False Prophets & Denominational Teachers
Matthew 7:13-29 – “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
The Holy Spirit can only be received through accepting Jesus’ teachings and interpretation of God’s word, without compromise or manipulation. Compromise is the road to destruction, and only a few find the narrow uncompromising gate.
The ‘narrow gate and path’ represents no compromise, rationalizations, no exceptions or wiggle room. This is the path to the Kingdom of Heaven (the receiving of the Holy Spirit). It is very important to have a ‘no-compromise’ attitude in regards to your faith, repentance and your understanding of God’s word and Jesus’ teachings. You must first acknowledge and realize that Jesus’ teachings cannot be compromised or manipulated. No exceptions can be added to his teachings and concepts. They are what they are. The teachings of the Messiah are perfect and without exceptions or compromise. His interpretation of scripture is the ‘narrow road and small gate’ that leads to eternal life, which is the receiving of the Holy Spirit.
As humans, we will constantly fall short of Christ’s standards in our actions. But in our philosophy, there must be no manipulations or compromise. It is only when we acknowledge this, that we are able to identify when and where we veer off the narrow path, in action, because we would have an uncompromising understanding of Jesus’ teachings. Thus, allowing us to repent and ask God for forgiveness. However, if we claim that Jesus’ message is broad and open to many interpretations (denominational teachings), we are treading the path that leads to destruction. We will no longer be able to identify our sin. In turn, this causes us not to confess our sin(s) to God, resulting in unforgiven sin in our lives.
We must remember that only confessed sin is forgiven by God.
1 John 1:8-10 – If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. By manipulating and justifying we claim to be without sin then the truth is not in us. His Word is not in us, we are deceiving ourselves and making God out to be a liar.
By manipulating and justifying, we claim to be without sin. And in doing so, the truth, which is God’s word, is not in us. We are deceiving ourselves and making God out to be a liar.
Any pastor, prophet or teacher who teaches a compromised gospel that is filled with exceptions and justifications, is considered to be a ‘ravenous wolf’ and a false prophet.
Matthew 7:15 – “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
These men seem like they are speaking the truth, but it is their exceptions and justifications that prove them out to be false teachers and prophets. Through these manipulations, they separate the sheep from the shepherd. This is why Jesus refers to these men as ‘ravenous wolves’. These scriptures are referring to denominational leaders, which Paul also confirms.
Acts 20:29-30 – I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
Paul is stating that Christian men will distort the truth and with their false doctrine, they will draw away true followers after their false doctrine. Paul’s solution to this is for us to constantly be spiritually alert to their exceptions and manipulations.
Acts 20:31 – So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
How is this achieved practically? Paul tells us in Acts 17:11
Acts 17:11 – Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
We must compare everything that a pastor, teacher or denominational doctrine says, with the teachings of Jesus in the word of God. We are to compare what we are being taught with the disciples’ interpretation and their life’s example, and not take others’ word for it (denominational doctrines).
We must be careful and remain alert as we are constantly amongst denominational believers, who are the ravenous, savage wolves that Jesus and Paul are warning us of.
Matthew 10:16 – I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Jesus specifically warns his disciples about the dangers of following denominational teachings.
Matthew 16:5-12 – When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. 6 “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7 They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”
8 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 11 How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Because Jesus’ teachings are so uncompromising, they can come across as being too strict and difficult to follow. Many men of God who preach an uncompromising gospel have been rejected and isolated. Due to this fear of being rejected, they have manipulated the teachings of Jesus to suit others, so that they can be accepted. Through compromised and manipulated teachings, many teachers and prophets have become like ravenous wolves, and aim to separate the sheep from the Good Shepherd. By preaching a false, compromised gospel, they separate the sheep from the shepherd. This is why Jesus called false teachers and prophets, ‘wolves’.
How To Identify False Teachers and Prophets
Matthew 7:16 – By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Through their fear of rejection and love for money, these ‘wolves’ add exceptions, manipulations and justifications to the teachings of Jesus and the word of God to allow for their sin. This is their fruit. It is the fruit of their lips which is represented by figs. The grapes represent their physical actions. Once things like fear and greed infect a person’s understanding of the scriptures, they produce rotten fruit.
The rocky ground represents people who manipulate the gospel due to trouble and persecution because of the word. Thorns and thistles, are the deceitfulness of wealth and the worries of this world (greed). Through adding justifications and exceptions to God’s word, such things produce rotten fruit once they infect a person’s understanding of the word of God.
Mark 4:16-19 – Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
This understanding is known as a person’s philosophy. You can tell a person’s philosophy by their fruit (words, teachings and actions).
Matthew 7:17 – Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
The ‘tree’ is a person’s philosophy. Their ‘fruit’ is their words and actions. If their words and teachings justify greed and hate, then they are considered to be a bad tree with bad fruit.
Matthew 12:36-37 – But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
Proverbs 18:20-21 – From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. 21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 13:2 – From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things, but the desire of the faithless is violence.
Isaiah 57:19 – “I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the LORD, “And I will heal him.” 20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
A teacher is judged by his words and whether or not they are filled with compromise, manipulation and justifications.
A person with an uncompromised understanding of the scriptures will speak and teach an uncompromising gospel. Their gospel should be filled with love, peace and faithfulness.
Galatians 5:22 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Not greed and hate.
Matthew 7:16 – By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
How To Judge Correctly
A man’s words come from the beliefs that he holds in his heart.
Luke 6:45 – A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
So we must judge a man according to his words. We will be judged by every careless and false teaching that is in our philosophy. We must judge a man according to his words and not his actions. You cannot know a person by their actions because they could do something wrong and know it was wrong and repent. But we won’t see that. So that is why we cannot judge someone by their actions.
Matthew 12:33-37 – “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
Jesus is explaining this very concept. A person speaks (or his words come from) the philosophy/beliefs that they hold in their heart.
35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
This concept is repeated in the gospel of Luke.
Luke 6:43-45 – No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
We must be careful of the beliefs and philosophies that we hold in our hearts for this is what God judges, through our words.
John 7:24 – Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”
Isaiah 11:3 – He will delight in obeying the LORD. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay..
1 Samuel 16:7 – But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Luke 16:15 – He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
1 Samuel 2:3 – “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.
1 Kings 8:39 – then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know every human heart),
It is easy to identify rotten fruit when you probe into a person’s philosophy and understanding, through their speech. We will be judged by every careless justification, manipulation, compromise and false denominational teaching that is in our philosophy.
It is not possible to know a person by their actions because they could do something wrong and know it was wrong then repent and receive God’s forgiveness. But we won’t see that and may continue judging them. This would be judging a brother and this is wrong. This is why you cannot judge someone’s heart by their actions.
James 4:11-12 – Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
False teachers speak from their intellect and reasoning. This is what their hearts are filled with, instead of faith in God’s words and Jesus’ teachings. They still have the love of money in their teachings and they speak from the traditions of man (denominational doctrines). They are not fulfilling the will of the Father but rather their own will, which is iniquity.
Matthew 7:21 – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 7:22-23 – 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? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
These false denominational teachings nullify the word of God. They are just the traditions of man; teachings made up by mere men and their intellect, not heard from God through repentance.
Mark 7:13 – making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
ESV – thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
Rejecting False Teachers, Prophets & Denominations
We are not meant to listen to these false teachers and their denominational traditions.
Jeremiah 23:16 – This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.
Matthew 16:11-12 – How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Beware of the teaching (leaven) of the Pharisees. Jesus is warning the disciples to beware of denominational manipulations in doctrine.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 – The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 – For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
We are in the time that is being spoken of. In churches today, people do not want sound doctrine. Instead, they surround themselves with people who will ‘tickle’ their ears and tell them what they want to hear. Their messages do not cause true repentance. Denominational teachings are filled with compromise and manipulations.
God is the Father of your Spirit.
Hebrews 12:9 – Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!
Not man:
Matthew 23:9 – And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
Paul was not appointed by any ordination or denomination of man.
Galatians 1:1 – This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.
God reveals by the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:10 – For God has revealed it to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
You invalidate the word of God by adapting your beliefs according to the precepts of men/tradition/denominational teachings.
Matthew 15:6 – they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
You invalidate the word of God by adopting the precepts of men (denominational teachings). We are meant to identify and speak against denominational manipulations.
1 Timothy 1:3 – As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer…
Ephesians 5:11 – Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 – but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.
Titus 1:11 – They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain.
Titus 1:9 – He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
We are not meant to follow after the philosophies of denominational teachers.
Matthew 23:8-10 – “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.
Otherwise we will end up like the false teachers/denominational teachers. Peter speaks of them:
2 Peter 2:1-22 – But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. 10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority.
Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from the Lord. 12 But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.
13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
17 These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”
As does Jude:
Jude 1:4 – For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
Paul also speaks of false denominational teachers:
1 Timothy 6:3-5 – If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
Romans 16:17-18 – I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
Ephesians 4:14 – Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
Galatians 1:6-9 – I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!
2 Timothy 3:5 – They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
1 Timothy 6:5 – and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
Hebrews 13:9 – Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.
Titus 1:16 – They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
Ephesians 5:6 – Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
As we grow in our Christian faith, it is important to recognize all of the false teachings that have crept into every church denomination. Following teachings that are full of compromise, rationalizations and exceptions, will lead us down the broad road to destruction. It is vital for us to not change (or allow anyone else to change) Jesus’ definition of what is right and wrong. We must not let our own desires or the false teachings of others change the parameters of what Jesus has already said is right and wrong. This is the only way we can ensure that we can identify our sins and ask for forgiveness.
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