false teachers

Deceivers

John’s brief message to the elect lady and her children focused on one central point, deceivers that were disrupting the spread of the gospel. John said, “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist” (2 John 1:7). The Greek word translated deceiver, planos (plan’-os) means an imposter (G4108). The Apostle Paul addressed the deception that was taking place near the end of his life in his first letter to Timothy. Paul said, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1). Paul’s mention of seducing spirits and doctrines of devils indicated that he was addressing the spiritual warfare that typically accompanied his preaching of the gospel. John’s statement, “This is a deceiver and an antichrist” also indicated that he associated deception with Satan’s spiritual war against God.

The Greek word John used that is translated antichrist, antichristos (an-tee-khris-tos) refers to an opponent of the Messiah (G500). John indicated that antichrists or imposters that claimed to be Israel’s Messiah were present in the world during his lifetime. These deceivers were apparently supported by demonic powers that were used to make people think God was at work in these fake ministries. The terms Paul used “seducing spirits” and “doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1) were specifically meant to point out that there was more than just human effort behind these kinds of attacks. The Greek word translated devils, daimonion (dahee-mon’-ee-on) refers to a demonic being (G1140). Throughout his ministry, Jesus cast out demons from human bodies. Mark’s gospel states about Jesus’ ministry, “Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him” (Mark 1:34, NKJV).

John’s primary concern about the deceivers that were making their way into the first century churches was that Christians were being taken in by their lies. John stated plainly that the doctrine of Christ was the only gospel message that should be preached (2 John 1:9). He said, “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 1:10-11). “The instruction does not prohibit greeting or even inviting a person into one’s home for conversation. John was warning against providing food and shelter, since this would be an investment in the ‘evil deeds’ of false teachers and would give public approval” (note on 2 John 1:10). The one thing that seems clear from John’s warning about deceivers was that they were hard to spot and even though their doctrines were false, they were convincing people that they could go to heaven some other way than believing in Jesus Christ.

False teachers

The Apostle Paul’s letter to Titus focused on the practical matters of running an evangelistic ministry. Paul started out by warning Titus about people that were in the ministry because of the money they could extract from unsuspecting Christians. Paul used strong language to condemn these false teachers and told Titus, “For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain” (Titus 1:10-11). Paul’s comment about those who were of the circumcision was not meant to condemn Jews that had gone into the ministry, but those who taught that circumcision was necessary for salvation or sanctification by God. This was a hot topic that went back to the beginning of Paul’s ministry when he and Barnabas had to meet with the elders in Jerusalem to convince them that Gentiles should not be expected to follow the Mosaic Law (Acts 15:1-2).

Paul pointed out to Titus that the gospel was not something that needed to be interpreted by believers. He said, “This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith; not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth” (Titus 1:13-14). The Jewish fables Paul was referring to weren’t stories from the Old Testament, but unscriptural Jewish myths, something like what we call today old wives tales, things that people believe as a result of customs and practices that have developed over time. These beliefs have no basis in reality or factual scientific findings, but are believed to be true only because someone said so.

Paul’s condemnation of false teachers went so far as to say they were outright liars that should be shunned by believers. He stated, “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:16). Paul sought a balance between doctrine and practice, in his own life in in the lives of those who followed his teaching. The thing that Paul detested about false teachers was that they pretended to be something that they weren’t. Paul’s test of authentic faith was a life that was lived consistent with the teachings of Jesus. “The false teachers stood condemned by the test of personal conduct” (note on Titus 1:16). The Greek word Paul used that is translated works, ergon refers to an effort or occupation. The Greek word ergates which is derived from ergon is sometimes used figuratively of a teacher of God’s word. Jesus talked about ergates in many of his parables about laborers or workers in God’s kingdom. In his parable of the worker in the vineyard, Jesus stated, “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard” (Matthew 20:1-2).

Jesus made it clear that there were wages or rewards for working in God’s kingdom. Some people may have interpreted that to mean that teachers of God’s word should receive pay while they are on Earth. It seems likely that Jesus was referring to rewards in heaven, which Paul also eluded to in some of his epistles (1 Corinthians 3:8, 14; Colossians 3:24). What Paul was trying to get straight in his letter to Titus was that seeking financial rewards for preaching the gospel was wrong and anyone that used that as a motive for doing God’s work should be condemned and treated as an unbeliever (Titus 1:16). The Greek word Paul used that is translated reprobate in Titus 1:16, adokimos (ad-ok’-ee-mos) means worthless. Basically, what Paul was saying was that the false teachers good works weren’t worth a penny and didn’t deserve any reward from God.