Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. (1 Timothy 4:1-3)

The Reality Of False Teachers

Satan is the father of lies. He deceived the woman in the garden of Eden and his onslaught against truth and righteousness has continued unabated. The sad reality is that because of the lies of Satan, most people will be condemned to eternal fire. Jesus told the multitude on the mountain that few would find salvation. Most people will find the broad way an easy path and listening to the sirens of Satan’s whisper will lead them not to life but to damnation. God has never left men without knowledge of the truth. His word has always instructed the way of man but the lust of the flesh and eye and pride of life takes a greater hold on the desires of men. Many souls are lost because of the lusts of the flesh but one of the tools used by Satan is to allow men to believe in God but accept a perverted form of worship.

False teaching is just as effective as tempting a man with the lusts of the flesh. The world is filled with religion in various forms and doctrines tempting men to worship how they believe. Worship is one of the strongest emotions driving men to create systems of belief whether idol worship or a tainted view of worship to Jesus Christ. At the end of the day, man is a deeply religious creation. The difference is what he worships that will determine his eternal destiny and the reality has always been there is only one way to worship. There is one God and one way and one truth. This is the way the world was created. Adam and Eve rejected obedience to God and His way and the truth given by the Creator. They accepted the word of a false doctrine. Sin is the rejection of the word of God for the word of Satan. Today the world is filled with multitudes blindly following a form of worship that serves the will of self rather than the will of God.

Paul warned the early disciples of those who would depart from the faith. That is an astonishing fact that was not easy for the apostle to write. Consider the implications of those who tasted the heavenly gift and tasted the good word of God and then to turn away from salvation. Giving heed to deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons, people will follow the lure of Satan’s call and find nothing but condemnation. They will become hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. That is tragic. It is an eternal consequence. The end is deceived religious people lost in a lake of fire. That seems impossible but it is more reality on a larger scale.

What most people refuse to accept is there is such a thing as false teaching and false teachers. It seems that if a man and woman present a pleasing presence of truth that everyone should accept them as followers of God. The Holy Spirit expressly said that many will arise that will lead the masses to Hell. They will teach things not found in the word of God. This is a reality. The world is filled with religions that deny Jesus as the Son of God. Among the followers of Christ, salvation is offered as nothing more than a feeling. Churches abound throughout the world that teach different doctrines, call themselves by different names, worship God in a variety of ways and all call themselves faithful to God.

The early disciples taught one church, one way, one truth and one avenue of salvation. False teachers will have a person believe it does not matter what is believed. This is a lie. Jesus preached in the sermon on the mount that some religious people will be condemned because they did not follow the will of the Father. Are there false teachers? Yes – lots of them. The truth is found in one book – the Bible. Salvation is found through one man – Jesus Christ. Hope can only be offered in one way – the will of God. If you do not follow the truth you will be lost. Do not follow a man – follow Jesus Christ and His word alone. If it is not in the Bible – IT IS NOT!