But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons (I Tim. 4:1).
The word times is kairos, which is not clock time. Kairos is an age or a season. Later times refers to the age between the first appearance of Jesus and His second — the Church Age, the Age of Grace, also known as the End Times. One of the characteristics of this age is apostasy — people falling away from the faith through deception and doctrines of demons.
How do we know this will happen? The Holy Spirit explicitly revealed this to the first generation of believers. Jesus warned us of this as did the apostles Paul and Peter and John. And so it has been throughout these 2,000 years of this final age.
We want to be careful with this phrase fall away from the faith. This does not refer to believers losing their faith. It refers to people who are present in the church, even participating in the rituals and work of the church but who have never been truly redeemed through repentance and faith in Christ’s atonement and resurrection. They are nominal Christians — members in name only. When they encounter the demands of true discipleship, when they experience persecution, when there is a cost, they fall away from the faith — that is, from the doctrines of faith, from the truth and reality of the faith but they did not lose saving faith. Rather, their lack of true, saving faith is exposed. This has happened continually throughout the Church Age.
A primary instrument in leading people away from the faith is false teaching, doctrines devised by demons and proclaimed through people who do not know the Lord. This is far more dangerous than persecution because often, those who fall away from the faith do not fall away from the church. Instead, they stay, gain a place of prominence and spread false teaching. This is dangerous and tragic because vulnerable people may be influenced by them and led astray.
Paul characterizes this false teaching as doctrines of demons. He does not mean doctrines about demons but rather, doctrines inspired by demons — deceitful spirits. These deceitful spirits — fallen angels — are the source of all false religion, false philosophy and the false doctrine which they plant in the minds of unbelievers who then believe these lies as if they were truth.
The Apostle Paul reminds us, The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons.(I Cor. 10:20). The word sharers is koinonous which refers to communion, fellowship, partnering. Following false philosophy, false teaching and false religion leads to a sharing in the substance, the life of the demon that inspired the lie. Followers of false teachers are being discipled by the demons who inspired the lie.
This is why the Apostle John, writing in the first century, warns the church to test the spirits, Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world (I Jn. 4:1).
John says that many false prophets have gone out into the world — not a few but many. Satan corrupts the world through false prophets and false religion but also seeks to corrupt the church from within through false teachers — they were present in the first generation — present now in seminaries and pulpits, in radio, television and print. Often these deceitful doctrines of demons are not total lies but a mixing of truth and error, light and darkness. Satan himself quoted Scripture to Jesus but misapplied it.
John warns us not believe everything that is taught. Rather, test the spirits. How do we test the spirits? Not by our emotions or personal intuition but through the word of God, the holy Bible. All teaching must be held up against the truth of God’s infallible, inspired word. It is from God if it is consistent with His word.
As we move deeper into the end times, it is of primary importance that we trust God’s revelation to us. David the Psalmist reminds us, The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward (Ps. 19:7-11).
Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89).
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever (Isa. 40:8)
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away (Matt. 24:35)
The word of God revealed in the Bible is God’s eternal revelation of truth. The same Holy Spirit who inspired that word lives in us and interprets the word, enabling us to understand it. The Lord of the church has given us pastor / teachers who instruct us in the truth (Eph. 4:11,12). But not all pastor / teachers are truthful. Jesus warned that in the last days, in this end time, Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many (Matt. 24:11).
A. What are false teachers and false prophets like?
1. They come in a variety of disguises. They are not usually obvious. They hide behind costumes of respectability, masking their true, predatory, destructive motivation.
Jesus said, Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matt 7:15).
The Apostle Paul warned the church of false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds (2 Cor. 11:13-15).
2. They live in opposition to the truth.
Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith (2 Tim. 3:8). Jannes and Jambres are not mentioned in the Old Testament but they are believed to have been magicians in Pharaoh’s court who contended against Moses. Or their names may be symbolic of those who opposed Moses. Jannes means he who seduces and Jambres means he who makes rebellion.
Paul says that such persons are present in the church. They oppose the truth because they do not understand truth: In whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Cor. 4:4). Having rejected God’s revelation of truth, they are vulnerable to the blinding deception of the god of this world — Satan. Unable to understand the truth, they become instruments of blinding deception, infecting others with the lie.
Their minds are depraved. The word depraved refers to profound corruption. When people refuse the renewal of their mind by the truth of God, their mind will be utterly corrupted by the lies of this world. They are therefore rejected in regard to the faith. Though they may hold positions of responsibility in the church, they are rejected by God.
3. They are hypocrites because they are liars.
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron (I Tim. 4:1,2).
The word hypocrisy is derived from the Greek word for actors who wore masks. False teachers are mask wearers who pretend to be followers of Christ but in reality oppose Him. They pretend to teach truth but in fact deny the truth of God. They are liars.
Jesus said to the religious leaders who were rejecting Him, You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John. 8:44).
Anyone who blasphemes God’s name or God’s word, who denies the sufficiency of Christ’s atoning work on the cross, who denies the resurrection of Jesus or any other cornerstone doctrine of Biblical faith, is a liar and a deceiver. If they are doing this in the name of the church, then they are the vilest of hypocrites.
4. Their consciences are seared as with a branding iron (I Tim. 4:1,2).
The conscience is that part of our soul that discerns truth from error, right from wrong. A seared conscience is no longer sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, numb to the truth and spiritually dead.
5. They deceive because they are being deceived.
But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Tim. 3:13). Notice the verb tense — they are being deceived. This is a present passive verb. Present tense indicates a continuous, ongoing action. Passive indicates that the subject is receiving the action rather than doing it. They are continually being deceived and therefore, they continually deceive others.
B. What do false teachers and false prophets teach?
1. They teach that indecent, immoral behavior is permitted because God is a God of grace.
For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ (Jude 1:4).
Licentiousness is unrestrained lust, immorality, indecency. These ungodly persons teach that because God is a God of grace, we can live any way we choose. Though they have crept in unnoticed — gained a place of prominence in the church — the were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation. God knows who they are and their judgment is certain.
2. They teach that sensuality and greed are acceptable.
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep (2 Peter 2:1-3).
Sensuality is a preoccupation with the gratification of the senses, fulfilling of appetites, devotion to pleasure. Greed is an intense, consuming and selfish desire for anything, especially wealth or power. Paul reminds us that greed … amounts to idolatry (Col. 3:5). That’s entirely consistent with a life that is partaking of demonic substance.
Sensuality and greed will be implied in their teaching in subtle and not so subtle words but more explicitly, they teach sensuality and greed by the way they live. The lifestyle of a false teacher is often the truest revelation of their lying doctrines. Unfortunately, Many will follow their sensuality … and their greed. Those who are immature or vulnerable and especially, people who do not yet know the Lord but are seeking spiritual truth, are swayed, influenced by the lifestyle of these false teachers.
3. They teach false asceticism.
Asceticism is an extreme and false form of self denial in the vain hope of earning the blessing of God. It is therefore a form of works-righteousness. For instance, Paul warned Timothy of men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth (1 Tim. 4:3). There were men in the church then, as there are now, who teach a false spirituality through extreme self denial.
4. They deny the true doctrines of Christ.
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world (I Jn 4:2,3)
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist (2 Jn. 1:7).
Confessing Jesus refers to believing all that is true about Him. Anyone who denies any foundational doctrine concerning Jesus — His deity, His humanity, His atoning sacrifice and resurrection, His someday return — this person is allowing the spirit of the antichrist to testify through them. They are a false teacher, false prophet.
5. False teachers set false times for the return of Christ.
Referring to His return, Jesus said, But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone (Matt. 24:36).
Just before He ascended to heaven, Jesus said, It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority (Acts 1:7).
We are to live in patient and passionate expectation of our Lord’s return, faithfully fulfilling the responsibilities we have each been given. But anyone who sets calendar dates for the return of Jesus is deceived and by this we know that they are a false teacher.
C. False teachers and false prophets may perform false miracles.
Jesus warns us, For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect (Matt. 24:24)
Paul warns the church of the someday appearance of the lawless one, the Antichrist, whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders (2 Thes. 2:9).
John reveals that the Antichrist will be accompanied by the final False Prophet who performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life (Rev. 13:13,14)
As we move deeper into the end times, some false teachers and lying prophets will possess a demonic anointing which will enable them to perform miracles. Some of these wonders will be counterfeit but some will be real, enabled by demonic power.
However, this is nothing new. Even Moses contended with magicians who could duplicate some of the miracles which the Lord worked through Moses (see Exodus 7:10-12,22 8:7). And in the first century, when Philip was ministering in Samaria, we read, Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great (Acts 8:9). Simon was not a follower of Jesus; he was a magician, a man using powers of darkness to manipulate and impress people and, no doubt, to generate income. But when he saw the power of the Holy Spirit working miracles through Philip, he wanted to purchase that power for his own self-exaltation (Acts 8:18,19).
There have always been people who, under a demonic anointing, have performed signs and wonders and some have claimed to be followers of Christ. As we move deeper into the end times, there will be a multiplying of false teachers, false prophets and lying signs and wonders.
But the true follower of Christ should not be alarmed or afraid. Though we will battle deception, confusion and lies, we will not fall away. The Apostle John exhorts us, Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour … But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know (I Jn. 1:18,20).
That anointing is the Holy Spirit indwelling every believer. Jesus said, But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come (John 16:13).
Paul prayed for the church, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him (Eph. 1:17).
James reminds us, But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him (James 1:5).
Peter exhorts us, Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust (I Ptr. 1:2-4).
Jesus promised, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand (John 10: 27,28).
In his last meeting with the leaders of the church at Ephesus, Paul said, I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert … And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified (Acts 20:29-31).
Our brother Jude reminds us that our Lord is able to keeps through time, into eternity: Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen (Jude 1:24,25).