Judging – Should Christians Judge False Teachers?
What does the Bible say about Judging False Teachers?
Are Christians to Judge other Christians?
Are we to Name the Names of False Teachers & False Prophets?
BY MARTHA MAC © / SO4J.com ® / SO4J-TV
JUDGING OTHERS – SHOULD CHRISTIANS JUDGE FALSE TEACHERS? What does the Bible say about Judging others, and False Teachers? Are Christians to Judge other Christians? Are we to Name the Names of FALSE TEACHERS & FALSE PROPHETS? We are NOT to Judge a person’s MOTIVES (i.e. Matthew 7:1), but we ARE to Judge a Fellow Christian’s: FRUIT / ACTIONS (Matthew 7:15-20,John 7:24,1 Cor 5:12–13) to make sure they’re NOT Teaching & Living CONTRARY to God’s Word, and Essential Christian Doctrine is Correct.
Acts 17:11 (NASB) “Now these [Jews] were MORE NOBLE-MINDED than those in Thessalonica; for they RECEIVED the WORD with GREAT EAGERNESS, EXAMINING the SCRIPTURES DAILY to see whether these things [Paul & Silas’ statements] were so.”
QUICK LINK: The Apostle Paul JUDGED and NAMED the NAMES of 8 DECEIVERS in 2nd TIMOTHY
We also encourage you to further read a short article called: BEWARE OF FALSE TEACHERS.
Romans 16:17 (KJV) “MARK THEM which cause DIVISIONS & OFFENCES CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE which you have learned; and AVOID them.”
2 Timothy 3:13 (NASB) “But EVIL MEN and IMPOSTERS will proceed from BAD to WORSE, DECEIVING and BEING DECEIVED.”
DISCERNMENT
Charles Spurgeon Quotes - SO4J-TV & Video - SO4J.comQuote:
“DISCERNMENT is NOT knowing the difference between RIGHT and WRONG. It is knowing the difference between RIGHT and ALMOST RIGHT.”— Charles Spurgeon, Reformed Baptist Preacher, Britain (1834 – 1892)
Do you have BIBLICAL DISCERNMENT & COMPARE what you’re being TAUGHT with GOD’s WORD? There’s just enough TRUTH in what False Teachers say to come across as being Credible & Biblical. That’s why Jesus warns, “Beware of the False Prophets”! (Matt 7:15-20)
– Matthew 7:15-16 (NASB) Jesus warns, “BEWARE of FALSE PROPHETS, who come to you in SHEEP’S CLOTHING, but INWARDLY are RAVENOUS WOLVES. You will KNOW THEM by their FRUITS..”
– Matthew 24:11 (NASB) Jesus warns, “MANY FALSE PROPHETS will RISE UP & DECEIVE MANY.” MORE: FALSE TEACHERS SCRIPTURES
So many churches these days Preach a: Worldly Man-centered pragmatic Shallow “gospel” that is focused merely on this life, and is CONTRARY to God’s Word VS the TRUE GOSPEL of Jesus Christ which is about the Good News of “REPENTANCE & FAITH in JESUS.” (i.e. Mark 1:15).
So many professing Christians lack Biblical Discernment as well. Professing Christians should be diligently SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES DAILY (Acts 17:11), and BE DISCERNING and COMPARE what you are HEARING— from these False Teachers (and anyone, including us) along with their False Prophecies (that are Mixed with Truth in their Sermons), and Compare it w/God’s Word.
Remember too, it’s not always what False Teachers say, it’s what they DON’T say. MANY seem to ONLY want to talk about “God’s Love” (along w/their: Money-talk,and /or Self-Esteem, or Pragmatic people-pleasing talk, and more)–
… they are at all preaching like: Jesus, Paul, Peter, etc. did when they would warn people and talk about: Sin, Hell, the Coming Judgment, etc (John 16:8). Love is NOT merely giving people what they want, Love Warns too of Danger, which is also what this video aims to do.
WHEN IT COMES TO JUDGING: Believer’s in Jesus Christ are NOT to Judge a person’s MOTIVES (Matt 7:1), but we ARE to Judge a Fellow Believer’s & Teachers: FRUIT / ACTIONS (Matt 7:15-20, John 7:24, 1 Cor 5:12–13, 1 John 4:1); to make sure they’re NOT Teaching CONTRARY to GOD’S WORD, and that the ESSENTIAL CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE is CORRECT, for the Protection of Gods People, His Sheep (John 10).
Matthew 7:15-20 (NKJV) Jesus warns, “BEWARE of the FALSE PROPHETS, who COME TO YOU in SHEEP’S CLOTHING but INWARDLY are RAVENOUS WOLVES. You will KNOW THEM (identify them) by their FRUITS. Do men gather GRAPES from THORNBUSHES or FIGS from THISTLES? Even so, EVERY GOOD TREE bears GOOD FRUIT, but a BAD TREE bears BAD FRUIT. A GOOD TREE CANNOT bear BAD FRUIT, NOR can a BAD TREE bear GOOD FRUIT. EVERY TREE that does NOT bear GOOD FRUIT is CUT DOWN and THROWN into the FIRE. Therefore by THEIR FRUITS you will KNOW THEM.”
John 7:24 (NKJV) “Do Not JUDGE according to Appearance, but JUDGE with RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT.”
1 Corinthians 5:12-13 (ESV) “For what have I to do with JUDGING OUTSIDERS (unbelievers)? Is it not those INSIDE the CHURCH (believers) whom you are to JUDGE? GOD JUDGES those OUTSIDE. “Purge the evil person from among you.” 1 Cor 6:1-20 (ESV) “When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the SAINTS will JUDGE the WORLD? And if the WORLD is to be JUDGED by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to JUDGE ANGELS? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!”
1 John 4:1 (NKJV) “Beloved, do NOT Believe EVERY spirit (those CLAIMING to SPEAK BY THE SPIRIT), but TEST the SPIRITS, whether they are of God; because MANY FALSE PROPHETS have gone out into the World.”
1 Corinthians 14:29 (NKJV) “Let Two or Three PROPHETS SPEAK, and let the OTHERS JUDGE.”
1 Thessalonians 5:21 (NASB) “But EXAMINE (TEST) EVERYTHING CAREFULLY; HOLD FAST (hold on) to that which is GOOD.”
J.