What is the key to recognizing false teachers?

TL;DR:

The main way to recognize false teachers is to become completely familiar with the truths of Scripture. The more we understand what God says, the more obvious it will be to discern what He hasn’t said.

what does the bible say?

Anyone trained to recognize counterfeit money knows the best method is to be so familiar with the real thing that the inconsistencies of the fake are obvious. There are countless books and websites that claim to offer insight into the Bible, and countless religions that offer the “truth.” For those of us who are resolved to believe God’s Word, however, the Bible is the first and last authority. Anyone who teaches differently—man or angel—is to be “accursed” (Galatians 1:8-9).

To recognize false teachers, it is essential to become deeply familiar with the truths of Scripture, as the more we understand God's Word, the easier it is to spot inconsistencies. False teachers often distort key aspects of God's nature, the nature of Jesus, the Gospel, humanity, and eternity. They may deny essential doctrines such as the divinity of Jesus, salvation by grace through faith, and the reality of heaven and hell. The Bible warns against those who teach a different gospel and emphasizes the importance of solid doctrines like Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, and Solus Christus. To guard against false teaching, we must study the truth of the Bible and stay alert to its misinterpretation in the world today.

from the old testament

We can spot false teachers because they:
Deny creation (Genesis 1)
Believe in multiple gods (Deuteronomy 4:35)
Lead the people away to follow other gods (Deuteronomy 13:1-3)
Speak things that don’t come to pass (Deuteronomy 18:20-22)
Deny Satan’s existence (Job 1:6-12)
Deny God’s existence (Psalm 14:1)
Deny God’s sovereignty (Isaiah 46:10)
Call mankind inherently good (Jeremiah 17:9)

from the new testament

We can spot false teachers because they:
Deny the virgin birth (Luke 1:34)
Reject Jesus’ divinity (John 8:58)
Deny the Trinity of God (Matthew 3:16-17)
Deny the existence of Hell (Matthew 22:13)
Deny the crucifixion (John 19: 15-30)
Deny the resurrection (Mark 16:1-8)
Teach that man is good enough (Romans 3:23)
Teach that man can earn salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Deny life after death (Hebrews 9:27)

implications for today

There are also five solid doctrines that can help us discern between Gospel truth and false teaching.

Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) – The Bible is the final authority on all things. Any doubt about its inerrancy or historical accuracy is immediately suspect.

Sola gratia (Grace alone) – Salvation is offered to mankind solely on the basis of God’s love for us and His grace that freely offered Jesus on the cross to atone for our rebellion.

Sola fide (Faith alone) – We can only receive the gift of salvation through the belief and acceptance that the work has already been done for us. Even this faith to believe comes from God.

Solus Christus (Christ alone) – Only Jesus Christ is worthy of all praise, worship, honor and glory. There is no other name by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12).

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone) – Everything we do as believers should be for God’s glory, shining His light and love into a lost and hurting world. We are not to preach for financial gain, for fame or for power over another person, but to bring God the glory due His name.

The apostles warn that during the end times, false teachers will become more and more common and we need to be prepared (2 Peter 3:3; Jude 1:17-18; Matthew 24:23-27). That doesn't mean we should go looking for false teaching. Part of "rightly handling the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15) is studying the truth—the Bible—and not exchanging it for a lie (Romans 1:25).

understand

Familiarity with the Bible helps identify false teachings.
False teachers deny key doctrines, like Jesus' divinity and salvation by grace.
Knowing the truth helps protect us against falsehoods.

reflect

How does knowing Scripture impact your ability to recognize false teachings?
Have you encountered teachings that distort key aspects of God's nature or the Gospel? How did you respond?
How can you actively grow in your understanding of God's Word to better protect yourself from false teachings?

engage

What are some common false teachings, and how can we discern them using Scripture?
How can we effectively teach others the importance of knowing the Bible to guard against false teachings?
How can we uphold core doctrines to discern false teachers?