How to Recognise a False Teacher: A South African Christian's Biblical Guide

South Africa has one of the most active religious marketplaces in the world. Most of these ministries are sincere. Most are trying to follow the Bible. But not all of them are. The Bible is clear that false teachers will come. The Bible is clear that the Christian is to be on guard. The Bible does not say the Christian is to be naive.

What the Bible Actually Says About False Teachers

Matthew 7:15-20 — Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognise them. 1 John 4:1 — Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 — The time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 — Such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 2 Peter 2:1-3 — There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Galatians 1:8-9 — If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse! Acts 17:11 — The Berean Jews examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 — Test everything. Hold on to what is good.

The Seven Biblical Markers of a False Teacher

Marker 1 — What Is the Gospel?

Is the gospel the historic Christian gospel — that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he died for our sins, that he was raised on the third day, that salvation is by grace through faith? Or is the gospel a different gospel — a gospel of personal breakthrough, of national blessing, of generational wealth? Galatians 1:8-9 is severe about this marker.

Marker 2 — What Is Said About Money?

Is the Bible's teaching on money — stewardship, generosity, contentment, the danger of the love of money — being taught? Or is it being replaced by the teaching that the Christian is to be rich? 2 Peter 2:3 is specific. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories.

Marker 3 — How Is the Leader Living?

Is the leader's family in order? Is the leader's money in order? Is the leader's ego in order? Is the leader approachable? Is the leader accountable to anyone? Matthew 7 — By their fruit you will recognise them. The fruit is the long-term fruit, not the conference fruit.

Marker 4 — Is the Bible Actually Preached?

Is the Bible actually being preached? Or is the Bible being replaced by personal revelation, by prophetic words, by stories about what God told the leader? Acts 17:11 — the noble thing is to examine the Scriptures daily. A ministry that does not even own the Bible as the authority is a ministry that has failed this marker.

Marker 5 — How Are the Vulnerable Treated?

How does the ministry treat the widows, the orphans, the divorced, the unemployed? James 1:27 — Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress. The marker is whether the vulnerable are the central concern of the ministry, or the marketing of the ministry.

Marker 6 — Is There Accountability?

Is the leader accountable to anyone? Is there a board? Is there an elder team? Is there a denomination? Hebrews 13:17 — Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. A ministry where the leader is the final word on everything has set up a structure the Bible does not endorse.

Marker 7 — What Happens to the Questioner?

What happens to the Christian who asks a hard question? What happens to the Christian who says show me in the Bible? A ministry that responds by shaming the questioner, by labelling the questioner as having a spirit of criticism, by isolating the questioner — that ministry has failed this marker.

What the Bible Does Not Require

The Bible does not require the Christian to find a perfect ministry. There is no perfect ministry. The Bible does not require the Christian to stay in a ministry that has clearly failed the seven markers. The Bible does not require the Christian to be suspicious of every ministry. Most ministries deserve the benefit of the doubt. The seven markers are for the new ministry the Christian is considering. The seven markers are for the ministry that has raised a question.

A Prayer for the Discerning South African Christian

God of the truth — we thank you for your word. We thank you for the Berean Jews who examined the Scriptures daily. We thank you for the Spirit who guides us into all truth. We pray for discernment. We pray for the wisdom to test what is being taught. We pray for the courage to ask the hard question. We pray for the humility to leave when the Bible says leave. We pray for the grace to stay when the Bible says stay. We pray for the ministries that are faithfully preaching your word. We pray for the leaders who are accountable to you and to your people. We pray for the ones who are caught in the false ministries, who do not yet know they are caught. We pray that they will read the Bible before they sign the form. We pray that they will test the fruit before they send the money. Give us the wisdom of the serpent and the innocence of the dove (Matthew 10:16). Give us the courage of the Bereans. In the name of the one who is the way, the truth, and the life. Amen.

Johannesburg Bible Study Church meets online every Wednesday at 7:30pm. We test everything. We hold on to what is good. Call +27 77 487 1295 or +27 67 442 4461 to join.