Search This Blog

What Does the Bible Say About False Teachers?


 WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT FALSE TEACHERS?

Ephesians 4:11-14 “that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”


Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” (ESV)


What is a prophet? How can I recognize a true prophet from a false prophet?  A prophet is a messenger of God who carries a message directly and personally related and is held to 100% consistency with Scripture and 100% fulfillment of any predictive statements. (Deuteronomy 13:1-5, 18: 15-22)


What is the difference between a prophet and a teacher?  Both roles include the element of teaching, but a prophet claims a direct encounter with God (dream, vision, meeting, voice, event, etc.) where God revealed or spoke a particular message to him.


How can I recognize a true teacher from a bad teacher? A bad teacher from a false teacher?  A bad teacher may misunderstand issues in Scripture or just do a poor job at instructing and exhorting people.  A false teacher teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ(1 Timothy 6:3) and goes against sound doctrines(Titus 1:9) specifically with an understanding towards who God is, what salvation is, and what the Scriptures say. 


Isnt it wrong to publicly call out preachers, teachers, Christians, etc.?  The issue of opinionsbetween Christian brothers is different from the issue of false teachings.”  Paul warns not to quarrel over opinions(v.1) in Romans 14, pointing out the dangers of passing judgmenton a brother in Christ and how it can destroy the work of God(v.20).  However, God commands us to judgethose inside the church when their lifestyles (1 Corinthians 5:9-13) do not line up with Gods Word.  God also commands us to watch out for and confront false teachers who teach a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ.(1 Timothy 6:3).  Pastors are specifically tasked to 1) "give instruction in sound doctrine" and 2) "rebuke those who contradict it" (Titus 1:9).


Should a false teacher be called out by name? If so, when?  When a specific false teaching or teacher is affecting a body of believers (i.e. family, small group, church, denomination, region, nation), that false teaching and teacher must be named and confronted.  Paul does this with both false teachings (1 Timothy 1:3-20 ; 6:2-10, Jude 1, 2 Peter 2, & many more) and with particular names (Alexander, Hymenaeus, & Philetus in 1 Timothy 1:20 and 2 Timothy 2:17)


What are some examples of false teachings? What are some characteristics of false teachers?

There are many examples of false teachers with common descriptions (Galatians, 2 Peter, 1 & 2 Timothy, 1 & 2 John, Jude) that they may look and sound like Christians but that their teachings and lifestyle are not consistent with Scripture.


How can you call them false teachers when some of these people have doctrinal statements on their website and do many good things in getting the Bible and gospel into the hands of so many?  Christianity is not a salvation of works and although some good fruitsmay seem exist in these ministries, they only mask the lies.  The ends of a ministry (salvations, missions, good works) do not justify the means (a false gospel).


When false teachers lead people to Christ, are these converts false believers?  Not necessarily.  If these believers have understood the gospel falsely, then their trust and faith in Jesus may be out of a greater love of Jesusgifts rather than Jesus.  Even if they have become true followers of Jesus, they need to study the Word of God, test their teachers, and be extremely cautious before recommending a teacher to someone else. 


Is it possible for false teachers to turn to truth and become true teachers?  Yes, until we die, it is possible for anyone who is separated from God to turn to Him in salvation.  Pray for their repentence and turning to the true Gospel of Christ.


If I have been following a false teacher, should I be embarrassed or ashamed?  What does God want me to do in response to realizing that I was following a false teacher?  If you find that you have been following a bad or false teacher, repent of believing the lies that you heard/read and put on God's truths.  If you have led or encouraged others towards those teachings/teachers, guide them into the truth.


I still dont believe ______________ is a false prophet/teacher, so how does this message matter for me?  What should I do next?  If you haven't been convinced from this outline, you need to be very concerned about your understanding of God, the Gospel, and His truths.  Invest some time in reading the Scriptures to make sure you understand the teachings of God and not be misled by the traditions of men. Even if you havent become convinced that he teachings of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is false, you need to begin to listen very closely to what you hear and read in the future.  You need to make sure that who you listen to is trustworthy and is teaching the whole counsel of God accurately. 


Matthew 15:1–9 “Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, [2] “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” [3] He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? [4] For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ [5] But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” [6] he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. [7] You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: [8] “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; [9] in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” (ESV)


Mark 7:1–13 “[7] in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ [8] You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” [9] And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! … [13] thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” (ESV)


Galatians 1:13–16 “For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. [14] And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.” (ESV)


False Teachers: Watch Out!

(2 Peter 2, ESV)


Believers Mature At Different Paces

3rd Level Issues: Allowable Individual Differences “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. …So then each of us will give an account to God.” (Romans 14:1-12)


Less Faithful Teachers: Believing Christians, in Error

2nd Level Issues: Denominational Differences “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” (James 3:1)


False Teachers Misrepresent God & the Gospel

1st Level Issues: Christian vs. Non-Christian: Essential Teachings  “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20)

  • Who is God? What is the Gospel? What are the Scriptures?


  1. PREPARE! Their Presence is Guaranteed but is not Obvious to All – v.1


  1. WATCHFalse Teachers Are Characterized by:

False Words – v.3 ; Speaking Ignorantly – v.12 ; Endorse Sin – v.2, 13-15, 18 ; Greedy  v.3, 14 ; Proud w/no accountability – v.10, 18 (Jude 8) ; Make Empty Promises – v.19 ; Rely on Experience/Dreams (Jude 8) ; Speak Flippantly To Satan/Demons (2 Pet 2:10-13; Jude 8-10) Have Some Scriptural Knowledge, But Wander from It – v.20-22


  1. CORRECT & WARN  Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 1:3) 
  • Their Teachings Are Dangerous – v.1-3 – “destructive heresies”
  • False Teachings  Are Characterized by: (Example, Pergamum, Revelation 2:12-17)

Positive Thinking (self-focused prayers, name it/claim it, declarations)

Partial Truths (highlight the “positive”/easy, ignore the “negative”/difficult)

Promises (worship the gifts, not the giver)

Health, Wealth, & Prosperity (worldly-focused: good things into god things)

Legalism (works based salvation, self-righteousness)

License (freedom to sin) “pervert the grace of our God into sensuality” (Jude 1:4)

False Religions “deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4)

  • Their Punishment Is Guaranteed – v.1-10 (Jude)


The Lord Knows How to Rescue the Righteous

(v.7-9) The Righteous Are... “distressed  by the sensual conduct of the wicked”...”as that righteous man [Lot] lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard”


Subscribe to “The Catholic Blog” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC03uZywULBplunOmh4nCB2A    

Free Books for Catholics: www.catholic.blog/books 

Free Videos for Catholics: www.catholic.blog/videos 

Frequently Asked Catholic Questions: www.catholic.blog  


You can download the free eBook "A Biblical Study of The Catechism of the Catholic Church" at www.catholic.blog or purchase a Kindle, paperback, or hardback version at Amazon (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B098L1MRLK).

Does Peter Call Himself a Pope or Bishop?

 


 DID PETER CALL HIMSELF A POPE OR BISHOP?


The Catholic Blog - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible. (www.catholic.blog )


“Did Peter call himself a Pope or Bishop?” - Important Scriptures to Consider:

  • 1 Peter 1:1 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ”
  • 2 Peter 1:1 “Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ”
  • 1 Peter 2:25 “For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls”
  • 1 Corinthians 1:12–17 “What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” [13] Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? [14] I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, [15] so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. [16] (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) [17] For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” (ESV)
  • 1 Corinthians 3:4–9 “For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?” [5] What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. [6] I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. [7] So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. [8] He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. [9] For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.” (ESV)
  • 1 Corinthians 3:19–23 “For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” [20] and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” [21] So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, [22] whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, [23] and you are Christ's, and Christ is God’s." (ESV)
  • 1 Peter 5:1–2 “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: [2] shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly” (ESV)


“Did Peter call himself a Pope or Bishop?” - Important Questions to Consider:

  • Why doesn’t Peter refer to himself more than just a servant or apostle?  If he was leading the church authoritatively wouldn’t he have asserted so in his introduction?  
  • Is there anywhere in the Bible where Peter asserts his authority, role, or power over the other apostles?
  • Specifically as the foundation of the church, the pope, why doesn’t Peter mention apostolic succession anywhere in the Bible?
  • Why are there so many repeated warnings in 1 Corinthians 1 & 3 about following people by name?  If Peter wanted the church to follow his leadership and name, why doesn’t he say so in his writings (1 & 2 Peter)?
  • Why does Peter always point to Jesus instead of the church and its sacraments as the hope of salvation?  Why does 1 and 2 Peter (the writings of Peter) sound so different from The Catechism of the Catholic Church?
  • Why does the Catholic Church assert the obligation or compulsion for obedience versus the description of 1 Peter 5:1-2 saying “not under compulsion, but willingly”?

Subscribe to “The Catholic Blog” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC03uZywULBplunOmh4nCB2A    

Free Books for Catholics: www.catholic.blog/books 

Free Videos for Catholics: www.catholic.blog/videos 

Frequently Asked Catholic Questions: www.catholic.blog 



You can download the free eBook "A Biblical Study of The Catechism of the Catholic Church" at www.catholic.blog or purchase a Kindle, paperback, or hardback version at Amazon (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B098L1MRLK).

Did Peter have Authority Over All the Apostles?

 


 DID PETER HAVE AUTHORITY OVER ALL THE APOSTLES?


The Catholic Blog - Helping people find answers to the most common questions about Catholicism with answers from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible. (www.catholic.blog )

 


“Did Peter have authority over all the apostles?” - Important Passages of The Catechism of the Catholic Church to Consider:

  • “The sole Church of Christ [is that] which our Savior, after his Resurrection, entrusted to Peter’s pastoral care, commissioning him and the other apostles to extend and rule it. … This Church, constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in (subsistit in) the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him.” (CCC 816)
  • “For it is through Christ’s Catholic Church alone, which is the universal hope toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained” (CCC 816)
  • “Just as the office which the Lord confided to Peter alone, as first of the apostles, destined to be transmitted to his successors, is a permanent one, so also endures the office…Hence the Church teaches that ‘the bishops have by divine institution taken the place of the apostles as pastors of the Church, in such wise that whoever listens to them is listening to Christ and whoever despises them despises Christ and him who sent Christ” (CCC 862)


“Did Peter have authority over all the apostles?” - Important Scriptures to Consider:

  • Mark 3:14–19 “And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach [15] and have authority to cast out demons. [16] He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); [17] James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); [18] Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, [19] and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” (ESV)
  • Acts 11:4 “But Peter began and explained it to them in order” (ESV)
  • Matthew 15:15 “But Peter said to him, 'Explain the parable to us.’” (ESV)
  • Acts 2:14 “But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.’” (ESV)
  • Acts 2:38 “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (ESV)
  • Acts 2:42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (ESV)
  • Acts 5:29 “But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.’” (ESV).
  • Matthew 18:17–20 “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. [18] Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. [19] Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. [20] For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (ESV)
  • 1 Corinthians 16:10 “When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am.”
  • 1 Corinthians 16:16 “be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer.”
  • 2 Corinthians 8:23 "As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.”
  • Revelation 21:14 “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” (ESV)
  • Acts 10:44–48 “While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. [45] And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. [46] For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, [47] “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” [48] And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days." (ESV)
  • Romans 1:7 “To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints


“Did Peter have authority over all the apostles?” - Important Questions to Consider:

  • The Catechism of the Catholic Church references Jesus’ “choice of the Twelve with Peter as their head” (CCC 765) and solely references Mark 3:14-15 for the evidence of this claim.  Does Mark 3:14-15 reference Peter as the head of the church in any Bible?  Why not?
  • Why do these big claims (CCC 816 & CCC 862) have no Scripture cited for their support in The Catechism of the Catholic Church?
  • Why does Peter have to answer to the authority of the church at Jerusalem in Acts 11 if he is the head authority?
  • Did Peter act more like the spokesman for the apostles or as the authoritative leader of the apostles?
  • Why does Paul appear and teach so much more than Peter in the New Testament if Peter was the first Pope?  What about the other leaders who feature prominently in the early church like John and James (brothers of Jesus)?
  • Why are some decisions made by the church body and not solely by Peter?
  • Why did believers receive the Holy Spirit before taking the Eucharist in Acts 2:38?  Isn’t that out of order for the Catholic sacraments? 
  • Why would Peter speak Acts 5:29  if he was also asserting Papal infallibility and the Magesterium of the Church? 
  • Why does church discipline’s final step in Matthew 18:17-20 speak about coming before the gathered body of the church and not the church leadership/pastors/priests/bishops?  Why is this binding and loosing language used in reference to the church body (“two or three are gathered in my name”) and not in reference to Peter or a Pope/Bishop/Priest?
  • Isn’t the “loosing and binding” authority shared with the local churches?  In 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, 2 Corinthians 13:10, Titus 2:15, and Titus 3:10-11
  • Is the authority of Timothy and Titus based on them being a bishop and having apostolic authority, or being a “fellow laborer”?
  • If the future heavenly holy city of Jerusalem has the name of the apostles on it (Revelation 21:14), why doesn’t it recognize Peter as the head, or the first Pope/Bishop, or with some other sort of special recognition?
  • Why are all alive Christians referred to as saints in the New Testament?  Is this term only referring to deceased believers specially designated by the Catholic Church?


Subscribe to “The Catholic Blog” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC03uZywULBplunOmh4nCB2A    

Free Books for Catholics: www.catholic.blog/books 

Free Videos for Catholics: www.catholic.blog/videos 

Frequently Asked Catholic Questions: www.catholic.blog 



You can download the free eBook "A Biblical Study of The Catechism of the Catholic Church" at www.catholic.blog or purchase a Kindle, paperback, or hardback version at Amazon (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B098L1MRLK).

Most Viewed Blog Posts