10 TELLS OF FALSE TEACHERS: #1

Every book in the New Testament addresses false teachings or false teachers but one (Philemon). This series of blog posts will outline ten biblically sourced "tells," shared to help you discern truth from error and to determine if you are dealing with someone spreading deceptive doctrine.

Note: These posts are designed to share Truth, complete with scriptural references. While examples of modern-day false teachings are provided in general terms, know that in any given season, false doctrine will change. It transforms with the culture. Therefore, it's most beneficial to understand Truth rather than spend energy debating specific false doctrine or calling out specific false teachers. New false teachings and generations of false teachers will rise and fall like fads. So we must stay focused on Jesus, contend for the faith, and read the Bible for ourselves to be grounded in Truth.

Tell #1:

False teachers will distort God's Word by either adding to it, omitting parts of it, or disregarding the context of Scripture—or ignoring the entirety of Scripture that speaks to a certain topic—to suit their false doctrine or ideology. In doing so, they might use arguments from cherry-picked Scripture to claim certain activities or lifestyles are not sinful but acceptable to Jesus.

From its beginning to its end, God's Word is clear about our ability to, the temptation to, and any right we have regarding twisting, adding to, or removing text from Scripture.

In three words: we better not.

Deuteronomy 4:2: "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you."

Deuteronomy 12:32: “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it."

Revelation 22:18–19: "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book."

Today, as theologian John MacArthur put it, the biblical Canon is closed. The truth is that there are no new revelations, no more relevant or more intimate truth than what is already recorded in Scripture.

The verse that speaks most specifically to those who try to twist, add to, or ignore parts of Scripture calls such people liars. It is found in Proverbs.

The reason this is important is that false teachers will use this very tactic to collect their flock—the professing Christians who will be led astray, perhaps into damnation.

First John 4:1 says, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."

The way to do this (test the spirits and discern false teachers) is by comparing what they say or teach to the Word of God.

Example: Progressive Christianity often reinterprets Scripture to align with cultural values and trends, rather than letting the Bible define right and wrong. Progressive Christians often place feelings, experiences, and societal "movements" above the Word of God.

We can only know the contents of the Bible by reading it for ourselves. Second Timothy 3:16-17 tells us "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

And it's not just reading we must do. It's studying. Second Peter 1:19 says, "And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts."

And Hebrews 4:12 says the Bible is "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

As Bible teacher Paige Brown says, "It's the heart, stupid," meaning our hearts must be aligned with God, including with the Truth of God, if we are to avoid falling into apostasy (rejecting absolute Truth).

It's not just adding or taking away words that is sinful. Correct interpretation matters. Second Peter 1:20 says, "Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation."

Second Peter 2:1 warns us: "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction."

Exegesis and eisegesis are contrasting approaches to interpreting Scripture.

Exegesis aims to draw meaning "out of" the passage, letting the grammatical structure, historical context, and authorial intent shape the understanding. Second Timothy 2:15 directs us to “Be diligent to present yourself approved by God ... correctly handling the word of truth.”

By contrast, eisegesis reads personal biases "into" passages, superimposing our feelings and experiences, or cultural definitions over God's Word to massage its meaning and relevance to fit what we want.

These terms are especially relevant when teaching Scripture because the integrity of biblical interpretation rests on whether individuals allow the text’s context and purpose to guide them or whether they impose alternative meanings, which the original authors did not intend.

So, fellow Christian, please read the Bible, yes. But also, study the Bible. Neither add to it nor delete from it. Surely, don't twist it. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your interpretation.

While Revelation 1:3 is likely specific to the contents of this final book of the Bible, written by the apostle John at the direction of the Lord and to humanity, concerning the end times, it would be wise to do what it says with the entirety of Scripture: "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near" (emphasis mine). The word keep in this context means "to protect, to guard."

Guard your heart, protect your soul, by keeping Scripture.

** Check out Loving Them to Death: How a Deceptive Definition of Love Fuels False Teachings' Fast Spread, an Amazon best-seller in Christian Discipleship.

*** Images created with the help of Grok to avoid identifying real people and create symbolic illustrations.