During the few years that I have been laboring full-time in the preaching of the Gospel, I have had many encounters with false teachers among churches of Christ.  As a general rule, I wish that most of those encounters never occurred with a few exceptions wherein good had come from them.  Upon those encounters I have observed a few things.  Those few things have been quickly brought to my attention as I deal with yet another false teacher in our area.  Those things I have observed and realized from the scriptures, I hope, will be profitable in sharing.  The first deals with how false teachers like to handle biblical disagreements.

    Jesus warned: (Matthew 5:11-12) “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”  Just recently I have been dealing with one whom I called a friend.  One thing I had to learn in the situation that has recently arisen is, in the words of an older preacher, “do not trust anyone.”  It is a sad day when you cannot trust someone who has supposedly dedicated their lives to the spreading of the greatest truth of all – the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  In my dealings with my “friend” I have had to try and bring him back to the truth on the subject of fellowship.  Instead of this brother dealing with the doctrinal issues, he has sought to involve outside parties and then to spread non-truths to cloud the true issues – doctrine.  Even though countless documents have been supplied to this “brother” showing his allegations are false, he continues to lie.  Why?

    When someone will mishandle the word of God, in this case on the subject matter of fellowship, why would anyone expect them to properly represent the words and accounts of men?  Peter’s inspired description of a false teacher shows us this: (II Peter 2:1-3) “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”  While not every characteristic of a false teacher listed by Peter is shown in every false teacher, they are all certainly mishandling the ultimate truth – the word of God.  Thus, one must consider how far to trust their words, especially if they are words that are somehow involved in pushing their agenda.  The false teacher does not serve our Lord, they serve their “own bellies” (Romans 16:18).  They are out for their own good according to the path they have set before themselves.

    According to Paul, we as Christians should be sticking to the pattern of sound words revealed in the scriptures (II Timothy 1:13 and Titus 2:1).  However, the false teacher often uses terms such as “brethren have taught for years…”   Faithful Christians are not concerned about what our brethren have done in this country as a pattern to follow (Colossians 2:8), they are concerned about the pattern that has been taught by Jesus Christ and those words written by inspired men (II Thessalonians 2:15).  When brethren begin to explain why they do something based upon the actions of men they are simply following a doctrine of men and that was condemned by our Lord (Matthew 15:1-9).  However, when the false teacher is pressed on the matters they try to justify themselves not only by attacking those on the side of the truth, but also by twisting the scriptures.

    In an attempt for the brother who I mentioned earlier in the article to justify his fellowship with false and divisive brethren, he appealed to the fourteenth chapter of the book of Romans.  In his attempt, he wants Paul in Romans 14 to allow the false teacher to push his own agendas and matters of his own conscience.  Paul authorizes in Romans 14 a Christian to choose not to eat meats based upon their conscience, etc.  He restricts one from binding the eating of meats or the eating of herbs (Romans 14:3).  Eating meats or not eating meats will not condemn anyone.  In Paul’s words: (I Corinthians 8:8-9) “But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.  But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.”  However, this one false teacher takes a position that he can fellowship those who are overly strict in their public teaching and his appeal is based upon Romans 14.  As pointed out, Romans 14 restricts us from binding such a matter and Paul later tells Timothy that if one teaches that another cannot eat meats he is teaching a doctrine of demons (I Timothy 4:1-3).

Notice the following excerpt from a brief article by Wayne Goforth:

“Many, not willing to put ALL forms of false doctrine under Romans 14, are nonetheless willing to put ~some~ issues of doctrine under the passage. Some are willing to put issues like the -binding- of containers, artificial coverings, indwelling of the HS, etc. into the context of Romans 14. And, why should they belong there? The Holy Spirit already gave us 15 verses dealing with the covering issue, why not leave it where He did?

Consider that Romans 14 is not dealing with doctrine, but with those of a weak conscience. Those had grown up under a Jewish influence, being told certain meats were wrong. Now in becoming Christians, they KNOW that the eating of meats is allowable (for Paul just settled it in Romans 14). BUT, that doesn't mean that their conscience will yet permit them to do so. However, it is interesting to note that according to Paul in 1Tim 4:3, those that would forbid the eating of meats would be teaching the "doctrine of demons."  In Romans 14:6, Paul speaks of the observing of days being permissible, and yet Gal 4:10 Paul was critical of those who observed Jewish days. Paul did not contradict himself.

This shows clearly that the context of Romans 14 deals with those of a weak conscience rather than weak Faith. Those who BIND matters of personal scruples, are in as much jeopardy as those who loose where God had not. To those who bind or loose a matter of doctrine, John says "Receive Him Not" (2JN 9-11) and to those who practice a matter of private consciencious scruples, Paul says "Receive one another.." Romans 15:7.”

    The false teacher does not care about consistency or context.  For example, one false brother argues that brethren can differ on application of issues like divorce and remarriage.  To be specific, this brother rightly argues that one cannot say if the first person to the courthouse is the guilty mate in a marriage ending for the cause of fornication that removes the innocent mate from the God given right to put away the guilty party for the cause of fornication (Matthew 19:9).  – (This does not mean that one can play the “waiting game” either).  However, the brethren taking the truth on the matter also says he can differ in application with the brother who is overly strict and maintain fellowship.  That is not what the word of God teaches.  The word of God shows that we cannot be more strict or loose than God (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32, Proverbs 30:5-6, Matthew 15:1-9, Galatians 6:6-12, II John 9, and Revelation 22:18-19).  However, the false teacher is not concerned about what God has said as much as he is concerned about his own agenda(s).

    Each time I have dealt with a false teacher I have thought about the wonderful plan the devil has (II Corinthians 4:3-4).  If I am involved with refuting error and answering false charges, the devil has taken me away from trying to reach the lost that might actually be salvageable.  You see, each time I have been involved with confronting a false teacher the time I get to spend in my local work suffers as well as the time I get to spend as a husband and a father.  The time that is wasted with men in error who will not change can never be regained.

    A false teacher is known by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-20).  A false teacher may arise from the outside of a local church or even from somewhere like within an eldership of a local church (Acts 20:29-31).  While there are men who teach error unknowingly that may be able to be restored to the truth (Acts 18:24-28), many false teachers are as vicious as the term “wolf” implies.  Beware and do some testing (I John 4:1)!