned away without hot, intense and focused light of truth. As John
the forerunner said of Christ, "In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (John
1:4-5). Thus, like John, gospel preachers spend much time burning off the fog of
false teaching, so that hearers can see clearly how to "worship in spirit and in
truth" (John 4:24). For the mass of humanity, burning off the fog of false teaching
will occur only when a person overcomes for their own self.
before he said that, Jesus spoke "the golden rule." Matthew 7:12, "Therefore all
things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for
this is the law and the prophets." You cannot beat that for a foundation of ethics.
And we should speak truth to others, just as we would want others to do to us. Thus
loving true teaching means hating false teaching. As the prophet Amos said, "Hate
the evil, and love the good..." (Amos 5:15). The Psalmist said, "Through thy
precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way" (Psalm 119:104).
"O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day" (Psalm 119:97).
decades of the "self-esteem" approach under values clarification humanism in public
education. Also there is the culture which prizes the "rugged individualist" and "be
your own captain." These can be strengths in the world, but when it comes to the
religion of Christ, they can become self-idolatry. It can render people, and especially
the "macho," as refusing to submit to Jesus, or any authority. They will resent and
resist Jesus telling them to be in church, or any other command.. As a consolation,
an attempt is made to justify self, and to justify any religionists if they "seem
sincere" or if they "seem like nice people." So when a religious closet nut case
commits a heinous crime, neighbors express surprise. Except for a few cases of
people in the right place publically but doing evil privately (like Judas Iscariot, John
18:1-5, Ananias & Sapphira, Acts 5:1-11, or false brethren, 1 Corinthians 11:26), the
religion is usually false. For a time people may try to hide from the reality of false
religion, but it will not leave their midst. Proverbs 14:12 says, "There is a way
which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."
students so they can get understanding. The teacher and student interact to foster
understanding - which connects knowledge. However, it is the responsibility of the
student to apply it to their life, which is what turns knowledge and understanding
into wisdom. So wisdom is seeing and doing based on God's viewpoint. Proverbs
1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom
and instruction." Proverbs 4:7, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get
wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." A true teacher teaches what is
true, but a false teacher teaches what is false. It is based on the truth or falsity of
what they teach, not whether they seem like an angel, or appear to be a monster.
bad in their personal manner. That is why apostle Paul rejoiced in Philippians
1:12-18, even though some were spiting Paul by preaching with motives of envy and
strife. Paul rejoiced that the gospel of Christ was preached, even though the inner
motives of such teachers were not pure. The other side of this matter is when a
teacher seems to have a sterling reputation and clean life, yet what comes out of
their mouth during their "world crusades" is false doctrines of men (Matthew
15:7-9). The fact that there are no scandals in their life and they are held in high
regard, makes them all the more dangerous if what they teach is false. "He is a man
of God'" or "She is an angel," the deceived will say. This is why we must
understand the truth for our own self. We cannot win playing a guessing game in
trying to prove teachings just by evaluating personalities. Although the two examples
just given may be rarer - the true teacher who is not pure in life, or the false teacher
whose personal life looks clean - they are here given to the reader to stress the
importance of knowing the Bible teaching itself, rather than a humanistic assessment
of the teacher. Like Paul said by inspiration, "And no marvel; for Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). This was concerning
"deceitful workers" and "false apostles" (11:13). In the sense just described, a true
teaching is not made false by insincerity, and a false teaching is not made true by
sincerity.
"He must increase, but I must decrease".
True teachers are faithful to Christ. True teachers do not put anyone or anything
above Christ. True teachers put Christ above their own self. Whether a teacher is
true or false does not depend on an institution, a building, a school, or a library.
Ultimately, whether a teacher is true or false depends on whether the teacher is
honest, humble, and courageous enough to overcome the world for the sake of
Christ's word of truth. As 2 Timothy 2:1-5 puts it: "Thou therefore, my son, be
strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2. And the things that thou hast heard
of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be
able to teach others also. 3.Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of
Jesus Christ. 4. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this
life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 5. And if a man
also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully."
the Savior as eternal in value. In fulfilling such a calling, faithful gospel preachers
will have no room for pretence and political ego competition. When a preacher of
the gospel faithfully executes his charge from 2 Timothy 4:1-8, it also burns away
guilt and shame. That includes not being ashamed to expose false teachers and false
teaching, and not feeling guilty to work in this labor of love called preaching, or the
ministry.
shenanigans that goes on, including the linguistic jujitsu in most theology schooling,
and trying to justify a 1000 contradictory denominations. The guilt and shame of
false teachers makes them yap a mile a minute to mock any perceived threat to their
status quo. So they learn theological techniques and verbose vocabularies and
emotional labeling to guard their turfs. And many are not above dishing dirt to make
opponents appear incompetent. The truth of Christ, however, is a burning, shining
searchlight that gives errors of darkness no place to hide. Matthew 5:14-16, "Ye are
the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men
light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light
unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
of God (John 3:16), preached His gospel. Luke 4:16-21, "And he came to
Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the
synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17. And there was
delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the
book, he found the place where it was written, 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon
me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me
to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of
sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19. To preach the
acceptable year of the Lord. 20. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to
the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue
were fastened on him. 21. And he began to say unto them, This day is this
scripture fulfilled in your ears." For the same purpose, the apostle Paul was paid
by the church to preach Christ (1 Corinthians 9:14; Philippians 4:15-16; 2
Corinthians 11:8). The need and the necessity of preachers of the word of truth is
evidenced in 2 Timothy 4:1-5. An excerpt from Romans 10:13-17 says, "How then
shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe
in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a
preacher?" (verse 14) Besides parents to breed, human kind needs farmers grow
food, teachers to educate, and preachers - to preach the purpose of life!
his subtlety to complicate simplicity. As a result, children are largely patterned to
admire empty idols. Often they fail to admire the substance of good parents, skilled
crafters, and preachers. When parents and their children do seek and turn to religion,
it is usually to false teachers. It is not the bone deep, life-changing truth of Christ
they covet. Nah, they want the "youth minister" that will take Johnny and Suzy
skating. And they want the "pulpit philosopher" who will tickle their ears with human
relations tricks. Many religionists of the 21st century, if they do hear the true
doctrine of Christ, will reject it. Instead, they will look for the earthly, sensual,
family-programmed ways of the erudite false teacher. Standing for little, they will
fall for much vanity in the name of religion. Not long ago, "family life center," was
spelled H - O - M - E. Today, caught up in the frazzled, hurried secular, sectarian
treadmill, many instead pay someone in religion to fill social calendars, rather than
teach truth.
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they
are ravening wolves.
16. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of
thistles?
17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth
forth evil fruit.
18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth
good fruit.
19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the
fire.
20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works?
23. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity.
and in truth.
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false
teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying
the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of
truth shall be evil spoken of.
3. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of
you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation
slumbereth not.
These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the
mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the
lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from
them who live in error.
19. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of
corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God:
because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh is of God:
3. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not
of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should
come; and even now already is it in the world.
Low: People Who Ignore Spirituality
Guarded: False Philosophers and Their Followers
Elevated: Anti Religious Infidels Who Hate Religion
High: Religious False Teachers of Sectarianism
Severe: False Brethren Among the True church of Christ
THE CLOSER TO THE WELL, THE MORE DANGER OF POISONING THE WATER OF LIFE, OR OF
CONFUSING PEOPLE TO ACCEPT A CORRUPTION, OR OF SEEKING A POLITICAL CONTROL. AS
WITH JUDAS ISCARIOT WHO BETRAYED CHRIST, THE INSIDER JOB CAN BE THE MOST HURTFUL.
Christ was not in vain, and not to leave spirits gloomy (1 Corinthians 15:1-58).
Christ overcame, to lead the way for us. We can Overcome Self, because we can
overcome false teachers, and the falsehoods that have plagued mankind throughout
time. In 1 John 4:1 (above), the apostle John by inspiration reminded us that many
false prophets had gone out into the world. We are command to not just "jump on
the bandwagon," but to "try the spirits." That means to weigh it in the balance of
God's word, to measure it with the word of Christ, and to not be gullible and fickle
to entrust your salvation to anyone except Christ. Those that "heareth" (and that
includes understand, believe and obey, Romans 10:13-17), can overcome error and
know the truth.
that, when true faith in Christ is within, then there is the victory that overcometh the
world:
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that
is in you, than he that is in the world.
5. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth
them.
6. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth
not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his
commandments.
3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his
commandments are not grievous.
4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory
that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the
Son of God?