I am not one to see a legion in every pig or a snake in every garden. But through studying the Word of God and observing many modern preachers I can boldly declare in the full confidence and blessing of God that there are wolves disguised as sheep amongst our flocks! Though there are many wolves in the woods and fields of secularism and false religions, I am afraid that there are some who have wandered out of those territories looking for food and have entered into our own pastures.

False teachers can be distinctly defined because their characteristics are obvious enough and are clearly outlined in scripture. Yet it seems that so few believers recognize them in these modern times. The True Shepherd spoke much on this issue, yet it seems to be a greatly neglected subject today as though our generation is exempt and our Churches are not in any danger of false teachers.

Many Churches have let down the walls of discernment and thus become spiritually broken down cities being trampled upon by the enemy. Our hearts must become as Jeremiahs who said "My heart within me is broken because of the prophets". (Jer 23:9).

Every single minister must be measured by the Word of God and not by their degrees or popularity. No minister should be exempt from this. No other tool can adequately measure a minister then the Holy Scriptures. We should be so familiar with the truth that when false teaching and false teachers are seen and heard by us they will stick out as black sheep and be automatically recognized. If we do not know the Word of God we will not recognize the lies of Satan. Many modern ministers would certainly be in big trouble if those in the pews actually started reading their Bibles as they should.

Ezekiel's ministry was sure not to be a popular one when he was told to "prophecy against the prophets…who prophesy out of their own hearts." (Ez 13:2). It's time that we also risk our reputations and "prophecy against the prophets" that appear to be helping the body of Christ, but when in actuality they are gravely hurting the body of Christ. This is not a "naming names" article - there would be too many names to name, but it clearly reveals scriptural characteristics to equip every Christian to individually examine ministers.

While working on this message I awoke in the middle of the night after tossing, turning, and even sweating under the fear and torment of the thought that I myself was a heretic for writing a message such as this. Then I realized that this overwhelming fear was the handiwork of the accuser. I began to rest in the fact that all the points made are backed up by the truth of the Word. It is my hope and prayer that this message hits the devil hard and that it becomes a thorn in his side.

Their appearance:

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matt 7:15)

"Oh I'm not too worried about false prophets. I'm sure I'll recognize them when I see them" someone might think to themselves. You don't know the nature of deception. Recognizing false teachers is not easily done, considering that they have the appearance of being sheep.

The mission of a deceiver is to deceive. Deceivers will not always appear deceptive, or else they would never be able to deceive anyone. Their lies will always be disguised as truth. Beware because their charm will be enticing and their glamour blinding for those who refuse to be discerning.

The neighbors of caught serial killers always say "I just can't believe that he could commit such a horrendous act. I knew him personally; he was such a nice guy." Likewise when a nice, friendly, commercial smiley preacher teaches doctrines which are contrary to the Word of God, his followers defend him by saying "Oh but he's just so sincere and genuine." Be careful. Appearance can be quite deceiving. "Never judge a book by its cover" and never judge a man by his outward appearance. (John 7:24). He may look like a fellow believer outwardly, but inwardly he is a wolf who is out for himself and not for the flock. Often they will look better and more successful than everyone else, portraying the image that everyone would want to be like. Their grass many look greener and their water clearer, but they are poisoned with lies and seasoned with deceit.

Their reputation:

"Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets." (Lu 6:26)

It would seem that the very ones that the earth respects and adores are the very ones that Heaven rejects and abhors. You must always be cautious when you hear men highly singing the praises of a certain minister and telling you how wonderful he truly is. There is a problem if all men speak well of him. It seems to be often that those whom everyone speaks nasty of are the ones that I find uncompromisingly preaching the Word of God. The top concern of a false teacher is to please man while the interest of a true and faithful witness is to please God. Those who please man often do not please God, and those who please God often do not please man. The popular minister is not like Christ who was thrown out of the synagogues, who even foretold to those who follow Him "They will put you out of the synagogues" as well. (John 16:2).

All of God's greatest men have been some of the most hated men. Martin Luther who started the Protestant movement, John Wesley and George Whitefield who founded early Methodism and sparked some of the great revivals of history, William & Catherine Booth who formed and led the Salvation Army - were all people who were kicked out of the established Church of their day. If a "good" name or a "good" reputation automatically meant a good preacher, then what about the early Church that was "spoken against everywhere"? (Ac 28:22) Consider the perception of the people who observed both Jeremiah and the false prophets. While Jeremiah shouted "violence and plunder" (Jer 20:8), the false prophets gently spoke of "peace, peace". (Jer 6:14). How odd, how strange, how abrasive, Jeremiah must have appeared to the onlookers. He was wrongly thought of as being negative, condemning, and judgmental compared to the easy, tolerant, smooth talking prophets of his day. Jeremiahs spoke the words that shattered like a hammer. The false prophets spoke soft words that couldn't prick even the strongest conscience. Their messages may drip honey and their words are smoother then oil but their feet go down to death and their doctrines lay hold of hell. I am thoroughly convinced that a minister will be rejected by Heaven if he is accepted by the world, "for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? (2Co 6:14) I can not think of a single minister of God in the New Testament that got along with the world. Most of them ended up being martyred. Those who get along with the world must not be getting along with the God who the world has rejected. A false teacher will be allowed to preach even on the vilest of TV channels. You can expect to find their books even in secular stores and hear their messages of "How to never be hurt again" and "Walking in the anointing of wealth" on secular channels like I have seen. A false teacher will have the stamp of approval of the devil, the stamp of approval of the world, but will not have the stamp of approval of Heaven. The only thing Heaven will stamp on them will be the words "Depart".

The false teachers will reign high and lifted up on the mountains of acceptance while the true and faithful are forced into the desert of rejection, soon to be imprisoned and beheaded. Even the most bizarre "prophetic" words are being well received while the foundational and biblical message of "repent" is entirely neglected and largely ignored. Rather then being salt we have many candy-land preachers who are serving the never-satisfied bellies of men. "The prophets prophecy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and my people love to have it so." (Jer 5:31).

Their message:

"For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, Saying, Peace, peace! When there is no peace" (Jer. 8:11, Eze 13:16)

Jeremiah's message and the message of the other prophets stand in sharp contrast. As Jeremiah shouted his message of "violence and plunder" for Israel if they didn't repent and turn back to God, the other prophets came with a message of peace and prosperity for the wicked and backslidden nation. They became very popular.They gave false hope and false peace... They make those who are in terrible danger of hell feel as though they were in secure safety on a cruise ship to Heaven. The refreshment which they give is a delusion and the comfort they give is imaginary. They will prophecy lies and deceit to sooth those who are on their way to eternal destruction.

In David Kirkwood's book called "The Great Gospel Deception" he wrote, "Of course, no teacher in the church is going to stand up and declare that what he is teaching is contrary to the New Testament. Rather, he will neglect certain important scriptures and twist others to persuade his constituency that he is teaching the truth."

The deceptive part is that they will appear to be preaching grace, but it's another grace. They appear to be preaching the gospel, but it's another gospel. They appear to be preaching Christ, but it's another Christ. The subtlety is so deceptive that few are able to make the distinction.

A false teacher will tell his people whatever it is that they want to hear. They will play the chameleon and will always be politically correct. They avoid any truth, no matter how important, that could be controversial or could rock the boat. They are peace-keepers, not peace-makers. Their messages keeps the peace between themselves and men rather then creating peace between men and God. Their messages are always pleasant and easy to swallow, intentionally avoiding the heavy and hard Scriptures in the Bible. A false teacher goes with the crowd. God's men, more often then not, go against it!

A great preacher once said "heresy is highly exalting one biblical truth over the rest, so that other biblical truths become neglected. "False teachers speak only of blessing, prosperity, and the favor of God but will not touch on Gods righteous wrath or His holy indignation. They promise an easy life, Christ promises a crucified life. They serve the flesh as opposed to serving The Spirit. They appeal to the greedy heart of man as opposed to the conscience. The days in which Paul warned about are devastatingly upon us, though few seem to recognize it. "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; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. " (2 Ti 4:3-4).

Their messages will manipulate Scriptures to mean the exact opposite of what it was originally for. "Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap" (Gal 6:7) is often used when a preacher is begging for money. However in context this particular scripture has nothing to do with money but everything to do with death and life. The following verse says: "For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." (Gal 6:8). Whatever happened to freely giving and expecting nothing back? Modern preachers will teach "give and expect your blessing back!" Giving to get is greedy giving.

How many of these hot-shot prosperity preachers can say with the great Apostle Paul, "To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless"? (1 Cor 4:11)

So rather then preaching life eternal, many are preaching life enhancement. Rather then preaching deliverance from sin and hell, they preach deliverance from suffering and hurt. Ray Comfort wrote "The modern gospel has degenerated into means of happiness, rather than one of righteousness."

Their audience:

"Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many." (Mt 24:11)

The pulpit-less street corner preachers are often viewed as being false preachers while those with large mega churches are thought of as having "the blessing and anointing of God". This again is judging by outward appearance and by the worldly standard of success as opposed to judging the content of their message by the Scriptures. If John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness, or Jesus Christ came preaching on the hill top, or the Apostle Paul came preaching in the market place, I wonder what modern Christianity would think of them? It says that "many" false teachers will "deceive many". This means that they will have many followers, even enough to fill a mega-Church. If we measure a man's anointing or the blessing of God on a ministry by how many people believe in the message and the messenger, then the false prophets in the Old Testament would be from God and men like Jeremiah would be considered a liar.

"For false christ's and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." (Mr 13:22) A false teacher will deceive both the sinful and the uneducated. Their audience will be made up of both sinners and saints. They appeal to the sinner because sinners never are made to feel bad about their lifestyles, but rather are given false hope and false peace. They appeal to the saint because they appear to be the real deal; they are wearing sheep's clothing though they are wolves. "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light." (2 Cor 11:13-14) May this ring in our ears and sting in our hearts!

Their Motive:

"Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?" (Ezekiel 34:2)

A false teacher has an eye on people's bank accounts while a true preacher has his eyes on eternity. False teachers may have the appearance of loving people, yet they are truly only concerned about themselves to further and enhance their own processions and careers. They feed themselves when they need to be feeding the flocks. They skin the sheep alive to clothe themselves, leaving the sheep beaten, battered, and bloody to die. Paul was "poor, yet making many rich" (2 Co 6:10) while these men are rich by making many poor! With their manipulating words and twisting of scriptures they ransack and plunder the pockets of unsuspecting people to line their own.

Leonard Ravenhill wrote: "Preachers who have homes and cottages by the lake, a boat on that lake, and a big bank balance, still beg for more…These dear, doll-like preachers-boys no longer change their suits once a day, but two or three times a day. They preach the Jesus of the stables, but themselves live in swank hotels. For their own lusts they bleed the audience financially in the name of the One who had to borrow a penny to illustrate His sermon. They wear expensive Hollywood suits in honor of One who wore a peasant's robe… How fearful will all this be in the judgment morning?"

A true preacher speaks for God while a false preacher speaks for himself. "There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof." (Ezekiel 22:25). The ingredients that make up their ministries are: greed, covetousness, jealousy, lies, and selfishness. Because they are self seeking and self serving, their followers are the same.

A false teacher may preach a message saturated with truth, but it will be seasoned with lies. They will use the Bible and speak the name of Christ. Their Christian language will be the same as ours, and that is their deception. Even the devil lies with half truths! These men may encourage people to go after God, but will not convict people of their sin. A preacher is "to exhort and convict those who contradict." (1 Tim 1:9). They never warn people that their sin is destructive to their life, deadly to their soul, and disgusting to a Holy God. A watchman that does not blow the trumpet when the sword is coming must either be sleeping or not love the city!

Their results:

"And He spoke a parable to them: "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?" (Lu 6:39)

The sad truth is that many modern preachers are empty wells, spoiled milk, and broken bridges. They are captives who promise freedom, slaves who guarantee liberty. "Both prophet and priest are profane; yes, in my house I have found their wickedness' says the Lord." (Jer 23:11) They have a reputation among men for being alive but are just as dead in their sins as the worst of men in the eyes of God.

If they were of God, they would be like God. If they walked with Jesus, they would preach like Jesus. A false teacher will give birth to false converts. "But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings." (Jer 23:22).

They will never, or rarely, speak on the anger and wrath of God because they risks becoming unpopular, so those who sit under these men feel that God accepts them just as they are, and that there is no need for repentance. Many today are being sold forgiveness but not at the cost of repentance. They are promised Heaven yet without holiness. Men need medicine but are receiving candy. "Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life." (Ezekiel 13:22).

A false teacher will turn the grace of God into licenciousness by teaching that God came to save men in their sin, not from their sin. "For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:4). These men ultimately say "Enjoy your sin and enjoy Jesus too". This is the old destructive lie which says Jesus can be your Savior but doesn't have to be your Lord; God is pleased with you even in disobedience. This truly is the modern heresy which has inebriated many. This is the despicable message of freedom to sin rather then freedom from sin. They speak death disguised as life. They lead to bondage cloaked as freedom.

A true shepherd will lead the flock to the pastures of God's word for nourishment, yet these shepherds lead the flock to the slaughter house of false doctrine. A true preacher will lead people to rivers of eternal life to freely drink. Martin Luther wrote: "Those who preach something else than the gospel... may indeed praise themselves ten times with the name of the Apostles, adorn themselves with the name and title of the Christian Church, and even raise the dead. Actually they are horrible wolves and murderers that do not spare the flock of Christ, but scatter, torture, and slaughter it."

The Answer

"But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (2 Tim 4:5).

It was as if Paul was saying "yes, men are preaching lies and will continue to deceive the multitudes. But as for you, preach the truth". We can constantly judge and condemn other ministries, or we can have ministries of our own. It is the truth that will prevail against lies!

David Wilkerson said "We are in a famine in this land. A famine of hearing the Word of the Lord and it's going to get worse, it's going to rage, and many are going to starve spiritually and fall by the wayside on the right and on the left…Name me one Jeremiah type preacher on television. Name me one man who stands unashamedly, not afraid of his income, not afraid of anything! Name one in the media now who's standing up like Jeremiah or John the Baptist! Where are they? Where are the voices? ...The pulpit was meant to be a burning bush, where a fire was never to go out. And the man who stood in that sacred pulpit is suppose to be a man shut in with God, a man who waits on God, in God's presence until he hears the Word of the Lord, until he hears from the throne of God. And he comes out before the people with the mind of God. He's to speak with plainness the Scriptures said, his speech not in the wisdom of man. He's to speak with spiritual authority. He's to be absolutely fearless. He's to name sin. He's to be the voice of the living God in these last days! This is a burning bush!"

If you want to be a true and faithful witness, you must seek to serve the glory of God and not the glory of yourself. You must be out to expand the Kingdom of God and not to expand your own wallet with earthly treasure that will perish anyway. You must be a salty preacher causing mouths to thirst for righteousness and cuts to burn with conviction.

Vance Havner said "God's preacher is not popular...The King sent Micaiah to prison with hard fare prescribed, bread and water of affliction. True prophets are not always rewarded with an increase in salary and a Church downtown. Many of God's Micaiahs still eat his fare."

To answer the well known question of, "Can't we all just get along?" The answer is no. The only way that the world will accept you is if you accept the world. Christ came to cause division. (Matt 10:34). We must be completely for Christ, we can not have any side loyalties to the world. If you want to follow in the way of the Master, kiss the world good-bye!

Throw reputation out the window for the sake of the truth. Endure afflictions, overcome any hardship; persevere through any tribulation to recover even one sheep that has wandered off. Count it a blessing and a joy when you are hated, rejected, spoken badly of, persecuted, and even killed. Live your life with your heart for God's glory. Even if people do not care for you or your message, care for people and their souls. So then, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mk 16:15)

(Written by Jesse Morrell)