The Danger of a False Teacher.

As we’ve mentioned already, the book of 1 Timothy is all about order in the church. It sets forth many of the “House Rules” for the form and function of the local church. In the text that we have just read together, Paul gets right to work giving direction to his young protege Timothy, regarding the work that laid ahead of him in the church at Ephesus.

We don’t know exactly when the church at Ephesus was founded. We do know, that Paul’s missionary partners, a couple named Priscilla and Aquila were involved in it’s infancy when Paul dropped them off there during a brief stop on his way to Antioch (c.A.D.52) during his second missionary journey , and very likely were the ones who actually planted the church. (Acts 18:18-22) When Paul returned to Ephesus, he found a small nucleus of people and he began a nearly three year long ministry in Ephesus preaching in the Jewish synagogue and the the School of Tyrannus. (Acts 19:8-10) Paul’s ministry in Ephesus was strong and many people came to Christ. So many in fact, that it shut down the idol crafting industry. (Acts 19) During that time in Ephesus, the Ephesian church became a strong and powerful church. So much so that Ephesus became the command center and home base for Paul’s evangelism into Asia Minor.

In Paul’s last meeting with the Elders at the Ephesian church, he gave them a chilling warning.

Acts 20:25–31 NKJV

25 “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

Paul’s first letter to Timothy is written only about five years later and trouble had already come to the church at Ephesus. Those “savage wolves” Paul had warned them about had, in fact, crept in and started to propagate their false teachings. So, Paul’s first instruction to Timothy was to defend against these false teachers.

There is nothing that will do more harm to a church than a false teacher gaining a foot hold in it. They can do much damage to the Kingdom of God and even lead souls away from Christ and into Hell. The church must be on constant guard against false teaching and must correct false teachers when they arrive.

But, how is a church able to spot a false teacher? What should we be on guard against so we do not succumb to false teaching?

Those questions are answered for us in our text this morning? There are five things that a false teacher does in a church and knowing them will help us to guard against them even here at Heritage Winchester.

1.) False teachers profess a different doctrine. (v.3)

The Ephesian church was in great trouble because of the false teaching. They needed Timothy’s gospel leadership badly. The situation was dire, false teaching set loose in a church is a very serious matter and can’t be ignored. It must be handled swiftly and decisively.

Timothy, it seems, may have felt that he was not up to the task that Paul had given him. It may even be the case that Timothy wanted to join Paul in Macedonia until Paul was able to return to Ephesus to handle the problem himself.

But notice, Paul says “This is why I urged you” We could even say “This is why I begged you” to stay in Ephesus. The problem couldn't wait, it had to be dealt with immediately.

“Little lions become big lions and big lions always kill.”

The lion was set loose in the church and needed to be stopped before it could do anymore harm.

Now, notice Paul’s language here in the second part of vs.3 he says “that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine.”

Charge- Military term. To pass commands down through the ranks.

Not namby pamby “ok guys, you really need to stop. But “STOP!!!!!!!!!!”

Timothy was to command these false teachers to stop and if they refused he was to give orders to the church body to handle them by putting them out.

Paul’s instruction to Timothy tells us the Ephesian elders had not listened to Paul’s warning about false teachers and they hadn’t insisted on maintaining gospel purity and had allowed God’s word to be corrupted.

Timothy was to command/charge these teachers and leaders to preach no other doctrine than the doctrine given to them by Paul which was the Word of God.

We do not have the right to add to or take away from the pure doctrine found in the Bible. Nor do we have the right to invent new teachings or interpretations of God’s Word. We don’t get to “improve upon”, “correct”, change or alter the clear teaching of scripture. We are to stand upon God’s Word as our ultimate authority for faith and practice and call out those who would dare pervert the truth of scripture.

Jude 3 NKJV

3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

Galatians 1:6–9 NKJV

6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

2.) False teachers devote themselves to endless speculation and controversy. (v.4)

Look at Pauls description of the false teaching at Ephesus:

1 Timothy 1:4 NKJV

4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.

Fables and endless genealogies- We might say “legends and fanciful stories manufactured by men.” Fables refers to all forms of false and fictional doctrines.

These exist today, our world is filled with many false ideas about God and the Lord Jesus. Mormons, JW’s, the new age movement etc are all filled with myths and fables regarding Jesus. These are doctrines of men, speculation, fables, fictional stories and outright falsehoods.

Exactly what myths were being taught or how exactly these false teachers in Ephesus were using genealogies is not clearly explained to us in scripture. Whatever form it took, it was contrary to the truth. We can gather that it had elements of Judaism in it.

The Jewish people in this day put a lot of comfort and stock in their lineages. They seemed to think that the godliness of their forefathers somehow carried them extra favor with God. The more godly forefathers they had in their family history, the more prestigious they felt before God and in the eyes of others.

Notice Paul says “endless genealogies”- apparently they were spending inordinate amount of time structuring and discussing their ancestors and how that meant they were something special before God.

Perhaps these false teachers were spending time in the church:

Stressing family heritage of Christ, causing people to depend upon their family history instead of trusting in Christ.

Spending time collecting genealogies, than they were spending edifying and building up the church through the teaching of scripture.

Concentrating on questions and theories rather than building each other up through encouraging godly behavior.

Listen, when I say this, to rely on anything other than the Jesus of the Bible is to believe in another gospel that will only lead to destruction. The only thing that can save your soul from Hell is to place your faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

You cant depend on someone else's faith, family history or even the fact you're an American it has to be your faith in Christ alone.

“Being born in America does not make you a Christian any more than being born in a garage makes you a car.”- Billy Graham

When we spend our time on made up doctrines of men and speculation eternity in heaven will pass us by.

False teachers profess a different doctrine. (v.3)

False teachers devote themselves to endless speculation and controversy. (v.4)

3.) False teachers put pointless discussion above love. (v.5-6)

All of God’s commands can come down to two statements: Love God and love others.

Matthew 22:36–40 NKJV

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Love here is Agape- the love of God, willful and benevolent love. The kind of love that only comes when our hearts are pure before the Lord.

The great call of God for those who are his children is:

To grow in the love of God.

To love each other as the family of God.

To love the lost of this world so much that we are driven to share the gospel with them.

Notice with me where Paul says that this kind of love comes from:

A pure heart (v.5)- This is a heart that has been forgiven by God and cleansed from sin. A heart that isn't weighed down by selfishness, worldliness, envy, covetousness and immorality.

A good conscience (v.5)- This is a conscience that knows there is nothing between us and God, or between us and others. That knows it has been faithful to God’s word and not knowingly taught error.

A sincere faith (v.5)- Faith that is set on the Lord and his word. That Holds firm to God’s word, that trusts, teaches and obeys Gods word only to the best of their ability.

This is the opposite of what false teachers do. notice what vs.6 says

1 Timothy 1:6 NKJV

6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk,

False doctrine doesn't promote love, it only promotes controversy and strife. It creates confusion, breeds snobbishness, hatred and distrust. But, sound doctrine produces a dynamic love that produces joyful worship of God and active love for his bride.

False teachers profess a different doctrine. (v.3)

False teachers devote themselves to endless speculation and controversy. (v.4)

3. False teachers put pointless discussion above love. (v.5-6)

4.) False teachers put ambition and personal ideas above the truth. (v.7)

Their desire isn't to faithfully proclaim the truth but to become famous. So they disregard the truth in order to gain notoriety and acceptance. They allow their ambition to cloud their understanding of the truth.

William Barclay points out that the false teacher who is ambitious often …

• demonstrates arrogance instead of humility.

• focuses upon teaching rather than learning.

• looks down upon simple-minded people.

• regards those who do not agree with his conclusions as ignorant fools.

William Barclay. The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. “The Daily Study Bible.” (Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster Press, 1959), p. 37.

Jesus put it this way:

Matthew 15:9 NKJV

9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

Titus 1:11 NKJV

11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.

Folks, we must always remember that our only reliable source of ultimate truth is the Bible. If the teaching of a pastor, preacher or teacher doesn't line up with the clear truth of God’s word it must be disregarded.

Preaching the Bible as it is, may not be fancy and it won’t always garner attention and notoriety, but we must remain faithful to it.

The Ephesian elders had strayed from faithfully teaching God’s word in order to gain fame and prominence. BE careful riding the latest religious wave or book to come along. Just because a teacher is prominent or famous doesn't mean they are faithful.

False teachers profess a different doctrine. (v.3)

False teachers devote themselves to endless speculation and controversy. (v.4)

3. False teachers put pointless discussion above love. (v.5-6)

4. False teachers put ambition and personal ideas above truth. (V.7)

5.) False teachers promote self-righteousness above the Gospel. (v.8-11)

These verses shine a little more light on what the false teaching was that was being spread in the Ephesian church. The false teachers were teaching that salvation came by faith in Christ plus adherence to the law.

We must understand that the law was good and there is nothing wrong with doing good. But, there is a great deal wrong with thinking and teaching that a person can do enough good deeds and threby make himself acceptable to God. It’s not possible according to the Bible.

Romans 3:10 NKJV

10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;

Romans 3:23 NKJV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

The reason God gave his law in the Old Testament was not to show man how righteous he could be, but to show man just how far short of God’s glory he actually is. How unrighteous we are before God and to show us just how much we need the grace and mercy of God to cover us.

God gave the law to show man his need of a savior and to point us to the Lord Jesus.

These false teachers failed to see this and were preaching works righteousness. That somehow we could be good enough and demonstrate enough self righteousness to merit eternal life from God apart from Christ.

Paul gives Timothy a list here of just who the law was given for and this law covers the entirety of humanity.

To the lawless and disobedient (rebellious): all who fail to live as God wills and commands.

To the ungodly and sinners: all who act contrary to God’s nature and come short of perfection.

To the unholy and profane: all who refuse to set their lives apart to God and dedicate themselves to God; who exalt themselves and this world above God and the spiritual world.

To those who would murder and kill.

To fornicators and homosexuals.

To kidnappers.

To liars those who commit perjury.

To those who believe anything else that is contrary to the sound doctrine (teaching) of God’s Word.

Every human being who has ever lived needs the law to show us that we cannot save ourselves. That every man stands unrighteous before a righteous and holy God. Righteousness doesn't come through the law. False teachers fail to see this and emphasize works over faith in Christ.

The gospel is God’s measuring rod, not mans good deeds. The only way for a person to be made acceptable to God is to come to faith in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 NKJV

3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

1 Peter 2:24 NKJV

24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

False teachers profess a different doctrine. (v.3)

False teachers devote themselves to endless speculation and controversy. (v.4)

3. False teachers put pointless discussion above love. (v.5-6)

4. False teachers put ambition and personal ideas above truth. (V.7)

5. False teachers promote self righteousness above the gospel. (v.8-11)

Conclusion:

False teaching and false teachers are a cancer to the body of Christ and must be identified and rooted out. That was Paul’s chard to Timothy. Find these false teachers, heres how you know they are false teachers.

Have you believed in the lies of a false teacher as it relates to eternity? Place your faith in Christ today.