Mike Focht 7/11/2025
The Word of God consistently warns us about false teachers. The deceitful voice that spoke to Eve in Eden still speaks through men and women today to corrupt minds from the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus. False teachers have emerged in every biblical age in varying shapes and forms and with all types of spiritual-sounding, crafty messages. Making a complete biblical list of false teachers and false teachings would be a daunting task and probably a chore that would cause the normal believer to become discouraged and a little bit afraid.
Fortunately, the apostle Paul, gives us a helpful summary of bad doctrine from false teachers. He does so in 2 Corinthians 11:4: For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it! The apostle feared for the Corinthian church because of their acceptance of and patience with false teachers and teachings. In his expression of those fears, the Holy Spirit inspires him to give them, and all believers through the ages, an insightful threefold summary of false teachers.
First, false teachers will distort the person of Jesus Christ—another Jesus. They will come with a Jesus that is not the Jesus of the Bible. A Jesus that is not formed by Jesus’ statements of Himself but by their statements of Him. They will conform Jesus into their image and likeness. Very often, they will present a partial Jesus, loving but not atoning. Healing but not dying. The Son of Man but not the Son of God. The Son of God but not the Son of Man. Saying things like: Judge not, that you be not judged. But never saying things like: Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. They will claim to have the same Jesus, but they will distort Him into their own sinful image and likeness.
Second, false teachers will distort the nature of the Spirit of God—a different spirit. False teachers will present a spirit of Christianity that is unlike the Spirit that filled Christ without measure. The same Spirit that Jesus promises to all who are His sons and daughters. If the life and ministry they live and exemplify is not like Jesus’, then beware. They will reject, ignore, or just not even mention sanctification, forgetting that Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit. They will encourage “spiritual” experience that is outside the example of the true works of the Spirit in the book of Acts. In short, the feeling and emphasis of their pseudo-religion will be off because it will not be empowered by the actual Holy Spirit.
Third, and finally, false teachers will distort the message of the gospel—a different gospel. Satan knows that he wins a greater victory by having men and women preach a false gospel then no gospel at all. If he can convince people into trusting a lie and believe they “know” the gospel, then they will be immune to the truth. False teachers mix the gospel with works, Jewish cultural roots, false christs, false spiritual experience, and false expectations. The gospel comes without the cross, without sin, without shame, without power, without a changed life. The gospel comes from a God who would never judge anyone in hell, from a Jesus who never meant what He clearly says in the Word, and from a Spirit who has no power to actually change and conform a sinful life into the image of Jesus Christ.
Forewarned with these three clues, any son or daughter of God is sufficiently armed to sniff out and reject false teachers and their demonic teachings. Jesus Christ has promised us the Holy Spirit to guide our fallible hearts and minds into all truth as we read the Word of God. If a minister, ministry, or message feels off, put it through these three tests and you will remain on the narrow path. Guard your simplicity in Christ!