Identifying False Teachers Study by Tim Haile God

Identifying False Teachers Study by Tim Haile

God Wants Certain People Identified § Paul Named Hymenaeus and Philetus: (2 Tim. 2: 16 -18) § Paul Named Demas (2 Tim. 4: 10) § Paul Named Alexander (2 Tim. 4: 14) § John Named Diotrephes (3 John 9) § Paul Named Demetrius (Acts 19: 24) § Paul Named Elymas (Acts 13: 7 -11) § Luke Named Apollos (Acts 18: 24 ff) § Paul Named Peter (Galatians 2: 11)

God Wants Certain People Identified “GET AWAY FROM THE TENTS OF KORAH, DATHAN, AND ABIRAM” NUMBERS 16: 24 WHY? “LEST YE BE CONSUMED IN ALL THEIR SINS” (Vs. 26) What if God had not NAMED these men? How would they have known who they were?

“He’s a Good Preacher, But He Doesn’t Call Any Names. ” § Is He a Better Preacher Than… § Jesus? ( Matt. 16: 6, 12; 23: 2, 13, 14, 15…; Rev. 2: 6, 14, 15, 20) § Paul? (2 Tim. 1: 15; 2: 17 -18; 3: 8; 4: 10, 14) § Luke? (Acts 13: 8; 18: 24) § John? (3 Jn. 9) § Nehemiah? (Neh. 6: 14) § Moses? (Num. 16: 1)

Are Modern Preachers More Tolerant, More Permissive, More Loving and More Forgiving Than God? Are They More Sophisticated and Refined Than The Lord Himself?

Is Marking Optional? § “Go Preach” (Mk. 16: 15) § “Repent and Be Baptized” (Acts 2: 38) § “Do This In Remembrance Of Me” (1 Cor. 1: 24) § “Collection. . . Do What I Told Gal. ” (1 Cor. 16: 1 -2) § “Withdraw From Disorderly” (2 Thess. 3: 6) § “Mark them that cause divisions” (Romans 16: 17)

Is Marking Optional? 17: Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18: For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. Romans 16: 17 -18

Why Some Refuse to Call Names § Friendship (Lk. 23: 12; 1 Co. 4: 6; Jas. 4: 4) § Kinship (Mt. 10: 34 -37) § Money/Job Security (1 Ti. 6: 3 -5) Money is made from teaching error AND/OR compromising truth (2 Ti. 4: 3 -4; 2 Pe. 2: 1 -3) § Popularity/Acceptance (John 12: 42 -43)

Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 1. “You Must Go To Him First Before You Expose Him” – (They Cite Mt. 18: 1517) § Total Misapplication! § “If your brother sins against you § “go and show him his fault between you and him alone…” § This passage has nothing to do with the public teaching of error!

Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 2. “You’re Not An Apostle!” (I’m aware of that) § Paul Was, However (Gal. 1: 1) § And We Are To Imitate Him Because Of This Fact (Phil. 4: 9) § “The things you have learned, and have received, and have heard, and have seen in me. These things practice, and the peace of God will be with you” § Paul Marked False Teachers By Name!

Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 3. “He’s Not A False Teacher, He Only Has False Views On A Few Matters. ” 1. Hymenaeus & Philetus Had One False View (2 Tim. 2: 17 -18) 2. Error Has a Leavening Effect (Matt. 16: 6, 12; 2 Tim. 2: 17 -18; 3: 13; 1 Cor. 5: 6 3. It Only Takes One False View To Condemn! (2 Tim. 2: 18; 1 Cor. 15: 14; Rev. 2: 14, 15)

Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 4. “But Look At All Of The Good He Has Done, And Is Doing!” 1. “Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand” (Ezek. 3: 20).

Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 5. “But He Promised Not To Teach His Views On That Subject Here!” § Then He Has No Conviction (2 Cor. 4: 13). § Then His “View” Isn’t A Matter Of “The Faith!” (Jude 3; Gal. 1: 23). § Then His “View” Isn’t A Part Of The Whole Council of God!” (Acts 20: 2627)

Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 6. “But We Discussed It With Him, And Asked Him To Not Preach His Views In The Pulpit!” § (Shades of “Good Ole Boy, ” back room deals) “Provide Things Honest In The Sight Of All Men” (Rom. 12: 17) § What About FELLOWSHIP!!! § By “receiving” the errorist the Christian “partakes” in his evil (2 John 9 -11)

Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 7. “We Shouldn’t Criticize Others: We’ve All Taught Things Wrong In The Past. ” § Not all misconceptions lead people to practice sin. (Abraham rationalized the killing of Isaac on the basis that “God was able to raise him from the dead” - Hebrews 11: 17 -19). § When we do teach error, WE SIN! And we must REPENT! (1 Tim. 6: 3; 2 Tim. 2: 25).

Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 8. “It Is Disrespectful And Dishonorable To Label A Brother As A False Teacher. ” § The Holy Spirit So Labeled Men; Was This “Disrespectful” and Dishonorable” of Him? § Respect is earned. Teaching false doctrine deserves no respect, nor is there any “honor” in doing such! § False Teachers earn the right to be rejected (Tit. 3: 10 -11).

Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 9. “He No Longer Has Much Influence… He’s No Longer Teaching Publicly. ” § Are his books, tapes and articles still in the public domain? § Do people still “hold” his views? § Though Balaam had been dead for years, some in the first century still “held” his views (Rev. 2: 14).

Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 10. “He Teaches Error, But He Does Not Push His Views…He’s Not Divisive. ” § If one teaches error he IS divisive! (Rom. 16: 17 -18; Tit. 3: 10 -11). § Titus 1: 11&13 teach that errorists are to be rebuked even when their error is taught privately – “from house to house. ”

Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 11. “By Marking A Brother As A ‘False Teacher, ’ One Is Guilty Of ‘Biting and Devouring. ’ § This is an exegetical fiasco! Galatians 5: 15 has a context: Paul criticized False Teachers for: § “Hindering” others from obedience (Gal. 5: 7). § “Troubling” Christians by “compelling them to be circumcised” (Gal. 5: 12; 6: 12)

Things We Are To Do With Regard To False Teachers: § Mark and Avoid (Identify) Them (Rom. 16: 17 -18) § Rebuke and Expose Them (Eph. 5: 11) § Reject Them (Tit. 3: 10 -11) § Do Not Receive Them (2 John 10 -11) § Stop Their Mouths (Tit. 1: 9 -13) § Withdraw From Them (1 Tim. 6: 5)