Three Characteristics of False Teachers

There will be false teachers among you.

2 Peter 2:1

Second Peter 1 describes genuine believers. Second Peter 2 describes counterfeit believers. Put these chapters side by side, and you will see the differences between them.

1. Different Source. (Where does the message come from?) Peter says, “We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1:16). Then he says the false teachers exploit you “with false words” (2:3). The true teacher sources what he says from the Bible, the false teacher relies on his own creativity. He makes up his own message.

2. Different Message. (What is the substance of the message?) For the true teacher, Jesus Christ is central. We have “all things that pertain to life and godliness” in Him (1:3). For the false teacher, Jesus is at the margins: They “will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them” (2:1). It’s rare for someone in church to openly deny Jesus. Movement away from Him is subtle. Listen carefully to what the false teacher is saying, and you will see that Jesus is not essential to his message.

3. Different Position. (In what position will the message leave you?) The true Christian has “escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (1:4). Listen to how Peter describes the counterfeit Christian: “They promise… freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved” (2:19). Two very different dynamics are at work here. The true believer is escaping corruption, while the counterfeit believer is mastered by it.

Thank God for the faithfulness you see in your leaders and teachers.