There is also a misconcep­tion that a real false teacher must be somewhat equally as horrid.  Many cannot imagine a false teacher as a kind, compassionate, lovely and seemingly honest and righteous man.  However, notice how the Bible speaks of the devil and his ministers, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.  And no wonder!  For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

        False teachers are “transformers.”  Their religion is a religion of falsehood camou­flaged in Christianity.  They present to the populace a package that outwardly appears true, but inwardly it is filled with all sorts of poisonous manipulation.  False teachers do not appear to be deceitful!  They take on the form of ministers of righteousness. They conceal their deception by transforming themselves to be apostolic and their unrighteousness as right­eous. Jesus stated it best, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:12).  Peter, likewise in speaking about their outward facade penned, “These are wells without water. . .” (2 Pet. 2:17). Simi­larly, Jude wrote, “They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots” (Jude 12).  So then, what is God’s word telling us?  False teachers appear as ministers of righteousness, though they are unrighteous; they appear as angels of light, though they are of darkness; they appear as sheep, though they are really predacious wolves; they appear as wells for the world to drink, but in reality are dry and barren; they appear as rain clouds, but clouds that simply go by without giving of their substance; they appear as fruit trees, but during harvest, have no fruit and are thus twice dead—dead for not bearing fruit and dead again because of their final destination, being uprooted!

        The question may be asked, “How can one identify a false teacher?”  Scripture answers, “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you. . .speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (Acts 20:29, 30).  Identification of false teachers is accomplished by examining their “speaking.”  Do they speak in compliance with or contradictory to God’s word?  Thus, “Test the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). In fact, every New Testament writer warns against false teachers. Many of Satan’s ministers are employed filling pulpits in churches throughout the world on the Lord’s day!  Is your preacher a minister for God or Satan?  What does he preach?  What do you prefer to hear? False teachers would not have success if people would begin to examine their teaching in light of the scriptures.

“. . .there will be false teachers among you. . .and many will follow their de­structive ways. . .”(2 Pet. 2:1, 2).