Matthew 7:15 says, “Beware of false prophets.” In the King James Version and in the New International Version it says, “Watch out for false prophets.” The fact that Jesus uses language like “beware” or “watch out” should grab our attention so that we meditate on the importance of these words.
Having an unbalanced false Christian would be bad enough, but when they are a leader, teacher, or pastor, Jesus considered this dangerous enough to compare them to a ravenous wolf. We, then, should take notice. Wolves are cunning and will do whatever it takes to get to the sheep. To have a ferocious and dangerous wolf who looks like a sheep would be horrible and the consequences would be damaging.
Test the Spirits
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1 (NIV)
Now obviously anyone who comes out and openly denies the incarnation of Christ is a false prophet. Jesus said to watch out because they will be crafty and cunning. Therefore, we must test the spirits. Test their spirit by the Holy Spirit and Scripture.
False prophets are often great, charismatic speakers with the ability to hold people's attention. But being a great speaker doesn’t mean that you are preaching the truth.
Also, false teachers will often twist the Scripture to accommodate their point, or to make their message sound interesting or compelling. Twisting the Scripture is the definition of a false teacher.
The American church is full of charismatic preachers who are great speakers but poor expositors of the Scripture, and yet proclaiming the Scripture is what we have been called to do.
The Love of Money
One of the greatest indicators of a false teacher is the love of money. Money isn’t evil and living in poverty doesn’t make you holy, but greed and the love of money is a light into the heart of a man who is corrupt.
Some pastors are so bold and arrogant that they unashamedly say that the gospel leads to worldly wealth. But even those who are too crafty to come right out and say it are exposed by their actions and by the opulent and shameful ways that they live.
These men preach a message of worldly success in place of the gospel because this is what is in their hearts. Some are blatant and completely heretical, while others have let this creep into their church but haven’t been consumed by it.
“For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain…” Titus 1:7 (ESV)
The reason why many in the church accept this heresy instead of rebuking it, is because deep down they are also greedy for gain. Repeatedly in the New Testament we are told to beware of the pitfalls that come with money and that pastors shouldn’t use the gospel for a means to achieve financial gain. But just like any desire of our heart, out of that abundance our mouth will speak.
A Society of Greed
American culture admires greed and measures success by the size of your house, the kind of car you drive, and the amount of money you have in the bank.
In our culture there is no shortage of men who write books, have websites, and advertise on television their personal systems and programs that will help you achieve success and wealth. Of course, a lot of these men have become rich merely on the idea that they had a system to make others rich.
Unfortunately, this attitude can infiltrate the church. False teachers and charlatans have always been around and will always be until Christ returns. With the rise of televangelism, celebrity preachers, and cult of personality-style Christianity, the door has been opened to every kind of false teacher.
We are not only a society of greed, but we also worship at the altar of celebrity, and much of Christianity is no different. Some celebrity preachers freely promote non-biblical concepts and loosely say questionable things that fifty years ago would have been called heresy by mainstream Christianity.
Now, due to our worship of celebrity, we will discount nearly anything said by a preacher who is famous. Many preachers look like rock stars of high fashion and have immersed themselves so deeply into worldly culture you wouldn’t be able to separate them from any other worldly celebrity, either by their words or their deeds.
False Teachers
What about living far above reproach, or maintaining a humble lifestyle that honors God? There are too many kinds of false teachers to try and lump them all in together, but this much is clear: Any time a preacher twists Scripture to accommodate his teaching or lifestyle, anytime a message is preached that is not compatible with Scripture, anytime a preacher does anything that undermines the words of Jesus, as revealed in the Scripture, that reveals a false teacher.
Many times, we refuse to call someone a false teacher because we try to discern their intentions rather than what they teach. However, just because they might be deceived as well, doesn’t make them any less of a false teacher.
Jesus told us to watch out for them, to beware of them, so in obedience to him, we should do exactly that. Using marketing to sell Jesus as a means to success is anti-biblical and in contrast to the teaching of the Scripture.
Not all pastors in America have fallen into this trap; I wouldn't even say that most have. The presence of those who have fallen into this trap cast such a large shadow over the church, it’s sometimes difficult to see beyond it. It is a real temptation for every pastor to fall into this. That is why we must be people of the Scripture and keep our eyes fixed firmly on Jesus.
Live Above Reproach
Let’s be clear. I am not saying money is good or bad. It depends on the place it has in your life. I am saying that pastors and preachers have a special responsibility to live far above reproach and distance themselves from the pursuit, or even the appearance of the pursuit, of riches.
Preachers who are obsessed with preaching about money show what is truly in their hearts. Using giving to the church and tithing as a scheme to teach people if they give they will achieve financial gain, is manipulation to say the least.
Anyone who gives to receive has already shown that their hearts are corrupt. If you are giving to be rewarded, you have already received your reward. Give because God commands you to, not because you think that tithing will make you rich or bless you with financial increase.
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Luke 16:13 (NIV)
Godliness Over Greed and Gain
Greed is one of the greatest open gates that welcomes wolves into the sheep pen. Not just the greed of the false teacher or preacher, but the greed of the people who desire to hear that gain is godliness. You cannot serve both God and money.
Think of a famous preacher who always preaches about financial gain as blessing and makes excuses for their opulence and lavish lifestyles, their mansions, sports cars, and lives of luxury and compare them to the words of the apostle Paul in 1 Timothy.
“If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:3-10 (NIV)
Paul says that godliness with contentment is great gain and that we should be content with food and the clothes on our backs. He also says that people who think that godliness is gain have been robbed of the truth. Paul says in this Scripture that anyone who teaches otherwise does not agree with the sound instruction of the Lord Jesus because they are conceited and understand nothing.
The love of celebrity, power, and influence just exposes a heart of greed. False teachers have this heart, but so do the people who sit under them clamoring to be comforted in their compromise and affirmed in their own greed.
In Christ,
Pastor Joshua
Joshua West is a pastor, evangelist, and author. He is also director of the World Challenge Pastors Network
