To have a strong grasp of truth requires a firm understanding of that which is false. Scripture is full of warnings about counterfeits.
False Worship. Matthew 15: 8 and 9.
“These people draw near to Me with their mouths, and honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me and in vain they worship Me …”
The Lord Yeshua quotes these words from Isaiah (Iasiah 29: 13). He was referring to the Scribes and Pharisees of His day whose worship was worthless because they gave higher priority to the traditions of men than to the word of God.
Today, we still have people who make the right sounds but whose inner nature if far from the Lord. This is often associated with the rituals, practices and traditions of their own denomination.
False Witnesses. 1 Corinthians 15: 15
“False Witnesses” deny the resurrection of Messiah. If there had been no resurrection, all the witnesses listed in scripture would have been lying.
To lie about the resurrection would be to testify against God. If the apostles had not proclaimed that God had raised Messiah, they would have been bringing false witness against God.
False Apostles. 2 Corinthians 11: 13 and Revelation 2: 2.
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.”
“I know your works, your labour, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars … “
The crucial factor in being an apostle is being commissioned as such by the Lord Yeshua. The people criticised here by Paul in 2 Corinthians have either assumed the office for themselves or had it conferred upon them by other men.
These are “deceitful” men seeking to gain adherents. They “transform themselves” i.e., carry out a masquerade. They pretend to represent the Lord Yeshua, but in reality, are emissaries of Satan. In Paul’s time, not only was their claim to apostleship false, but so was their doctrine (influenced, as it was, by Greek culture and philosophy).
In Revelation, as we have seen, part of the message transmitted by John to the church at Ephesus is to praise for them for their spiritual discernment. They knew how to evaluate those claiming to be apostles by their doctrine and behaviour.
False Ministers. 2 Corinthians 11: 14 and 15.
“For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness whose end will be according to their works.”
Since the prince of darkness masquerades as an angel of light i.e., disguises himself as a messenger of truth, it is not surprising that his servants (ministers of evil) will pose as “ministers of righteousness”. They profess to be ministers of religion, leading the people in the way of truth and righteousness but they are agents of the evil one.
Satan’s main tool is deception. He deceived Eve and holds unbelievers captive by deception.
The fate of false ministers is that they will face God in terrifying judgment. They destroy and therefore will be destroyed. They themselves will be led into final perdition.
False Gospels. Galatians 1: 9.
“As we have said before if anyone preaches any other gospel than what you have received, let him be accursed.”
This is Paul’s warning to the Galatians. Do not depart from the gospel of grace! If any so-called gospel differs in the slightest degree from God’s truth as revealed through the Lord Yeshua and the apostles do not receive it. God has only one message for doomed sinners. He offers salvation by grace through faith.
The true gospel is the “grace of Christ” i.e., God’s free and sovereign act of mercy in granting salvation through the death and resurrection of Messiah, totally apart from human work or merit. Those who proclaim any other way of salvation are doomed.
So, no matter how impressive a speaker or writer may be, or how exalted their position, the outward appearance does not validate the message. Judged their words by the true gospel.
False Brethren. Galatians 2: 3 and 4.
“Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out the liberty we have in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into bondage) …”
In 2 Corinthians 11: 26, Paul lists among his woes being “in peril by false brethren.”
The people concerning whom Paul was writing in Galatians 2 were Judaizers pretending to be genuine believers in the Lord Yeshua. Yet their doctrine, because it claimed allegiance to the Messiah, was opposed to traditional Judaism. But because it demanded circumcision and obedience to Mosaic law as a pre-requisite for salvation, it was opposed to the faith professed by Paul. Particularly insidious was that these people had “secretly” infiltrated the church (such an event had happened at Antioch – Acts 15: 1,2). People had passed themselves off convincingly as believers.
The whole matter of Legalism came to a head over Titus. The question was, would the Jerusalem church receive this Gentile believer or insist that he first be circumcised. Paul won the argument.
False brethren have their own agendas.
False Knowledge. 1 Timothy 6: 20.
“O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is false called knowledge – by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.”
Timothy was to guard the divine revelation that had been committed to his care.
He was to avoid false doctrine (“what is false called knowledge”). This is merely “idle babblings”; anything claiming to be truth which is nonsense. False teachers typically claim to have secret, superior knowledge available only to “the enlightened”. But in reality, these “secrets” reveal those who profess them to be ignorant and infantile in their understanding. Nevertheless, their empty chatter can appeal to a person’s vanity; believing that this “knowledge” sets them apart from the common herd.
That salvation can come through “knowledge” of spiritual mysteries is a false teaching. Scripture contains all we need to know and understand.
False Commandments of Men. Titus 1: 13, 14.
“Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.”
“Jewish fables” here probably refers to legends about Old Testament figures not supported by scripture.
The “commandments of men” refers to rules that come through false doctrine; matters such as traditions over handwashing, ceremonial cleanliness, the washing of utensils and the cleaning of couches etc. These represent a series of rules meant to bolster Jewish ceremonial laws but whose authority is not supported by scripture.
Physical objects or external practices do not defile a person, but a mind focused on evil thoroughly corrupts. We should be more concerned with renewing our minds and focusing on the Lord than observing a list of rules that have no biblical support. It was concerning these practices which Paul wrote in Colossians 2: 23.
“These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.”
False Doctrine. Hebrews 13: 9.
“Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.”
“False doctrines” refers to any idea which is foreign to the gospel message. At the time of the writer to the Hebrews, no doubt he had in mind practices pertaining to ritual observances, sacrificial feasts and various laws identifying what was clean and unclean.
However, legislation concerning clean and unclean foods was designed to produce ritual cleanliness. But this is not the same thing as inward holiness.
A person might be ceremonially clean but filled with hatred and hypocrisy. Only God’s grace can inspire and empower believers to live holy lives. Love for the Saviour who died for our sins motivates and enables us to “live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:12).
After all, endless rules concerning food and drink have never profited their adherents. And holiness is produced by grace not by law.
False Religion. James 1: 26.
“If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.”
“Religion” here means the external patterns of behaviour (rituals and routines) connected with religious belief, but these forms are not followed sincerely. These forms are outward expressions of belief, but they do not proceed from the inward spirit. Thus, they are useless.
People going through the motions will often show themselves by what proceeds from their mouth; the inability to control their use of words. Purity of heart is revealed by controlled and proper speech.
“Pure and undefiled religion” as opposed to “useless religion” is evidenced by a compassionate heart and the actions which emanate from it.
So, a person might observe all kinds of religious ceremonies which may make him appear pious. But he is deceiving himself. God is not satisfied with rituals. He is interested in His people living a life of practical godliness; a life which takes a compassionate interest in others whilst keeping their own life clean. Caring acts and a walk of separation!
False Teachers. 2 Peter 2: 1.
“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.”
Just as God’s prophets of the past had been opposed by “false prophets”, Peter predicts the rise of “false teachers”. These teachers will not claim to be prophets but will distort the scriptures with heretical interpretations.
The greatest sin of Messiah-rejectors, and the most damning work of Satan, is the misrepresentation of the truth and its consequent deception. Nothing is more wicked than for someone to claim to speak for God for the salvation of souls when, in reality, he speaks for Satan to the damnation of souls.
Satan has always endeavoured to infiltrate groups of believers with the deception of false teachers. Since Eve, he has been in the deception business.
False teachers cannot be tolerated! Their heresies (their self-designed lies) lead to divisions and factions. They peddle a system of denial: they deny the final inspiration of the Bible; the tri-une Godhead; the deity of the Lord Yeshua; the virgin birth and His death as a substitute for sinners. They are especially vehement in the denial of the value of His shed blood. They deny the bodily resurrection, eternal punishment, salvation by grace through faith in the Lord Yeshua and the reality of the miracles of the Bible. In short, they are “denying the Lord who bought them”. No wonder they bring on themselves “swift destruction”.
For our last three examples we turn to the end times.
False Prophets. Matthew 24: 24.
“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
This is part of the Lord’s Olivet discourse concerning the end times.
During the first half of the Tribulation period, many false messiahs will appear who will succeed in deceiving the multitude. These will be false Jewish religious leaders claiming to be Messiah.
1 John 4: 1
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
John here is not referring to demon-possessed individuals but teachers who promote error.
Believers have the Holy Spirit, but “false prophets” obey evil spirits. A false prophet claims to have received direct revelation from God but in fact he promotes erroneous ideas.
Demonic spirits produce false prophets and false teachers to propagate their false doctrine. We need to have a healthy scepticism about any teaching. To evaluate every teaching to approve or disapprove of it requires a rigorous comparison with scripture.
So, let us be ardent students of scripture like the Berean of Acts Chapter 17.
False Yeshuas. Matthew 24: 4 and 5.
“And Jesus answered and said to them, “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name saying, “I am the Christ, and will deceive many.””
The Lord is again here talking about the end times. During the first half of the Tribulation, many false “messiahs” will appear who will succeed in deceiving many. We can get a foretaste of this in the many false cults that have appeared in our time. But, of course, these are not the fulfilment. We must remember that at the end of the age, there will be an atmosphere of great chaos. All sorts of reports and rumours will circulate that the Messiah is in some secret location or another. Such reports could be used to trap those who are sincerely looking for the Saviour. But such reports should not be believed.
False Miracle Workers. 2 Thessalonians 2: 9 and 10.
“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception.”
We note that in the end times, Satan in order to promote his lie will pass himself off as a god, using the same kinds of powers, signs and wonders that the Spirit of the Lord Yeshua used at the beginning of the age to authenticate the truth about Himself as God.
The lawless one will do mighty acts pointing to himself as supernaturally empowered, luring the world to worship him and be doomed.
We must remember that Satan and his agents can perform miracles. The lawless one will also perform them. A miracle indicates supernatural power but not necessarily divine power.
The miracles of our Lord proved Him to be the promised Messiah, not simply because they were supernatural but also that they were of such a moral nature that Satan could not have done them without harming his own cause.
The lawless one will unscrupulously use ever form of wickedness to deceive the perishing people; those who have heard the gospel during the age of grace but had no love for the truth. If they had believed, they would have been saved. Deceived by the miracles of the lawless one, they will believe him to be God.
The words of the Lord Yeshua in John 5: 43.
“I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me: if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.”
Conclusions.
Certain of the counterfeits we have identified are particularly connected with the end times. This includes false messiahs and false prophets and, most certainly, the false signs and wonders of the “lawless one”. We will, I trust, be taken out before these phenomena become prevalent.
There is however much for us to be wary of in the present.
Be aware of fellowships where the focus is more on rituals (“how we do things”) and that is more important than the work and teaching of the Lord Yeshua and the apostles. Those who cling to rituals and specific practices do not recognise that it is that which is within which defiles a person.
Do not be impressed by any teacher’s style or position. Test their words and deeds by the gospel. Be wary of people who try secretly to carry out their own agenda.
Above all watch for deniers of the true Gospel. There is no shortage of those who would deny some aspect of the Gospel: be it the complete divine inspiration of all scripture; the tri-une Godhead; the deity of the Lord Yeshua; His substitutional death for sinners; the power of His blood; His bodily resurrection; eternal punishment; salvation by grace through faith and the reality of Biblical miracles.
All these denials are evidence of a false gospel. To grasp what is true requires a thorough understanding of what is false.
AMEN.