8749 false teachers
Dictionary of Bible Themes

Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  8000 The life of the believer  »  8700 Threats to the life of faith  »  8749 false teachers

Those who teach error and in so doing lead others astray. They are to be distinguished from false prophets who are equally condemned in Scripture.

The OT prophets warned God's people against being led astray by false teachers

Isaiah 9:16; Ezekiel 34:2 See also Isaiah 3:12; Isaiah 8:20; Jeremiah 2:8; Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 23:1; Ezekiel 22:26; Malachi 2:7-8

Jesus Christ condemned false teachers

He opposed legalism and hypocrisy

Matthew 5:19

He identified the teachers of the law and Pharisees as false teachers

Matthew 23:1-33 pp Luke 11:42-52 See also Matthew 15:14

He warned his followers against them

Matthew 16:6,12 pp Mark 8:15 pp Luke 12:1

The condemnation of false teachers in the early church

Paul urges his readers to avoid false teachers

1 Timothy 6:3-6 See also Acts 20:29-31; Romans 16:17-18; 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 The Corinthian church had been undiscerningly tolerant of Jewish deceivers in their midst; Ephesians 4:14

The Colossian heresy taught that the combination of faith in Jesus Christ with man-made regulations was necessary for salvation:

Colossians 2:4,8

Paul warns against the heretical teachers in the Ephesian church:

1 Timothy 1:3-4,7 1 Timothy 4:1-3; Timothy 6:20-21; Titus 1:10-11; Hebrews 13:9; 2Jn 9-10

The Nicolaitans:

Revelation 2:6,15 Revelation 2:14 the followers of Balaam; Revelation 2:20

Hymenaeus and Philetus are cited as examples of false teachers

2 Timothy 2:17-18

Those who teach will be judged particularly strictly

James 3:1 See also 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Galatians 1:6-9; Galatians 5:10

See also

5509  rulers
5804  charm
5863  flattery
7464  teachers of the law
7550  Pharisees
7766  priests
7784  shepherd
7797  teaching
8704  apostasy
8750  false teachings
8751  false witness
8766  heresies



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