In this article you will read about how to go about pursuing accurate faith, avoiding false teachings, and helping others align their faith with sound beliefs.
Recognizing False Teachings
There is only one safeguard against spotting false teachings: know the Bible and study it carefully. That doesn’t mean you need to memorize verses and be able to recite them. It does mean you need to understand what is being said to the best of your ability. You may not know exactly where in the Bible Jesus said something about, “the meek inheriting the earth” but you should know that He said it and you should try to understand what He meant by it. When you need the actual quote you can look it up in a Bible or online.
You are not always going to be able to tell if you are being taught an error by the person teaching it. The teacher may be a good person that is only trying to help, but they may have misunderstood what they read or they themselves were taught something based on a misconception. They are only reteaching it. For this reason, every Christian should spend time in study and seek to understand what scripture says. What follows is a quick guide to better understanding of the Bible.
Get a Good Bible Translation
Get a good translation and understand its strengths and weaknesses- some Bible versions are based on word-for-word translations while others are based on conveying meaning so readers have a better understanding of what is being said. Know which approach your favorite version uses. Also, find a version you can read easily, but one that is trustworthy. For example the King James Version is trustworthy, but many people struggle with the seventeenth century wording. It does little good if you must fight your way through the language of each verse. If you are serious (and you should be) have more than one version of the Bible at hand or look up different translations online. What may be difficult to understand in one version, might be more clear in another. But be aware, some Bible versions have been translated with an agenda that is less about being accurate and more about indoctrinating readers in a certain point for view or to follow denominational beliefs that were not a part of the original teachings.
Learn to Use a Concordance
Learn to use a concordance or look up things online- a concordance is a listing of words found in the Bible. You can use it to find alternate meanings to a word and to cross-reference other places in the Bible the same word is used. If you are uncertain of a word, a concordance is a great way to gain clear understanding.
Learn to Look at Interlinear Text
Learn to look at interlinear text- Interlinear text shows a verse with the same Greek or Hebrew words just below it. It can be as simple as entering a Bible verse into a search engine and typing the word “interlinear” after it.In an interlinear version of scripture you can follow a translation word for word.
Read Commentary
Read commentary– Scholars, teachers, and theologians have written comments on the Bible since there has been scripture. Reading what others have said about certain verses (and why they interpreted it that way) can be exceptionally helpful.
Know the Teacher
Know the teacher- Do some background research on any teacher. Find out where they stand on doctrine. You can do this by reading their statement of faith or other things they have produced.
Learn the Context of the Scripture
Learn the context of the scripture- This might be one of the most important tips. By context, we mean what was the world view at the time the scripture was written and what did the authors believe. Often we can misinterpret scripture by seeing it through 21st century eyes. For example the phrase “an eye for an eye” (Exodus 21:24) could be interpreted by a modern reader as barbaric and promoting revenge or a harsh retribution, but in the ancient context it was a legal principle intended to limit punishment. In other words, the punishment should fit the crime.
In looking at this list, it might seems that this kind of study might be a lot of work- far more than just reading the Bible. It can require that a person put some effort into it, but is there anything more important?
Spotting False Teaching
As stated in the first chapter, the Bible contains many warnings against false teachers and false prophets. Along with those warnings are definite things to look out for and ways to spot false teachings. Here are a few of those:
Deuteronomy 18: 20-22
20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18: 20-22 ESV)
1 John 4:1-6
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:1-6 ESV)
Matthew 7:15-20
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.(Matthew 7:15-20 ESV)
2 Peter 2 also points out a long list of attributes that help us identify false prophets and teachers.
2 Peter 2
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8(for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.
Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, 11whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, 13 suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! 15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
17 These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. 18 For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” (2 Peter 2 ESV)
These scriptures provide us with things to look out for and ways to recognize people that might be teaching us errors. If we were to develop a list from these verses, it would look like this:
False Teachers and False Prophets:
- What they say does not come to pass. They present themselves as speaking for God, but the things they say turn out to be untrue.
- They will claim that Jesus did not come in the flesh. They will not recognize that Jesus came from God and their teachings will not align with scripture. They may even secretly speak heresies, claiming special knowledge.
- They are proud and arrogant (“bold and willful”) and have no fear as they speak against spiritual authorities (both in the spiritual realm and on earth).
- They are men-pleasers and promise liberty. They teach things people want to hear and that appeal to the flesh, especially in the areas of lust and sensuality.
- They slander Christ’s people and speak ill of them. They divide the people rather than unify … and despise authority, especially inside the church.
- They are driven by their own thoughts and desires- especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust.
- They present new teachings beyond the scripture and claim to know things others do not- They have forsaken the right way and gone astray … they often invent their own new teachings
- They use clever language to appear knowledgeable and to disguise themselves- “speaking great swelling words”
- They seek financial or material gain from their followers- “who loved the wages of unrighteousness”
While this list from scripture can be helpful in identifying false teachers, it does not mean they will always exhibit every behavior mentioned here. Nor does it mean that someone that appears to be behaving in one of these ways is necessarily a false teacher. For example, a pastor could encourage his congregation to donate to a church building fund, but he is not doing it for personal gain. The main things to look out for is whether or not what they are teaching can be supported with the Bible.
How to Examine Teachings and Traditions
On this site, we will not be attacking specific ministries or calling out certain teachers. This is unproductive and only causes division among Christians. Furthermore, individuals that teach certain things in error, may later repent or correct themselves. The hope here is to get the to the root of some beliefs that may have become confused or are even in error for Christians. Making certain that Christians understand the issues with some of these ideas is what is important here. It is little help to say, “Avoid Pastor X!” when Pastor Y and Pastor Z may be teaching the same things or may begin teaching them at a later time. Instead, it is the errors, misconceptions, and mistranslations we need to concentrate on. That being said, there will be some cases where we may identify a specific person or movement if that is where the idea in question originated. For example, if some idea or concept comes from a specific book, it will be important to identify that book to prove where the idea came from as well as to remain factual.
Sola Scriptura
Sola Scriptura is a Latin term that means “scripture alone”. Among Christians it is used to mean that the Bible is the only infallible source of authority for our faith and understanding. That does not mean that we ignore history, ancient writings, or any other forms of knowledge that might help us better understand things written in the Bible, but it does mean that we are correct when we treat these other sources carefully and with the understanding that they might not always be 100% accurate or that they might be biased. An example of these would be the writings of Flavius Josephus. Josephus was a Jewish historian that was born a few years after the time of Christ. In his historical works he mentions Biblical figures such as Jesus, John the Baptist, James, and others. He provides independent accounts that support some of what we read in the Bible, but he is not a source that we give as much weight to as we would to Luke for instance.
The Methods Used On This Site
As each concept is presented, we will rely heavily on scriptural references, either to support or argue against the ideas themselves in a fair way. We will also use historical texts, and in some cases Greek or Hebrew language studies when it is needed to help make some point clear. This can sometimes be a little tedious for the reader. We understand that, but it is our duty to present enough evidence to allow the believer to make up their own mind with the facts that can be found.
Because almost all of the ideas that we will examine in this book have at least some origin in scripture or Church tradition, separating sound Biblical doctrine from things that may have been added later will often require some digging and research. We will always present that research in a fair way. All you will need to do is read and weigh the evidence.
Another thing to be aware of is that most of the scriptural quotes within this text are from the ESV (English Standard Version). If a different translation is used (such as the King James Version) that translation will be noted. The reason for using the ESV here is because in many cases the complexity of the language used in earlier versions of the Bible can make the main point difficult to understand. Another reason is because certain words in older translations now have different meanings to modern readers. An example of this can be found in the King James Version of 2 Corinthians 7:11. “In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” The word approved had a meaning in 1611 that is different from how we use the word today. In modern English the word approved usually means validated or agreed upon by someone else. In the KJV it means something closer to our word proved.
Helping Others
One of the most challenging parts about becoming better informed and recognizing false or erroneous teachings is when family and friends remain in error. It can be frustrating and even sad, especially if you can see how the things they believe are hindering their faith and their personal lives. This can put you in a very difficult position. You may want to help them better understand correct doctrine. You may wonder how you can help them see the truth or if it is even your job to correct them at all.
There is no need to wonder. Paul gives clear instructions that not only should we help our brothers and sisters, but how to go about it. There are other verses that deal with this subject, but here we will give a few.
And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2 ESV )
Here Paul instructs Timothy to pass on sound doctrine to faithful men so that they can teach others. In this verse the word “faithful” means believing, so this includes any and all Christians.
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. (2 Timothy 2:24–25 ESV)
Here Paul tells us how to go about correcting others. The focus is on being gentle, patient, and without being quarrelsome. This is great advice, but it can also be difficult since the World’s culture admires the “gotcha” approach to debate. As Christians helping other Christians, our goal should be to gently convince our brothers and sisters of sound doctrine rather than defeating them or “proving them wrong”. Being effective in our teaching should be our main intent. Anything else is only feeding our pride.
He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. (Titus 1:9 ESV)
Again, as a Christian we are obligated to correct those that contradict sound doctrine with false or erroneous teachings.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.(Colossians 3:16 ESV)
Finally, we are told to teach and admonish (warn) one another in wisdom.
One thing to consider in regard to these scriptural quotes is how many there are. Obviously, with it mentioned so many times, this is something that God wants us to know. It is not something He is leaving for us to figure out on our own.
In order to help someone who has fallen under a false teaching, it is important to teach them with gentleness and patience. One way to do that is to understand why a person may hold on to certain beliefs that may be different from what comes to us from the Bible. This can not only help in knowing how you should approach the situation, but it can give you insight into why the person holds on to error. Knowing these things puts you in a better position to be gentle and patient, while being able to get to the root of the matter.
Why Do They Believe What They Believe?
Whether the error is something that was taught to them or if it is something the person came up with on their own, there is some reason that a false teaching rings true for them. In essence, there is often some cause or question in their mind that the error solves for them. It fits the way they would like the world to be and they will support any idea that agrees with their opinions.
Take for example the Christians that try to dismiss many of Paul’s writings. Paul often says some things that people take exception to based on our current culture or what they would like to be true. While Paul’s advice is sound, factual, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, some people think that they know better. They will invent all sorts of exceptions and reasons for discounting what Paul said because it does not fit the way they think the world should be. Some people will even go so far as to claim that Paul corrupted the teachings of Jesus or invented his own version of Christianity. There are many individuals and even denominational groups that strongly believe that Paul was mistaken, mistranslated, or simply a false teacher.
When trying to help someone correct their beliefs it is not only beneficial to understand what they believe, but why they believe it. What problem or question does their belief help them solve? In most cases the “why” falls into one of the four categories of false teachings listed in Doctrinal Dangers:
- Influencing the spiritual realm- they think this knowledge gives them some ability to influence the spiritual realm.
- What is permissible and what is sinful- there is something in their life that they struggle with and rather confront the situation they seek to excuse it.
- Knowing about the future – they are looking for answers to their questions about their own future existence.
- Having secret knowledge and authority- having this knowledge makes them somehow important or special.
As someone helping a person that has come to believe a false teaching you should understand that their resistance to correction will come from a fear that they will lose whatever they have imagined they have gained by their error. This could be something from the four categories above or something closely related. Usually a person that has been following an error will have a number of experiences they will have interpreted through the lens of their belief. If the foundation of their faith hangs on the false teaching, gentleness and patience are even more important when helping them. For example, if they have been instructed in a false teaching that they have come to believe is crucial to their salvation, it is possible that they will plunge into despair or feel so hurt that they walk away from Christianity altogether when they learn that the false teaching is not true. Because of this it is critically important that you approach the situation with careful prayer.
Correcting Yourself
What if you find that you are the one that has come to believe some error in doctrine? Just like helping someone else, you are going to need to be both gentle and patient with yourself. Identify why you believed something that may be in error and what problem or question that belief solved for you. You need to understand your own motivation and be completely honest with yourself.
But, please remember that if you find that you have been mislead or are in error, it is not the end of the world. We Christians occasionally adopt ideas that turn out to be incorrect, then we readjust our thinking and move forward. It is called maturing in our faith and it is a part of our relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. It is all just part of our development. Paul recognized this and even gave us some good advice in 1 Corinthians.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.11When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.(1 Corinthians 13: 9-12 ESV)
Learning more about the things of God is an important part of being a Christian. If there was nothing more for us to learn, then there would be little reason for us to be on Earth.