THE ANATOMY OF A FALSE TEACHER

Text: Acts 13:1-12.

Delivered on: September 7, 2008. Streetsboro.

INTRODUCTION.

1. We are warned by nearly every New Testament writer about false teachers.

   1. John. 1 John 4:1. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

   2. Paul. Galatians 1:6-7. 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.

   3. Jude. Jude 3-4. 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. ⁴ For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

   4. Our Lord. Matthew 7:15. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

2. Paul had an encounter with a false teacher in Acts 13:6-12. Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, ⁷ who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. ⁹ Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him ¹⁰ and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? ¹¹ And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

3. From this passage and others, we learn a great deal about the anatomy of a false teacher.

BODY.

1. THE FALSE TEACHER’S MOTIVATION.

   1. Position - Status.

      1. Notice that in our passage, Elymas was with the proconsul.

      2. He was a sorcerer.

      3. This suggests to us that he had bewitched the proconsul and enjoyed a privileged position.

      4. Much like Simon. Acts 8:9-11. But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, ¹⁰ to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” ¹¹ And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.

      5. Both of these men were worried about losing their privileged position.

      6. Think of all of those today who are intelligent enough to see the truth but because of their current lofty position in some religious organization, they will not obey.

      7. John 12:42-43. Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; ⁴³ for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

   2. Pride - Number of followers.

      1. Some teach what they teach simply to gather followers.

      2. It is a “pride” thing.

      3. As long as there are people who are looking for watered-down, spineless, weak preaching; someone will be willing to step into that role. 2 Timothy 4:3-4. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; ⁴ and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

      4. I have heard from a source that I trust that when confronted by members of the church for his stance on baptism, Billy Graham admitted that the only reason he taught what he did was because it was what the people wanted to hear.

   3. Pay – Money.

      1. Paul warned that some preach just for the money. Romans 16:17-18. Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. ¹⁸ For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.

      2. Titus 1:10-11. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.

      3. This goes hand in hand with the number of followers. More followers = more money.

      4. The fear of losing his “job” will cause this type of preacher to preach whatever the people want to hear.

      5. His allegiance is not to Christ and His doctrine but to his own belly.

2. THE FALSE TEACHER’S TRUE NATURE.

   1. Notice how Paul described Elymas. Acts 13:10. And said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?

      1. He was full of deceit and fraud.

      2. Son of the devil.

      3. Enemy of all righteousness.

      4. A perverter of the truth.

   2. People such as Billy Graham and Joel Osteen who do not teach the whole truth…

      1. Put on a good show for the masses.

      2. But because of their lack of faithfulness to the word of God, they are enemies of righteousness and sons of the devil.

      3. Jesus warned us of people like this. Matthew 7:15. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

3. THE FALSE TEACHER’S TACTICS.

   1. As Jesus said, they come in sheep’s clothing.

      1. They don’t announce that they are false teachers.

      2. They uses smooth words and appear harmless. Romans 16:18. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.

      3. In many cases, they probably don’t even know that they are false teachers.

      4. But that does not make them any less dangerous, should we follow their error.

   2. Paul said that Elymas perverted the straight ways of the Lord.

      1. This implies then that Elymas was teaching a perverted truth.

      2. False teachers twist the scriptures.

         1. 2 Peter 3:14-16. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; ¹⁵ and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, ¹⁶ as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

         2. 2 Corinthians 4:2. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

      3. There is just enough truth in their lessons to make them dangerous.

      4. Remember that even the Devil quotes scripture. Matthew 4.

         1. Just because a person uses Scripture in a sermon, it does not mean that he is teaching the truth.

         2. He could be misapplying it like the devil.

         3. Or like the Pharisees. Matthew 22:29. Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.

4. THE FALSE TEACHER’S FRUITS.

   1. In Matthew 7:15, Jesus said that we would know false teachers by their fruits.

   2. What are these fruits?

      1. Romans 16:17. Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

         1. Divisions.

         2. Offenses contrary to the doctrine of Christ.

      2. As with Elymas, hindering others from obeying the truth.

         1. Notice that once Elymas was dethroned, Sergius Paulus believed.

         2. When someone today preaches that all you have to do to be saved is pray a little prayer, they are deceiving people (whether knowingly or not) and hindering them from obeying the truth. Just like Elymas.

      3. Destruction. Titus 1:10-11. For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.

         1. Subvert = destroy, overthrow.

         2. False teachers destroy people’s faith.

5. THE CHRISTIAN’S RESPONSE.

   1. Notice Paul’s response. Acts 13:11. And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

   2. We may not be able to strike people blind but we can stop their mouths. Titus 1:11.

      1. We don’t do this by physical or violent means.

      2. We do this by reasoning with them from the Scriptures.

      3. Acts 6:8-10. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹ Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. ¹⁰ And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

      4. Luke 14:6. And they could not answer Him regarding these things.

      5. Acts 18:27-28. And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; ²⁸ for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

   3. Ephesians 5:11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.