Minister’s Corner: Identifying false teachers

John 14:23-24 KJV says, “Jesus answered and said to Him, if my father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which set me.” Because Jesus gave us a clear measurement to distinguish between those who love God and those who do not, we can easily identify false teachers.
According to Scripture, we can determine if those who preach and teach are in love with God. If anyone loves Christ, he or she will keep God’s Word. We may not be able to judge someone’s salvation, but we can clearly judge whether or not they are in an abiding relationship with Christ. If someone rejects God’s commands, they do not love God, no matter how loudly they profess it. If someone refutes Scripture or teaches a doctrine that contradicts Scripture, they do not love God. They may say that they love God, but it is not possible to love God and align ourselves against His Word. Judgemental, but Jesus plainly stated this truth.
So the question is, what is our responsibility when we identify someone who teaches doctrine contrary to God’s Word? 2 John 9-11 says, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the son if there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed; For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”
The Bible commands, in unmistakable terms, that if someone brings a doctrine that is contrary to Scripture, we are not to welcome them as a teacher on any level. This does not mean that we condemn them, but rather that we uphold the truth but the hope of repentance.