If Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), how can we be sure we're not following someone who appears “biblical” but is actually a false teacher?

[1to3]

18 hours ago, 1to3 said:

how can we be sure we're not following someone who appears “biblical” but is actually a false teacher?

BY DEVELOPING, YOUR OWN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP DAILY WITH GOD and aligning what you say and do and what others say and do TO YOU with His Word

When action, motion of speech =WHAT THEY SAY, not only in public, but also in private, do not align with GODs WORD SOMETHING IS AMISS

---

Thank you @Edward429451 for the laugh emotion, at least I know someone is reading my posts. I pray the crying does not follow.

[unworthyservant]

51 minutes ago, bdavidc said:

The Bible does not promise material wealth, health, or worldly success to those who follow Christ.

And to add to that, the only thing that ever drove Christ to an act of violence was when He drove the money changers and sellers from the Temple. What were these people doing that was so wrong? They were profiting from the worship of God. Just as the multitudes of modern "capitalistic" Christians who find ways to profit by selling everything from expensive Bibles to books, to pictures of some Renaissance era long haired, blond, blue eyed model that they call "Jesus", to crosses or crucifixes made of gold and every conceivable product they can market. Christ also admonished every single person whom He "ordained" to preach not to take any "silver or gold for they purse". Based on that I believe it's against the teachings of Christ for preachers or pastors to profit monetarily from preaching the Gospel.

[Edward429451]

1 hour ago, unworthyservant said:

The prosperity Gospel!

That's what popped into my head first thing. 

A lot of people (PTL!) have already given my answer to the thread. Immerse yourself into your Bible and know it all and be continuing to study it, Final Exams Are Very Near! 

Prosperity gospel is one thing in false teachers mouths. What comes out of our TV sets? Light. Angel of light? and that's exactly where we find prosperity gospel. Joel's not even very good at it. (His Dad, John was a good teacher! He always opened with a bible in his hand, let's turn to...!) 

I can summarize the 3 best keys to guard us against deception. In no particular order. 

1. Prayer. (Pray unceasingly)

2. Saturate yourself with the Word of God. (Bile)

3. Fasting. (don't believe this? Go read Matthew 6. Jesus puts Fasting on the same level as Prayer! Fasting is a very powerful tool which helps us in more ways than we know). 

[bdavidc]

29 minutes ago, unworthyservant said:

And to add to that, the only thing that ever drove Christ to an act of violence was when He drove the money changers and sellers from the Temple. What were these people doing that was so wrong? They were profiting from the worship of God. Just as the multitudes of modern "capitalistic" Christians who find ways to profit by selling everything from expensive Bibles to books, to pictures of some Renaissance era long haired, blond, blue eyed model that they call "Jesus", to crosses or crucifixes made of gold and every conceivable product they can market. Christ also admonished every single person whom He "ordained" to preach not to take any "silver or gold for they purse". Based on that I believe it's against the teachings of Christ for preachers or pastors to profit monetarily from preaching the Gospel.

This is a tough one for me, because I know there are some preachers who are honest and don’t exploit the church. But it’s also true that far too many have taken advantage of their position, and it makes me sick to see it. “Woe to the shepherds… who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?” (Ezekiel 34:2). I can’t stand hearing a preacher beg for money like God is broke, especially every other Sunday, just because the church wants to build a bigger building or chase some worldly project instead of doing what the Bible actually tells us to do with our money. Jesus warned, “You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24), and Paul said, “For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word” (2 Corinthians 2:17). The early church used their resources to meet real needs, like caring for widows, orphans, and the poor (Acts 6:1–4, James 1:27), not for showy buildings. But that’s just my opinion. And honestly, my opinion doesn’t matter. What matters is what the Bible says.

According to the Bible, Jesus did drive out the money changers and those selling animals in the temple because they had turned a house of prayer into a “den of thieves” (Matthew 21:12–13). Their sin was not simply commerce, it was corrupting the worship of God by exploiting people financially in a sacred place. Scripture does warn strongly against using godliness as a means of personal gain. Paul wrote, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare... For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Timothy 6:9–10). He also condemned those who saw ministry as a way to enrich themselves, saying “men of corrupt mind... suppose that godliness is a means of gain” (1 Timothy 6:5).

At the same time, the Bible does not forbid those who preach the gospel from receiving material support. Jesus said, “The laborer deserves his wages” (Luke 10:7), and Paul reinforced this, writing, “The Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14). Paul also made clear that while he often refused support to avoid hindering the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:12), others had the right to receive it. The issue is not whether a preacher receives financial help, but whether the gospel is being preached out of love for Christ and truth, not for personal gain. Any use of ministry to exploit others for riches is sin, and Scripture exposes it plainly.

So at what point does a preacher that receive pay for preaching become wrong?

A preacher receiving financial support for preaching becomes wrong when money becomes the motive rather than faithfulness to Christ and His Word. Scripture draws a clear line: support for gospel laborers is biblical, but greed, deception, or exploiting the flock for gain is condemned.

Paul says in 1 Timothy 3:3 that a pastor must not be “a lover of money.” In Titus 1:7, elders must be “not greedy for gain.” When a preacher begins altering or softening the gospel to keep donors happy, builds a lavish lifestyle off the backs of poor congregants, or treats ministry like a business venture, that’s when it crosses the line.

2 Peter 2:1–3 warns about false teachers who “in their greed… will exploit you with false words.” Their goal isn't shepherding souls, it’s making merchandise of people. That’s why Jesus warned in Matthew 6:24, “You cannot serve God and money.”

So biblically, it becomes wrong:

When the focus shifts from Christ to cash.

When the message is shaped to protect income.

When the lifestyle contradicts the humility Christ modeled.

When the shepherd is feeding himself instead of the flock (Ezekiel 34:2)

Receiving support is not the issue, why and how it's done is. A true preacher serves whether paid or not, and lives to please God, not to profit.

[unworthyservant]

27 minutes ago, bdavidc said:

“The Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14).

You quote from the NIV, NLV or perhaps the NASB? In the KJV it reads "14Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." It's kinda ironic but the Berean Standard Bible translates "In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel." while the Berean Literal Bible says "So also, the Lord has prescribed to those proclaiming the gospel to live from the gospel." The actual Greek word that transliterates to "zen" is the word that is translated "live by" or "get their living by" or "make their living by". According to Strong's and about every Greek Lexicon the word actually is a primary verb meaning "to live". Also, the word here translated "commanded" in the Greek was transliterated "dietaxen". It really doesn't mean commanded but rather it's more like prescribed or instituted. It's from the roots, "dia" (to arrange)  and "tasso" (completly). So, a literal translation would be something like, "The Lord has prescribed that they who preach (or proclaim) the Gospel should live by the Gospel".

Thus the dilemma. What is meant by "live by the Gospel". As you have noted, given the context of Paul's remarks (even though he noted that he refused pay) some translations and commentaries have defined it as a Paul's endorsement of preachers receiving pay. In matters such as this I prefer to err on the side of a more literal translation and compare that with what Christ said instead of the commentaries of men.

So, what did Christ actually say? In Matthew 10:7-10 we read "7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat." The basic same admonition is found in both Mark's and Luke's versions of the sending out of the 12 disciples. A couple of things of note. First, Christ prefaces the admonition about gold and silver with the command "Freely ye have received, freely give." That lends credence to the idea that when Christ said "Provide neither gold nor silver nor brass for your purses", He literally meant what He said.

It is also of note that He added "Neither two coats, neither shoes nor yet staves". What's up with that? I've read in commentaries that the practice of the day was to carry two coats as in those days most travel was done on foot on dusty roads and footpaths so, it was customary to carry two coats so that when arriving at one's destination all dirty and dusty, one could simply put on the clean coat they were carrying so as to look presentable. So, it seems Christ was admonishing His disciples to go around dirty and dusty, perhaps to show humility. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers puts it this way; "They were to have none of the reserved comforts of common travellers, no second staff in case the first should break, no second pair of shoes in which to rest the worn and weary feet."

So, then there's the oft quoted "The workman is worthy of his meat". What exactly is meant by that. Barnes' Notes on the Bible says; "The workman is worthy of his meat - This implies that they were to expect a proper supply for their needs from the faithful". Christ never expected His disciples to starve or have no "place to lay their head" as he indicated was the case with Himself. He did seem to indicate it was acceptable if true believers fed and/or housed preachers. It was the idea of charging a fee or salary beyond what's needed to live the austere life that Christ Himself led and that He constantly taught. 

I put this question into the category of something I heard an old Baptist preacher say one time. It goes "If I'm wrong, so what? If you're (those who make money from the Gospel) are wrong, then what?" So, since Christ never told us TO take money for preaching the Gospel, I feel like that's the best route. But, if He really meant what He said, then what of those who ignored it and made money from the Gospel?

[farouk]

1 hour ago, bdavidc said:

This is a tough one for me, because I know there are some preachers who are honest and don’t exploit the church. But it’s also true that far too many have taken advantage of their position, and it makes me sick to see it. “Woe to the shepherds… who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?” (Ezekiel 34:2). I can’t stand hearing a preacher beg for money like God is broke, especially every other Sunday, just because the church wants to build a bigger building or chase some worldly project instead of doing what the Bible actually tells us to do with our money. Jesus warned, “You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24), and Paul said, “For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word” (2 Corinthians 2:17). The early church used their resources to meet real needs, like caring for widows, orphans, and the poor (Acts 6:1–4, James 1:27), not for showy buildings. But that’s just my opinion. And honestly, my opinion doesn’t matter. What matters is what the Bible says.

According to the Bible, Jesus did drive out the money changers and those selling animals in the temple because they had turned a house of prayer into a “den of thieves” (Matthew 21:12–13). Their sin was not simply commerce, it was corrupting the worship of God by exploiting people financially in a sacred place. Scripture does warn strongly against using godliness as a means of personal gain. Paul wrote, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare... For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Timothy 6:9–10). He also condemned those who saw ministry as a way to enrich themselves, saying “men of corrupt mind... suppose that godliness is a means of gain” (1 Timothy 6:5).

At the same time, the Bible does not forbid those who preach the gospel from receiving material support. Jesus said, “The laborer deserves his wages” (Luke 10:7), and Paul reinforced this, writing, “The Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14). Paul also made clear that while he often refused support to avoid hindering the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:12), others had the right to receive it. The issue is not whether a preacher receives financial help, but whether the gospel is being preached out of love for Christ and truth, not for personal gain. Any use of ministry to exploit others for riches is sin, and Scripture exposes it plainly.

So at what point does a preacher that receive pay for preaching become wrong?

A preacher receiving financial support for preaching becomes wrong when money becomes the motive rather than faithfulness to Christ and His Word. Scripture draws a clear line: support for gospel laborers is biblical, but greed, deception, or exploiting the flock for gain is condemned.

Paul says in 1 Timothy 3:3 that a pastor must not be “a lover of money.” In Titus 1:7, elders must be “not greedy for gain.” When a preacher begins altering or softening the gospel to keep donors happy, builds a lavish lifestyle off the backs of poor congregants, or treats ministry like a business venture, that’s when it crosses the line.

2 Peter 2:1–3 warns about false teachers who “in their greed… will exploit you with false words.” Their goal isn't shepherding souls, it’s making merchandise of people. That’s why Jesus warned in Matthew 6:24, “You cannot serve God and money.”

So biblically, it becomes wrong:

When the focus shifts from Christ to cash.

When the message is shaped to protect income.

When the lifestyle contradicts the humility Christ modeled.

When the shepherd is feeding himself instead of the flock (Ezekiel 34:2)

Receiving support is not the issue, why and how it's done is. A true preacher serves whether paid or not, and lives to please God, not to profit.

Hi @bdavidc; I think a safeguard can be when preachers relate to truly autonomous congregations and are not thus excessively reliant on denominational committees and large trust funds from outside the local congregation.

Indeed, Paul to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20 seems to be addressing an independent body of responsible preachers and teachers.

[DeighAnn]

On 4/22/2025 at 1:06 PM, bdavidc said:

Can Someone Sound Biblical and Still Be a False Teacher?

2 Corinthians 11:14 warns us that “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” That means not everything that looks good, sounds spiritual, or uses Bible verses is truly from God. Some of the most dangerous deceptions come from people who seem sincere, quote Scripture, and even talk about Jesus—yet lead people away from the truth.

So here’s the question I want to open up for discussion:

If Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, how can we be sure we're not following someone who appears “biblical” but is actually a false teacher?

What do you personally look for when testing a teacher? How do you compare their words to Scripture? Are there red flags that immediately make you cautious?

Let’s use the Bible and discernment to sharpen each other on this important topic.

IF we just believe what Jesus Christ taught...LIKE LIGHTENING from east to west IS FAST  (sometimes just nano seconds)

so will HIS KINGDOM come in...

If at any time anyone has the time to utter the words 'here or there is Christ' DON'T BELIEVE THEM because the time it takes for those words to come out of their mouth, is LONGER than the time it will take for His Kingdom to come in.... not to mention 

EVERY EYE will see and EVERY KNEE will bend...NO CONVERSATIONS taking place I would assume... no discussions really needed with the SUPER SUPERNATURAL CHANGES happening...some in the 'blink of an eye'...


Kind of along those lines would be 'how long does Gods Wrath take?'  If you ever want to know just go grab a wide mouthed shallow bowl, fill with water and pour it out. Not very long, is it?   
 
5357  phiale - bowl, vial...a broad, shallow bowl or dish.

1632 ekcheo - gush forth, pour out, shed, spill.


 

Edited 8 hours ago by DeighAnn