Six (Red) Flags Over False Teachers

Introduction

Unintentional overlap with Pastor Jason’s sermons at men’s conference. Required to do three sermons in a row for my seminary preaching lab, so we’ll continue. Didn’t realize his sermons would be covering these verses when I picked this series. Loved Pastor Jason’s preaching and learned from his exposition. Hope this is helpful as a reinforcement and for the ladies.

Greed and betrayal. These are common themes in many books and movies. One real story is from 2016. Sarah Stern was a 19-year-old digital drawing artist. She lived alone with her dog, struggling to make ends meet as a professional creative. One of her high school friends, Liam McAtasney (sounds like catastrophe!), took advantage of their long-standing relationship.

Sarah had been blessed with a $10K inheritance from her late mother, fueling her dreams to make it big as an artist. Liam was aware she had received an inheritance, though, and he schemed for six months about how to take advantage of her. He convinced her to withdraw the inheritance cash from the bank one day and murdered her on the way home afterward. Choked her and threw her body off a bridge into the freezing river. Staged her car as suicide. Liam later regretted it all, but only because he had thought the inheritance was $100K.

The problem is that this guy Liam was known to be arrogant and greedy. A week before the murder he had boasted to a friend about how he was going to kill Sarah; however, that friend was an aspiring horror film-maker and thought Liam was just proposing a crazy movie plot. Other friends later realized Liam had boasted about how Sarah was just easy money. Sadly, none of the friends gave either Sarah or the police a clear warning about their concerns.

The problem with many stories like this one is that people often ignore red flags about a person’s character. They think to themselves, “But I know them! They would never do something like that.” They ignore the road closed sign in their neighborhood and drive right into the construction hole. Familiarity breeds contempt, and often willful ignorance too.

Proposition

I hope to break through some of these common assumptions this morning. Turn with me to 1 Timothy 6:3-5. As the men saw yesterday, this text paints a caricature of false teachers.

1 Timothy 6:3–5 LSB

3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words—those of our Lord Jesus Christ—and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4 he is conceited, understanding nothing but having a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

Pray.

I’ve titled this sermon Six (Red) Flags Over False Teachers. We are going to look at three pairs of red flags that will alert you to the character of false teachers so that you can avoid being lured into their misconduct. Remember that false teachers come in sheep’s clothing. Do not let personal friendship or familiar relationships override the clear warning signs God outlines here.

Different & Disagreeable

Head Issue: Fruitless doctrinal deviation from Christ’s authoritative words—not even close.

Different Doctrine (ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖ - heterosexual)

Politely say something was “interesting” or “different” with a tone of disdain.

Only two uses of the verb: here and 1:3—same culprits, same danger.

They teach otherwise—a word Christ never spoke (Jer 14:14).

Jeremiah 14:14 LSB

14 Then Yahweh said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a vision of lies, divination, futility, and the deception of their own hearts.

Disagreeable: Does Not Agree (Approach)

Lit. “does not come near / does not even get close.”

Not just mistakes or human fallibility. Couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn.

Active refusal: arrogant insubordination to the full title “our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Two deadly ditches:

Claim Christ’s authority without godliness (deceit).

Claim godliness without Christ’s authority (pragmatism).

Solution: Do what God commands in the way God commands it. Submission.

Sound Words

Healthy vs. the morbid craving (v. 4).

Scope:

Jesus’ own words (Gospels).

Apostolic expansion (2 Tim 1:13, “sound words which you have heard from me”; John 14:26).

Not man’s word (2 Pet 1:16–21).

2 Peter 1:20–21 LSB

20 Know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes by one’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever made by the will of man, but men being moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

True leaders are nourished on these (1 Tim 4:6).

1 Timothy 4:6 LSB

6b being nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.

Doctrine Conforming to Godliness

Theology not just study of God. God’s Word. Restates scripture for purpose. Application to life. Responds to all questions and everyone is theologian. Exegetical, biblical, systematic, historical, practical. Academia.

OT root: Fear of the Lord → active, worshipful obedience (NIDNTTE; John 9:31).

John 9:31 LSB

31 “We know that God does not listen to sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He listens to him.

NT fruit: Pure heart, good conscience, sincere faith (1 Tim 1:5; 2 Tim 2:22).

1 Timothy 1:5 LSB

5 But the goal of our command is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and an unhypocritical faith.

James 3:17–18 LSB

17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruits, without doubting, without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Purity defined by the absence of hypocrisy. Common denominator in both lists.

Proof: Good tree = good fruit (Matt 7:15–20).

Matthew 7:15–20 LSB

15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 “You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 17 “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits.

Sober Alert

False teaching ≠ heresy, but one hop away.

Heresy: willful core denial.

False teachers: nuanced rebels blending in for gain (v. 5).

The only way to spot error is to know the truth.

First-degree sin category (with false prophets, unrepentant homosexuals, pre-flood wicked, Spirit-blasphemers, apostates, Antichrist followers, sorcerers, murderers, harlots, mark-takers).

Immediate action: Be alert. Spot the ride before you’re taken.

Conceited & Craving

Heart Issue: Arrogant delusion—puffed up and sick with word-wars.

Conceited (perf. pass. “has been puffed up”)

Rare verb from smoke/vapor (τυφός); literally blowing smoke to the head (TLNT).

Deluded dementia (Louw-Nida): so arrogant it’s practically insane. “What kind of alternate reality do you live in?”

Same warning as new-convert elders (1 Tim 3:6)—falls under devil’s condemnation.

1 Timothy 3:6 LSB

6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Preaching Christ while condemned like the devil! High position, low morals.

Willful rebellion: overinflated self → redefines morality, unafraid to defy God, Word, people.

Understanding Nothing BUT…

New believers and beginners aren’t condemned, it’s the BUT

Strong contrast: clueless on every point—zero worthwhile insight.

Pretends wisdom; actually James 3 demonic “wisdom” (earthly, unspiritual).

James 3:13–16 LSB

13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good conduct his works in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not coming down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil practice.

Elder disqualifier (3:2): must be able to teach, not “understand nothing.”

Craving (pres. act. “being sick with”)

Unhealthy obsession

Junk food. Pregnancy cravings. Gotta have it. Pickles + ice cream.

18 year old craved Marlboro cigarette ashes in Yoplait strawberry yogurt for “smoky crunch” (quit smoking).

Paired vice:

Controversial questions – endless debates.

Disputes about words – quibbling terminology.

Idle hands breed it: no godly action → armchair critique.

Leader note: Don’t stifle gifts; channel energy or watch envy fester.

Motive check: deflect, justify, avoid obedience.

Obedience = true hermeneutic (John 7:17).

The Hermeneutics of the Biblical Writers: Learning to Interpret Scripture from the Prophets and Apostles Thesis: Continuity of Prophetic, Apostolic, and Christian Hermeneutics

The Christian hermeneutic follows the prophets and apostles, and is thereby a hermeneutic of obedience.

Warning: Hypocrisy breeds friction—private walk with God prevents public wreckage. When you are not right with the Lord in your heart, you will feel frustrated by your own hypocrisy and then take it out on other people.

MacArthur examples: old-earth theories, higher criticism, authorship denials—friction factories.

Personal red flag: “I critique leaders/decisions when I wasn’t in the room”—spreads distrust.

Elder Character Contrasts (1 Tim 3)

False Teacher vs Required Elder

Conceited vs Humble – temperate, self-controlled (3:2)

Understand nothing vs Able to teach (3:2)

Craving controversies vs Gentle, uncontentious (3:3)

Root: love of money (6:10) vs Free from love of money (3:3, 8)

Take heart! Humility + healthy hunger for sound words = the cure for a smoke-filled head.

Fighting & Fleecing

Hands Issue: Destructive fallout—carnage from a corrupted core.

Out of Which Arise (pres. “keep coming”)

Live-action eruption: watch the poison unfold in real time.

Rhetorical cascade for impact: soul-sick craving → full-blown relational rot.

Fighting – The Relational Shredder

Envy:

Frequent feature on bad lists in the NT: Flesh-work (Gal 5:19–21); pre-conversion marker (Titus 3:3); put away for growth (1 Pet 2:1–2).

Fundamental, heart-level rejection of blessing plus misaligned priorities:

Ephesians 1:3 LSB

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Strife:

Rivalry, taking sides—church as battlefield.

Creating pressure, “Can’t let this go on, have to do something about it.”

Slander:

Noun of blasphemy (cf. v. 1); defames God, doctrine, believers.

Reviling to demean—outsiders’ tactic turned inward.

Evil Suspicions:

Paranoid accusations—trust demolished.

Assumptions without conversations.

Constant Friction:

Endless wrangling; irritating raw-rub on the body.

Friction = change. Movement, directional.

Some friction good, continual not. Massaging same place.

Depraved Mind (perf. pass.)

Morally ruined: hostile to God (Rom 8:7).

Romans 8:7 LSB

7 because the mind set on the flesh is at enmity toward God, for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,

Debates morality but refuses restraint—happy to theorize, allergic to obedience.

Deprived of the Truth (perf. pass.)

Robbed/defrauded—truth no longer theirs.

Kuruvilla insight: Ephesian wealth (slaves, widows, jewelry) allured the already corrupt.

Not rich yet, but craving to be (6:9–10).

Fleecing (pres. act.)

Daily driver: suppose godliness = gain (purse, power, prestige, pleasure).

“Goldiness,” not godliness—religion as livelihood, not present sacrifice for eternal life.

Presumption risk: even eternal reward belongs at Christ’s feet (Luke 17:10).

Luke 17:10 LSB

10 “In this way, you also, when you do all the things which are commanded of you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’”

Sober Alert

Divisive and destructive, very selfish.

Matt 6:24: cannot serve God and money—earth-treasure = wealth-master.

Matthew 6:24 LSB

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

Heb 13:5–6: love of money = hatred/distrust of God.

Hebrews 13:5–6 LSB

5 Make sure that your way of life is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” 6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”

Take heart! Godliness with contentment = great gain (6:6)—flee the fight, embrace the feast.

Conclusion

Six flags over false teachers: different and disagreeable, conceited and craving, fighting and fleecing. It all stems from a heart that is in rebellion toward God and refuses to conform. This is evident in their hypocritical living that deviates from sound teaching and godliness. They crave professionalism but lack substance. Their hypocrisy drives them to undermine and attack others. They feel threatened and like a thief will do whatever it takes to get the gold. These people are great dangers to the church. And the most difficult part about the whole thing is that they are stealthy. Most people turn a blind eye to their ways. Peter calls them hidden reefs at your love feasts, or potluck dinners. The surface is calm, but deadly destruction lies just beneath the surface. Watch out!

2 Peter 3:17–18 LSB

17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest you, having been carried away by the error of unprincipled men, fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.