By Thomas Brooks, (1608 - 1680)
N.B. You will find it helpful to read the text below, as you
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Chapter 7.
SEVEN CHARACTERISTICS OF FALSE TEACHERS
Satan labors might and main, by false teachers,
which are his emissaries, to deceive, delude, and forever undo the precious
souls of men (Jer. 23:13) 'I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they
prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.' Micah 3:5: 'The
prophets make my people to err.' They seduce them, and carry them out of the
right way into by-paths and blind thickets of error, blasphemy, and wickedness,
where they are lost forever. 'Beware of false prophets, for they come to you in
sheep's clothing—but inwardly they are ravening wolves' (Matt. 7:15). These lick
and suck the blood of souls (Phil. 3:2), 'Beware of dogs, beware of evil
workers.' These kiss and kill; these cry, Peace, peace, until souls fall into
everlasting flames! (Prov. 7). (Acts. 20:28-30; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; Eph. 4:14; 2
Tim. 3:4-6; Titus 1:11, 22; 2 Peter 2:18,19.)
Now the best way to deliver poor souls from being deluded and
destroyed by these messengers of Satan is, to discover them in their colors,
that so, being known, poor souls may shun them, and fly from them as from hell
itself.
Now you may know them by these characters following:
[1.] False teachers are men-pleasers.
Such are not true teachers; Gal. 1:10, 1 Thess. 2:1-4. They preach more to
please the ear than to profit the heart (Is. 30:10): 'Who say to the seers, See
not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things: speak to us smooth
things; prophesy deceits.' Jer. 5:30, 31: "A horrible and shocking thing has
happened in the land: The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own
authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?"
Jeremiah 5:30-31. False teachers handle holy things rather with wit and
trifling, rather than with fear and reverence. False teachers are
soul-murderers. They are like evil surgeons, that skin over the wound—but never
heal it. Flattery undid Ahab and Herod, Nero and Alexander. False teachers are
hell's greatest enrichers. Not bitter—but flattering words do all the mischief,
said Valerian, the Roman emperor. Such smooth teachers are sweet soul-poisoners.
"This is my warning to my people," says the Lord Almighty. 'Do not listen to
these prophets when they prophesy to you, filling you with futile hopes. They
are making up everything they say. They do not speak for the Lord! They keep
saying to these rebels who despise my word, 'Don't worry! The Lord says you will
have peace!' And to those who stubbornly follow their own evil desires, they
say, 'No harm will come your way!'" (Jer. 23:16, 17).
[2.] False teachers are notable in casting dirt, scorn,
and reproach upon the persons, names, and credits of Christ's most faithful
ambassadors.
Thus Korah, Dathan, and Abiram charged Moses and Aaron that they took too
much upon them, seeing all the congregation was holy (Num. 16:3). You take too
much state, too much power, too much honor, too much holiness upon you; for what
are you more than others, that you take so much upon you? And so Ahab's false
prophets fell foul on good Micaiah, paying of him with blows for lack of better
reasons (1 Kings 22:10-26). Yes, Paul, that great apostle of the Gentiles, had
his ministry undermined and his reputation blasted by false teachers: 'For his
letters,' say they, 'are weighty and powerful—but his bodily presence is weak
and his speech contemptible' (2 Cor. 10:10). They rather condemn him than admire
him; they look upon him as a dunce rather than a doctor. And the same hard
measure had our Lord Jesus from the scribes and Pharisees, who labored as for
life to build their own credit upon the ruins of his reputation. And never did
the devil drive a more full trade this way than he does in these days (Matt.
27:63). Oh! the dirt, the filth, the scorn that is thrown upon those of whom the
world is not worthy! I suppose false teachers mind not that saying of Augustine:
'He who willingly takes from my good name, unwillingly adds to my reward.' The
proverb is, 'A man's eye and his good name can bear no jests.'
[3.] False teachers are venters of the devices and visions
of their own heads and hearts.
Jer. 14:14: "Then the Lord said unto me—These prophets are telling lies in my
name. I did not send them or tell them to speak. I did not give them any
messages. They prophesy of visions and revelations they have never seen or
heard. They speak foolishness made up in their own lying hearts." "This is my
warning to my people," says the Lord Almighty. "Do not listen to these prophets
when they prophesy to you, filling you with futile hopes. They are making up
everything they say. They do not speak for the Lord!" Jeremiah 23:16.
Are there not multitudes in this nation whose visions are but
golden delusions, lying vanities, brain-sick fantasies? These are Satan's great
benefactors, and such as divine justice will hang up in hell as the greatest
malefactors, if the physician of souls does not prevent it.
Matt. 24:4, 5; 11:14; Titus 1:10; Rom. 16:18
[4.] False teachers easily pass over the great and weighty
things both of law and gospel, and stand most upon those things that are of the
least importance and concern to the souls of men.
1 Tim. 1:5-7: 'Now the end of the
commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of
faith sincere; from which some having swerved, have turned aside unto vain
jangling, desiring to be teachers of the law, and understand neither what they
say nor whereof they affirm.' Matt. 23:23: 'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites; for you pay tithe of mint, and anise and cummin, and have omitted
the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith; these ought you to
have done, and not to leave the other undone.' False teachers are nice in the
lesser things of the law, and as negligent in the greater. 1 Tim. 6:3-5: 'If any
man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is
proud, knowing nothing—but doting about questions and strife of words, whereof
comes envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of
corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness:
from such withdraw yourself.' If such teachers are not hypocrites in grain, I
know nothing (Rom. 2:22). The earth groans to bear them, and hell is fitted for
them (Matt. 24:32).
Luther complained of such in his time as would strain at a
gnat, and swallow a camel. This age is full of such teachers, such monsters! The
high priest's spirit (Matt. 23:24) lives and thrives in these days.
[5.] False teachers cover and color their dangerous
principles and soul-deceptions with very fair speeches and plausible pretenses,
with high notions and golden expressions.
Many in these days are bewitched and deceived by the magnificent words, lofty
strains, and stately terms of deceivers. As strumpets paint their faces, and
deck and perfume their beds, the better to allure and deceive simple souls; so
false teachers will put a great deal of paint and garnish upon their most
dangerous principles and blasphemies, that they may the better deceive and
delude poor ignorant souls. They know sugared-poison goes down sweetly; they
wrap up their pernicious, soul-killing pills in gold! (Gal. 6:12; 2 Cor.
11:13-15; Rom. 16:17, 18; Matt. 16:6,11,12; 7:15.)
In the days of Hadrian the emperor, there was one Ben-Cosbi
gathered a multitude of Jews together, and called himself Ben-cocuba, the
son of a star, applying that promise to himself (Num. 24:17)—but he proved Bar-chosaba,
the son of a lie. And so will all false teachers, for all their
flourishes prove at the last the sons of lies.
[6.] False teachers strive more to win over men to their
opinions, than to better them in their lives.
Matt. 23:15: 'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you
compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him
twofold more the child of hell than yourselves!' They busy themselves most about
men's heads. Their work is not to better men's hearts, and mend their lives; and
in this they are very much like their father the devil, who will spare no pains
to gain proselytes.
For shame! says Epictetus to his Stoics; either live as
Stoics, or leave off the name of Stoics. The application is easy.
[7.] False teachers make merchandise of their followers
"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be
false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies,
even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on
themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth
into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they
have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their
destruction has not been sleeping." 2 Peter 2:1-3. They eye your goods more than
your good; and mind more the serving of themselves, than the saving of your
souls. So they may have your substance, they care not though Satan has your
souls (Rev. 18:11-13). That they may the better pick your purse, they will hold
forth such principles as are very indulgent to the flesh. False teachers are the
great worshipers of the golden calf. "From the least to the greatest, all are
greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit." (Jer. 6:13).
Crates threw his money into the sea, resolving to drown it,
lest it should drown him. But false teachers care not who they drown—so they may
have their money.
Now, by these characters you may know them, and so shun them,
and deliver your souls out of their dangerous snares.