The Pathology of False Teachers
The Pastoral Epistles • Sermon • Submitted
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If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
Introduction:
Introduction:
In November of 2013 founder of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), Dr. Paul Crouch, went out into eternity.
In September 4, 2015, the board of directors of TBN named Paul’s son, Matthew, was named chairman of the board.
I received notice this week, via email, that TBN will discontinue its relationship their 40 year long running broadcast, “The Believers Voice of Victory,” with Kenneth Copeland.
I thought, wow, well perhaps Matthew has had a transformation in his thinking, maybe gotten saved it that was not the case, but it is a good thing that they are discontinuing that long time relationship in September of this year.
However, my thoughts were quickly dashed when I found out who they were replacing Kenneth Copeland with on the Network.
TBN is trading “The Believers Voice of Victory” with Kenneth Copeland with “Elevation Church” with Steven Furtick.
The frying pan into the fire.
They are trading this false teacher:
Play video of Kenneth Copeland and “The Breath of God.”
For this false teacher:
Play video of Steven Furtick “God Broke the Love for Love.”
Throughout history, deadly epidemics have ravaged mankind.
In the fourteenth century, the infamous “Black Death” (an outbreak of bubonic plague) killed millions in Europe.
Diphtheria, malaria, and other sicknesses have ravaged town and cities.
In my lifetime, we have witness the beginning and the wide spread of the fatal disease Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
More deadly than any other diseases, however, is the plague of false teaching that has afflicted the church throughout history.
While sickness may kill the body, false teaching damns the soul.
Like AIDS and the plague, false teaching has a definite, observable pathology.
Scientists study the pathology of a disease to better equip themselves to recognize it and to combat it.
Every leader in the church should be a spiritual pathologist, able to discern deviations from spiritual health.
Only when the Church is able to diagnose the disease of false teaching, will they be able to fit it.
Ignorance of the issue is not the answer.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
It takes careful discernment to see that the light is really darkness.
Paul writes to Timothy to teach him how to diagnose satanic darkness masquerading as divine light.
You first look at the Preaching.
You look at the Personality.
You look at the Product.
I. The Preaching of False Teachers (vs. 3)
I. The Preaching of False Teachers (vs. 3)
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
False teachers, by their very nature, can be determined by what they teach.
This is where they believe that they hide the best, but in reality for the discerning Christian this is where they are found out the quickest.
It is in the grand speech by Joel Osteen each week of his broadcast where he hold his Bible high in the air and recites the speech, to the delight of the thousands in attendance.
“This is my Bible, I am what it says I am. I can do what it says I can do. Today, I will be taught the Word of God. I boldly confess: My mind is alert, My heart is receptive. I will never be the same. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, Ever-living seed of the Word of God. I will never be the same. Never. never, never. I will never be the same. In Jesus Name. Amen.”
Sounds orthodox and something that every evangelical Christian would be more than willingly to say “Amen” too.
Of course, as you dig into the life and minstry of Joel Osteen, you will find that it was not HE who authored that speech, but it was his father, John who penned that speech.
Joel Osteen is a pagan religionist in every sense.
Jesus is a foot-note that satisfies his critics and deceives his followers.
And while he holds up his bible and has his congregation shout with with that wonderful speech about the Word of God, the whole idea of his theology is that men have the power in themselves to change their lives.
In his book, “Your Best life Now,” and that ought to be a dead giveaway since the only way that this is your “Best Life Now” is if you are going to Hell.
He says that anyone can create by faith and words the dreams he desires…health, wealth, happiness, success…the list is the same all over.
Here are some quotes from his book.
John MacArthur Sermon Archive A True Knowledge of the True God, Part 1
“If you develop an image of success, health, abundance, joy, peace, happiness, nothing on earth will be able to hold those things from you,”
John MacArthur Sermon Archive A True Knowledge of the True God, Part 1
“All of us are born for earthly greatness. You were born to win.”
John MacArthur Sermon Archive A True Knowledge of the True God, Part 1
“God wants you to live in abundance, you were born to be a champion. He wants to give you the desires of your heart.” “Before we were formed, He prepared us to live abundant lives, to be happy, healthy and whole. But when our thinking becomes contaminated, it’s no longer in line with God’s Word,”
John MacArthur Sermon Archive A True Knowledge of the True God, Part 1
“God’s Word is not the Bible, God’s Word is that Word that comes to us mystically, spiritually, that tells us what we should want.”
John MacArthur Sermon Archive A True Knowledge of the True God, Part 1
“Get your thinking positive and He will bring your desires to pass. He regards you as a strong, courageous, successful person. You’re on your way to a new level of glory.”
John MacArthur Sermon Archive A True Knowledge of the True God, Part 1
“Friend, there’s a miracle in your mouth.”
John MacArthur Sermon Archive A True Knowledge of the True God, Part 1
“I know these principles are true because they work, for me and my wife.”
Oh, so that is the test of truth?
Sure that work for you guys because you are at the top of the Ponzi scheme.
John MacArthur Sermon Archive A True Knowledge of the True God, Part 1
“Even finding a perfect parking spot at the mall.”
But then I ask, “What about that little old lady that you cut off to get to the parking spot? What about her dream?
Maybe she was born to lose.
You see, the whole point in all of this is the fact that while false teachers say some things that you would agree with (the bible chant), what they really believe is brought out in their preaching.
And for the discerning Christian, that is where it is going to be found.
And though Joel says his little chant about the Bible, he goes on “Larry King Live” and denies that Jesus is the only way to heaven.
So, listen, for the discerning believing, false teachers are found in what they teach.
And, the Apostle Paul breaks this out for us in this verse about the fact that False Teachers are known by their preaching in three areas.
A. Their Doctrine (vs. 3a)
A. Their Doctrine (vs. 3a)
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
This is not the first time that the Apostle felt the need to warn Timothy about people that were teaching false doctrine.
As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
The word “teach” there is “ἑτεροδιδασκαλέω” and really means to teach things that are contrary to the Christian religion.
This is direct reference to teaching a heretical doctrine.
Now, I want to make this clear to you that the reason I believe that the Apostle Paul doctrine in mind here and not just the previous things that Paul spoke about in verses 1-2, as some have said.
Notice the latter part of verse 3.
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
Do you see the word “doctrine” at the end of the verse?
That is the Greek word “διδασκαλία” and then you have the Greek word in in verse 3 for “teach.”
Again, that is the word “ἑτεροδιδασκαλέω” and that comes from two different Greek words, “διδασκω” which speaks of “teaching Doctrine” and “ετερος” which means “another.”
And so by Paul’s words, what he had in mind was the fact that false teachers are known because they preach and teach and different doctrine.
No matter what they may say that may seem to be orthodox, the reality of their belief system will come out in what they teach, after they have said enough truth to draw in the undiscerning.
For the prophet Isaiah, the first test of orthodoxy was the teaching.
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Some false teachers are more blatant than others.
There are those who may deny God’s existence, or teach error about His nature and attribute.
They may deny the Trinity.
They may teach errors about Christs’ person and work.
They may deny His virgin birth, sinless perfection, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection or future return sho signs of a dangerous infection.
False teacher may also deny the claims regarding the Word of God.
To spot those that are the carrier of the dangerous disease, believers must be grounded in Scripture.
As we have already seen in this study is that there was much false teaching going on in the Church are Ephesus; so much so that Paul says they are making “shipwreck of the faith.”
And Paul says, “Listen, if anyone teaches another Doctrine, that is the mark, that is how you will know them.”
So, the disease that false teachers carry is the disease of what they affirm.
You have to listen to what they say with Biblical discernment.
Is what you are hearing contrary to the teaching of Scripture?
No matter how charismatically they may say it.
Are they teaching heresy?
They are if they are teaching contrary to Scripture.
Anything different than the sound true teaching of the Word of God is the revealing mark of a false teacher.
Their doctrine is the determiner of their disease of being a False Teacher.
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
So, false teachers, first of all, as we look at their pathology, are marked by heresy; they teach differently than the Word of God.
They add to Scripture, they speak things that the Scripture does not teach.
So, their pathology is known by their doctrine.
B. Their Dialogue (vs. 3b)
B. Their Dialogue (vs. 3b)
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
Not only is the pathology of false teachers known by what they deny, but it is also known by what they affirm.
Not only do they deny truth, but they also affirm error.
Their doctrine marks them, as does also their dialogue mark them as very far from God.
“Agree” is the word “προσέρχομαι” and it is in the Present tense, so these false teaching are in a present state of being devoted to error.
“Sound” is the Greek word “ὑγιαίνω” and it is where we get out English word “hygiene.”
Not only are false teachers known by the false doctrine that they teach but are also known by continually not being devoted words that are wholesome and beneficial.
Believers must pay attention to those things that are sound, healthy teaching and that is repeatedly emphasized in the Scripture.
For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
But what does Paul mean when he says that the pathology of false teachers is that they do not devote themselves to healthy words; even the word of the Lord Jesus Christ?
They do not devote themselves to the wholesome words, the beneficial words that are namely the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And this does not simply apply to the direct quotes of Christ given in the Gospel’s but all the words that He has given us as the author of Scripture.
The words of our Lord Jesus Christ refer to any revelation given to us and particularly, most particularly, the New Testament revelation.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
The Scripture is the Words of Christ.
So what he is saying here is, first of all, they affirm things different than Scripture.
And secondly, the deny things in Scripture.
This how you mark them, this is how you identify them.
They do not accept certain things taught in the Word of God and they also add things to the Word of God.
So, the pathology of the false is that they deny true doctrines of the Scripture.
Then they do not devote themselves to the healthy words of Christ.
Beware of those teachers that spend must time telling you “extra” things that are not really found in the Scripture.
They dilute the truth of Scripture, which alone are the healthy words the believer needs.
They are not commited to the Scripture and that is how you mark them out.
The Scriptures are the beginning and the ending of God’s revelation and all that we are to teach is contained within its pages.
C. Their Dialogue (vs. 3c)
C. Their Dialogue (vs. 3c)
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
The healthy words that they are not devoted to hinders the doctrine that leads to godliness.
You see, according to Paul, the area of our Christian life that really leads to godliness is the Doctrine that is taught, because doctrine informs everything else about our lives.
You see, the ultimate test of a teacher is what does it produce?
Teaching Biblical doctrine, according to Paul, will bring about the product of godliness.
The ultimate test of truth is resulting godliness.
The Word of God will produce healthy spiritual behavior.
The Word of God will bring truth to bear on a life that results in godliness.
But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Pathology of False Teachers
Now listen, error can never produce godliness. What do we mean by godliness? Reverence, piety, but simply to be like God, to be like Christ. False teaching, heresy, error cannot produce Christ likeness. Only the truth of God can do that.
So, the ultimate test of a teacher’s teaching is to take a look at his or her life; does their teaching produce godliness in their life; did not say that they did not make mistakes, but is the consistent practice of their life a desire to please God and to be a godly man or woman.
Take a look at the fruit of their life.
Are they concerned with prestige and recognition and power and popularity?
Are they self-centered, self-indulgent, self-gratifying?
If so, those are the things that are not produced by truth but produced by lies.
So, what is the pathology of false teachers?
Look at their Preaching/Teaching.
And when you look at their preaching/teaching in the pathology of false teachers, first of all they say things different than the Scriptures.
Secondly, they deny things the Scriptures say.
Thirdly, what they teach does not produce godliness.
John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Pathology of False Teachers
Peter describes their barren lives, their godlessness in vivid terms. In 2 Peter 2, let me tell you some of the things he says. They indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires. They are daring and self-willed. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. In other words they carouse and sin in broad daylight.
They are stains and blemishes or scabs and filth spots, as the Greek says, reveling in their deceptions as they carouse. They have eyes full of adultery and that never cease from sin. They are a cursed children. They entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality. They are like dogs who lick their own vomit and pigs who wallow in their own muck.
False Teachers are known by what they deny and are known what they are affirm; what they deny and what they are not devoted to.
And it is seen in their Preaching.