False Teachers

False Teachers: The Most Repeated Warning in the New Testament

There is no biblical warning more frequent in the New Testament than the warning against false teachers. This isn’t just an occasional cautionary tale; it is the very context into which much of the New Testament was written. Jesus warned about them explicitly. Paul named names. Jude devoted an entire letter to them. Peter said they were coming. John wrote to expose their denial of Christ in the flesh. And almost every New Testament epistle contains some direct warning or instruction about them. The reason is simple: False teachers pose the greatest internal threat to the Church.

The Words of Jesus

Jesus didn’t merely drop vague hints about error. He was specific and scathing. In Matthew 7:15-20 (NLT), Jesus says: "Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act." Jesus doesn’t tell us to ignore them or tolerate them—He tells us to beware. He also said in Matthew 24:11 (NLT): "And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people." This is not a minor side issue. Jesus treated it as a defining danger of the last days.

In John 10, Jesus contrasted the true shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep with hired hands and thieves. These aren't just metaphors about bad leadership—they are direct indictments against those who manipulate or abandon the flock for their own gain.

Paul: Naming Names and Drawing Lines

Paul's letters drip with concern over false teaching. In Acts 20:29-30 (NLT), as he gives his final address to the Ephesian elders, he says: "I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following." The idea that false teachers are always "outsiders" is false. Many arise from within the church.

Paul also makes an intentional distinction between doctrinal disagreement and destructive teaching. In Galatians 1:6-9 (NLT), he says: "If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one we preached to you, let that person be cursed." Strong words. But false gospels lead to false hope and ultimately to damnation. This is why he also publicly rebuked Peter in Galatians 2, not over moral failure, but doctrinal compromise.

In Philippians 3:2 (NLT) Paul says: "Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved." This is not polite disagreement. This is a full-throated rebuke of those who, in the name of religion, enslave people with legalism.

Some will point to Philippians 1:15-18 (NLT) as evidence that Paul had a "live and let live" approach: "It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But that doesn’t matter... whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached." But Paul is not talking about heresy. He’s talking about personal rivalry among true preachers of Christ. This is no excuse to tolerate or excuse false doctrine. In fact, he immediately follows this in chapter 3 with a complete denunciation of false teachers.

Jude: A Letter of War

The short epistle of Jude exists solely to call out false teachers. In Jude 1:3-4 (NLT), he writes: "Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives." False teachers pervert grace, twist truth, and hide behind pious language.

Peter and John: Warning and Exposure

Peter warned that false teachers would bring in "destructive heresies" (2 Peter 2:1). John said anyone who denies that Jesus came in the flesh is antichrist (1 John 4:2-3). Both apostles urged discernment and testing of spirits, not blind tolerance.

In 2 Peter 2:3 (NLT), he adds: "In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed." This is eerily applicable to prosperity preachers and manipulative spiritual leaders who exploit for profit.

Excuses and Justifications People Use

Some will say, "Judge not," quoting Matthew 7:1, but they ignore the rest of the chapter where Jesus commands judgment "by their fruit." Others will appeal to unity over truth, but Scripture never separates love from truth. False unity is not biblical peace. Truth is the foundation for real unity.

Others invoke Philippians 1 (as above), misunderstanding the context entirely. Paul had no tolerance for actual heresy.

How to Spot a False Teacher

Scripture does not leave us guessing when it comes to identifying false teachers. Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, and Jude all provide clear warnings—and diagnostic signs—for discerning wolves in sheep’s clothing. This is not a matter of spiritual paranoia but of biblical discernment. Below are the defining characteristics of false teachers, drawn directly from Scripture.

First, they distort the gospel. Paul makes this the first and foremost sign in Galatians 1:8–9 (NLT): "Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed." False teachers often introduce subtle distortions—adding requirements to salvation (legalism), removing obedience from salvation (cheap grace), or twisting Scripture for personal gain. The message may contain enough truth to sound Christian, but it ultimately promotes a different gospel.

Second, they exhibit immoral or greedy behavior. Peter warns, “In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed” (2 Peter 2:3, NLT). Jude adds, “They live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings” (Jude 1:8, NLT). A person who claims spiritual authority yet lives a lifestyle of unrepentant sin, financial manipulation, or unchecked pride disqualifies themselves by their actions.

Third, they seek a following. Paul told the Ephesian elders that “even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following” (Acts 20:30, NLT). False teachers are often charismatic, gifted communicators—but instead of pointing people to Christ and His Word, they gather disciples for themselves. They may downplay sin, mock traditional doctrine, or attack faithful pastors to keep followers dependent and unquestioning.

Fourth, they often twist Scripture or avoid parts of it. Paul warned Timothy that a time would come when people would not endure sound teaching, but would seek teachers to suit their desires (2 Timothy 4:3). False teachers will cherry-pick verses to support their agenda while ignoring uncomfortable texts. They redefine words, avoid difficult doctrines, or claim new revelation that contradicts Scripture.

Fifth, they lack biblical fruit. Jesus said, “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act” (Matthew 7:16, NLT). If a teacher exhibits a lack of humility, love, holiness, and truth, that is a red flag. Galatians 5:22–23 (NLT) outlines the fruit of the Spirit; a false teacher may speak Christian words but be marked by division, strife, arrogance, or indulgence.

Sixth, they refuse correction. Proverbs says, “If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding” (Proverbs 15:32, NLT). Faithful ministers are teachable and open to scriptural critique. False teachers, on the other hand, isolate themselves, label critics as divisive, or claim to be “above” reproach. They may weaponize the words “judge not” (Matthew 7:1) to escape accountability, while ignoring Jesus’ clear expectation to evaluate teachings by their fruit (Matthew 7:15–20).

In short, the Bible gives us a consistent profile: a false teacher distorts the gospel, lives sinfully, exalts themselves, avoids correction, and often creates division in the body. This is why the New Testament is saturated with warnings. The best way to spot the counterfeit is to know the truth so well that anything false immediately stands out.

A Biblical Mandate to Rebuke

Paul commands Timothy to rebuke false teaching publicly in 1 Timothy 5:20, and again in Titus 1:9-11, stating that elders 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 must also remember James 3:1 (NLT): "Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly." 

Teaching comes with responsibility and consequences. To teach falsely is not just a mistake—it’s a danger.

Final Thoughts

The warnings are there. The stakes are high. The tolerance of false teaching in the name of grace is neither loving nor biblical. We are called not just to proclaim truth but to protect it. False teaching is not a theoretical issue. It is a real and present danger that undermines faith, leads people astray, and damages the name of Christ.

Let us therefore speak the truth in love, correct with gentleness, and protect the flock entrusted to us.