What Are Some Characteristics Of False Teachers? – 2 Peter 2:1-3

Even as there will be false teachers among you,
who will bring in destructive heresies…
2 Peter 2:1b

What do you know about false teachers? Scripture talks quite a bit about them, so as believers, we do well to know what the Bible tells us about these deceptive teachers.

You might think it would be easy to spot them, but the Bible doesn’t paint that picture, especially for the unsuspecting.

So, let’s look at some of the characteristics found in 2 Peter 2:1-3.

1) False Teachers Are in the Church

Even as there will be false teachers among you…2 Peter 2:1a

False teachers aren’t just in some churches; they are most likely in your church. They may not be actual teachers or pastors, but they spread their falsehoods to whoever will listen.

That’s pretty much what Peter was saying to his readers when he told them false teachers will be among you.

Paul said the same thing in Acts 20:29, “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

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2) False Teachers Are Sneaky

who will secretly introduce…2 Peter 2:1b

False teachers mix truth with falsehood and introduce it slowly. They twist Scripture and make it sound good and often emotionally pleasing.

Or they mean something different than what the church has traditionally taught.

False teachers (and their teaching) creep in unnoticed (Jude 1:4). They come in sheep’s clothing but are inwardly ravenous wolves (Matt 7:15).

You won’t see their sneaky teaching coming if you aren’t paying attention.

3) False Teachers Introduce Destructive Heresies

introduce destructive heresies…2 Peter 2:1c

Because they are sneaky and good at what they do, you assume they are teaching what the Bible says and the church teaches.

For example, a false teacher might say that Jesus gave up His divinity while He was on earth and point you to Philippians 2:5-11.

You think he means that Jesus gave up some of His divine privileges but was still God. You know the Bible teaches Jesus was the God-man.

But he means Jesus ceased to be divine during His earthly life; that He was just a man like you and me. He says that because Jesus was just a man who lived a perfect life, believers can obtain perfection in this life.

This teaching is a destructive heresy, and it is being taught in churches today by false teachers.

4) False Teachers Deny the Deity of Jesus Christ

even denying the Master who bought them…2 Peter 2:1d

Warren Wiersbe says in The Bible Exposition Commentary, Volume 2, p. 447, says:

False teachers are better known for what they deny than what they affirm. They deny the inspiration of the Bible, the sinfulness of man, the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross, salvation by faith alone, and even the reality of eternal judgment. They especially deny the deity of Christ, for they know that if they can do away with His deity they can destroy the entire body of Christian truth. Christianity is Christ, and it He is not what He claims to be, there is no Christian faith.

They may deny that Jesus Christ:

• Pre-existed as God
• Is fully God and fully man
• Atoned for our sins on the cross

All of these denials diminish the Person and work of Jesus Christ and cause people to stumble or, worse, cause people to think they are saved when they aren’t because they haven’t been taught the way of salvation.

5) False Teachers Are Convincing

And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them, the way of truth will be blasphemed. 2 Peter 2:2

False teachers teach a variety of things, such as Jesus accepts everyone, miracles must accompany a true conversion, or Jesus wasn’t fully God and fully man.

Their false teaching is subtle and often undetectable to the nominal Christian or one raised with it. It’s usually mixed with truth.

They make up believable stories that wow people with what God is doing through them or others.

However, when they lie or teach a different Jesus, it can be disastrous for the cause of Christ.

Unfortunately, too many people fall prey to false teaching because they want the sensational. They want an emotional experience more than they want the truth. Their first criterion is whether the teacher is appealing, well-spoken, has the “wow” factor, or makes them feel good.

6) False Teachers Are Greedy

By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words…2 Peter 2:3a

One common element among false teachers is their desire for money. You might see it today through book sales, seed offerings, pretense, or bribes.

When Paul was defending his conduct to the Thessalonians, he said, “Not once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money.” (1 Thess 2:5 NLT).

In the Old Testament, Micah described the false prophets of his day as follows: “You rulers make decisions based on bribes; you priests teach God’s law only for a price; you prophets won’t prophesy unless you are paid” (Micah 3:11 NLT).

It’s not that it’s wrong for Bible teachers to get paid, but when their primary motive is money, or they extort people for gain, they cross the line.

Kenneth O. Gangel, in The Bible Knowledge Commentary on 2 Peter, p. 870, says:

Ministerial charlatans and quacks have often troubled God’s flock. In their greed (cf. v. 14) they use others for their own mercenary purposes and turn the church into a dirty marketplace.

People more interested in making the Bible say what they want it to say are susceptible to false teaching. “They will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Tim 4:3-4).

The Best Defense Against False Teachers

The best defense against false teachers is knowing and living according to what the Bible says.

You’ve heard that the best way to recognize a fake bill is to know what a real one looks like. The more you know what the Bible says, the better you will be able to recognize when someone teaches something different.

Believers growing in faith are less likely to fall victim to false teaching or seek teachers who water down the Gospel and teach a different Jesus.

Let us “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” so that none of us are “led away by the error of lawless people and fall from [y]our own stable position.” (2 Pet 3:17-18).

Furthermore, let us pray for ourselves and other believers the way Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17-19; 3:16-19; Philippians 1:9-11; and Colossians 1:9-14.

Final Thoughts

2 Peter 2:1-3 gives us quite the list of characteristics for false teachers. They are:

• In the church
• Sneaky
• Introducing destructive heresies
• Deniers of the deity of Jesus Christ
• Convincing
• Greedy

Still, this list doesn’t mean they are easy to recognize. They claim to be Christians, sound like Christians when mixing truth with error, and are smooth and dynamic.

Not every dynamic speaker is false, nor is every wealthy teacher. Believers need discernment, wisdom, and the knowledge of God’s word. The more we know what the Bible says, the easier it will be to spot a false teacher.

Do you have any experience with a false teacher? If so, how did you know they were false?